elun, where not a lamp post nor shop window was
lighted, not a human being seemed astir. Where was my little troupe?
How and when would we all meet?

Thus ruminating I came to a bridge. A sentry flashed a pocket lamp in
my face.

"_On ne passe pas!_"

I showed my armlet and he stepped aside.

Halfway across I distinguished two human forms leaning over the railing,
and following their example I perceived a half-dozen _hommes du genie_
hard at work mining the foundation of the center arch. So these bridges
were to be blown up, too! What was I to do? Stay on the other side and
wait for my caravan or cross over and risk my chances alone? A
reflector from below swung upward, illuminating the bridge.

"George!" I gasped.

One of the two figures straightened abruptly! In a second the boys had
recognized me. "What are you doing here? Where are the others?"

I poured out a dozen eager questions, not giving them time to reply.
When almost breathless I stopped and they explained that the caravan had
been halted on the outskirts of Melun. No refugees were allowed in
after nightfall. Fortunately the boys bethought themselves of my wounded
man's clothes and arms, and thanks to these they were allowed to pass
and deliver them to the gendarmerie. Remembering that I had friends at
Barbizon they had sent the others there by a round-about route, and had
come on to find me.

"But how did you get here?"

"Cesar brought us."

"Where is he? And Betsy?"

"Oh, we found a dentist who had an empty stable. He took them in. Betsy
refused to leave the cart. She's never had such a picnic in her life:
been traveling all day in a ten pound box of lump sugar!"

All worry had vanished, now that I found my line of conduct traced for
me. The chief thing at present was to get something to eat. So we
pushed ahead up the hill in the ever-deepening obscurity. We walked on
in silence for what seemed an interminable distance. Once I fancied I
had mistaken directions and was about to despair when the tramp of feet
coming toward us revived hope. A second later a brawny arm turned a
lantern into my face and a huge police dog growled close to my heels.

"Are you the person who is going to Dr. Masbrennier's?"

"Yes."

"_Tres bien_. Are these boys with you?"

"Yes."

"Then follow me. We're closing up the doctor's house, but I'll look
after you."

Without further ado we trudged on behind our guide, who after another
hundred