"It was more than four days, Freddy," Dave interrupted. "It was six. I have kept count of them."
"Four or six, let him finish!" the colonel snarled, and then looked at Freddy. "Yes? You were on patrol? Where?"
Freddy hesitated and scowled.
"Is that necessary?" he asked. "Would you reveal valuable information if you were captured and taken prisoner, sir?"
The blunt question startled the two Germans. They exchanged swift glances; then the colonel bent his slitted eyes on Freddy again.
"I would not be captured and taken prisoner!" he said harshly. "If you do not wish to speak, that is your privilege. But—"
The German paused and waved a hand toward the surrounding desert.
"But you look as though you know what the desert can do to a man," he finished suddenly.
The two boys flinched visibly. Then Dave spoke quickly.
"My comrade got a touch of the sun, sir," he said. "We possess no valuable information we could reveal. We were simply on advance patrol. A sand storm came up and we became separated from the main body. We have been trying to locate it ever since. That is all of our story, sir."