"Yes, your excellency," replied "Carl Heft."
"Then I will sign the first copy." And he unscrewed a fountain-pen as he spoke.
Handing him the uppermost sheet, Dennis seized the opportunity to fold up the end one and slip it into his pocket; and he had just succeeded when the general added the last scrawl to his indecipherable signature.
"Place this in an envelope," he said, "and deliver it yourself into the hands of the Oberst" (colonel).
"And the second copy, your excellency?" volunteered the supposed Heft.
"Place it upon the file as usual, and be off!"
The three men resumed their excited conversation, to which he would dearly have loved to listen.
But he filed the sheet, made an elaborate salute, and joined the sergeant, who was waiting in the communication.
"Where are we going?" whispered the man, when they were out of earshot.
"To Péronne," replied Dennis.