O’Malley lay still but he made Stan tell him what he saw. They passed other wagons loaded with slave labor going to the fields, as well as many farmers, both men and women, on the way to work.
The German kept on driving and no one stopped him. Noon came and he still kept on. The boys were getting hungry and thirsty, but the driver did not halt. He pulled out a bag from under the seat and munched a sausage sandwich, washing the food down with draughts from a brown jug. O’Malley was able to see this.
“Sure, an’ I’ve a mind to reach up there an’ grab that sandwich,” he said hungrily.
“Better not,” Stan warned.
O’Malley held his appetite in check, but he kept on grumbling.
“Stop watching him eat,” Stan advised in a whisper.
“Sure, an’ I can’t take me eyes off that sausage sandwich. ’Tis the most appetizin’ thing I iver seen,” O’Malley said mournfully.
The cart rattled through a village and moved on down another narrow lane. Presently they came to a gate and the driver pulled up. Stan ducked back.
“German soldiers,” he whispered warningly.
The soldiers were shouting at the driver. He got down and began talking to them excitedly.