"No," rejoined Tom, bent on arousing his curiosity, for Dick's regard for Ben's sister was well known. "No," he jokingly said, "it's a letter from Fritz Schmockenburg, inviting us to attend an affair at his country estate." "I'll attend to Fritz's affair later on," Dick began. Then his face grew serious and he added, "When Ben Has gone to sleep, Tom, and you are not wanted here, I want you to run over to the barracks for a few minutes." "Anything wrong?" inquired Ben. "Only that I'm off for a little trip, Ben, and I want to give a few final instructions to this good-for-nothing nurse of yours," Dick returned, quietly pushing his brother from the stool on which he was sitting. "Is that all the general wanted you for?" asked the aggrieved Tom, from his location on the floor. "I was in hopes that he would send you away for a month or two." "Well, it's very likely to amount to that before I get through." Dick bent close to the bed. "I'm bound for Vincennes, boys, but we are to keep that secret to ourselves." "Vincennes!" they chorused. "Why that's way over near the Mississippi river, isn't it?" asked Ben. "Thereabouts," replied Dick. "I'm sorry I have to go before you are up and around, Ben, but the general has honored me with this commission and I must start at once." "How about me, cannot I go too?" queried Tom. "You are to stay here and be good to Ben for a few days and then you are to follow me," answered Dick, dropping his voice to a whisper. "This message that I'm going to carry has got to get through and to insure its delivery a similar message is to be sent and you are to carry it. If one fails the other should succeed. You can follow me as soon as possible, and we may be able to make the last stages of the trip together." "Sorry I'm out of this," said Ben, "but you can't stop bullets and carry messages at the same time very successfully." Dick bade him a quiet, but none the less sincere farewell, and hurried over to his quarters to get ready for his trip. His preparations consisted mainly in a careful examination of the arms he was to carry and his coffee-pot. He then called to Fritz--the blundering but well-meaning Fritz--with whom the boys had had so many larks, and by a few words startled that individual into incoherent phrases and hurried action. Tom joined him soon afterward and offered his assistance in making ready. "Hate to hurry you away like this, old man," said Tom, mockingly. "I am not going to hurry after I start, anyhow," Dick replied. "I'm going to take along an anchor in the form of that ever-slow German, Fritz." "Fritz," shouted Tom. "Why under the sun is he going with you?"