rightened?" he said. "We won't hurt you! What a country! It sends its
children out against us!"

His manner was kindly enough, and Dick felt himself warming a little to the
big man in spite of himself.

"Listen, boy," said the leader. "You have seen things that were not for
your eyes. So you are to be put where knowledge of them will do no
harm--for a few hours. Then you can go. But until we have finished our
work, you must be kept. You shall not be hurt--I say it."

Dick did not answer. He was thinking hard. He wondered if Jack would try to
rescue him. They were getting very near Bray Park, he felt, and he thought
that, once inside, neither Jack nor anyone else could get him out until
these men who had captured him were willing. Then the car stopped suddenly.
Dick saw that they were outside a little house.

"Get out," said the leader.

Dick and the telephone man who had not been hurt obeyed; the other lineman
was lifted out, more considerately this time.

"Inside!" said the German with the thick, guttural voice. He pointed to the
open door, and they went inside. One of the Germans followed them, and
stood in the open door.

"Werner, you are responsible for the prisoners, especially the boy," said
the leader. "See that none of them escape. You will be relieved at the
proper time. You understand?"

"Ja, Herr Ritter!" said the man. "Zu befehl!"

He saluted, and for the first time Dick had the feeling that this strange
procedure was, in some sense, military, even though there were no uniforms.
Then the door shut, and they were left in the house.

It was just outside of Bray Park--he remembered it now. A tiny box of a
place it was, too, but solidly built of stone. It might have been used as a
tool house. There was one window; that and the door were the only means of
egress. The German looked hard at the window and laughed. Dick saw then
that it was barred. To get out that way, even if he had the chance, would
be impossible. And the guard evidently decided that. He lay down across the
door.

"So!" he said. "I shall sleep--but with one ear open! You cannot get out
except across me. And I am a light sleeper!"

Dick sat there, pondering wretchedly. The man who had been struck on the
head was breathing stertorously. His companion soon dropped off to sleep,
like the German, so that Dick was the only one awake. Through the window,
presently, came the herald of the dawn, the slowly advancing light. And
suddenly Dick s