ht and did not show more than ten feet ahead of the car. Allison
moved several paces down the road and shouted an order in German.

The car halted and Allison shouted again, making his voice gruff. He got
the password and snapped permission to advance. The car charged forward
in a surge of speed that made Allison leap aside.

From the darkness beside the road Stan had moved in. He saw that there
were three men in the car, counting the driver. He also saw the shadowy
form of Arno closing in on the other side. A tall officer climbed out.
He snapped an order at Allison. Allison backed away a few steps to allow
the other two officers to get out. Stan had moved up and Arno had a gun
barrel shoved into the neck of the driver. Tony leaped forward with his
gun ready.

"Get your hands up!" he snapped and Allison gave the same order in
German at the same instant.

Startled grunts came from the three officers. One of them reached for
his pistol. Allison's gun barrel came down over his head and the officer
pitched forward. The other two elevated their hands.

The boys closed in and took away the men's side arms. They helped
themselves to caps and light topcoats and belts, then they bound and
gagged the officers. The ranking officer, a colonel, was furious. Until
the gag stopped his mouth he poured forth a stream of angry abuse.

With the officers laid out far back in the bushes, Arno donned the
driver's cap and jacket. They were ready for the real adventure,
cracking the gates of the German prison camp.

"You know the roads, so you take over, Arno," Stan said.

"Shall we drive right through and into the front yard of the big house?"
Arno asked.

"Is there a back yard?" Stan asked.

"A very spacious one, but with a high stone fence around it and only one
gate, though it is a very wide gate," Arno answered.

"There is the stone passageway to the wine cellars," Tony put in.

"We don't want to be caught in any wine cellar," Allison answered.

"We have to figure on fast work. The dirty work we've done here will be
discovered within a few hours, then they'll be after us," Stan said.

"I know the house and I think I know the spot where prisoners will be
held. The Germans always take the best rooms for themselves. I think
they will hold my father in the servants quarters at the back of the
house. I have even decided which room he will be given. There is one
having no running water and very little light."

"We'll have a loo