During the meal Granger outlined the plan which their arrival had suggested. It was audacious enough, but, as he remarked with a smile, they had had some training for important parts. When there was nothing left of the poultry but the bones, they went into the smoking-room and threw themselves on two luxurious divans upholstered in saddle bags. Granger cleared away, and placed clean plates and cutlery on the table. Fatigued though they were, excitement kept them awake. Soon after one they heard the car approaching. It drew up at the gates, which were closed, and the soldier-chauffeur sounded his horn, while two of his comrades alighted and pushed the gates open. Granger, after glancing into the smoking-room, hastened to the front door, which he opened, once more a frail old servingman, as Hellwig and the major, followed by the sergeant, with two bottles of wine, came up the steps. "Poultry--or game!" exclaimed Hellwig, sniffing appreciatively as he entered. "That is well; I am ravenous," said the officer. "At any rate we shall not be poisoned to-day by the old man’s vinegar.... Lay those bottles down," he added, addressing the sergeant, "then go out. You and the men shall have what is left from our meal." The sergeant saluted and went out. Hellwig and the officer drew chairs to the table and seated themselves. "Make haste!" Hellwig called in French through the open door towards the kitchen. "Stir your stumps, old man." Granger came shuffling into the room, bent of back, nervously clasping his hands. "Where is the dejeuner?" cried Hellwig. "Why have you come empty-handed? What do you mean by keeping us waiting?" "Pardon, monsieur," faltered Granger. "I must beg messieurs to excuse me." "Excuses! What do you mean, old fool?" Granger’s hands trembled more violently than ever. In his thin quavering voice he stammered: "Pardon, monsieur; I am an old bird. Just before messieurs returned, parbleu! there came two cavalrymen, Uhlans, it seems, with a hunger of wolves. I explained as well as I could that the dejeuner was being prepared for two noble officers, but----" "Well?" cried Hellwig, as the speaker paused. "Pardon, monsieur; but they--they have eaten it all up." "Sapperment! Where are those Uhlans?" roared Hellwig, half rising. "They are here, monsieur. Hola!" Kenneth and Pariset drew the curtain aside, and stepped into the room. Each held a revolver behind his back. "What kind of behaviour is this?" growled the major. "Salute, pigs!" Instead of the expected salute, the Germans saw two steady right hands pointing revolvers at their heads. "Merely a little joke, major," said Kenneth quietly: "a little play-acting. You and your friend shall be in the cast. You shall pretend to be prisoners."