A SACRIFICE.
"Hold on there a minute," said Chester. "We are forgetting one thing."
"What's that?" demanded Colonel Anderson.
"Why," returned Chester, "that at least one of us must get back to
General Ferrari and give him the information we were sent after."
"But how can we?"
"Well, not by jumping out there and fighting and getting killed, all of
us. I've a plan."
"You'll have to hurry," said Hal. "It's getting too hot in here."
"Listen then," said Chester, speaking rapidly. "I'll climb up to this
window and drop out. They won't shoot at me at first, because they
naturally will think I am about to surrender. When I get to the bottom,
I'll wait for either you or Colonel Anderson, as you may decide. When one
of you reach my side, we'll both run. The Austrians will give chase. When
I yell, the two who remain here will make a break out the door, try to
find a couple of horses and head for the Italian lines. Come, now, let's
get busy."
Without awaiting a reply, he crossed to the window.
"A hand up, Uncle John," he said quietly.
The latter hurried to his side, and making a step of his uncle's hand,
Chester pulled himself up. A moment later he disappeared.
"I'll be the other," declared Colonel Anderson and started toward the
window. Hal stretched out a hand and detained him.
"No, I'll go," he said.
"You forget," said Colonel Anderson, "that I am in command of this
expedition, sir. I command you to obey my orders."
Hal stepped back.
"Very well," he said slowly.
Uncle John gave the colonel a hand up, and then hurried to Hal's side,
and the two stood awaiting the word that would send them from their fiery
retreat in a wild dash through the Austrian troops without.
Suddenly the sound came. Hal heard it plainly--Chester's voice, raised in
a shout in English.
"All right! Go!"
With a low cry to Uncle John to follow him, Hal leaped through the
scattered heap of chairs, over the table and dead bodies that almost
blocked his progress, and into the open. Uncle John was right behind him.
The way seemed clear and Hal's heart beat with hope as he made out
directly ahead of him the shadowy form of what he knew to be a body of
horses. He dashed toward them silently.
He seized a bridle of the first horse and tossed it to Uncle John, who
leaped quickly to the saddle, and waited a moment for Hal. The lad was
astride a second horse a moment later and whirling the animals quickly,
they urged them forward in the darkness at top speed.
At that moment a form blocked their way.
With a quick movement Hal whipped out his automatic, and without pausing
to take aim, fired. The bullet went true, and the man toppled to one side
even as Hal's horse would have trampled him under foot.
There came a loud cry from behind and Hal realized that their ruse had
been discovered.
"Hurry," he called to Uncle John.
A volley of bullets was sent after the flying horsemen by the
Austrians, who realized for the first time that two of their quarry
were about to escape.
"Mount and after them," came a hoarse Austrian command.
Half a dozen troopers made a rush for their horses, while as many more
dropped to their knees, levelled their rifles and fired into the darkness
where the fugitives had been a moment before.
But the darkness was a blessing to the two fugitives. The Austrians were
aiming by mere guess and neither rider was touched.
Hal began to breathe easier. He checked the pace a trifle, as he realized
that Uncle John was lagging a little behind, his horse, apparently, not
being as fresh or as swift as the one the lad bestrode.
And now the boy caught the sound of hoofbeats hurrying after them.
"Hurry, Uncle John!" he called anxiously. "They are after us."
Uncle John urged his horse to greater effort and the animal responded
nobly. For a moment he kept pace with Hal's swifter mount.
Hal dropped the reins to his horse's neck, and drew his second revolver.
Then he slackened the pace of his horse even more.
"Go ahead!" he cried as Uncle John flashed by. "I'll hold 'em back a
minute or two."
The pursuers gained upon him. Hal stopped his horse.
A moment later the Austrians became visible in the now semi-darkness--for
dawn was breaking. Hal raised both weapons and fired three times in rapid
succession.
His effort was rewarded by several cries of pain from the pursuers, and
the others checked their horses abruptly. Again Hal fired twice; and
then, turning his horse quickly, rode swiftly after Uncle John.
The Austrians hesitated a moment before again taking up the chase, and
this brief moment was the time the fugitives needed.
As they galloped along, Hal still somewhat in the rear, it grew light and
less than a half a mile ahead the riders made out the first Italian
outpost. They headed toward it with loud cries, the Austrians now again
in pursuit.
Their cries were heard in the Italian lines, and quicker than it takes to
tell it, Hal's heart was made glad by the sight of a mounted squadron of
Italian troops dashing toward them.
He slowed his horse down to a walk, and turning in the saddle, took a
parting shot at the Austrians, who now had turned to flee. One threw up
his arms, and dropped to the ground, and the horse went on riderless.
The Italian horsemen pulled up when they reached Hal's side, and the lad
explained the situation in a few words.
"If you are quick," he told the officer, "you may take them unaware and
rescue my two companions."
The officer wasted no time in words; a quick command to his men, and the
troop went on in pursuit of the foe.
Hal turned to Uncle John.
"There is nothing we can do for them," he said. "We shall go to General
Ferrari and make our report."
He led the way, more slowly now.
The Italian commander received them immediately and Hal gave him the
information they had gained in as few words as possible. After receiving
the thanks of the general, the boy, followed by Uncle John, again made
his way to the front; and at the extreme outpost, saw the Italians who
had pursued the Austrians returning--empty-handed.
The officer greeted him with a gesture of sorrow.
"It was no use," he said. "They had started when we reached there. We
pursued them as far as advisable, and fell back only when a strong force
of the enemy came out to meet us."
Hal thanked him and with Uncle John returned to his quarters, seeking to
think of some way by which he could be of service to his chum and to
Colonel Anderson.
Meanwhile, what of the other two?
When Chester leaped from the burning shack, he awaited the arrival of the
next, who proved to be Colonel Anderson, even as he had planned. As
Chester had figured, the Austrians did not attack him when he reached the
ground, evidently believing he was about to surrender.
A moment later Colonel Anderson stood beside him, and as the latter
raised himself to his feet, Chester shouted the words that had set Hal
and Uncle John on their dash for life:
"All right! Go!"
At these words, he and Colonel Anderson also dashed ahead. Taken by the
surprise, the Austrians hesitated a moment and then dashed after them
with cries. The men who had been guarding the door by which Hal and Uncle
John later escaped, also joined in the chase.
For a couple of seconds the Austrians did not fire at the fugitives,
evidently believing they could catch them. But as the two gradually drew
away from them an officer gave the command:
"Fire!"
A score of rifles cracked, but fortunately for Chester and Colonel
Anderson, none of the soldiers had taken time to aim carefully. But one
bullet whistled close to Chester's head.
"I can't see any use getting killed," he muttered to himself.
Colonel Anderson also came to a stop, and both raised their hands in
token of surrender.
An Austrian officer advanced toward them--and he proved to be the same
man with whom they had talked just before making their dash from the
Austrian lines--the man whom they had knocked unconscious as he gave
the alarm.
"So we have you at last, eh?" he said harshly.
"Yes, we're here," agreed Chester with a smile.
"And this time you will not get away," was the response. "Spies, eh?"
"Well, what of it?" demanded Chester.
"Nothing," replied the officer, "except that you will be shot some
time to-day."
"Oh, well, that's the chance we all take," replied Chester calmly.
At this moment a subordinate approached the officer.
"The other two fugitives, sir, have taken two horses and fled," he said.
"What?" shouted the Austrian.
"Yes, sir."
The officer whirled upon Chester and Colonel Anderson.
"So," he exclaimed. "This is some more of your work. You shall pay for
it."
"Perhaps," said Chester.
The officer made no reply to this. Instead he motioned them to move ahead
of him, which they did. A moment later they found themselves in the
saddle and headed back toward the Austrian lines, closely surrounded by
their guards.
"And now," said Chester, "for another call on our friend, the general."