he stipulation that the escape should not be arranged until the
Germans had been made to pay, and pay handsomely, for their recent
exhibition of brutality.

As soon as that was decided, Max changed the direction of the retreat to
due east, and in that direction they continued all day. When night fell,
the men looked about them for a comfortable spot to sleep, but Max would
not allow them to stop, and, with frequent halts for rest, they
continued on their way all through the night. There was some grumbling,
but it was soon silenced; and, when all was said and done, the men
recognized that Max managed to feed them fairly well. This part of the
business he saw to himself. At nearly every farm-house he passed he
managed to purchase some food. None of the soldiers were allowed to come
within sight of the people, and, with this precaution, and his knowledge
of the language, he hoped that no suspicions of the destination of the
food would be aroused.

During the following day the band hid themselves in a copse and slept.
It was nearly dark when Max aroused them and told them they must go on.

"We've been travelling a good many miles, lad," remarked Shaw
carelessly. "Where are we now?"

"In Germany," replied Max.

"Germany!" cried the Corporal, his carelessness vanishing. "Why--what
d'ye mean? D'ye think we want to find a good safe prison?"

"No. Your men insist on one more attack on the Germans, as a reprisal
for the burning of the village. Well, we cannot do anything in Belgium,
for it would only mean another village burned. If we make the attack in
Germany it will be different. They can hardly burn down their own
villages."

Corporal Shaw held out his hand. "Well done, lad!" he cried heartily,
and the other men within ear-shot echoed his words. "That's a stroke of
genius, and we are with you to a man. What are you going to
attack--nothing less than Metz, of course?"

Max smiled and shook his head. "Something a little less ambitious will
have to do, I think. After another night march we shall be on the spot,
and can get to work."

"What are you going to do, lad?"

Max hesitated a moment. Should he keep the men ignorant of the nature of
the enterprise until the hour for it had struck? It was hardly worth
while--in forty-eight hours or so it would be all over.

"To block the main line between Aix and Liege," he answered simply.

"Phew! I think you mentioned wild-cat exploits the other day. What sort
of cat exploi