grow rather dim, looking through the window they saw
several instances where a soldier struck some half grown boy who may
have acted in a sullen fashion, or declined to do what he was told.

All at once there was a shot!

This was followed by a great outcry, in which loud German voices could
be heard giving orders. A scrambling downstairs announced that the
officers who had been eating at the inn were hurriedly rejoining their
command.

"Are the Belgian troops coming, Rob?" asked Tubby, finding it impossible
to see what was going on, because he had been unable to open his window,
as the others had done.

"No, it must have been some desperate villager sniping from a house,"
replied Rob; and a minute later he continued hastily: "Yes, they're
carrying a Uhlan to his horse, and threatening the people with guns and
lances."

"Oh! I hope now they don't start in to shooting the poor things down!"
cried the sympathetic Tubby, wringing his hands, though hardly conscious
of what he was doing.

"They've rushed into the house next to this," Merritt now exclaimed,
"and seem to be searching it, which tells me the party who fired, man or
boy, must have been concealed there!"

"Gee! that's getting pretty near home!" muttered Tubby.

"Rob, did you see that puff of smoke coming out of the house then?"
Merritt presently demanded, almost bursting with the excitement.

"Yes, I'm sorry to say I do see it," replied the leader of the Eagle
Patrol, as he continued to look downward. "They've set fire to the
building; and what bothers me most of all is the wind coming straight
this way. I'm afraid it means the inn will take fire too, and like as
not be burned to the ground!"

CHAPTER IX.

WITH FIRE AND SMOKE.

"Gingersnaps and popguns! then we're in for a warm time of it!" Tubby
burst out.

"Let's hope they manage to get the fire out; or that it doesn't spread
to the inn," Merritt soothed him, after the manner of one who wished to
throw oil on troubled waters.

"If only the Germans would pull out right away we could get down from
here in good time," continued Tubby hopefully. "Look again, fellows, and
see if they show any signs of skipping."

"They seem to be galloping all over the village, as far as I can see,
and threatening to shoot if anybody dares take a crack at them," Rob
announced, after making a hurried survey.

"Oh! my stars!" groaned Tubby, "little did I ever dream that I'd stand a
chance of being cooked