he rope. A minute later O'Malley was at his
side. Sim arrived within another minute. He caught the boys' arms and
began moving away from the house.

Sim led them to the wall and along it until they came to a gate. It was
open; Sim paused and Stan and O'Malley peered out. A small light burned
above the gate. The light revealed a truck filled with cans. Stan
grinned in the darkness. The truck was a garbage lorry. The night breeze
carried that information to him. The truck smelled very strong.

"We hide among the cans," Sim whispered.

At that moment two men appeared carrying a can. They heaved it into the
truck. One of them fastened a chain across the back opening, then they
moved toward the cab of the truck.

"When the light is snapped off!" Sim whispered.

From the kitchen of the house a voice shouted something in German. The
truck driver answered. The light snapped off and Sim started forward
with the boys beside him. The truck was sputtering and backfiring,
pouring out rank smoke as they reached it. They went into it as it
lurched forward. All of the cans came clanging back against the chain,
almost shoving the boys out.

Quickly the three moved cans until they were up in the front of the
truck next to the cab. There they crouched down with their knees pulled
up. The cans made so much noise there was no danger of the boys being
heard.

"'Tis a sweet smellin' cab ye called," O'Malley observed.

"The smell will keep the Germans from examining it very closely," Sim
answered and Stan heard him chuckle. "When we come to a lighted town
we'll each have to get into a can."

"They're full o' garbage," O'Malley protested.

"We'll empty three cans," Sim said. "Might as well do it while we're on
this rough country road."

The truck was bouncing and the cans were banging. The noise was terrific
and the darkness total. Stan got hold of a can. It was heavy, but with
O'Malley's help he was able to lift it up and tip it over the edge. The
contents poured out on the side of the road. Two more cans were dumped.

"There goes a lot of meals for the prisoners in the ghetto," Sim said
and laughed.

"You mean to say the skunks feed prisoners garbage?" Stan asked.

"I've been told they let the prisoners of the lowest class pick over the
garbage," Sim answered.

Stan felt his stomach begin to turn over. O'Malley said nothing. For
once he was stumped for words. They moved the cans to the center and
well forward and crouched b