Hal turned to Chester.

“When they fail to find us,” he said, “they’ll come back, inquiring all along as they return.  They are sure to ask for us here.”  He turned to the woman.  “Have you a place where we can hide?”

“Yes,” she replied, “there is a secret trap-door to the attic.  You may go up there and no one will be the wiser.”

“Then we had better get up there at once,” said Chester, “for there is no telling how soon they may return.”

A few moments later and they were safe in a little room at the very top of the house.  After showing them to their retreat, the good woman departed, saying that she would return in a few minutes with water and food.

“You’ll need it,” she said, when Hal protested against putting her to so much trouble.  “And, besides, I should be a poor Frenchwoman could I not aid the friends of my own country.”

She was back in a few moments, and the lads ate hungrily of the food she brought them, for it had been long hours since food or water had passed their lips.

After their benefactress had departed, Hal said to Chester: 

“This is bound to be a tedious day.  I guess we had better try and put it in sleeping.  Besides, we’ll need all the rest we can get for our journey to-night.”

“Just what I was thinking,” said Chester, “and I’m ready to go to sleep right this instant.”

He stretched himself out on the floor and in a few moments was fast asleep.  A short time later and Hal also lay in the arms of Morpheus.

How long the lads had slept, they did not know, but they were awakened by the sound of voices directly below them.

“No, I have seen nothing of them,” came the voice of the woman who had given them refuge.

“But we have searched every place else,” came another voice, speaking in French, but with a heavy German accent.  “They must be here.  We found the bicycles a short distance from this house, and have scoured the woods.  They must be here.”

“I say they are not,” came the woman’s voice, raised in anger.

“Well, I must search the house, at any rate,” said the German, “and, if I find that you have been aiding the enemies of Germany, it will go hard with you.  Stand aside, please.”

“I tell you there is no one here,” cried the woman.

“Stand aside!” came the German’s voice again, and there was the sound of a struggle, followed by the voice of the German:  “Search the house, men.”

Then came the sounds of heavy feet tramping through the house.  Hal and Chester were both wide awake now and lay silent, listening.  For an hour the heavy footsteps continued to ring through the house, and there was the sound of slamming doors and moving furniture.

And finally came the voice of the woman again:  “I told you there was no one here.”

But apparently the German officer in command was not yet satisfied.