wait. O'Malley kept looking at his wrist watch.
Stan lay with his eyes closed. He was checking every angle of the
strange business. As near as he could gather, things were going badly in
Germany. The big crack-up might be near at hand.

At five minutes to nine they heard steps in the hall. They passed down
the stairs. Boys from the rooms along the hallway were going to the
lecture. Stan got up and disconnected the microphone. O'Malley was
pacing about like a caged lion. They heard single footsteps and there
was a rap on the door. It opened and Hans stood there.

"I am glad you have not yet gone to the lecture," he said. "Herr General
wishes to speak to you. You will come with me."

Stan looked at O'Malley and O'Malley looked at Stan. Stan spoke
smoothly.

"Couldn't we see the general after the lecture? We'd like very much to
hear the colonel."

"It will not wait. Herr General is a very impatient man."

There was nothing to do but go with Hans. Stan and O'Malley walked along
the hallway with the corporal, keeping a sharp watch for Sim. They did
not see him in the hallway or downstairs. Hans took them past the guards
at the outer garden gate and across the street to another house. In a
small hall room he nodded toward chairs.

"You will be called," he said, then turned and hurried away.

The outer door was open and the boys could see two sentries standing on
the front porch.

"We have to get out o' here," O'Malley said.

"Not a chance. There's no window and those two guards would see us
before we got within ten feet of them," Stan answered. "It's just a case
of sitting tight and hoping Sim waits for us."

Near where they were sitting a door opened into another room. Stan
leaned over and looked at the door. It was not latched firmly and was
open about a half inch. He could hear men talking in the other room.
They were speaking in German.

"You understand German. Listen to what they are saying," Stan whispered.

O'Malley moved closer and listened. The men seemed to be arguing hotly.
Every once in a while one voice would be raised in anger. There were
three men in the room. O'Malley edged the door open a bit more and
peeped into the room.

After a bit he straightened and grinned at Stan. "Sure, an' the general
is eatin' the tails off his staff. Some of 'em seem to think the war is
lost. They been tellin' him the German people are demandin' peace at any
price. I figure he's goin' to have one o' them shot."