“I never talked to one before,” he continued. “He told me his Spitfire plane got hit, late one evening, and he parachuted down into a wood. The Germans didn’t find him. He’s been hiding in the fields and towns for two weeks.” Marie nodded. “He’s one of the lucky ones--so far.” André chattered softly on. “Those bandages were a fake, weren’t they? He wasn’t really hurt. Somebody painted his jaw with iodine and put on those bandages so he wouldn’t have to talk to any Germans.” Her eyes on the clock, Marie said, “Shush now.” André broke the next few minutes of silence with, “Ronald comes from Nottingham, like Robin Hood--” But Marie hissed, “Shh-h!” still more sharply, and rose to listen at the door. At a rap outside, she unfastened the lock. Pierre slipped inside. His tired face had lighted up, and Marie smiled. “Father Duprey will help us!” she cried eagerly. Pierre motioned to the stairs and said, “We go talk to Maman quickly. Come, Marie. You, André, clothes off and into bed. Lamps out, Marie.” At Mme. Gagnon’s bedside a candle flickered. Pierre and Marie drew close beside the pillow. “The Nazis have already begun to search houses on the other road,” Pierre whispered rapidly. “They are still a long way from us, but we can’t lose any time. Father Duprey has a plan. It is this. He will arrange with the hospital at St. Sauveur le Vicomte tomorrow for you to go there in an ambulance to have treatments. And we will hide the English flyer inside the ambulance.” At a frightened look from Mme. Gagnon, he went on hurriedly, “Marie will ride with you, and Father Duprey will sit up with the driver. He thinks if we make a big parade of it the Germans will not be so suspicious.” “But St. Sauveur is beyond Ste. Mère Église ... so far away,” whispered Mme. Gagnon. “But that is good, Maman,” Marie protested. “It is the nut of the whole idea!” Pierre’s voice rose excitedly. “St. Sauveur is out of this district, and you will be safely away from these new Nazi troops. Some Maquis will meet us near the hospital. They will spirit our flyer out of the ambulance and hide him until he can be moved on. It is a good plan, Maman?” “I do not like it,” she protested. CHAPTER THREE _Father Duprey’s Plan_ Even next morning when Father Duprey arrived to go over the plan again, Mme. Gagnon was still protesting uneasily. Father Duprey clasped his hands, beaming. “Think of the good that will come to all.” Marie’s mother nodded her head doubtfully. The next step after preparing Mme. Gagnon for her role was to instruct the flyer in his part. Leaving Marie on watch downstairs, Pierre and the priest, trailed by André, clumped up the dark staircase to the attic. Ronald Pitt listened to them quietly and shrugged when Father Duprey asked, “You agree, my son? It is a good scheme, you think?”