"My word!" declared Dave with emphasis. "We're in for it now!"
"I wonder just what they're going to do?" asked Jimmie in a whisper.
"Firin' squad at sunrise, most likely!" said Dave. "We're now, as I understand it, criminals of the worst sort."
"I don't get you," puzzled Jimmie. "What's the big idea?"
"We've committed one of the worst crimes in the calendar!" declared Dave. "As I understand it, we've meddled with the person of the Kaiser, and that's only one degree less awful than saying horrid things about him. That's what I've been told, at any rate."
"Great frozen hot boxes!" ejaculated Jimmie. "Is it a crime to save a man's life when you get the chance?"
"I can't just say how they'll look at it," replied Dave. "But here comes the old top himself. Maybe he'll have a word to say."
Von Liebknecht began what seemed to the lads to be an apology, but was cut short by the Kaiser, who gave a command in German. Without attempting to complete his unfinished speech, the Captain repeated the command to an aide standing near, and he in turn addressed two Uhlans.
Much to their surprise, the boys were confronted by their old acquaintances, Otto and Fritz, who gave their orders in a single word.
"Vorwarts!" came the command in crisp tones as the two crowded their horses almost upon the two lads.