out in quite a loud voice. Joseph seized his hand.

"Hush!" he whispered.

Father De Smet looked up. There, standing right in front of them
in the tow-path, was a German soldier!

"Halt!" shouted the soldier.

But Netteke was now just as much bent upon going as she had been
before upon standing still. She paid no attention whatever to the
command, but walked stolidly along the tow-path directly toward
the soldier.

"Halt!" cried the soldier again.

But Netteke had had no military training, and she simply kept on.
In one more step she would have come down upon the soldier's
toes, if he had not moved aside just in time. He was very angry.

"Why didn't you stop your miserable old mule when I told you to?"
he said to Father De Smet.

"It's a balky mule," replied Father De Smet mildly, "and very
obstinate."

"Indeed!" sneered the soldier; "then, I suppose you have named
him Albert after your pig-headed King!"

"No," answered Father De Smet, "I think too much of my King to