mething which may help us. Now, fellows, we must be off."

They crippled the instrument beyond hope of repair and started. As John
turned toward the stairway, he glanced at von Boehlen. The Prussian had
returned to consciousness and his eyes were wide open. They bent upon
John such a look of anger and hatred that the young American shuddered.
And yet, John felt von Boehlen had full cause for such feelings. Despite
himself he believed that they owed him an apology, and stooping a little
he said:

"It's been a cruel necessity, Captain von Boehlen. War is violence."

The Prussian's eyes glared back. A handkerchief in his mouth kept him
from speaking, but his eyes said enough.

"I hope that you and your comrade will not suffer," said John. "Your
friends will find you here in the morning."

Then he followed his comrades down the narrow stairway.

"What were you saying to him?" asked Carstairs. "I was apologizing for
the blow I gave him from behind."

"The decent thing to do."

As they descended into the lower part of the house Wharton told them
more fully what he had said over the wireless, and Carstairs patted him
on the back.

"Good old chap," he said. "You Yankees do have bright ideas sometimes."

"The next bright idea is open to any one who can furnish it," said
Wharton. "It's to tell us how we're to get out of the chateau."

"I think there's a vineyard just behind the house," said John, "and if
we can reach it we're safe. And we should be able to get there as the
Uhlans are watching for people who may come to the chateau, and not for
anybody going away."

They explored the rear of the house and found a door opening upon a
narrow flagged walk, lined on either side with pines, and leading
straight to the vineyard about thirty yards away. They could make a dash
for it, and a Uhlan might or might not see them.

"And if they should see us," said Carstairs, "we could probably get away
in the garden and the darkness."

"But we don't want 'em to discover what's happened on the roof," said
Wharton. "Then they might send a new wireless. If we can slip away
without being seen maybe they won't know what's happened to the
wireless, until morning."

"I think," said John, "that we'd better resort to the tactics, used long
ago by the borderers in the American wilderness, and creep along the
walk until we reach the vineyard."

"Go ahead," said Carstairs, "I'm as good a creeper as you are. But,
since it's one of your