Shells from the German guns began again to burst about the fort, but its own guns were silent, and it lay there crouching as if in terror. Only its searchlights swept back and forth. Suddenly a gun spoke--they could see the flash of its discharge, seemingly straight up into the air; then a second and a third; and then the searchlights caught the great bulk of a Zeppelin and held it clearly outlined as it swept across the sky. There was a furious burst of firing, but the ship sped on unharmed, passed beyond the range of the searchlights, blotted out the setting moon for an instant, and was gone. "It did not dare pass over the fort," said the girl. "It was flying too low. Perhaps it will come back at a greater altitude. I have seen them at the maneuvers in Alsace--frightful things, moving like the wind." This way and that the searchlights swept in great arcs across the heavens, in frenzied search for this monster of the air; but it did not return. Perhaps it had been damaged by the gunfire--or perhaps, Stewart told himself with a shiver, it was speeding on toward Paris, to rain terror from the August sky! Gradually the firing ceased; but the more distant forts were using their searchlights, too. Seeing them all aroused and vigilant, the Germans did not attack again; their surprise had failed; now they must wait for their heavy guns. "Well," asked Stewart, at last, "what now?" "I think it would be well to stay here till morning--then we can see how the army is placed and how best to get past it. It is evident we cannot go on to-night." "I'm deadly tired," said Stewart, looking about him into the darkness, "but I should like a softer bed than the bare ground." "Let us go to the edge of this meadow," the girl suggested. "Perhaps we shall find another field of grain." But luck was against them. Beyond the meadow the woods began again. "The meadow is better than the woods," said Stewart. "At least it has some grass on it--the woods have nothing but rocks!" "Let us stay in the shelter of the hedge. Then, if a patrol happens into the field before we are awake, it will not see us. Perhaps they will attempt a pursuit in the morning. They will guess that we have headed for the west." "I don't think there's much danger--it would be like hunting for a needle in a haystack--in a dozen haystacks! But won't you be cold?" "Oh, no," she protested, quickly; "the night is quite warm. Good-night, my friend." "Good-night," Stewart answered, and withdrew a few steps and made himself as comfortable as he could.