The Boy Scouts to the Rescue

eir quarters and soon were as sound asleep as though they were lying on the softest down. They slept and slept, losing all track of time, and by the General's orders w

, and sitting bolt upright, stared unblinkingly a

ant," said Porky,

said Beany, looking curi

o?" asked Porky.

his writing tablet. "You have been asleep since yes

gasped Porky. "Why di

e laughed, "Gee, I wish he would order me

ke this," said Porky in irritation

is on and to-morrow General Pershing with his staff will make the t

hes, didn't you?" asked Porky

ad. "I came over to fight, and it was just my luck to get this measly scratch on

ime to get well, haven't you?" aske

d out of it," said the L

ch war cross with the palms. Porky and Beany considered modesty in others little less than a sin. They were always so thirsty for tales of blood and glory that they could not see why any one should hesitate to tell every possible detail of any adventure. It happened, strangely enough, that they

orky, standing up and stamping hi

his brother, li

id the Lieutenant. "You can't get

ried to the door and disappeared, while Beany, a t

f some sort was the o

s so sudden!" he complained

nd he don't need any help in getting it out of his system. I certainly hope we can go with the General. You are always yelling about that old

Parker. "Didn't you have enough of an adventure

orky burst into the roo

ter than I ever h

" demanded Be

to a French officer and the minute he went out, the General just said, 'All right to-day, young man?' I said, 'Yes, sir,' and he

s,' and I said, 'Thank you, sir, but the pleasure was all ours, sir,' and he said, 'No, not quite all; because some of the papers you uneart

ny, wriggling. "Don't you know an

uld we worry? Main fact is clear, we

some way they fancied would make an eighth of an inch difference in some of its dimensions. They strutted a little perh

ist in the Potter twins. They could keep a secret without being told to, and that's some test. Whatever they overheard was safe. When they saw things that were not intended for their eyes, t

g each other on the back, and won

ady at least who was not wasting any love on them, and they didn't want to give her a chance to turn a key on them

ing nuts and testing various parts of the machinery. No one spoke. The boys crossed the open space, and in accordance with an agreement made previously, sat down back to back on a ledge of the broken fountain. They were taking no risks

r twelve hours. Even Porky and Beany sen

d Porky, poking his brother w

Even the mechanics straightened to their feet. There was perfect quiet, however, and five minutes later they started away full speed in the darkness. On and on they went, passing first through a country which showed very litt

for airplanes. The sandwiches and coffee, boiling hot in big thermos bottles, tasted good to the hungry boys, although they were eaten in silence, and in silence the journey was continued. Now they commenced to see signs of t

two hours so the boys wandered about, looking at the ruined landscape and picking up here and there sad little mementoes of friend and foe. Buttons, scraps of jewelry, mostly cheap rings that girls might have worn and given to their departing sweethearts. There were dozens

ope he didn't get his! Perhaps t

n it?" demanded th

going to keep this and send it back home to one of the papers. They will be glad to

mile stood dead and dying from the effects of the gas attacks of the enemy. The gas seemed to be as fatal to the trees as it was to human beings. Not only had the leaves curled up and fallen, but the trunks themselves were blackened and dead l

They went clambering over the loose heaped-up stones of what had once been a fine old dwelli

said Porky. "See the way the edge of this

ize of it, too

a faint feeble wail was heard. Th

ut up some place," said Beany

it along. I don't suppose General Pershing wo

"Kitty, kitty! Here, kitty," he ca

accord they seized a couple of stout timbers and commenced to pry away part of the wreckage in what seemed the likelie

o the one they had been sitting on, tipped sidewise and slow

and the boys looked at each othe

kitten!" ga

o a gloomy chamber now feebly lighted from above. In a moment his eyes were accustomed to the di

fate the falling walls, while they had made a tight prison of it, had spared the most of the s

lassy depths. What looked like two little piles of rags were huddled close, and as the boys came nearer, the dying woman, for it was a woman and she was close to death, clutched them con

ying woman. Very gently he slipped an arm under her hea

, left alone with the woman and the two terrified children, who tried frantically to burrow out of sight under the mother's nerveless arm, could think

of the chilly dampness of the cellar, and laid her on a pile of coats and cushions. Some one carefully fed her a few d

nelt beside her. Softly, tenderly, pityin

opened, and res