Father De Smet was so startled that he dropped the eggs. He
whirled about, and there stood the German soldier who had told
Netteke to halt. With him were six other men.

"Ha! I told you we should meet again!" shouted the soldier to
Father De Smet. "And it was certainly thoughtful of you to
provide for our entertainment. Comrades, fall to!"

The onions were still cooking over a little blaze of twigs aid
dry leaves, but Mother De Smet was no longer tending them. The
instant she heard the gruff voice she had dropped her spoon, and,
seizing a baby under each arm, had fled up the gangplank on to
the boat. Marie followed at top speed. Father De Smet faced the
intruders.

"What do you want here?" he said.

"Some supper first," said the soldier gayly, helping himself to
some onions and passing the pan to his friends. "Then, perhaps, a
few supplies for our brave army. There is no hurry. After supper
will do; but first we'll drink a health to the Kaiser, and since
you are host here, you shall propose it!"

He pointed to the pail of milk which Father De Smet still held.

"Now," he shouted, "lift your stein and say, 'Hoch der Kaiser.'"

Father De Smet looked them in the face and said not a word.
Meanwhile Jan and Joseph, to Mother De Smet's great alarm, had
not followed her, on to the boat. Instead they had flown to