The plane was now speeding through the air.
"Step on her, Hal!" cried Chester. "I want to get back to Soissons and then to our own command. Remember, the armistice doesn’t become effective until 11 o’clock to-morrow morning. The fighting is not over yet. We may have a chance for a little more fun before it’s all over."
"By Jove!" Hal ejaculated. "You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that."
The plane dashed forward faster than before.
Now, it is a fact that for some hours after the armistice between Germany and the allies was signed the matter was kept secret, for some reason or other. To this fact was due, in a large measure, Anthony Stubbs’ ability to redeem himself for the false information he had sent his paper some days before.
Much disgusted with himself over the false "scoop," Stubbs had left Versailles, more to escape the jibes of his fellow war correspondents than for any other reason.
The afternoon of November 11 found him again in Soissons, where he had parted from Hal and Chester several days before. The little man was very morose, and not without reason. So far he had received no reply from his cablegram to The Gazette, announcing that the previous information was untrue; but he was expecting an answer momentarily.
"Your error made us ridiculous. Sending man to relieve you. In meantime, depend upon you to keep us posted."
"Oh, I’ll keep them posted, all right," said Stubbs, "but it won’t do me any good now."
It was late in the afternoon when Stubbs ran into Hal and Chester, who had recently left Marshal Foch after reporting to the latter on their return from Hirson, where the armistice had been signed.
"Why, hello, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Versailles."
"I was," said Stubbs, "but I didn’t stay very long."
"What’s the reason for your return here?" demanded Hal. "I thought you wanted to be where you could save time when you got word of the signing of the armistice."
"I did," said Stubbs, "and that’s the trouble. I got word two days ago that the armistice had been signed."
"Oh, I know that now," said Stubbs sorrowfully, "but it would have saved me a lot of worry had I known it then."
"You don’t mean to tell me that you filed that dispatch to your paper, Mr. Stubbs," said Hal.