"On the afternoon that I have in mind, a farmhouse just outside the village bore mute evidence that raiders had been there. All the windows had been broken out, doors smashed in and blackened spots about the windows and doors on the outside wall indicated that the house had been set on fire on the inside, but for some reason had not burned down. The scene was a cheerless one. Not a person was in sight. "Along the road came a detachment of French soldiers. The officer in command, a captain, halted his men for rest and, observing the condition of the house, entered the yard to see if he could not obtain some information from the occupants. But there were no occupants there. "'They must have been here recently,' he said out loud, meaning that the Germans had visited the place. 'Perhaps I shall find that which I seek in the village.' "Strolling along, the captain halted under a large apple tree, from which apples had fallen to the ground, though the tree had been pretty well stripped already. He stooped over to pick up an apple and as he did so a hard apple hit him squarely on the top of the head. "The captain said 'Ouch!' and rubbed the spot where the apple had hit him. But he forgot all about it in his enjoyment of the apple he was now eating while stepping out from under the tree. He was munching away at the fruit when another apple hit him, this time squarely on the neck. "This was a keen as well as a cautious captain, and this time he did not pretend to have noticed the incident, but kept on munching his fruit. While doing so he squinted up at the tree out of the corner of one eye. He knew he was too far from the tree for the last apple to have fallen on him. While he was taking a cautious look another apple came out from the foliage of the tree and fell toward him, but the officer, stepping slightly to one side, avoided being hit by it. "He deliberately drew his revolver from its holster and, turning, aimed at the tree. "'I think I can shoot the apples off easier than I can shake them down,' he announced in a loud tone. "'Don't shoot, monsieur l'Officer,' cried a voice from the tree. "'What! Some one up there?' "'Yes, yes. It is I, Lucien,' was the reply from the tree. "'Come down, Lucien. I would like to have a look at you,' ordered the captain. "A very young boy, red of face and very much frightened, came sliding down the trunk of the tree and landed on all fours at its foot. The officer eyed him sternly. "'What do you mean, boy, by bombarding me with apples?' he demanded. "Lucien hung his head. The officer jerked him to his feet. "'Answer me! What were you doing up in that tree? Spying on us, eh?' "'No, monsieur l'Officer, I am a Frenchman. Frenchmen do not spy on their own people.' "'That is true. But how do I know you are not spying on us just the same, for the Germans have been here?'