“If you have not arrived by first light, do not continue. Hide amongst the trees until nightfall. You may be so close as even to see across the clearing to your destination. You will be weary, hungry, thirsty, and your children may complain. But to attempt to cross even that short distance after the grey of light has come could endanger the entire operation in this region. There are reports of heavy SS activity, and no matter how safe it seems, you could be seen. It must be black before you make your final approach.”

“If such does befall us,” asked the rabbi, “where should we spend the day?”

“In the wood. It contains many dense places. Find one of them, stay there, and keep your children quiet. I have not been there myself, but that wood is reported to be extremely dangerous.”

The professor had nodded.

Now, indeed, it had come upon them exactly as the man had warned. Day was rapidly approaching. Jakob and Heziah began looking about for a place to rest and spend the daylight hours.

They found a small clearing in the midst of the wet woods, surrounded on all sides by trees and brush, and with the blankets they had, they were able to make the children tolerably comfortable.

Not long after they were settled, suddenly Jakob began making wild gestures with his hand, signaling for absolute silence.

The tramping of footsteps could be heard through the trees!

Jakob fell silently to his belly and strained to see out of their little hollow through the trunks of the pines surrounding them.

Yes, his ears had heard correctly! Two booted feet strode through the desolate early-morning forest.

What if it was their next contact, come out looking for them, he thought to himself.

Should he call out?

What was the password again? Something about plants or trees or woods or flowers.

Heziah would remember. Maybe he should call out the password.

He glanced back at the others. They all stared at him with anxious faces. He didn’t want to wait all day before moving on, not when they were this close. He’d get the exact password from the rabbi. What was there to lose?

He began inching back toward his companions. An inner urge compelled him to look out through the trees again. His gaze fell on the boots, now retreating through the forest. If he did not call out the password soon, it would be too late.

An involuntary chill swept through him. Suddenly the boots disappearing through the trees seemed unfriendly. Jakob watched them, keeping silent.

What had he been thinking?

How could he have come so close to betraying their position! What a fool! The man had been very clear—hide until day is done. Even the woods were dangerous!