The woman hesitated, and the revolver wavered. Before she could bring it to bear again, had such been her intention, Hal seized her arm, twisted sharply, and the revolver fell to the floor with a clatter.
"I'm afraid you're not to be trusted with that gun," the lad said quietly.
He stooped, picked up the weapon, and stowed it away in his own pocket with this mental comment:
"One more weapon for our own little army."
"You're a brute," gasped the woman. "You're just like all Germans."
"Silence," said Hal. "I have heard enough from you. What I came here for was to tell you that you had neglected to furnish us with a light. Now I shall have to look in yonder closet, where I saw a man secret himself as I came in."
The old woman flew across the room and stood defiantly in front of the closet door.
"You can't go in there!" she exclaimed.
"I can't, eh?" said Hal. "Why can't I?"
"Because I say you can't."