And prisoners were cold as well as hungry. What a pity something _hot_
could not be sent.

"Tiens! J'y suis!" cried Jeanne. "Ô Maman, j'ai une si bonne idee! Si nous
envoyions un bon repas bien chaud dans _l'auto-cuiseur!_" Perhaps it would
keep hot for a day or two. _How_ long did it take for a parcel to reach
_Bochie?_

But Maman decided this plan could not be risked; there was often delay, and
the moist food might turn sour.

A little chilled but nowise daunted, for she was sure the hay-box would
come in somehow, Jeanne remained for some time plunged deep in thought.
Then came light and her face grew radiant. Why not send the _auto-cuiseur_
filled with dry food? _Les Boches_ would surely give, or sell, some boiling
water and let him just start cooking on their stove. And he would be able
to use the cooker constantly, buying _des choses pas chères_ to cook; and
yes, why not slip into the package a copy of _Plats économiques_, the
little cookery book whose recipes they had found so satisfactory?

"Et mon curé?" But now the two figures merged more nearly than ever before
into one, and Jeanne felt that _his_ first need was one with that of the
soldier, and the _marmite_ would hold enough for both.

"Mais _oui_," she exclaimed, "c'est cela!... Écoute, Maman! Envoyons
l'auto-cuiseur _aux deux_... Ne vois-tu pas que mon soldat pourra alors
manger tous les jours un bon repas bien chaud, et que mon curé pourra en
donner aux autres affamés? C'est là tout juste l'affaire d'un curé.
L'auto-cuiseur est comme ça deux cadeaux en un, comme mon soldat et mon