The general actually held out his hand to them, which Jack reckoned to be an unusual thing for a commanding officer to do. But of course he could unbend his dignity when dealing with boys, and this meeting must have been a refreshing break in the monotony of strictly military doings. “The best of luck attend your search,” he told them at parting. “While I may sympathize with the sacred object of your mission, deep down in my heart I am hoping your brother will consider it his duty to stick by his task. The Allies can ill afford to lose so brilliant a pilot at just this critical stage of the terrible game of war.” Jack knew that the busy general had given them much more of his valuable time than common prudence would have dictated. That was because he had taken an interest in their fortunes, and also in themselves as typical representatives of Young America. So Jack bowed and backed away, in which he was imitated by Amos. Once again they were in the open air, with the deep muttering of the battle coming from the front. The captain now held out his hand as though to say he had pressing duties to attend to, and could not spare further time to accompany them. “We may be ordered to take our places in the line at almost any minute,” he explained, “and I should be with my men, who are chafing at the delay, being wild to get in action. So I will echo all the general said. The best of luck attend you both, my lads. I have two boys at home, and I assure you they love the country of their mother as well as that to which their father owes allegiance.” When they found themselves free to act the first thing Jack did was to take out the paper given into his charge by the commanding officer and examine it, with Amos leaning over his shoulder. “Brief and to the point, as a soldier’s communications always should be,” observed Jack; “but it covers the ground, and will keep any British or Belgian patrol from interfering with our movements. I hardly think such liberty has been granted to any other non-combatant in this war. On the whole, I can see where it’s going to help me out in my letters to my paper.” “And now we’ve got to cover the same ground again, do we?” asked Amos. “Pretty much so,” he was told by his comrade. “Only with this paper from the general we may look to have all sorts of favors granted to us. Who knows but what we may get a ride part of the way in an automobile, or on a motor truck going for the injured? I mean to make an effort, if a chance comes along.” CHAPTER XXIII. A RIDE ON A GUN CAISSON. “There’s the cottage of François Bart,” observed Amos, some time later, as they passed through the village on the outskirts of Ypres. “Yes, and some one is waving to us from the open door,” added Jack. “It must be his good wife, and she has recognized her lodgers of last night.” “I hope they get no bad news about their boy from the front where the Belgian army is holding out so stubbornly,” said Amos, reflectively.