Fred guessed, somehow, that German soldiers in war time did not often do things that caused them to be put under arrest.

In the little he had seen of them he had come to understand what it was that made a German army so formidable.
He expected to be brought before the court early in the morning but, in fact, he was called out in less than an hour, and taken into the dining-room of the parsonage.

Here, at the head of the table, sat an officer in a colonel's uniform; Colonel Goldapp, unquestionably, presiding over the court, which included four officers beside himself.
Fred knew enough of the military law to understand what was going on.
He saw a young lieutenant sitting with some papers before him.

Another came and drew him aside.
"I am to defend you," this officer said, pleasantly.

"That is, of course, I am to see that you get fair treatment.