The captain seemed reluctant to reply. But after a moment he said, “The landings are the hardest, son. The Nazis made the coast tough with their underwater obstructions, and the sea has been a lot rougher than we’d planned on. But it’s going along well. You ought to be seeing heavy equipment coming along the roads soon.” Sergeant Weller clumped in with two soldiers and a battle-weary young Frenchman. “Look, kid,” Weller shouted to André. “D’you know who this character is? I can’t make head or tail what he’s sayin’. _He_ says he’s speakin’ English, but, boy, it’s nothin’ I ever heard in Brooklyn.” The young Frenchman called to André in French, “You are Pierre’s son, no? Tell them quickly who I am. Make them see my urgency, I beg you.” André looked at the man’s flashing eyes, the beaked nose, the shock of dark hair. “Yes, I know him,” he said quickly. “This is François, the famous Maquis leader. You can trust him.” “You sure?” Weller demanded. “I’m sure,” André said. “I have seen him and heard my father describe him often. One moment--” In French, François told André his story: “I was coming to your father to get more Resistance help. My band is too small. We discovered Nazis coming up behind your father’s orchard with a mobile gun. They are going to blow up this house because it is an American headquarters.” “Translate so far,” Weller said, and André obeyed. Weller scowled. “Yeh? Well, in that case....” He made his way to the captain, and a moment later André heard him shouting orders. When Weller returned he put out both hands and the Frenchman shook them warmly. The squad Weller was forming was hastily gathering up grenades, bazookas, and other equipment. André asked the Maquis anxiously, “Can you tell me anything about St. Sauveur? How is the battle going beyond Ste. Mère?” François looked solemn, but answered quickly. “St. Sauveur, we think, is still mostly outside the fighting. Not all of Ste. Mère has been cleared of Germans yet. But the center of the town is under control. At least, the Americans have the French flag flying from Ste. Mère Église’s town hall. None of the Allied tanks have come through yet and they are badly needed. Also, in some places the Americans are running short of ammunition. And the Nazis are building up their forces near the bridges over the Merderet River, west of Ste. Mère.” He broke off at Weller’s signal, and with the sergeant’s squad slipped out through the barnyard. “_The French flag flying from Ste. Mère Église’s town hall!_” André repeated it aloud. And a familiar voice at the doorway echoed the great words. Raoul Cotein stood just outside the door. His arm and forehead were bandaged, and in his hand was a package wrapped in a napkin. He took a step forward. “My wife--well, she is troubled because your mother and sister are not here. If you will just accept these few sandwiches?” [Illustration: _The squad gathered up grenades, bazookas, and other equipment_]