"Then what need had you to be afraid of us?"
"Well, you see, sir," was the nervous reply, "I am a peace-loving man. I don't want to fight, and I won't fight if I can help it."
"A nice specimen of a Frenchman, to be sure," said the captain, with a sneer. "If you are such a peace-loving man, how does it happen we find you here? Why haven't you fled with the rest of the old women and children?"
"Well, you see, sir," quavered the man, "I have been hiding here. I was afraid that if I went to Paris I would be forced to fight."
"And you have been hiding here ever since war broke out?"
"Yes, sir. I have a nice hiding-place downstairs," and he rubbed his hands in satisfaction.
"And you were not discovered by the Germans?"
"No, sir; and a party of officers were here only yesterday."
"Then, no doubt, you heard their plans. Perhaps you can give us important information?"
"I could, yes, sir," was the reply. "But, if I do, will there be any pay for me?"
"And you call yourself a Frenchman," he said in contempt. He took a threatening step forward. "No," he said angrily, "there will be no pay, but I can promise you that if you don't tell what you know you will be shot right here and now."
"Oh, sir, you wouldn't do that," said the man in a wheedling voice.
"Wouldn't I?" exclaimed the captain. "You shall see."
He turned to his men, and, in response to a signal, two of them approached the Frenchman. But the stern tone had convinced the man that the officer meant what he said.
"I'll tell, sir," he cried, falling on his knees.
"Very well," he said coldly, "and see that you make no mistake. If your information is of no value you shall be shot anyhow."
"But it is, sir," protested the Frenchman.
"The Germans are planning an aëroplane raid on the English," said the man, in a low voice. "There is a park of aëroplanes hardly two miles from here, on the road leading to Viviers. They are ready for instant flight."
"What!" exclaimed Captain Anderson. "Are you sure?"
"Perfectly," was the reply. "I heard the German officers talking of it only yesterday. They said it would deal a death-blow to the English."
"And so it would," said the captain, "unless it can be stopped."
Hal broke suddenly into the conversation.
"Can you point the approximate whereabouts of this park of machines out to us?" he asked.