“Not that—they don’t need a large force. There’s a long fortified ridge in front of the town that keeps us from approaching. It’s a piece of rolling ground about three miles long. Their trenches run through it, and they have a collection of anti-aircraft guns and battle-planes. We hang over the place day in and out, but we can’t fly low enough to get sight of their batteries.”
“Would any one who had been in their trenches know what you want to learn?” asked Lucy, peering into her brother’s face through the darkness.
“Of course—if he wasn’t blind. But people who have reached their trenches from our side haven’t come back to tell us. Look here, Lucy, what I want more than anything to know is this: Do you get enough to eat? If you don’t, I can manage to bring over supplies on nights when things look quiet, and leave them in the wood.”
“Oh, no, Bob; please!” Lucy entreated. “The hospital has a garden and the place is so packed with German wounded that we get all there is to be had. I know the danger you run to come here, and I don’t want you to try it again, much as I long to see you.” As Bob sat in troubled, helpless silence for the moment, she added quickly, “But if I should learn anything that might help the Allies to retake the town, how could I get news to you?”
“What could you learn, you foolish kid? There’s nothing about this town we don’t know. And for heaven’s sake don’t put your finger into such a risky business. Keep out of anything like spying, and be satisfied to help where it is safe. Elizabeth might not get you out of trouble as she did me.”
“Do you know of a place called the Old Prison somewhere in Château-Plessis?” asked Lucy irrelevantly.
“Yes; it’s about a mile from here. It’s nothing but an old jail the French used as a sort of town office, keeping one or two cells for an occasional prisoner. We let out some French soldiers the Germans had stuck there, when we took the town. Why, have they any one in there now?”
“Yes, I heard of some one being put there,” said Lucy briefly. “I think I remember the place now. Bob,” she added anxiously, “don’t you think you’d better go? It seems as though the firing were much heavier. I’ll be so horribly worried about your getting back.”
“Please don’t be. I’ll keep way over their heads and play safe. How I wish I could leave you and Father some good news; but I can’t, except to promise you that Château-Plessis won’t stay in German hands one second after we can take it.”
Lucy choked down a sob and, thankful that the darkness hid her eyes brimming with tears of lonely wretchedness, threw her arms about Bob’s neck in a desperate embrace.