“I’m all ready,” announced Amos, finally. Somehow, he did not take quite as much pains to moderate his voice as before; perhaps he fancied that since they meant to drop down upon the old couple it might be as well to give them a little warning to the effect that their young guests were moving about. So Jack bent over and lifting the trap opened the path to the lower part of the Belgian domicile. It was characteristic of Jack that he should with his other arm bar the way, so that Amos could not have preceded him even though he attempted to do the same. As the two lads came down the steep stairs from the loft they found the man and woman staring at them. Their whole demeanor expressed alarm, yes, bordering on a panic. It was as though they had suddenly realized that those above must be aware of what was going on under that supposed to be friendly roof covering a Belgian family. When the boys advanced toward them the man arose to his feet. He held on to the table as if for support, showing that in his fright his limbs threatened to give way under him. Amos again felt that twinge of pity for the two. He shut his teeth firmly together in order to fight against any weakness. In that moment Amos felt doubly glad it was Jack rather than himself who would engineer matters, for he had much more confidence in his chum than he could ever feel in himself. Jack faced the two old people, for the woman had also managed to gain her feet, looking as white as chalk, and with a drawn expression about her eyes, as though she anticipated receiving a terrible blow. “W-w-what does this mean, young messieurs; does not the bed suit you?” stammered the peasant, trying to appear natural though the attempt was a farce. “It was better than we had any right to expect,” said Jack. “But by chance we found you had entertained a visitor down here, and we have come to ask a few questions of you. It is suspicious that he should come in the night, and also while it storms. You did not want any eye to see him, so you covered the windows and fastened the door. We may be Americans, but the cause of the Allies is more to our liking than that of the Kaiser; and we can’t stand idly by if there is any treacherous work going on.” The man raised his arms and let them fall again, while his wife hid her face in her hands and seemed to be weeping, for her shoulders heaved convulsively. “M’sieu, I do not understand!” muttered the peasant, helplessly. “Then I will try to explain better,” continued the boy, firmly. “A stranger comes to your door and you let him in secretly. You hold a conversation with him. We overhear a few words spoken, and they are in German. That looks bad, Monsieur. It makes us believe you are in league with the enemy of your country, the same Germany that has made Belgium a wilderness because her sons dared oppose the passage of the Kaiser’s great army to strike a mortal blow at France. Are you following what I say?”