'
'That may be it. But anyhow I'm not of age. I couldn't sign anything.'
'Don't, anyhow,' said Roy. 'He can't do worse than shoot us.'
But Ken looked very grave. Inwardly, he was thinking that, if Henkel did
actually mean to make terms, he had no right to sacrifice Roy's life as
well as his own.
At this moment the corporal came in with a platter of food and a pitcher
of water. He planked them down without a word, and went out again.
'No use starving ourselves,' said Roy with his usual cheeriness. 'It's a
case of "let us eat and drink for to-morrow we die."'
His pluck was wonderful, and they set to as well as their manacled hands
permitted, on the coarse barley-meal bread and goats' milk cheese. They
had had nothing since their 'emergency' breakfast and they finished the
food to the last crumb.
'That's better,' said Roy. 'Now I'm ready for anything.' As he spoke the
key turned in the lock, the door opened, and in stumped Henkel. He closed
the door behind him, and stood facing the two young fellows.
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