THE ESCAPE.
Alexis made ready.
Hal realized that he was taking a desperate chance to put through the
scheme that had entered his mind. Not only was von Bernstrum a bigger
man than Alexis, but the latter had lost much blood only 36 hours
before. Doubtless also he knew every trick of a wrestler or fighter.
Alexis took off his shoes and threw them into a corner, and divested
himself of his coat. Von Bernstrum growled like a dog as he followed the
Cossack's example.
Alexis held out his hand. Von Bernstrum gripped it hard and gave a grunt
of satisfaction.
"A man's hand," he exclaimed.
Alexis placed his right hand across the German's shoulders and caught
him firmly and the boys saw by the expression on his face that he was
not certain of the outcome. The German had not boasted in vain. He was
indeed a giant.
"If ever men felt the joy of battle, these two do," exclaimed Hal to
Chester.
The two men were now gripped in a tight embrace. Von Bernstrum felt
Alexis over carefully, but gave him no opening.
"A man's chest," he grunted.
Alexis so far had uttered no word. Now he perceived that his opponent
was preparing for the loin throw and prepared himself to meet it. When
he had foiled this attack, he held his opponent for a moment at a
disadvantage.
Alexis gripped von Bernstrum for a hug. Had the German been a weaker
man, his ribs must have cracked; but he had caught deep breath, and the
Cossack might as well have tried to crush a tree.
"A good try!" muttered the German.
He now tested Alexis sorely. He tried a cross hitch, but failed. At
this, a smile broke out on Alexis' face.
Both lads, who had been watching the struggle nervously, now grew
confident. It was evident that the Cossack hoped for victory.
At last Alexis saw his chance. In getting the grip he wanted, it was
necessary for him to face the danger of putting himself in his
opponent's power; but the Cossack ventured to do this, for he realized
that by no other means could he throw him. Von Bernstrum saw his
opponent's move and took advantage of it, and for a moment Alexis was
afraid it was all over with him.
But he still held his ground. Von Bernstrum's grip grew weaker at last,
and the boys could hear him panting like a dog. Hal spoke to Chester.
"I believe he realizes that Alexis will master him," he exclaimed in a
whisper.
Chester nodded in assent.
Now Alexis put all the strength of his mighty shoulders, back and loins
into a mighty heave, and Freiderich von Bernstrum, giant though he was,
went flying across the room, his head striking the floor with a terrible
thud.
For a moment the lads were afraid Alexis had killed him; but for a
moment only. Calmly Alexis put on his shoes and donned his coat. Then he
turned to his young friends and waited. His attitude said as plain as
words:
"I have done the fighting. You do the rest."
Quickly Hal stooped over the fallen man and took a bunch of keys from
his pocket. Then, straightening up, he approached the door, opened it
and peered out. There was no one in sight.
Hal turned to Alexis.
"Change clothes with him," he whispered, motioning to the fallen German.
Hastily Alexis obeyed. In spite of the fact that von Bernstrum was
almost two inches taller than Alexis, the height of the latter was so
great that Hal believed the difference would not be noticed.
The lad now relieved von Bernstrum of his revolvers. Alexis had donned
his adversary's sword with his uniform. Then once more Hal approached
the door and peered out. Then he spoke to Alexis.
"We will go with you as though we were your prisoners," he explained.
"If anyone accosts us, we may have to fight. However, I believe you look
enough like von Bernstrum to avoid detection. Pull the hat well over
your face, and if anyone asks where you are going, reply that you are
taking the prisoners to the commandant. Do you understand?"
Alexis signified that he did, and quietly the three, still followed by
Marquis, left the room. Along the same passageways they had traversed
Hal guided Alexis by a touch of the hand, for the lad's sense of
direction was much better than that of the giant Cossack.
At last they came into the open and started toward the gate. So far they
had not been accosted. At the gate a soldier approached Alexis and
saluted.
"Are you going out, sir?" he demanded.
"Yes," replied the Cossack, mimicking von Bernstrum's voice as best he
could. "These prisoners have given me their parole, and I am taking them
out for a breath of air. Get me two more horses."
The soldier saluted and turned away. Hal addressed Alexis.
"You are doing beautifully," he exclaimed. "I didn't know you were such
a strategist."
"Why," exclaimed Alexis, "next to being a fighter I am a strategist. I
remember one time----"
"Save it for some other time," said Hal.
"If you don't believe----" began the big Cossack, somewhat crestfallen.
"Never mind now," broke in Chester. "We have other things to do."
Alexis subsided, grumbling. A few moments later the soldier reappeared
leading three horses. Alexis took all three bridles, and bade the
soldier begone, which order the latter obeyed in a hurry.
Quickly the three friends leaped into the saddle, and started off at a
rapid trot, riding eastward. Out of sight of the town, they bore off
slightly to the North, for, as Hal said, they did not wish to run right
into the German army advancing on Lodz.
They had proceeded perhaps a mile out of sight of the castle, when Hal
suddenly checked his mount, and raised a warning hand. All stopped to
listen. From the direction in which they had just come, came the
frenzied tolling of a great bell, followed by a few faint shots.
"They have learned of our escape," said Hal quietly. "That, I imagine,
is a warning to the countryside to be on the lookout for us."
All three put spurs to their horses, and set off again at a gallop. For
two hours they kept up this swift pace, and then Alexis drew rein.
"Unless I want this horse to drop under me," he said, "we shall have to
slow down. There is no horse living that can carry me at that gait very
long."
The boys did not doubt this, and they continued their journey at a more
leisurely pace. Finally, rounding a turn in the road, they came upon a
little stream, perhaps a hundred yards wide. There was no bridge.
"Guess we shall have to make our horses swim it," said Chester.
Accordingly all plunged into the stream, Marquis swimming behind, and
soon reached the opposite shore. Here they drew up in a clump of bushes
and sat down to dry off a bit.
"Do you suppose they know which way we came?" asked Hal of Chester.
"I don't know. However, I suppose they will search in all directions,
and they are bound to come upon us sooner or later if we linger around
here."
"You are right. I guess we had better move."
Soon the little party was in the saddle again, and making off at a rapid
trot. Hal, for some unaccountable reason turning suddenly in his saddle,
uttered an ejaculation.
"What's the matter?" demanded Chester.
"Look!" said Hal, pointing back toward the little stream.
Alexis and Chester followed the direction of Hal's finger. Just plunging
into the stream were half a dozen horsemen, and it was plain from that
distance that they were German soldiers, and that they had made out the
forms of the fugitives.
The three friends put spurs to their horses and, with Marquis loping
along behind, soon lost themselves in a little woods. Here they urged
their tired horses on, and at last came to a small open space. This they
crossed before Alexis' horse gave out and went to the ground in a heap.
"I am afraid it's all off," exclaimed Hal. "How far do you suppose we
are from the German border, Alexis?"
"Not far," answered the Cossack. "Besides, some of our troops have been
operating in these parts. They were only small detachments, and most of
them have been driven off; but even now there may be some of them near."
Alexis urged the two lads to ride on and leave him, but this they
refused to do. Therefore they dismounted and, turning their horses
loose, they continued their journey on foot.
As they walked along a man suddenly popped out from among the trees,
brought his revolver to bear upon the trio, and in a loud tone cried:
"Halt!"
Alexis gave one quick glance at the man's uniform, uttered a cry of
pleasure and spoke a few quick words in his native tongue. The lads were
surprised to see the man drop his rifle, throw his arms about Alexis and
embrace him.
For some moments after quitting this embrace the two talked in Russian,
the lads being able to pick up only a few words. Then Alexis turned to
the two lads.
"My brother," he said simply. "He belongs to a detachment of Cossacks
who raided in these parts two weeks ago. The detachment was surrounded
by Germans, he tells me, and practically annihilated. About 150 men
escaped to the woods, where they have been conducting a guerilla
warfare, picking off the Germans one at a time, wherever they happen to
find one alone, or in pairs, or small parties. These Cossacks are
scattered all through the woods, and to get them together would be
almost impossible."
"Then how are they able to tell friend from foe?"
"You see that large green leaf my brother wears in his hat?"
"Yes."
"That is their emblem."
Alexis' brother approached and spoke in German.
"Come," he said. "I shall show you something."
He led the way into the woods, and approached a large tree, where he
pointed to a placard tacked on it. The placard read:
"All Russians at large in these woods are ordered to assemble at this
spot the 10th of this month without arms and surrender, under penalty of
death."
"That was posted two weeks ago," said Alexis' brother, "and this is the
20th. Read our answer below it."
The answer read:
"Come and take us!"