"'Maybe an hour or an hour and a half.'

"'How many of them?'

"'About as many as you have here, maybe another company more.'

"'Which way did they go?'

"'That way.' Lucien indicated the direction taken by the Germans by a
jerk of his thumb to the right. 'And Lucien knows pretty well where
they have gone.'

"'Oh, you do? Kindly tell me where you think the Boches went?'
demanded the captain, now amused at the boy's queerness.

"'They have gone to cut off the road from Etain. I saw them going that
way.'

"'How do you know this?'

"'Did I not hear them talking just before I dropped an apple on the
head of the Herr Major, the apple that stuck on his helmet and made
him very angry? It was well for Lucien that the Herr Major did not
know he threw the apple. Wait while I laugh, Captain. No, Lucien did
not throw another at the Herr Major. He saved the next one for
monsieur le Capitaine.'

"'See here, child, do you know this country well?' demanded the French
Captain.