Keeping close to the bows of the landship the crowd of now terrified Huns obeyed the instructions. Throwing open the armoured door, Corporal Anderson and two others of the crew emerged from the Tank and deftly removed the prisoners side-arms and ammunition. This done, they stood by to warn any parties of British bombers who in the heat of the pursuit might hurl their devastating missiles into the cellar. In the midst of his task Anderson spotted one man's hand stealthily approaching his pocket. "Wot 'ave you got there, old sport?" enquired the corporal, gripping the Hun's wrist. "Search 'im, Smutty," he added, addressing one of the Tommies. The private did so, and discovered a small automatic pistol. "So that's the bloomin' game, eh?" enquired Ginger. "Let 'im go, Smutty. Now, look to yourself, Fritz. I'm a-goin' to dot you one." The German evidently understood, and clenching his fists stood on his guard. The next instant he was flat on his back, contemplating the superb display of a galaxy of stars that danced before his fast-closing eyes. "What's up, Ginger?" asked Alderhame, and, glancing keenly at one of the prisoners, suddenly lapsed into his unbreakable habit of quoting the bard: "O world, thy slippery turns. Friends now fast sworn Unseparable, shall within this hour, On a dissension of a doit, break out To bitterest enmity." To which the prisoner replied, in a faultless English accent: "Alderhame! I little thought to see you here. Let me see: only three years and six months ago we were on the boards together in _Much Ado about Nothing_." "And now," added Alderhame, "we're producing _Measure for Measure._" "I hope it will be _All's Well that Ends Well,_" rejoined the German. "I'm properly fed up with this war, and will be glad to be out of it." "You will be--in a prison camp in England," the sergeant assured him. "We'll see that you are sent under escort to the rear. Unless your own guns cop you there'll be nothing to fear. What made the crowd of you make a dive for this cellar?" "I don't mind telling you now," he said, in a low voice. "There's a tunnel. That Tank has blocked up the entrance. It communicates with our reserve lines, and the whole place is heavily mined. I would advise you to clear out as soon as possible, for when our people have waited sufficiently long to enable our troops to withdraw--the few that are left, that is--the village will be blown to atoms." Strong-nerved though he was, the ex-actor felt a cold shiver in the neighbourhood of his spine. The possibility of being in close proximity to a quantity of high explosive that would explode by the act of touching a key--and more than likely a Hun was at that very instant toying with the electric battery that would fire the charge--was enough to make any man blench. With an effort he pulled himself together.