Beany grinned. “He is always so sudden!” he complained, addressing the Lieutenant.
“Might as well stay here until he comes back. I never like to butt in on Porky’s talky-talks. He most generally knows what he wants to say, and 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 silver plate you have on your topknot. Look at us: seems like we just can’t get into a trench. Honest Injun, I’m so sick of this old chateau—”
“I never did see such a pair!” said Lieutenant Parker. “Didn’t you have enough of an adventure the other night to last you two or three days?”
He was going on, when Porky burst into the room. He threw up his hat.
“Better, much better than I ever hoped,” he crowed.
“Hand it out!” demanded Beany anxiously.
“Why, I was going to give the General a great line of talk, and I didn’t have a chance to do a thing but salute. He was talking 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 said, ‘No time to talk! Report in the courtyard to-morrow morning five-thirty, field equipment, for special duty with my staff.’
“I saluted again and turned to come out, and the General said, ‘Potter, this is in the way of a reward for that little affair in the dungeons,’ 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 unearthed WILL HELP TO TURN THE TIDE.’ How’s that, old Beans, will help to turn the tide. Gosh! you did it with your little penknife, didn’t you?”
“Well, never mind that,” said Beany, wriggling. “Don’t you know anything about this trip to-morrow?”
“Nary word,” said Porky, “but why should we worry? Main fact is clear, we are going to be among those present.”