“Don’t be alarmed, good people!” shouted Bob in Russian. “We don’t intend to harm you. All that we want is a good square meal, a chance to walk around a bit, and a little information as to our whereabouts.”
Although their suspicions were not altogether allayed, the peasants showed immediate relief, and three, who seemed to be the ringleaders, advanced hesitatingly to meet the approaching boys.
“Gott gruessen Ihr, Gefremde,” (God bless you, strangers) said one of them, extending his right hand.
“Holy smoke! Did you hear that, boys? He’s addressing us in German,” cried Bob and Buck together. “This is better than we looked for, but surely we can’t be back in Germany!”
Everybody shook hands solemnly all around, and Bob explained to the villagers.
“We are American newspaper men, over here to gather war news and find photographs for our papers,” said he. “We had an accident yesterday and lost our way, and now are simply looking for a chance to rest a little before going on.”
“You are all welcome to do that here,” said the spokesman for the villagers with true Teutonic hospitality. “We shall be glad to have you eat with us. In return you can tell us about the great war.”
“We certainly will take you up on that,” cried Buck, and led the way back to the airship to tell Ned of their cordial reception. All of the villagers—the women and round-eyed children too—crowded gaping around the strange aircraft with exclamations of wonder.
“I guess it will be safe for us to leave the Flyer here unguarded,” said Ned. “These people don’t act as if they would tamper with it, and I want to get in on those ‘eats’ too. Anyway, we won’t have to go very far away, and can get back here in a jiffy if we have to.”
All of the boys agreed to this and so it was settled. Before leaving the ship, to accompany the villagers, they all secretly slipped revolvers into their coat pockets. As Bob said: