ings were saved, after all, when the house was burned. When so much
was destroyed I think we ought to try to safeguard what remains, for my
uncle's sake. And there is a place there where we can sleep very well,
thank you."

"H'm!" Du Chaillu looked more than doubtful. "But there is no telling
how soon the Germans will be there. Had you thought of that?"

"They won't hurt us, sir," said Paul.

"No, I suppose not. There's no reason for them to make war on boys or
any other non-combatants. One word of warning, though. If the Germans
do come before you can get away again, don't make any move against
them. All the fighting must be done by soldiers. The Germans consider
it is murder if a civilian fires on them, and they are in the right,
according to the rules of war. They are justified in making any
reprisals. So be careful yourselves, and warn all the men about your
place. Tell them the message is from me. General Leman has issued
orders that no civilians are to oppose the Germans or give them any
excuse for destroying undefended places."

"I understand, sir," said Paul. "Then we may go?"

"Yes. But be careful. We have seen aeroplanes of the Germans
already--one of our flyers chased one of their Taubes early in the
evening. They dropped bombs on Fort Boncelles."

"I never thought of that!" exclaimed Arthur, sharply. "Do you suppose
one of their aeroplanes could have dropped a bomb that would have set
our house afire?"

"It is possible," said du Chaillu, shortly. "They might not have
realized what they were doing. I hope they did not, if that is what
happened. It is not the sort of work for soldiers."

"It makes very little difference now," said Paul. "The house is
burned, so it doesn't matter, I suppose, how it came to catch fire. We
will go back, then, major."

"Very well. Report to me at headquarters here when you return,
although by that time I may be on duty in one of the forts. I cannot
tell; we of the staff are in one place one minute, and far away the
next. Good-night, again, and better luck, this time, than my wishes
brought you before."

"Good-night!" they echoed, and set out to find their carriage. But
before they reached it Paul stopped.

"I want to go to Henri Creusot's house," he said. "There is something
in the stable there we shall need. I suppose we can't wake him up, but
I shall get what I want, even if we cannot."

Arthur followed him willingly, although Paul vo