"Oh, indeed!" the sergeant said, in an incredulous voice, "and where are your party?"
"Out in the forest, at the place where we have begun to fell trees," Ralph said.
"But people do not come to cut wood without horses, or carts to take it away," the sergeant persisted.
"They are up in the forest with our father," Ralph said.
"Have you heard anything about this party?" the sergeant asked the landlord.
The man hesitated a moment. He evidently suspected, also, that the boys might belong to the franc tireurs; and was anxious to say nothing which could harm them.
"No," he said, after a pause, "I can't say that I have heard of them; but I know some of the forest was sold, not long ago, and they might have come from Colmar without coming this way."
"We only arrived this morning," Percy said, quietly, "so that you could hardly have heard of us, unless some of the people of your place happened to pass, when we were at work; and we have not seen anyone, all day."
"At any rate," the sergeant said, "I shall see if your story be true, and you will at once take us to the place.
"Corporal, get ten men in readiness."