"It will be best that I go alone, Tom," said Dick. "One can do
spy-work better than two."

"I vould lige dot sby vork," said Fritz Schmockenburg, a fat, Dutch
soldier, gravely.

"It's a foine spoy yez would be afther makin', Fritz," chuckled Tim
Murphy, a merry Irish patriot. "Yez would be caught the first thing,
and the only thing thot would kape thim from hangin' yez would be
because they wouldn't have inny rope sthout enough to hould your
weight."

"When are you going, Dick?" queried Ben.

"This evening at six."

The youths discussed the matter at considerable length, and were glad
that Dick had been selected for such important work, though they were
somewhat fearful for his safety. Tom and Ben cautioned him to be
careful, and he was the recipient of advice from others, all
well-meant, but of course not likely to be of much use to him, as he
would have to govern his actions mainly by existing circumstances,
after he was on the ground and at work.

Shortly before six he bade Tom and Ben, and his comrades good-bye and
made his way to headquarters, where he was given the letter of
introduction by the commander-in-chief, and also a few kindly words of
encouragement.