Part 7 (1/2)
”Yeah, I'd thought of that,to let us go no matter what he thinks about us Well, the way I see it there's only one thing we can do We can't try an escape now in broad daylight, so we've got to wait Let's put on these clothes and catch up on so we can do is wait for awhile
Wait to see if he ,” Freddy said and started pulling on the old clothes the guard had brought with their breakfast ”But of course you're right, Dave There's nothing else we can do, right now”
”But plenty later on!” Dave said deter himself down on one of the cots ”You wait and see, Freddy It's a promise!”
Later that afternoon, the Colonel did uard came up to the boys' cell, woke them from a deep sleep and ushered them down to the Colonel's office
”Sit down, boys,” he said and circled around to in back of his huge desk ”I want to have a talk with you”
Dave and Freddy exchanged quick looks, then sat down as ordered
”Now,” the Colonel said and clasped his big hands together on the edge of his desk ”Our Leader is a ive his life for peace alisher!
Did the Fuehrer declare war on your country, or on France? No! They declared war on him, on Germany Listen to me! Don't you want peace?”
”Certainly,”' Freddy replied Then he added, ”At the right time”
”No, peace as soon as possible,” the German said ”Now is the best time
Before there isthis war to an early end You will be doing a favor to Gerood boys and tellwill be fine”
Neither of the boys said a word As for Dave, it all sounded as though he were listening to a broken phonograph record ”Tell me the truth
Tell me the truth TellHe sat silent and kept his eyes fixed on the huge map on the wall
He stared at it hard and tried to memorize the dates he could read there, and the names of the towns and cities, and the locations of the pins and flags One town on the er and thuian-German frontier He suddenly had a hunch that that here they were At Estalle, close to the German frontier, but how far behind the advanced Ger ride in the ht and his heart sank doard his boots
”Well, for the last time!” the German Colonel suddenly thundered ”Do you tell me the truth?”
”For Heaven's sakes, we already have!” Freddy shouted at hi but the truth a dozen tiet you to believe us?”
The German didn't answer at once He slae bulk forward, and glared at theentle and kind with you, because you are only young boys But, you refuse rown men I shall have you both _shot_!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
_Shoot!_
If the roof had suddenly fallen down on top of his head Dave Dawson could have not been aped at the Ger Colonel Stohl did not laugh, however He re them with eyes that looked like twin cubes of ice
”Shot?” Dave heard himself speak the word ”You can't shoot us We haven't done anything! Gee whiz, why do you want to shoot us?”