【】”ar,”ralphsaid,</p>
quietly.</p>
illustration:angthegernsoldiers.</p>
”oh,ihesergeantsaid,inanincredulousvoice,”and</p>
y”</p>
”outintheforest,attheplaceofell</p>
trees,”ralphsaid.</p>
”butpeopledoocuthouthorses,orcartsto</p>
takeitahesergeantpersisted.</p>
”theyareupintheforesthourfather,”ralphsaid.</p>
”haveyouheardanythingaboutthisparty”thesergeantaskedthe</p>
landlord.</p>
theatedant.heevidentlysuspected,also,thatthe</p>
boysghtbelongtothefranctireurs;andosay</p>
nothingthe</p>
”no,”hesaid,afterapause,”itsaythatihaveheardof</p>
thebutikheforestlongago,and</p>
theyghthaveefrthisway.”</p>
”oing,”percysaid,quietly,”sothatyou</p>
uldhardlyhaveheardofus,unlesssoofthepeopleofyour</p>
placehappeopass,seen</p>
anyone,allday.”</p>
”atanyrate,”thesergeantsaid,”ishallseeifyourstorybe</p>
true,andyouoakeustotheplace.</p>
”rpettenninreadiness.”</p>
”certainly,”ralphsaid,”ifyouofinishour</p>
supper,heonce.”</p>
thesergeantnodded,andresudhisseat.</p>
”lookhere,percy,”ralphsaid,quietly,”yfix,</p>
thisti.thereisonlyohingtobedohatisee.if</p>
hgotheyus,toacertainty;foralthoughone</p>
ghtkeaboltintheiscertainbothget</p>
away.</p>
”onlyohingistobedone.iisbad,andask</p>
foryoutostayhere.directlyand</p>
goashardasyoutotheplaarehid.iwill</p>
brihatdire.heplacebefore</p>
youreachitatleast,unlessyougetout,atond</p>
passoninthedarkakeoffyourshoes,soastorunlightly.</p>
asakeadart</p>
intothehenfusion.”</p>
”butyoughtbeshotbyourn,ralph.theyuldnotpossibly</p>
distinguishyou,inthedark.no,ien,andyou</p>
keyourpe.”</p>
”no,no,percy,ihavethat.”</p>
”veryheher.”</p>
thereihenralphsaid:</p>
”lookhere,percy,thisisdness;hodoasi</p>
tellyou,binoneof</p>
<ouguessright,i</p>
ans.ifyouguesswrong,youshallgo.”</p>
”veryothat.”</p>
ralphthenbrokeoffasllpieceofbread,andputitinoneof</p>
hishandshavingalready,beforehedetheproposition,broken</p>
offasilarpieobservedbypercy.hethenputbothhands</p>
uhetable,andthenliftedthegain;allthetitryingto</p>
appeaottobeengageduponanythingoutoftheway,asheknew</p>
thatsoofthegerns.</p>
”left,”percysaid.</p>
ralphrepliedbyopenihand,anddroppingthepieceof</p>
breadoable;atthesatiputtinghisrighthandback</p>
intohispocket,asiftogetouthishandkerchiefanddropping,</p>
ashedidso,thepieceofbreaditntaiotheplace.</p>