"And now, about our clothes."
"I couldn't buy them," Christine said. "I never could go into a shop and buy men's clothes."
The thing was so evident that, for a moment, the boys' looks fell. Then Christine said, coloring very much:
"There is a box, in my room, of Karl's things. He is my cousin, you know; and he was working as a gardener, here, till he had to go out in the Landwehr--so, of course, he left his things here, for us to take care of. He is about your size. I will take out one suit--it won't hurt it--and you can put it on, and go out into the town, and buy the things for all three of you."
"Capital!" the boys exclaimed. "It couldn't be better."
Ten minutes afterwards, Ralph went down the stairs and out into the street, dressed as a German laborer in his best suit. He was a little uneasy, at first; but no one noticed him, and he was soon in a shop, haggling over the price of a peasant's coat--as if the matter of a thaler, one way or other, was a thing of vital importance to him. He bought the three suits at three different shops--as he thought that it would look suspicious, if he were to get them all at the same--and in an hour was back again. An hour afterwards, Christine started for Wiesbaden.
The Barclays had reason to congratulate themselves that they had not longer deferred their preparations for escape; for when presenting themselves, as usual, that afternoon at the roll call, they were told that they must hold themselves in readiness to leave for one of the eastern fortresses, upon the following evening; as another large batch of prisoners, from Metz, was expected to arrive upon the following day.
In the evening, Christine returned from Wiesbaden; which is distant only a quarter of an hour, by rail, from Mayence.
"I have got them," she said, "but if you only knew the trouble I have had! What a bother boys are, to be sure!"
"Especially cousins--eh, Christine?"