He felt as he spoke that the reproof would have carried more weight had it been delivered in a standing position; but his head still reeled from the stinging cuff it had received and he felt safer where he was—on the ground. It annoyed him that the only apparent effect of his words upon Heinz was a widening of his already wide and owlish smile. "Oh, you’ll report their conduct, will you?" he repeated pleasantly and thickly. "And who will you report it to, old son?" William stiffened at the familiarity, and the tone of his reply was even colder and more dignified than that of the original rebuke. "To the nearest police authority; I shall not leave Belgium until my complaint has been attended to. If necessary I shall apply for redress to the British Consul in Brussels." The expansive smile on the face of Heinz was suddenly ousted by an expression of infinite astonishment. His fat chin dropped, his little eyes widened, and he pushed back his helmet, that he might stare the better at William. "Say it again," he demanded—slowly and as if doubtful of his ears, "You shall apply to the British Consul—the British Consul at Brussels?" "Certainly," William assured him firmly; and Griselda echoed "Certainly." The threat they judged had made the desired impression, for so blank and disturbed was the countenance of Heinz that his two companions broke into guttural questioning. The former hairdresser checked them with a gesture and addressed himself once more to William. "I think," he announced, "you are balmy on the crumpet, both of you. Balmy," he repeated, staring from one to the other and apparently sobered by the shock of his own astonishment. Suddenly a gleam of intelligence lit up his little pig’s-eyes—he leaned yet further over the gate, pointed a finger and queried— "You do not read the newspapers?" "As a rule I do," William informed him, "but we have not seen any lately—not since we left England." "And how long is it since you left England?" William told him it was over three weeks. "Three weeks," the other repeated, "three weeks without newspapers ... and I think you do not speak French, eh?"