"This is my home," he said; "and as long as you stay you will be welcome. My wife is fond of boys, and will be glad to see you. You will have the freedom of the grounds, but remember, any attempt to leave the town without a permit probably will end in your being shot. Take my advice and don't try it"
CHAPTER IX.
A NEW FRIEND.
"Frau Schmidt is certainly a nice old lady," said Chester.
"She certainly is," agreed Hal. "If it wasn't for the fact that I wanted to get out of the country so badly, I wouldn't mind spending a few weeks here."
"Nor I; and Fritz is a likable fellow."
"He sure is."
The boys had spent two days in the Schmidt home when this conversation took place. In Frau Schmidt they had found a lovable and motherly woman, well along in years.
She had made them welcome from the first, and had set before them the best she had. Their room was next to that of her son, Fritz, a young man probably six years older than Hal.
Now, Fritz was of a mechanical turn of mind, and all day and well into the night he was at work in his shop behind the house. From bits of conversation, the boys gathered that Fritz was engaged in the task of building an aeroplane, and they were greatly interested.