h-h! I think somebody's coming up
the stairs. Come on, Freddy! Let's not let them get the idea we're
worried at all."

"Right-o!" Freddy whispered back and gave Dave's hand a quick squeeze.
"Count on me to hold up my end, Dave!"

Footsteps were now just outside the door. They heard the outside bolt
slap back and then the door was pushed open. The German guard stood in
the hallway outside. In one hand he carried a battered tray containing
food, and tucked under the other arm was a bundle of old clothes. Just
behind him stood Colonel Stohl. The big German's face was beaming like a
full moon.

"Did you think I had forgotten you, boys?" he boomed and strode into the
room. "But of course not. Here is food for you. And take off your
clothes and put on these things. I will have what you're wearing mended
and cleaned up. So!"

"That's very kind of you, Colonel," Freddy said in a faintly mocking
tone. "You're going to be frightfully disappointed, you know."

"Disappointed?" the German officer mumbled and gave him a puzzled look.

"Quite so," Freddy said and started peeling off his dust and dirt caked
clothes. "I can assure you you'll find no secret messages or maps sewed
into the lining. No matter what you suspect, we really aren't spies, you
know."

The German laughed loudly but there was a look in his eye that did not
mean laughter to Dave. The Intelligence officer didn't like the idea of
a sixteen year old English boy seeing right through him as though he
were made of glass.

"Why that's ridiculous!" the Colonel cried. "Of course you aren't spies.
I just want to have your clothes cleaned. We Germans take good care of
the people we have to protect. You will do well to think of that when
you return to your homelands. Now, get into these clean clothes and then
eat your food. There, that is better, yes!"

The officer waited until the guard had gathered up the boys' clothes,
then he smiled at them and went out the door followed by the guard. Dave
and Freddy waited until the bolt was jammed home and then, being half
starved, they fell upon the tray of food. The very first mouthful was a
delightful surprise to them both. The food was excellent and there was a
lot of it. They wolfed it down for a moment or so and then Dave put a
restraining hand on Freddy's.

"Wait a minute!" he said in a low voice. "I think this is another part
of the trick he thinks he's playing on us."

"What do you mean?" Freddy whispered and stoppe