For some reason or other the Germans had chosen to apply the torch to this isolated cottage. Perhaps some party had been keenly disappointed at finding it totally deserted, with not even a stray chicken left to satisfy their longing for a supper.
Rod gave one hasty glance around. Then he heaved a satisfied sigh, for he had been a little afraid lest he discover some evidence of foul work there. Such did not happen to be the case; the owner of the cottage instead of staying and arousing the passions of the invaders by firing at them in secret, had wisely departed to unknown regions before their coming, taking warning in time.
So the trio of boys hastened to the well as soon as they could dispose of their wheels. It would do them no harm to idle away ten minutes here, and drink their fill of the sparkling liquid which doubtless lay in those shadowy depths.
Hanky Panky reached it first of all, Josh not appearing to be in a humor to force himself to the van. In fact Josh seemed to be amused at something, for he had one of those smirks on his face which marked it whenever he watched Hanky Panky’s evidence of greed.
“I don’t seem to be able to quite see down all the way, Rod,” the other was saying when his comrades joined him; “but I dropped a pebble in, and could plainly hear a good splash; so there’s plenty of the stuff down there.”
“I only hope it’s all right,” remarked Josh, shortly afterwards, when they had managed to draw up a dripping bucket of cold water.
That caused Hanky Panky to hesitate, for he had a gourd in his hand, and was about to dip in.
“Now what in the wide world do you mean by saying that, I’d like to know, Josh; you’re always trying to drop a fly in the ointment, seems to me. What could there be wrong with this water?” he demanded, filling the gourd as he spoke.
“Oh! I don’t know,” drawled the other, wickedly, “but if it happened that some of those ugly-tempered Germans chose to drop a little poison in the well it’d be a tough thing for the French who drank later, and mebbe make ’em sick in the bargain.”
Hanky Panky turned pale, and allowed the gourd to spill; whereupon Josh coolly took it out of his hand, dipped into the bucket, and commenced drinking.