Part 14 (2/2)

At the corporal's command water was brought from the well and buckets of it were dashed over the Germans. There was sputtering and yelling, but the soldier boys enjoyed it hugely, and they worked with a hearty good will.

It was a drastic remedy for sleepiness but it worked, and before long the Germans, looking like so many drowned rats, had come out of their stupor and began to realize their situation. The privates were sheepish, but the lieutenant went almost crazy with anger when he realized how he had been trapped. His eyes looked venom at the girl, who laughed at him triumphantly. His rage was increased by his consciousness of the pitiable figure he presented. His smart uniform was dripping, his hair was matted over his face and even his ferocious mustache had lost its Kaiser-like curl. Even one of his own men ventured to snicker at him, and the look the officer turned on him was not good to see.

The corporal began to question him, but the lieutenant looked at him in disdain.

”A German officer does not answer the questions of a corporal,” he sneered.

”Just as you like,” retorted Wilson coolly. ”Perhaps you'd like to have me leave you here with the owner of the house and his son. I think they'd like nothing better than to have five minutes alone with you. Perhaps even one minute would be enough.”

The lieutenant took one glance at the glowering faces of the farmer and his son and wilted instantly.

”I will answer your questions,” he said, shortly.

CHAPTER XIII

A DEEPENING MYSTERY

”He came off his perch mighty quick,” remarked Bart to Frank in a whisper.

”I don't wonder,” replied Frank. ”He'd be a pretty poor insurance risk if these people could get a whack at him.”

The corporal asked a few formal questions as to the lieutenant's regiment and division, which were answered sullenly though promptly.

But these had little interest just then, and their asking was really a matter for headquarters. They were simply the prelude to other questions in which the company were much more deeply concerned.

”You had a prisoner here?” asked the corporal.

”Yes.”

”Where is he now?”

”He was placed upstairs.”

”He is not there now. What have you done with him?”

”Nothing.”

”What were you going to do with him?”

The officer moved uneasily.

”Take him back to my quarters,” he finally answered.

”Why did you have that rope put over the tree by the well?”

There was no answer, but the officer grew red in the face.

<script>