John knew that the good wishes of these two friends, so undemonstrative
and so true, would follow him all the time and he choked a little. But
when the lump in his throat was gone he spoke casually, as if he were
not venturing into a region that was sown thick and deep with dragon's
teeth.

At the advice of Captain Colton he slept several hours more that
afternoon, and in the darkest part of the night, clothed simply like a
peasant, but carrying a passport that would take him through the French
lines, he said good-by to his friends, and, taking his life in his
hands, departed upon his mission. Lest he be taken for a _franc-tireur_
he was entirely unarmed, and he wore a thick blue blouse, gray trousers
equally thick, and heavy boots. He also carried, carefully concealed
about his person, a supply of gold and German notes, although there
would not be much use for money in that region of the dragon's teeth
into which he was venturing.

He re-crossed the little river on the same high-arched bridge by which
he had come, skirted the hospital camp, and then bore off toward the
east. It was past midnight, the skies were free from snow, but there
were many low, hovering clouds which suited his purpose. He was still
back of the French lines, but his pass would take him through them at
any time he wished. The problem was how to pass those of Germany, and
the difficulty was very great, because for a long distance here the
hostile trenches were only three or four hundred yards apart.

He discerned to the eastward a dim line of hills which, as he knew, rose
farther on into mountains, and it occurred to him that he might find it
easier to get through in rough country than in the region of low,
rounded hills, where he now stood. He carried a knapsack, well filled