"Except we wos of broken hearted yes for fears of you," put in Iggy.
"Sure we were worried to death," agreed Franz. "There didn't seem to be a chance for you. As for fighting, well we haven't done much, though I hear there's a big battle about to come off. And as for Maxwell, we haven't heard a word."
It was one afternoon when the five Brothers were in a dugout, awaiting orders to go on duty for the night, that Jimmy bethought himself of the sight they had had of the mysterious captain.
"We didn't tell Franz and Iggy about him," he remarked to Roger and
Bob.
"No. Go ahead with the story," said Bob. "Maybe they can throw some light on it."
But Franz and Iggy—though the latter did not say much—could offer no explanation save that put forth by Jimmy and the two lads who had seen what he had seen—that Captain Frank Dickerson was a German spy.
The night passed without incident of moment, except for two false alarms that the Germans were starting a general engagement. And in the morning, after breakfast, the long-looked-for word came.
"It's the advance!" was the general cry. "We're going forward and pinch out the German salient!"
There was one on this sector—a salient, or wedge, driven into the American line, or, rather, one that had existed since the Americans had taken over this particular part of the country.
"Now for the big battle!" cried Bob.