"Bayous and bullfrogs, they certainly do want to get hold of this bully machine of ours the worst kind, and that's a fact!" spluttered Pudge.
"But tell us about the Major, and what he agreed to do?" asked Billy.
"It's all fixed just as we figured it," replied Frank. "I want this man here to understand what has been done, so come over to where you've got him."
The prisoner had been watching them eagerly. He must have guessed that Frank had been gone to settle about his fate, and, if ever a man looked nervous, he did, as the three boys advanced toward him.
"Listen to something I want you to hear," said Frank. "We know what you are, and that if you were given in charge as a spy you'd likely be shot by to-morrow morning. But we are American boys, and not at all inclined to have the blood of a German honestly serving his Fatherland on our hands. Do you understand what I am saying?"
"Yes, go on," muttered the man, brightening up, though still anxious.
"I have arranged it with the authorities that you will only be looked on as a petty thief. You will be held in close confinement for a few days until it is certain that any information you may have picked up while here in this building will be useless. Then they will take you out of the city and set you free, with a warning never to be seen here again if you value your life."
Now the man's face lighted up in a smile.
"That is much better," he said, after drawing a long breath of relief. "We thought you were on the side of the Allies, because you meant to turn _it_ over to the French Government."
"You must remember," said Frank impressively, "that this machine had been over here, boxed but not assembled, for months before the war opened. My company had a contract with the French people, who insisted on representatives being sent across to demonstrate the new flier; otherwise they threatened to seize it, and make duplicates without our receiving any remuneration--the necessities of war. That is why we have come, and are even now trying to carry out the terms of that agreement. You can tell your people that only for this our company would not dream of making aëroplanes for one side or the other. They could not be shipped out of the United States, anyway."