"Let's double-quick it!" suggested Bob. "Maybe there's a house around
the bend in the road."

They hastened on, and the surmise of Bob proved correct. There was a
lonely little house--more of a cabin, or shack--set in the midst of
what had been a garden, but now overgrown with weeds.

"Shelter, at any rate!" cried Jimmy. "Come on, fellows!"

Roger was the first to enter the humble little cottage. But he had no
sooner crossed the threshold than he started back.

"What's the matter?" asked Bob, who was directly behind his chum. "Any
Germans here?"

"No, but I fancy the owner is," said Roger. "Look!"

He pointed to the figure of an old man, with white hair, seated at a
table in what was evidently the kitchen. The man's head was bowed on
his arms which were resting on the table.

"Oh!" exclaimed Jimmy, as he looked in.

"Beg your pardon, sir," said Bob, "but we're Americans. May we stay
here out of the rain, and perhaps for the night?"

There was no answer. The figure did not move.

"He doesn't understand anything but French, very likely," said Franz.
"Can't you take a hand, Blazes?"

"Yes," assented Jimmy. "But it's funny he didn't wake up when Bob
spoke, even if he didn't understand. I'll go ahead. But let's get in
out of the wet."

They entered the room. The white-haired occupant of it did not stir
from his position of bowed-down grief.

"He sleeps very soundly," remarked Jimmy in a low voice.

Stepping forward he touched the old man on the shoulder, and then
Jimmy knew what had happened.

"He's dead!" he whispered.

"Dead?" echoed the others.

"Come on--let's go into the other room," suggested Jimmy.

There was another room opening out from the kitchen. Into this the
Khaki Boys filed silently.

"Do you suppose the Germans killed him?" asked Roger.

"Very likely. Or he may have died from old age, fright or shock. We'll
leave him where he is."

"And stay here?" asked Bob.

"Sure! Why not? We're out of the rain. The poor dead man can not harm
us, and we have seen enough of death, in worse forms than this, to be
afraid now."

"Oh, it isn't that I'm afraid!" exclaimed Bob. "But if the Germans did
that to--him--they may come back and--"

"I fancy not," said Jimmy. "I believe they think they have cleaned out
this place. It's the safest spot for us with the old man as a silent
sentry. Come, fellows, well spend the night here with the dead to
guard us."

It was said reverently--piously--and