About noon Monsieur Pochard drew Dalroy aside. "Monsieur," he said, and his face wore anxious lines, "last night the old man implied that he was Henri Joos, of Visé. No, please listen. I don't want to be told. I can only give you certain facts, and leave you to draw your own conclusions. Active inquiries are being made by the authorities for Henri Joos, Elisabeth Joos, Léontine Joos, their daughter, and Jan Maertz, all of Visé. With them are an Englishwoman aged twenty, and an English officer named Dalroy, both dressed as Belgian peasants. The appended descriptions seem to be remarkably accurate, and a reward of one thousand marks is offered for their capture." "They may be willing to pay double the price for freedom," said Dalroy. The Frenchman was not offended. He realised that this was not a suggestion of a personal bribe. "You have not heard all," he continued. "These people were traced to Verviers, but the trail was lost after Maertz bought a cart and a dog-team in that town three days ago. Unfortunately, some Uhlans, passing through Andenne last night, have reported the presence of just such a party on the main road. Other soldiers believe they saw a similar lot entering Huy after dark, and the burgomaster is warned that the strictest search must be made among refugees at Huy. To make sure, a German escort will assist. It is estimated that Joos and the others will be caught, because they will probably depend on a _laisser passer_ issued in Argenteau under false names, which are known. Joos figures as Wilhelm Schultz, for instance. Don't look so surprised, monsieur. The burgomaster is my brother-in-law's partner. He will not reach this quarter of Huy till half-past three or four o'clock." "But there is the record of Madame Joos's burial," put in Dalroy instantly. "No. The poor creature remains a 'woman unknown, found dead.' The Germans don't worry about such trifles. But, by a strange coincidence, Madame Stauwaert practically takes her place for identification purposes. By the mercy of Providence, no German soldier was in this house last night, or he would now be the richer by a thousand marks. The notice is placarded at the _Kommandantur_, and is being read by the multitude." "We shall not bring further trouble on a family which has already run grave risk in our behalf," vowed Dalroy warmly. "We must scatter at once, and, if caught, suffer individually."