“we’re going to make the push, jack!” gasped amos, as they found themselves in close touch with the cottages.
“yes, and i only hope we’ll find a friendly roof to shelter us,” added his chum.
the clouds hung heavy above them. one would almost imagine the day was far spent, and night about to close the curtains of darkness around them. again did they feel drops of rain starting to fall, and this time it threatened to continue.
looking around, jack picked out a certain house as the most promising of all those near by. he never could exactly explain just why he selected that particular cottage, except that it was possibly a bit closer than any other, and the rain began to fall more and more heavily.
[195]
hurrying under the shelter of the little porch that lay before the door, the boys found that they could immediately escape the increasing downpour. at the same time, as this was no mere summer shower, jack did not intend to stay on the outside.
so he proceeded to knock with his knuckles on the closed door. there was no immediate reply, at which amos suggested that possibly the cottage might be without a tenant.
“if you looked a little closer,” his comrade told him, “you’d never say that, for there is smoke coming from the top of the chimney. besides, i saw a face at the window staring at us when we rushed under this little canopy that shields the door.”
“you don’t say!” ejaculated amos.
“it was the face of an old woman, and white with fear i thought,” continued jack, seriously. “still, that shouldn’t surprise us, because in these terrible war-times all sorts of frightful things are constantly happening to make timid people shiver with dread.”
[196]
“but, jack, surely two boys oughtn’t to make anybody afraid?” expostulated amos.
“sometimes the most innocent-looking things are the most dangerous,” his chum told him. “these poor belgians must be seeing german secret agents everywhere about them. we have been suspected before now, and seen in this strange light even you might appear a regular ogre in her eyes.”
“but, my stars! jack, are we going to stay out in the rain right along just because some silly person might think all strangers are german spies? don’t you intend to knock again?”
for answer jack once again brought his knuckles against the door with more vim than before. it might even be considered a knock of authority, for there is such a thing.
this time they plainly heard the shuffling of feet within. then a bar seemed to be removed, which in itself was a mute evidence of the radical change that had come to this land since war stalked abroad; for in the good old days of peace[197] it was likely that no door had ever been fastened, since thievery was next to unknown.
as the door was partly opened they saw a man of middle age, whose sight was confined to one eye. he looked plainly worried, amos could see; but being content to leave all matters to jack, he held his peace.
it was the usual habit of the boys when desiring to communicate with any of the people whom they chanced to meet to test them first of all with english. there were a certain number of belgians who could speak that language, having picked it up in trade, or by reason of having been across the channel working in english factories during dull seasons in their own country.
jack first of all pointed to that wonderful little flag which amos bore in his buttonhole.
“we are americans—from the united states—can you talk english?”
he saw the man’s face give a twitch, and even fancied that his worried face took on a partially relieved expression, though his hand resting upon the edge of the door still quivered.
[198]
“yes, i can speak and understand english,” he immediately said in a quavering tone. “both the wife and me, we have worked over in birmingham in the days that are gone. what is it you want, m’sieu?”
jack waved his hand as if to call his attention to the descending rain.
“shelter from the storm,” he said. “we will be only too glad to take whatever accommodations you can spare, so long as we keep our coats dry, and get a bite to eat; and please understand we will pay for the service. i hope you will not refuse to accommodate us for one night, my friend!”
the old man looked puzzled. he acted as though while he would like to say no, policy compelled him to think twice before committing himself.
“please wait a minute. i will talk with the good wife.”
he closed the door in their faces as he said this, softly, however, as though not wishing to offend them.
[199]
“well, i like that,” said amos. “we may have to go elsewhere to get out of the rain.”
“give them a little time,” cautioned jack. “it shows that the woman rules here, as she usually does in every home. don’t you remember that story about the man who started out to learn whether the man or the woman of the house was the actual boss, and found to his satisfaction that it was always the lady?”
“i don’t remember hearing it, jack,” commented amos. “suppose you tell me about it while we’re waiting for them to decide this matter.”
“oh! i thought it was a chestnut,” laughed jack. “it’s so good that it would bear repeating anyway. this man started out to please his father, taking ten chickens in the wagon and a pair of horses, one gray and the other a roan. if he found that the woman bossed the house he was to leave a fowl; and should he ever come across a home where the man was absolutely the ruler one of the horses was to be given to the happy couple!”
[200]
“that’s interesting. honest, jack, i’ve never heard the story before, either.”
“from house to house the man went. in every case he learned that woman ruled the ranch, and so by degrees his supply of fowls got down to a single specimen. then he came to a place where there was a big burly man and a small sharp-eyed wife. when he stated his case he learned that in this home the man did just as he pleased. both declared this, and it looked as though he had at last hit on an ideal couple, which would please his father very much.
“‘since in this house the man is the sole boss,’ he told them, ‘i am empowered by my father to make you a present of a horse. now choose which one of these two animals you would want to have.’
“‘the gray one strikes me as just about right,’ said the man.
“‘it’s a good horse,’ admitted the woman, ‘but don’t you think the roan a little the finer, john? it seems to me if there is any choice i’d take the roan.’
[201]
“at that the man told them to step aside and settle the matter; so after some talk the husband came forward a little sheepishly and said:
“‘mister, if it’s all the same to you i think we’ll take the roan horse!’
“‘you’ll take a hen,’ said the traveler, as he chucked the last fowl out of the wagon, and drove back to tell his father that woman was supreme in every home.”
amos laughed heartily at hearing the conclusion. anxieties do not wholly suppress young blood, which is capable of throwing cares aside at will.
“here they come to the door again,” he told amos. “i wonder what they think of hearing me laugh so loud.”
this time the door was thrown wide open by the man.
“enter, young messieurs. we will do the best we can to entertain you. but after such a terrible winter it is little any belgian family possesses to keep body and soul together. lucky are those who still have a roof over their heads.”
[202]
the old woman looked at them, and nodded her head as both boys saluted her respectfully. they were given chairs, and seemed glad to sit down to rest, being more or less tired after walking.
“what a wonderful day this has been for us, taken in all,” amos was saying as they looked out of the small window and saw how steadily the rain was coming down.
“we’ll have to mark it with a white stone in our log of this trip abroad to the battlefields of the world war,” jack asserted.
“do you think they mean to keep us over night?” asked amos, in a low tone, as he noted that both man and woman seemed to be stirring around, getting the fire started afresh, as though meaning to do some cooking.
“oh! yes, he said as much as that,” jack replied. “there’s an upstairs to the house, and perhaps some sort of loft where we can lie down to sleep. but it’s a poor family, remember. so don’t expect too much of them.”
“i’m willing to put up with almost anything,”[203] hastily observed amos. “but do you notice how often they glance this way, and then if they see either of us looking, seem confused? jack, it isn’t curiosity that makes them act so, but something more in the line of fear.”
“they may have a notion that after all we’re german spies, and meaning to get secret evidence that will bring them under the military ban later on. so, while we are here we must be careful not to say or do the least thing to add to their anxious feeling. let our talk be wholly of america, and of how she feels for the wrongs of poor belgium.”
once there was a knock at the door which produced the greatest consternation on the part of both the old man and his better half. he finally answered the summons, and seemed greatly relieved when he found it was only a neighbor who may have seen the two boys go in and felt desirous of knowing who and what they were.
so the dull afternoon wore on to a close. the housewife busied herself over her fire, and the[204] old man talked with the boys. he seemed to grow a little easier in his mind the more he heard them tell about the land beyond the ocean. it was as if some of his secret fears may have been set at rest.
while the supplies of food may have run pretty low in that humble belgian home, as was the universal case, still the housewife knew how to get the most out of what she had. the appetizing odors that floated to the boys began to make them anxious for the summons to sit down at the table.
presently this came, and they were not at all surprised to find that the old couple were deeply religious, and asked a grace before partaking of the meal. even the worried look forsook the face of the good wife when the two uninvited guests chatted pleasantly, and told of many interesting things in connection with america, the wonder land to most peasants in the old world, and of which they can never hear quite enough.
so the meal was ended, and the boys again resumed their seats by the window. it had grown[205] dark by now, with the rain still coming down, though fitfully.
“i really believe it may let up before long, don’t you, jack?” amos ventured to say, as they sat there, watching the two belonging to the cottage busying themselves with various duties, and every once in a while get their heads close together to exchange confidences, as though some weighty secret lay between them.
“the signs point that way,” replied jack, who was always watching out for a change in the wind, or anything else that might indicate possible weather conditions in the near future.
“i certainly hope we have a decent day tomorrow,” said amos. “to think of all those poor fellows lying wounded and uncared for on the battlefield, how they will suffer tonight in this cold rain. it makes me feel sick just to remember it. no matter whether they are british, belgians, french or germans, they are our fellow human beings, and have been our friends.”
the old man did not come over to them for some little time. jack fancied that he was getting[206] nervous again, for several times he half started from his seat and looked quickly toward the door.
sitting there for a while, the boys found that they were getting very sleepy. jack purposely yawned several times when he thought the owner of the cottage was looking their way. if this was intended as a gentle hint it finally met with its reward, for the man came towards them.
“young messieurs,” he said, awkwardly, “if you are tired and would lie down i will show you the best we can do for you. it is not much, but you will understand that no one can be expected to do more in these terrible times.”
“please don’t say that again,” amos burst out with in his impetuous fashion. “you are doing us a great favor as it is in giving us shelter from the rain, and something to eat. we feel grateful. i could sleep on a board and be thankful for the privilege.”
the man took a candle and started up the steep stairs that seemed almost like a ladder, with the two lads following after. they found[207] themselves in what appeared to be an unfinished loft. the rain could be heard beating softly on the roof. on the bare floor was a thick feather mattress, and some bedclothes, as well as two pillows.
“that looks good to me,” remarked amos, immediately.
“it is the best we can do,” said the peasant, as he set the candle down, and bowing humbly backed toward the stairs, letting down the trap after he had vanished.
“why, we’ve got the whole upper part of the place to ourselves,” observed amos, as he looked curiously about him. “seems like our attic at home, come to think of it. only i certainly hope there are not so many rats prowling around as we’ve had to fight there. i’d hate to have one nibble at my nose while i slumbered so sweetly on that bouncing feather bed.”
“i suppose they have a small sleeping-place downstairs,” remarked jack, reflectively. “i wonder why they didn’t put us in there instead of up here. not that i object to this, for it’s[208] just fine; and that patter of the rain on the roof will lull us to sleep, i reckon. still, i suppose they didn’t want to bother with us down there; or they may have had some other good reason.”
“for one i want to forget everything but that i’m as sleepy as they make them,” and by the way amos yawned as he said this there could be no doubt that he meant every word of it.
they took off only their shoes and coats, for it was quite cool in the room under the roof.
“last in bed puts out the candle!” chuckled amos, as he crawled under the covers.
jack performed this ceremony, and followed the other. he could not help noticing that little streamers of faint light managed to find their way up from below in certain places. this told him there were cracks in the floor of the loft, a fact that did not surprise him in the least.
amos was as good as his boast, it seemed. he had said he would be fast asleep about as soon as his head struck the pillow. it was not long before jack knew from his even breathing that he had fulfilled his threat.
[209]
jack somehow seemed to lose his drowsy feeling after lying down, as often happens to some persons, so that they are inclined to take the first nap sitting in a chair. he found his mind becoming more active than he liked. it seemed as though all kinds of things began to flit through his brain, including the mystery surrounding the old couple downstairs.
becoming annoyed after he had lain there for nearly an hour with closed eyes, and yet no nearer going to sleep than in the beginning, jack took himself sternly to task, and determined to forget all outside happenings.
his resolution was immediately sorely tried, for had any one been gifted with the eyes of a cat, capable of seeing in the dark, he might have discovered jack actually sitting up as though listening.
had amos awakened just then he might have asked his chum if he thought he heard the squeak of a foraging rat. but jack seemed interested enough to quietly crawl out from under the covers and silently make his way along to[210] where the largest crack in the floor was to be found.
a short time afterward he was shaking amos gently, and whispering in his ear.
“wake up, amos, and don’t give a peep,” was what he said in the lowest tone possible. “there’s something queer going on downstairs. a man has come in; they opened and closed the door as softly as they could. they are talking together after dropping the bar at the door. i’m afraid these people are either not belgians or else secretly in league with the enemy. i plainly heard a word in german!”
