"Very well," he said. "Give me your despatches."
Each of them produced his handful of marbles from his pocket, and laid them solemnly before the major. He stared, first at the marbles, then at them.
"What sort of a silly prank is this?" he roared. "Do you think we've nothing better to do than to waste time in jokes? If you were men—"
"We are obeying orders, sir," said Frank, quietly. "Those are the despatches Colonel Menier at Amiens gave us to deliver. He said that only one officer here would know what they meant, and how to get the despatches."
"O, I beg your pardon," said the major. He took down his telephone. "Ask if despatches are expected from Amiens," he said, into the instrument. "And find out who is in charge."
"There is another matter, sir," said Frank. "We saw German troops as we came here."
"Uhlans. Yes, they're all around behind us. One squadron of them was cut up when it attacked a convoy. There aren't many of them."
"No, sir, I didn't mean Uhlans. There is a force of infantry—five thousand men, we estimated—"
"What?" thundered the major, springing to his feet, "You must be dreaming! Where did you think you saw them? And where were they?"
Frank explained.