eside them.

The truck rattled on through the night. Presently they saw lights ahead.

"According to my map," Sim said, "that should be a well-lighted
inspection post. We better get into the cans."

The boys got into the cans. Stan kept his head well up out of the can.
He meant to keep it up in the wind until it was absolutely necessary to
duck down.

The truck swung in under a row of lights. Stan ducked down and held his
nose. There was much guttural shouting. Several men moved around the
truck. They poked bayonets among the cans and against them. Stan felt a
blade strike the can he was in. The can gave out a dull clinking sound,
indicating it was full. Stan grinned. Someone shouted an order and the
truck rolled on.

As soon as darkness closed over them the boys popped out of the cans.
O'Malley was talking to himself in very rich Irish.

"If I'd known this was goin' to happen to me I'd have brought along a
blanket to wrap meself in," he growled. "We'll smell so bad we won't be
able to hide any place."

Stan laughed. "They won't need blood-hounds to track us," he admitted.

"We will get other clothing," Sim said.

The truck rolled on, crossing a hill and dropping down toward a town.
Lights winked ahead of them and the road became smoother.

"We unload pretty soon," Sim said. "There will be a small farmhouse on
the right with tall trees. We get off there. The farmer is a member of
the underground."

"Underground in Germany?" Stan asked in surprise.

"They told me it was well established and doing a big business. People
are paying well to get out of Germany before it collapses." Sim was
swinging a leg over the side as he spoke.

The boys got out of the truck and clung to the outside. They saw dark
forms of trees and a light in a window.

"Now," Sim whispered as he swung away from the truck.

Stan heard him land with a thud. Stan jumped and landed in a hedge
beside the road and rolled on into tall grass. O'Malley hit close beside
him, and they crouched behind the hedge watching the truck. It went
rattling on into the night. Sim called to them.

"Come on. We have to hurry."

They moved over beside him and he headed across an open field toward the
lighted window. As they neared the house, a dog began barking. Sim
halted and they stood waiting. A door opened and a man shouted at the
dog. Sim moved forward.

"Hello," he called.

The door closed suddenly and Stan heard the man walking over gravel
toward