her again."

"Yes. Paul, I shall never let them send a beggar away who asks for
food if we ever get home! I know now how they must feel."

The two scouts were in no danger of starvation, of course, and they
were plucky enough, as they had certainly proved, to be able to endure
a little discomfort if it were necessary. But they suffered the more
from their hunger because there was nothing for them to do. Until the
Germans revoked the order that kept them from leaving Hannay, they
could not make a move toward giving the proper authorities the
information they possessed. And so they tried to be patient while they
watched for Raymond to go out in the dusk that was now beginning to
fall.

They saw him several times, when men came to his shop and went in to
talk to him. And at last, when it was almost dark, he emerged, looking
stealthily about him as he came into the street, perhaps for German
soldiers. There were none near by. All save the sentries were
gathered together about a great fire that they had built, and were
singing while the busy camp cooks prepared their supper for them. This
was the first time that Paul and Arthur had heard German troops
singing. They were to learn, before long, that that was their usual
custom when they were off duty.

Now, as soon as the butcher was well out of sight--he had gone, they
noticed, in the direction of the barricade he had caused to be
built--the scouts went quickly to his place and went in. There was one
light placed by the door, but at first they could not see his wife.
Then they heard the sound of someone sobbing, and called. It was the
woman who had helped them in the morning.

"Oh!" she said, chokingly. "It is you! I hoped you would come--poor
boys! Here is a parcel of bread and meat I hid for you. Oh, I am in
such trouble!"

"Why? What is the matter?" asked Paul.

She trembled and for a moment seemed afraid to say more. Then she
gathered her courage.

"It is Raymond," she said. "He has concealed some guns! He and some
of the others mean to fire on the German officers!"

"But that is madness!" said Paul. "What good does he think that will
do?"

"He says that the men, without their officers, will be terrified and
will run away. He says it is an easy thing to do, since they think all
our men are afraid of them."

"It ought to be stopped for their own sake, and for the sake of
Hannay," said Arthur. "I thought Paul was wrong at first, but I