; and so I made myself familiar with everything, even to
the fastenings of the great front door, with its chain and catch."

"Then we're in great luck," Jack observed, while Tom on his part went on
to ask further.

"All seems dark outside now, Bessie; would that indicate your jailer has
gone to his bed? And do you happen to know where his apartment is? That
might mean a whole lot to us, you understand."

"I don't believe he ever does really go to bed," she replied. "Once I
heard him complain that there were so many times during the night that
messengers came from headquarters with demands, or after information
expected from over the lines, that he had to secure his sleep while
fully dressed, and by throwing himself down on a Turkish lounge he has
in his room."

"Well, so long as his sleep is sound it's little we care how or when he
gets it," announced Jack, flippantly. "And when you give the word, Tom,
we'll all be ready to follow Bessie down the stairs."

Tom was even opening his mouth to say there was really nothing to detain
them, if Bessie and her mother had secured what trifles they wished to
take away, but after all he did not speak the words that were on his
lips.

Through the open window they suddenly heard the sound of heavy, guttural
voices. They seemed to come from the road near the entrance gates.

Tom stepped over to the window and looked out. What he saw gave him an
unpleasant feeling. There were lights already on the crooked driveway,
and a number of men seemed to be advancing in a group.

Jack at his elbow was also staring, and grinding his teeth with anger.

"Hang the luck, I say!" he gritted. "That fresh bunch of Boche officers
is bound to knock our plans silly. They'll stir things up again, and we
can't get away. Then perhaps some one will discover the doors of the two
rooms are unfastened, and that'll start a hornet's nest about our ears."

"Get down, and keep hidden, Jack," urged his companion. "They have
lights with them, and might see us as they come along. There's a
general, at least, in the lot, that big stout man in the center, and I
imagine those other officers belong to his staff."

"But what are they walking for?" whispered Jack, incredulously. "German
officers in the High Command don't often tramp along the roads like
that, do they?"

"They may have broken down in their car; and learning they were close to
this house have come on here to wait till repairs are made. Lots of them