The Silver Sword

Kurt goes to speak to his wife in the kitchen of the farmhouse but finds the Burgomaster there. He tells Kurt that the Polish refugees he is housing must return to Poland. Kurt tells the Burgomaster the story of the children’s Swiss mother and their father giving the silver sword to Jan, presenting the small sword as proof of their story. The Burgomaster is unmoved, believing that the story is probably fabricated and that the children will not be accepted into Switzerland. The Burgomaster speaks with Edek but is unmoved by their story. He says that a truck will arrive for them the next day.

Kurt goes to milk the cows as he ponders how to help the children avoid being deported back to Poland. Finally, he is struck with an idea and instructs the children to help him pull two huge bags from the barn that contain two canoes. He patches them as best as he can and repairs the paddles.

The children paddle off in them early the next morning. Frau Wolff packs some food for them, and the couple waves the children off, giving them directions to follow the current towards the Danube and to watch for protruding rocks and American scouts.