The city now being occupied by the Germans, our friends found few citizens on the streets of Ostend and these hurried nervously on their way.

The streets swarmed with German soldiery.
Arriving at headquarters they found that the commandant was too busy to attend to the Red Cross Americans.

He ordered them taken before Colonel Grau for examination.
"But why examine us at all ?" protested Mr.Merrick.

"Doesn't our sacred mission protect us from such annoying details ?" The young officer regretted that it did not.

They would find Colonel Grau in one of the upper rooms.