low
struck for the cause of the Allies.

On the trunk of a tree, at the top of the cutting close by, a notice was
fixed: "In reprisal for the burning of an innocent village above
Bastogne."

CHAPTER XIX

A Further Blow

The point at which the line to Aix had been broken was not far from the
Dutch frontier, and for an hour or so Max and the band he led made good
progress. Then their difficulties began. The alarm had clearly been
given, and a serious alarm it seemed to be. Bodies of troops, and
especially cavalry, were on the march in all directions, and it became a
matter of the utmost difficulty to avoid contact with them. Finally,
Max, as the day dawned, led his men right away into a wide expanse of
farm-land, and took them towards a solitary farm-house.

"What's the game now, laddie?" asked Corporal Shaw, as Max led them
boldly towards the farm-house, much to the surprise of the farmer and
his family, who came out to see what this strange visit of a body of
armed men might mean. "Doesn't this give us away to the enemy?"

"We must have rest and food, Corporal," replied Max seriously. "If we
surround the farm and keep prisoners all who are there, and detain all
who call, we shall be safe if no parties of German soldiers happen to
light upon us. If we can get through the day, I think we shall get
safely across the frontier. We are only seven miles away, and a few
hours of darkness will see us there."

"Good! You know your business, lad, I can see," replied Shaw briskly,
and he gave a quick order to his men to spread out at the double and
surround the farm. Max interpreted the order to the French soldiers, who
promptly followed suit. In a moment or two the farm had been surrounded,
and the men began to close in upon it.

The surprise and curiosity of the German farmer and his family quickly
turned to fear as the object of the move became apparent. They could now
see, too, the faces and equipment of the men converging upon them, and
knew that, whatever they might be, they were certainly not soldiers of
the Fatherland.

"You're a prisoner, mein Herr," cried Corporal Shaw cheerfully, as he
strode up to the burly farmer and slapped him familiarly on the
shoulder. "Be good, or it will be the worse for you."

Max interpreted his words, and added the information that neither he nor
any of his household were to stir outside the house, or even to look out
of the windows. They were to consider themselves close