"How do you know?" asked Alfred.
"Because the steward told me so when he made the rounds to-day and was making up the list."
"Then let's wait until we get some money," answered Alfred.
Two days thereafter, to the gratification of the boys, they were handed envelopes, each containing a number of pieces of silver coin.
"How much money have we earned?" asked Ralph.
"Well, each of you has nine marks, and that is about eleven francs, or five and a half francs a week," he was informed.
During their work they found that more and more liberty was accorded them. Each had the Red Cross emblem on his sleeve, and after the first week they were furnished with new suits. During their work they had also been provided with clean rooms, and opportunities for daily baths. However, they felt the restraint when that night as they had several times done before they wandered down to the heart of the city it was with a determination to cross the barriers at the first opportunity.
One day a soldier was brought in whose arm was completely shattered. On examination it was found that only a single bullet had passed through. The surgeon in charge said it was the first instance he had noted where the high power missile had caused such a terrible fracture.
Colonel Moreau, who was present, said: "I can understand the reason for that. The bullet, evidently, was deflected before striking the arm, and as it came from a rifled gun, its screw-like action caused it to set up a motion at its rear end, something like the upper end of a top, just before it stops to spin. This is called a key-holing motion, and as the bullet strikes the solid bone it simply tears its way through, instead of making a clean round hole, as is ordinarily the case."
The city was full of soldiers and every street was as lively at ten o'clock that night as during any part of the day. Troops were moving through the town, but most of them passed out through the Porte de Adeghem toward the northwest.