The shabby appearance of the boys along with the hard work they put in, hides the fact that they were used to better times in their past. Their maturity makes one forget the fact that they are little boys of twelve and eleven. When boys of their age would be playing and having fun, these two shine shoes, sell the newspaper and do all kinds of odd jobs. If we think that all this is to earn their living, we are again wrong, because it is for the sake of their sister. The young age and the frail body are a facade to their inner strength.
This deceptive appearance must have helped them in their role as secret messengers against the German troops. Thus we see that the boys prove again and again that appearances are deceptive. However, amidst this facade, the earnestness of the boys shines through their eyes and there is no deception in that.