ON THE VISTULA.
"How far are we from the Vistula now, Alexis?" asked Chester, as the
little party rode rapidly forward.
"Not more than seven or eight versts, I am sure," was the reply.
"Is it likely the Germans have advanced that far in this section?"
"There is no telling; we shall have to be careful."
All day long the four friends had been hurrying toward the Russian
lines. Alexis, after his terrible struggle with overwhelming odds, when
he had dashed forward to save Chester, had slept for hours without
moving-all night, practically. When he awoke, shortly before dawn, he
announced that he was in condition to move on.
Chester's wound also had benefited by the rest and now bothered him
little. While Alexis and Chester slept, Hal and Stephan had succeeded in
capturing four horses; and so, long before sunrise, the little party
continued their flight, Marquis, as usual, trailing along behind.
For another hour now the four rode on, and then a welcome sight
confronted them. Hal was the first to perceive water ahead, and called
the attention of the others to it.
"The Vistula," said Alexis briefly.
There was not the sign of either friend or foe. For some unaccountable
reason neither bank of the stream was guarded. Hal supplied an
explanation.
"The Germans have probably been pushed back further to the South," he
suggested, "thereby doing away with the necessity of a patrol here."
They drew nearer the river. At this point the stream was very deep, and
there was no bridge; but as the four drew up on the bank, Chester made
out a cloud of smoke coming up the stream.
"A steamer!" he exclaimed.
The lad was right. The smoke drew nearer, and at last the friends were
able to discern the outline of a small river vessel steaming toward
them. They jumped from their horses, and advanced to the very edge of
the water, where they awaited the approaching boat.
"She may be a German," said Hal.
"It is hardly likely," said Alexis.
"But I understood the Germans had fitted out several river steamers,"
said Hal.
"True," replied Alexis; "I had forgotten. We shall have to be careful."
But now the vessel was close enough for those on shore to make out her
flag. The emblem flying aloft was that of the Czar. Hal drew off his
coat and waved it about his head.
"If they will stop and pick us up," he explained, "it may save us a
tedious ride."
A sharp blast of the whistle signified that Hal's signal had been seen.
The steamer came to a stop in midstream, a launch put off toward the
shore, and soon grounded at the spot where the four friends stood.
Quickly they leaped into the little craft and were soon aboard the
steamer, where they were greeted by the commander of the vessel. Hal
explained their situation as briefly as possible.
"Well," said the commander, "I can't promise to put you ashore
immediately, for I am bound further up the river in pursuit of a German
steamer that has been bombarding several upstream towns. When I have
disposed of the enemy, however, I shall be glad to land you down the
stream, for I shall return immediately I have sunk the foe."
With this the fugitives had to be content. They were assigned quarters
on the steamer, and after washing the dirt and grime from their hands
and faces, they returned on deck, where they made themselves comfortable
as the steamer continued on her way. They passed several little towns
without stopping.
Suddenly those on deck were brought to their feet by the booming of a
single heavy gun. All strained their ears to listen. The first report
was followed by the sound of others. The commander of the vessel sprang
to action.
"Full speed ahead!" he cried.
The steamer leaped forward faster than before. The crew prepared for
action. The guns were made ready and the crews stood to their posts. The
commander, from his position, motioned the four friends toward him.
"We have run the enemy down," he informed them. "Can I count upon your
services if they are needed?"
"You may," replied Hal and Chester briefly.
Alexis and Stephan nodded their heads in assent.
"Good!" said the commander. "You will stay here near me, then. I shall
not hesitate to call upon you."
Rounding a slight bend in the river, the Russian steamer came in full
sight of the enemy. So silently had she approached, that the Germans,
engaged in hurling shells upon a little village, did not perceive their
presence until a shell from the Russian plowed up the water under the
prow of their boat.
As soon as the Germans became aware of the presence of another enemy
they turned to meet it. Their forward guns were quickly trained upon the
Russian steamer and burst into action. The first salvo was harmless, for
the range had not been gauged accurately.
The Russians were more fortunate with their second fire. A shell burst
squarely upon the deck of the German with a loud explosion. There was a
shower of steel and wood, followed by a cry of triumph from the crew of
the Russian vessel. A second shell carried away the enemy's single
smokestack and a third burst in the muzzle of one of the foe's forward
guns, blowing it to atoms.
At full speed the Russian advanced, and when within two hundred yards
swung her broadside to the enemy and poured in a rain of shells. The
Germans fought back gamely, but with the first success of the Russians
they seemed to have lost their heads and fired wildly. Their aim was
poor, and the Russians suffered little.
Having delivered his broadside, the Russian brought his forward guns to
bear and with these he raked the deck of the enemy--fore and aft--with
shot and shell.
All this time the vessels had been drawing closer together. Now the
German commander, apparently realizing that he was fighting a losing
battle, steamed full speed for the Russian ship. By a hasty maneuver the
Russian commander avoided being run down, but a second later the vessels
crashed broadside to broadside.
The German vessel stood somewhat higher in the water than did the
Russian craft, and before any aboard the latter realized what was
happening, the foe swarmed down the side onto the Russian vessel. So
sudden and unexpected was their onslaught, that for the moment the
Russians on deck gave way before them; and had it not been for the
presence of mind of Hal and Chester, it is likely the German rush would
have been successful.
The two lads sprang forward into the very faces of the enemy, their
automatics spitting fire as they leaped. Alexis and Stephan came close
behind them. The very fury of their attack caused the Germans to halt
momentarily, and this gave the Russian sailors time to rally and spring
to their aid.
Their automatics having been emptied, the lads leaped into the thick of
their foe, striking out with their naked fists. Hal twisted a sword from
the hand of a German officer, and laid about him lustily. Chester,
stooping, came to his feet with a sword in his hand, and joined his
friend in the press. Alexis also possessed himself of a weapon and
rushed forward.
By this time the Russian sailors had met the foe and the conflict became
general. Slowly the Germans gave way, retreating to the side of the
ship. Then, suddenly, they turned and leaped for their own vessel, which
still lay close, under the guiding hand of the German commander. The
Russians plunged after them, following them to the deck of the German
ship.
Brought to bay, the Germans turned in a last desperate stand. Releasing
the helm, the German commander himself sprang into the midst of the
struggle. His sword flashed aloft, and two Russian sailors hit the deck,
pierced through and through. He was a big man, this German commander,
and a powerful one. As he pressed fiercely forward, for a moment the
first line of Russians gave way; but at that moment he ran against a
solid obstruction in the form of Alexis.
They fell to, hand to hand, and on all sides of them the others gave
way. Thrusting and parrying, the two skipped forward and back, each
losing ground and then recovering it. Alexis, by a quick sidestep,
avoided a fierce thrust, and stepped forward to put an end to the
encounter. In his haste he slipped, and slid to the deck.
With a fierce, guttural cry of satisfaction, the German stepped forward,
raised his sword and would have plunged it into his opponent's breast;
but Alexis was too quick for him. With his bare hand he seized the naked
blade aimed at him and clung to it. In vain did the German try to draw
his sword through the Cossack's hand. Alexis' mighty grip held it
easily.
Now, putting forth greater exertion, by the aid of the weapon to which
he clung, Alexis dragged himself to his feet. In vain did the German
commander wrench at the sword. He could not free it. He at length gave
up the idea, dropped the sword and leaped back.
As Alexis, now firm upon his feet once more, took a step forward, the
German commander turned and ran toward a rack of rifles. Alexis did not
take time to reverse the weapon he still held by the point. Raising it
high above his head, he carefully gauged the distance, and let fly. The
sword went hurtling through the air, turning once in its flight. Alexis'
aim was true, and the point of the weapon pierced the German commander
squarely between the shoulder blades. He threw up his hands and fell
forward on his face.
Alexis turned and surveyed the battle.
The Germans had been pressed back by the Russians, led by Hal and
Chester, until now they were fighting desperately on the stern of the
vessel. Alexis dashed forward to take part in this fray; but the
Germans, having witnessed the death of their commander, had lost heart.
Perceiving the giant form rushing down upon them, they threw down their
arms as one man. Some turned quickly and leaped overboard into the river
and struck out for the shore, while others stood quietly waiting to be
bound by their captors. The battle was over.
Immediately the commander of the Russian steamer ordered his men and the
prisoners back aboard his own ship. Then he turned to Hal and Chester.
"As you have taken such a prominent part in this victory," he said, "I
will allow you to finish the work by blowing up the enemy. You will
attach a fuse to the magazine and then hurry back here, that we may
reach safety before the explosion."
The two lads saluted, and made their way to the magazine of the German
vessel. Here they quickly attached a fuse, and lighted it. Then they
hurried aboard the Russian steamer, which immediately got under way. One
hundred yards, two hundred yards, three hundred, they steamed from the
doomed vessel; then there came the sound of a muffled explosion, the
German craft burst into a sheet of flame, broke into two pieces, and
settled slowly beneath the waters of the Vistula.
"A good job done," said the Russian commander briefly.
He turned once more to the two lads. "I want to say," he added, "that it
has never been my fortune to meet two braver lads. You are English, I
take it?"
"Americans," replied Hal briefly.
"So? Still, I might have known it. I have known several Americans, and
they were always cool and brave. Where do you wish to go now?"
"Well," said Hal, "we would like to get back to Lodz. I suppose our
regiment is still stationed there."
"I will see that you get there with all possible dispatch," the
commander promised. "I will land you where it will be most convenient
for you."
The lads thanked him, and walked across the deck, where they rejoined
Alexis and Stephan.
"You would make a pretty good sailor, Alexis," Chester told him.
The Cossack drew himself up and strutted proudly for several moments.
"Of course I would," he said. "It is nothing new to me."
"Nothing new!" exclaimed Hal in some surprise.
"No," replied Alexis.
"You mean you have been a sailor?" demanded Chester.
"Certainly. Of course the commander of this vessel did a fair piece of
work a few moments ago; but I could tell him a few things. Why, when I
commanded a ship in the battle of----"
"Enough! Enough!" cried Hal, throwing up his hands in protest.
"Do you doubt my word?" demanded Alexis fiercely.
"Not at all," Hal hastened to assure him. "But, Alexis; have you learned
yet what 'drawing the long bow' means?"
"No," replied the giant, "are you going to tell me at last?"
"I had about decided to," said Hal slowly; "but after this, never!"