"Three of 'em bagged, by George," exclaimed Jim to Uncle Sam,
when the aviator was safely locked up in the guardhouse, "and all
due to the pluck and sense of those two kids. If it hadn't been
for them, the chances are we'd all have been ready for cold
storage by this time. They've saved the camp--that's what they've
done! There are explosives enough stored here to have blown every
one of us to Kingdom-come!"
"Right you are, Jim," replied Uncle Sam with hearty emphasis, "we
surely do owe them something, and that's a cinch. Let's talk with
the boys."
That night Uncle Sam and Jim made eloquent use of all the French
they knew as they sat about the camp-fire, and told the story of
Pierre and Pierrette to their comrades in arms. Not only did they
tell of their finding the spies and saving the camp from
destruction, but of their Father, wounded at the Marne, of their
experience in the Cathedral at Rheims, and of all they had
suffered there, and especially of their plucky Mother whose
spirit no misfortune could break. And when they had finished the
tale, the men gave such a hearty cheer for the whole Meraut
family that it was heard in the village a mile away, though no
one there had the least idea what the noise was about.
The next day Uncle Sam and Jim appeared in Fontanelle and told
the story of the spies to the Doctor and Mademoiselle, and then
they held a long private conference with Mother Meraut. The
children were on pins and needles to know what they were talking
about, and why Mother Meraut looked so happy afterward, but she
only shook her head when they begged her to tell them, and said,
"Someday you'll find out.
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