"Is the place on fire?"

These were some of the questions that flew from one to the other.

"It's a spy!" some one said. "They've caught a German spy in camp, and they're going to lynch him!"

"Oh, boy!" yelled Ned. "We must see this!"

"I don't believe it!" announced Jerry. "There've been too many German spy scares. They all turned out to be fakes. And, anyhow, there won't be any lynching."

"Maybe not," agreed Bob. "But there sure is some excitement."

And there was. Even Jerry had to admit that.

As the three Motor Boys--to give them the name by which they had been known for some time--neared the barracks, the rumors and statements as to the capture of a spy became more frequent and certain. There was an excited, seething crowd about the place.

A lieutenant, whom Ned, Bob and Jerry knew well, as he came from their town of Cresville, passed just then. The three chums saluted, and, when this had been returned, Jerry asked:

"Can you tell us, Sir, what it's all about?"

"Have they really caught a spy?" added Bob eagerly.

"Well, whether he is a spy or not I can't say," was the answer. "But I have been told that a man, who was acting in a suspicious manner about the camp, has been arrested. Some of the officers are investigating now. I hardly think he will prove to be a real spy, though."

"He won't last long, if he is," commented Ned.

"They have him in the barracks there," went on the lieutenant. "They will bring him out soon, I suppose, and put him in the guardhouse. Better go back, boys," he added. "There's too much of a crowd here now. I must help disperse it."

He turned away, but the advice he had given Ned, Bob and Jerry was not very welcome.

"This is our sleeping barracks, anyhow," said Ned. "We have a right to stick around, and go in, too."

"If they let us," added Bob.

"Come on, let's try," suggested Jerry. "Here's a place," and he led the way through a thinning portion of the crowd toward one of the doors of the big 

 Prev. P 5/143 next