"But, Frank, whatever are we going to do for eats between now and to-morrow, when we come back from the raid up the coast?" asked Pudge, with a despairing expression on his fat face that would make anyone believe he had lost his last friend; or else just heard the news that he was to be hanged in three hours.
"I've fixed all that," the other told him, "and right now I think I see the wagon coming with a lot of good stuff, such as can still be had in Dunkirk if you've got the francs to buy it with."
Pudge was comforted by hearing such glorious news. He immediately took up his position outside the door from where he could keep an eye on the road close to the stockade gates.
"What are you doing out there, Pudge?" called Billy.
"Sandwiches and sauerkraut, but you wouldn't want to run the risk of having that grocery wagon miss the place and drive past, would you, Billy?" demanded the sentinel; and the others let him alone, knowing full well that Pudge would not allow any accident of that sort to come about as long as his voice held good.
It turned out that Frank had bought a whole assortment of things to eat; indeed, Billy declared he believed they could stand a siege of a whole week with that lot of foodstuffs to fall back on.
"Three days, anyhow," assented Pudge, who evidently had a different viewpoint from Billy when it came to sizing up the lasting qualities of edibles.
With the aid of the little stove they prepared a lunch, and really enjoyed it immensely. Pudge seemed to be reminiscent, for he brought up numerous half forgotten times of the past when in company with Harry Chester they had enjoyed many a similar repast, cooked under strange conditions it might be, but never to be wholly forgotten by those who took part in the feast.
Then the afternoon came and it was a long one to the three chums shut up for the most part in the hangar. The fire was kept up in the stove, because there was a tang to the February air so close to the Channel.
Frank went carefully over every part of the seaplane to make certain it was in the best shape possible for the long journey they had before them under conditions that no one could possibly foresee. He did not mean to neglect the slightest thing that could add to their comfort and safety.