d recognize him. And he knew what would
happen then, if he were caught. But his plan compelled him to run that
risk, and he emerged from his shelter, and struck out boldly along the
road the Uhlans had taken to come to the village. He walked northeast,
and he knew that that in itself would be suspicious, but it was all part
of his plan.

He had not long to wait for the plan to begin, or at least to work out
according to his calculations. Behind him he heard a shout, but,
affecting not to hear it, he did not turn. And in a few moments he heard
the sound of galloping hoofs behind him. Even then he did not turn until
a Uhlan had ridden past him.

"Stop!" cried the soldier. "Where are you going?"

Fred looked at him blankly.

"Stop!" said the German again, for Fred, after having looked at him, had
moved on. Still Fred paid no attention, and the man rode up to him and
leaned over, dropping a heavy hand on his shoulder and shaking him in
no gentle way.

"Where are you going, I say? Answer!" roared the Uhlan.

But Fred only smiled and pointed first to his ears and then to his
mouth. By pantomime he pretended to be deaf and dumb. And when the
officer came up, Fred was still smiling--and silent. He knew he had
never seen this officer before.

CHAPTER XIII

THE ESCAPE

"What's the matter with him, Schmidt!" asked the officer.

Fred knew enough of German uniforms by this time to place him as a
lieutenant of the lowest grade, and was thankful that he did not have an
experienced man to deal with.

"Deaf and dumb, I think, Herr Lieutenant," said the man. "I rode up
behind him, calling to him and making a good deal of noise, but he did
not even know I was coming until I was on top of him."

"Well, he can't go this way!" said the lieutenant. "How are we to make
him understand that?"

"If I dismounted and turned him about, he might perhaps understand,"
said the soldier.

"Try it!"

Fred had hard work to conceal his amusement but he managed it. The
soldier solemnly turned him about and pushed him in the direction whence
he had come. But Fred immediately turned around, walked a couple of
paces as he had been going, and then stopped, smiling broadly. Then he
turned around, shook his head violently, and turned back.

"He's trying to tell us he wants to keep on the way he was going," said
the lieutenant.

The two Germans seemed to be puzzled, but then the officer got an idea.
He produced paper and pencil and w