Mademoiselle Vaubaun, in turn, told the lad how she had been left in Cambrai when German troops had swept across Belgium and France in the early days of the war, and how, from time to time, she had found it possible to send word to the French and British staffs of impending German movements.
"But how about me and my friends?" inquired Hal.
"I can hide you all, too. Beyond the room in which your friends are now is a second room and beyond that a false wall. It is there, I will hide the major. I was about to take him there when you came to the door tonight. There is room for all."
"Then I shall return to my friends," said Hal. "I have been gone so long Chester will fear something has happened to me. Will you go with me, major?"
"To be sure. I shall be glad to see Chester again. May we have a light, Antoinette?"
"I will lead the way myself," said the girl. "It will be as well that you go to your hiding places now."
She lighted the way upstairs with a candle.
In the darkened room above, Chester and the Canadians had been waiting impatiently. Chester had come to the conclusion that something had happened to Hal and was about to go down and hunt for him. As the light came upstairs, however, he drew back.
"It's all right, Chester," Hal called. "Here is the light and an old friend to greet you."
"Old friend," said Chester in surprise. "I didn't know I had any friends on this side of the line."