ON THE ROAD TO LIÈGE
They were now less than six miles from the Meuse, the country was
growing rough, and the hills, on the banks of the little stream which
flowed to the north, were rugged, like all this section bordering on
the river.
They must either avoid the town by going to the right, or cross the
river, the latter a hazardous undertaking in daytime, if there were any
Germans in that section. They well knew that if the enveloping movement
had extended up as far as Tilff, the town, in all probability, would be
occupied by the enemy.
Gascon, the tall companion, would not consider the attempt to cross the
river. "Let us go to the left, and attempt to cross on the other side
of the town."
Their other companion took up the duty of scout, walking along the
ridge of the hill, above the stream, while the others followed in the
little valley below. In the next hour they were west of the town, and
approached the road which led from Huy.
The morning light plainly showed that this road was also patrolled by
the Uhlans, but to cross it was their only hope. Otherwise, it would
mean an entire day lurking in some hiding-place.
It was a painful experience, to crawl along the low hedge that ran up
to the highway, for it was now early morn, and light enough so that
cavalry could be seen in the screen formed by the trees along the road.
Gascon knew what scouting meant, and he gave them a word of caution.
"We must not go along the hedge together. We should be separated at
least ten meters apart" (a little over 30 feet), "and the movement must
be made without any noise."
He then threw himself on the ground and showed them how to crawl. "Just
watch me for a moment and you will learn an easy way to do it."
Gascon stretched himself full length on his face, lying partly on his
left side. "Now," he said, "draw up the right leg, and stretch the
right arm upward past your head. If you will now turn your body over
to the right, or, in other words, roll yourself over on the right arm
and leg, the left foot can be used to propel yourself forward, without
appreciably raising the body."
The boys remembered the terribly trying act of crawling on the first
day of their experience, and this exhibition was a most gratifying
thing to them, now that there was more of it to do.
"Where did you learn how to do this?" asked Ralph.
[Illustration: _German 42-Centimetre Gun._]
"This is part of the drill in the army. This creeping movement is
characteristic of the North American Indian, and is also practised by
some of the African tribes."
Gascon now started on his peculiar movement along the fence followed
by Joseph, their other companion, and then Ralph, observing the proper
interval, followed and after him came Alfred.
Early as it was there were sounds of activity that did not arise
from the ordinary farming operations. The roads here, as everywhere
throughout Belgium, were found at frequent intervals in their pathway,
and while they must avoid them, it was also necessary that they should
cross them.
Another characteristic of Belgian roads is, that they are, usually,
lined with trees, and the hedges afforded ample protection for lurking
enemies, while, at the same time, it served to hide their movements.
As the first streaks of the morning sun began to show over the
landscape, the party came to a halt for the purpose of considering
their further movements. Suddenly, it seemed as though the ground moved
upwardly, as a terrific crash burst on their ears.
Not a word was spoken by anyone for a minute, and Ralph's voice, when
he spoke, was gruff and unnatural. "What can that be?" he asked, as he
turned to their leader.
"That is a heavy field piece--there, you can see the smoke. It is
mounted on the hill directly in front of us. Lucky for us that we did
not cross the field," answered Gascon.
"We are in a trap," said Alfred.
Gascon smiled. "Yes, if they have advanced beyond the battery we shall
have to wait until night, because it would be unsafe to cross the Meuse
in their rear."
A boom from the east, followed by another, and still another, was
sufficient notice to them that the great forts at Liège were answering
the challenge. They burrowed into the hedge, and made enclosures with
bushes and leaves. Meantime, the battery on the hill opened fire with
its three guns, and soon the surrounding atmosphere grew misty, and
they could smell an unmistakable odor of burning powder.
Soon another battery, farther to their right, began to fire. "How
fortunate we did not get any further than this," said Gascon.
"Why?" asked Alfred, in astonishment.
"Because we should have run into another battery and encampment to the
rear of this."
They were hardly settled in the temporary shelter, when they heard a
peculiar hissing sound, and immediately felt, a peculiar shock as of a
falling body, followed by an explosion of a huge shell which threw dirt
and sand over them. This was really more terrifying to the boys than
their experience at the mouth of the mine on the first day of their
wanderings.
"That must have been awful close," said Alfred, with a perceptible
tremor in his voice.
"It was fully fifty metres (163 feet) beyond us. That was, probably,
an eight-inch shell, and if it had come within ten meters, (about 32
feet), of the battery the latter would have been put out of action."
Within the next half-hour a dozen or more shells burst within five
hundred feet, more or less, of their position. It was evident that the
forts south of the river were trying to get the range of the battery
which had thrown the challenge which the boys witnessed.
It was their first actual experience in war. They had seen the
soldiers, and the trappings, but now the actual conflict was before
them. It was fascinating, but it was also dangerous. Did they stop to
talk over things connected with their homes and their friends? They
doubtless thought of them, but they knew they must think of something
more important than distant things. They must meet the actual realities
at hand.
For two hours they lay thus, and watched the entrancing sight of the
guns on the hill, firing at regular intervals, and noted the bursting
of the great shells from the forts, speculating where the next one
would strike. They became reckless now. The boys were both trembling
when the first shells began to come, but now they had a different
feeling. At first they had a vague idea that there was some safety
in the bushes, and lay there concealed, but now very strangely each
bursting shell made them less anxious and subdued their curiosity.
They crawled from the shelter, and moved into the opening. Gascon and
his companion had been thus exposed for some time. They now had little
fear of the troops. The air was filled with smoke, as a slight breeze
blew toward them from the battery.
Gascon turned to the boys, noted their composure, and said: "We think
it would be well for us to make a start."
This information was a welcome one, you may be sure, for it was better
than waiting to be shot at.
Hardly had the boys turned toward the hedge, when a peculiar explosion
was heard. It was like a combination of explosions, and Gascon ran out
into the field, swinging his hat.
"What is the matter?" asked Ralph, excitedly.
Gascon waved his arms and smiled, but was silent for a time.
He pointed to the hill. "That will settle those fellows for some time,"
he said, turning toward them. The boys looked toward the hill and saw
that it was giving up an immense cloud of the densest smoke.
"They have hit the battery," said Alfred, in intense excitement.
"But what makes all that smoke?" asked Ralph.
"Ah!" said Gascon, with a broad grin, "they have struck the caisson and
exploded the ammunition."
Without waiting for more information, the party rapidly ran along the
hedge to the north, but before they had crossed half-way to the hedge
which formed the enclosure for the field along the roadway, a troop of
horsemen appeared in the road to their left, and rode furiously toward
the hill.
The atmosphere was a dusky gray but unlike a haze it was much more
dense and heavy. The heavy shells from the fort came at regular
intervals. The moment the horsemen passed, Gascon held up his hand as a
signal to go forward, and they soon reached the road. He was the first
through the brush, and crawling out across the road, gave a peculiar
whistle to indicate safety, and the boys followed, crouching as low as
possible, Ralph following Alfred, after an interval, as they had been
instructed. Their companion was the last to cross.
When Alfred reached the other side, he saw Gascon fully a hundred feet
away. The battery on the hill had ceased, but the one beyond was still
keeping up its regular shots.
"I believe we are forward of the most advanced batteries," said Gascon,
"and if such should turn out to be the case we will have little trouble
in reaching our lines."
The misty condition of the atmosphere was most fortunate for the boys
and their companions, but it also frequently brought them close up
to the patrols, which were constantly in their path. Thus by careful
manœuvring they found themselves approaching an elevation which Gascon
estimated to be ten miles west of Liège.
The ascent was slow, as they crept most of the way, to avoid any
sentries who might be in that locality. Up to this time they had found
the inevitable Uhlans in their way wherever they went.
Gascon, who was in the lead, held up a warning hand as they reached the
summit, where, spread before them, was a great panorama. To the east,
and less than a mile away, was a much higher hill, that dominated the
position in which they found themselves, and there they discovered a
battery, also in action.
Directly before them was the winding Meuse. A little to the right, and
probably a mile and a quarter away, was a little town, and to the left,
four miles distant, was Huy, a town of about 4,000 inhabitants, also on
the northern bank of the stream.
The railway, from Liège to Huy, was at the foot of the hill, winding
its way along, and below the great hill to the east, was discernible, a
German encampment, which supported the battery on the hill.
The frowning forts around Liège were distinctly visible, because their
great guns were now in action. The sounds which reached them were like
the continual reverberations of thunder, only sharper and punctuated
by the occasional heavy discharges. Above every fort floated a Belgian
flag.
The boys looked at Gascon, whose countenance portrayed anxiety, which
they noticed for the first time in his demeanor.
"Do you think we shall be able to cross the river?" asked Alfred.
"We can find means to do that, if we are able to reach it. The trouble
will be to get there, and we cannot possibly do that during the day."
"Do you see any of the Germans near the stream?"
"No, but they have plenty of places to conceal themselves. It is clear
that we must avoid the railroad."
"Why not move to the right?" said Alfred. "That is the most direct way
to the city."
Gascon did not reply, but in a few minutes, he began to descend to the
west, and all followed him at a distance. The valley was reached after
passing by a dozen or more cottages, all of which were unoccupied.
"The empty houses make it look bad to me," was Gascon's observation, as
they were moving from the last one. "The Germans have been here, that
is----"
His remarks were cut short, as he dropped to the earth and made a
signal. They were astounded to find that a company of horsemen occupied
the orchard to the west of the house. This made a hurried retreat
necessary and they passed to the east, skirting the hill formerly
occupied.
They commenced to feel the pangs of hunger. Fruit had been the morning
meal, and of this they had found plenty; but something else was needed.
Gascon spoke to his companion, and after selecting a secluded spot, the
latter moved forward, and crouching along the hedges was soon beyond
their view.
"Joseph will forage for us," said Gascon. "It is better for one to do
this than for all of us to join in the hunt."
They waited for more than a half-hour, without a sign of Joseph, and
Gascon now made frequent trips to the nearby road, but returned each
time without tidings.
The last time he came back with the cheerful intelligence that Joseph
was returning. But alas! for their expectations! Two shots in the
neighborhood of their returning friend, caused Gascon and the boys to
leap to their feet. Beyond the second field they saw Joseph running
from a half-dozen troopers who were leaping the fences in pursuit.
Joseph saw that escape was useless, and turned toward his pursuers.
Evidently, he had not been hit by the shots. An officer galloped up to
him, and he exposed the contents of his bundle.
"They will suspect that Joseph is getting food for companions and we
will have to depend on our wits to escape capture," said Gascon.
They were evidently questioning the captive. Joseph was shrewd enough
to endeavor to effect his escape by running to the east, instead of
going to the south, where his companions were.
"Do you think that is why he ran in the direction he did?" asked Ralph.
"Undoubtedly," replied Gascon. "Now that they are trying to learn where
we are, let us move to the north and east, as fast as we can."
"But," said Alfred, "that will take us right into the German lines."
"Quite true, but that will be better than attempting to go forward."
It was but the work of a moment to crawl through the hedge, and move
down the hill, making their way as fast as possible toward an orchard,
through which they passed, emerging at a small vineyard which afforded
them shelter. They hurriedly passed through the rows of vines, and soon
approached a small farmhouse.
"I will investigate; stay here until you hear from me. If everything is
clear I will appear at the side of the building to the right of the elm
trees."
The boys nestled close to the bushy vines, occasionally standing up
to see whether Gascon was in sight. Within fifteen minutes they were
delighted to see the form of Gascon, and hearing the welcome signal,
rejoined him.
The Germans had not disturbed this house, which was accounted for by
the fact that the homestead was quite a distance from the main road.
The owner of the place had, however, heard all the news up to the
preceeding day, and this was what the boys were interested in.
"Liège is being surrounded," he said. "It would be almost impossible to
make your way through, though it might be done by taking a route which
would enable you to approach the city from the north."
"I must get back to my regiment," said Gascon. "So if you will permit
me to remain here until night, I will attempt the journey."
"We know it is the right thing for you to try to reach your command.
We do not wish to hamper you, but we will follow you during the night.
Never fear, we shall find a way to get home," said Ralph.