“Did you hear that?” whispered Ned. “Sure I did. It was----” “Pug Kennedy!” filled in Ned. “And if the other didn’t speak with a German accent I’ll never draw another ration.” “Just what I think. But what does it mean? Why should Pug Kennedy be out after hours, running the guard and meeting with men who may be enemy aliens?” “Can’t answer,” replied Jerry. “But it’s up to us to find out. But let’s go easy. We don’t want to make fools of ourselves, and start a false alarm. Wait until we see what happens.” They did not have long to wait. A few seconds later they heard a shuffle in the grass, and a dim figure came toward them. It was that of a soldier, as Ned and Jerry could see. Of the second person there was not a sign. But he might still be in the dark hollow, or he may have crawled off. At any rate it was Jerry’s duty to challenge, and he did it. “Halt!” he cried, bringing his rifle to “port,” as the regulations called for. “Who goes there?” “Friend,” was the answer, though the tone of the reply was anything but friendly. “That you, Hopkins?” came the inquiry. “Yes. Who are you?” Jerry asked, though he knew full well. “I’m Kennedy. I’ve been out on a bit of a lark. Can’t you look the other way a second until I slip past?” It was not an unusual request, and it was one that was often complied with. Yet Jerry hesitated a moment. Kennedy might be telling the truth, and the midnight meeting might be innocent enough. But it looked suspicious. And Jerry had reason to think that the fighter had come from the barracks only recently--not that he was just returning to them. “Go on. Look the other way and I’ll slip past--that’s a sport!” begged Pug Kennedy, and his voice was more friendly now. “I’ll do as much for you some day.” It was an appeal hard to resist, and Jerry was on the point of complying, while Ned was willing to agree to it, when some one was heard walking along from a point in back of the three young men. “It’s the corporal!” hissed Kennedy. “Keep your mouths shut and I’ll do the rest.” He suddenly seemed to melt away in the darkness, but he probably dropped down in the long grass. The approaching footsteps came nearer and a voice called: “Hopkins! Slade! Are you there?” “Here, sir,” was the answer, and Jerry and Ned saw the corporal of the guard standing near them. “Anything the matter?” he asked. “Well, I thought I saw some one over here,” answered Jerry, “and I came to look. But I don’t see anything now.” There was a very good reason for this. Jerry had his eyes tightly shut! “False alarm, was it?” asked the corporal with a laugh. “Well, that often happens. But it’s best to be on the alert. There are some of the boys out, and we want to catch them as examples. If you see anything more give a call.” “Yes, sir.” Jerry and Ned turned away to go back on post when something happened. It was a yell of pain, and came from a point not far from where the corporal had been talking to the two sentries.