Thad noticed almost immediately that there was a scarcity of able-bodied men in the river village. He knew the reason, because every one capable of bearing arms had been hurried to the front to try and resist the invaders.
Women, old men, cripples, and children of all sizes made up the population of the place, and Thad really believed the entire village must have come out of doors to size up the strangers within their gates.
Although at the time he did not imagine any harm could come of their separating, Thad afterwards wished he had insisted on the other two keeping with him. If that had been done possibly they would have been saved from more or less inconvenience, not to use a harsher term.
The patrol leader had just managed to locate what looked like a sort of tavern where possibly they could make arrangements for a dinner, if they waited until it could be prepared, when he saw part of the crowd heaving in a strange way. At the same time loud angry voices began to reach his ears.
Allan was hurrying towards him from another direction, as though he too had noticed the upheaval and considered it best that they consolidate their forces.
“It must be Giraffe who’s gone and gotten himself into trouble some way or other,” Allan was saying hurriedly as he joined Thad.
“We’ll soon know,” added the other, “because they’re pushing this way now. Yes, and there’s Giraffe in the lead too. See him brush off the hands of those women and boys. They look excited enough to tear him to pieces! This is a bad job, I’m afraid.”
“What can have happened to cause it?” said Allan, glancing back uneasily toward the car, and finding that it was near at hand, with the alarmed Bumpus already standing up to observe what was going on.
“I’m afraid,” said Thad, hurriedly, “Giraffe has been unwise enough in trying to make himself understood to air his German, and that’s made these people suspect we may be spies sent on ahead of the army to get the lay of the land, and learn where they’re hiding all their valuables and wine.”
In another minute Giraffe came hurrying up. He was looking disturbed, and a little white of face, though his teeth were clenched, and there was an ominous glitter in his eyes.