"Somebody chased us!" he panted. "Somebody was close behind us in the dark!"
"Men?" asked an officer in an excited whisper.
Porky wanted to say "No, sir, rabbits!" but he knew that every one felt nervous and edgy and, besides, he did not want to be disrespectful to the officer who had spoken.
"They came in through the other door," he said. "A door at the other end of the passage that is on the other side of the two big rooms down below there."
"Let's go down," said one of the men, loosening his revolver.
"Please don't try it!" begged Beany. "We could never get down without light and then they would have the drop on us. It's no use now. Besides, they could go out of that outside door without the least trouble after they had shot us all up."
"The kid is right," said Lieutenant Reed. "He knows how the land lies down there. Come up to the General, boys, and make a report. He will tell us what he wants done."
Sliding the panel shut, the Lieutenant called a guard and, leaving the hallway patrolled by a couple of stalwart Americans, the group surrounding the two boys entered the office and saluted the General.
General Pershing bent his serious, keen gaze on the boys, then a bright, sudden smile lighted the strong, handsome face that had grown sad and still in the troubled, anxious months at the front.
"Always up to something, boys," he said. "Well, your friend the Colonel warned me how it would be. Now suppose you tell me all about it."