"To have a hiding-place which no one could reveal, even under torture, meant life and death. Therefore I had to make it myself. This well is in my neighbor's garden." "Is it? I hadn't followed which way we were going. But wasn't it a lot of work?" "Yes," said the hunchback, "but when it's your life that's at stake, you're willing to do some work. It wasn't so hard to figure the course of the tunnel from here to the church," he explained; "one couldn't help striking the vaults somewhere, they're so big." "So that's how you escaped this afternoon from out of the church." "Of course." "It's a bully hiding-place," said Horace, "but how about food?" "I've a whole storehouse here." "And air?" "None too good. I drove a length of iron pipe upwards to the surface of the ground. Just where it comes out I don't know. I never had a chance to look. It isn't much, but it's something." "How much longer do you expect to stay here?" asked Horace. "Not a minute longer than I can help. I'm clearing out to-night." "To-night?" "Just as soon as things quiet down, we start. It's our last chance. To-morrow the troops will march on, Liége will be put under regular German rule, patrols and sentries will be established and we'll be trapped. It's to-night or not at all. We have got to escape in the confusion of this last day's bombardment." The boy thought a moment. "I'm ready enough," he said. "I don't want to stay here under the Germans. The school's burned down, so that my promise to M. Maubin couldn't be kept." "It couldn't be kept, anyway," the hunchback replied. "I overheard the Germans say that you were to be disposed of, no matter who escaped. You were present in the school defiance, don't forget, and it was you who carried off little Jacques. You're an American and an eye-witness of a good deal. No, they won't let you go, you know too much." "So?" said the boy thoughtfully. "Well, I'm not surprised. But if we clear out from here, where do you plan to go?" "To France." "Why not to Holland?" queried Horace. "That's nearer. The Germans are all heading for France and we'll only run into them again." "Go to Holland if you want to," said the hunchback, "but I'm not leaving here to save my own skin. I'm looking for a chance to fight." There was a certain reproach in his tones and Horace felt it, but he hesitated before he replied. "You're a Frenchman, Croquier," he said, "after all, and it's your scrap; but, you see, I'm an American, and however much I might want to, perhaps I ought to keep out of it." The hunchback made no reply. "Of course," continued Horace, slowly, "I know what Father would do." "I don't know your father very well," said Croquier, "but if your aunt were in your place, I know what she'd do."