All this time there had been sounds of firing in the distance eastward, with reports of British guns at intervals nearer at hand. But they were now so familiar with such sounds that they scarcely heeded them. Guns and gunners were alike out of sight. There were few signs of war immediately around them; but for the absence of human activity on the fields the country might have been at peace. Harry went up the hill and for some distance along the road before he discovered anything that promised assistance. A slight breeze was dispersing the mist; but the sun was already far down in the western sky; in an hour or two it would be dark. At length, on his right he noticed a rough cart track leading to a small farm building half hidden in a hollow about half a mile away. He hurried towards it across the fields, soon regretting that he had not gone by the beaten track, for the soil was soft and heavy. Approaching the building at an angle, he saw a man pottering about in the yard. While he was still at some distance the man happened to glance towards him, then went into the house. Harry quickened his pace, and entering the yard, was met at the house door by a burly individual who gave a somewhat surly response to his salutation. In his best French Harry explained the circumstances, and asked for the loan of a stout board. "You’ll find one in the shed yonder," said the man. "You’ll bring it back?" "Oh yes," Harry replied, thinking that the farmer might at least have offered to help. "By the way, could you lend us a horse to pull the lorry on to the roadway when we get it up?" "I haven’t got one; all my horses are requisitioned." "That’s hard luck. I hope we’ll soon clear the country, and there’ll be better times. Many thanks: I’ll return the board presently." Reflecting on the hardships war inflicted on honest country people, Harry trudged back with the plank, this time taking the cart track. "Good man!" said Kenneth. "Where did you get it?" "At a small farm. The farmer’s rather a bear, but I suppose the war has pretty well ruined him. Now, Ginger, let’s see what we can do." Placing the plank by the embedded wheel, they set the jack on it and screwed up the axle until they finally succeeded in releasing the wheel. "The lorry isn’t damaged, luckily," said Kenneth. "We’ll get the wheel on to the plank, then I’ll start the engine and we’ll back on to the road. You fellows shove." In a few more minutes the lorry stood on the road, facing towards its original destination. "Now for loading up," said Harry. "This is back-aching work; I shouldn’t care to be a docker." The three men started to carry the boxes and baskets from the field to the lorry, the driver sitting on the grass by the roadside. They were about halfway through the work when they heard the hum of an aeroplane. Like the reports of artillery it was so common a sound that they paid little attention to it. But Kenneth, glancing up as the sound grew louder, exclaimed: