Page 125 - A Hero of Liége

"I hope they'll give it up soon," said Pariset, hearing the troopers'
movements in the rustling and crackling undergrowth. "To rout us out they

must beat the wood thoroughly."

"It's lucky they're only a patrol and not a whole squadron, or they might
encircle the wood," responded Kenneth in the same low tone.

They went still farther among the trees, moving as quietly as they could. It
was soon evident that they were being followed up. Every now and then

they heard the same sounds of movement, and shouts in different directions
behind them. Apparently the Uhlans were scattering to beat the wood
systematically.

"Our uniforms account for their perseverance," Pariset remarked. "The

Germans don't scruple to wear Belgian uniform, or to dress as civilians;
nothing makes them more angry than that we should do the same."

"And they know it was their own Taube, purloined at Cologne," said
Kenneth. "You may be sure they are particularly incensed at that."

"We are outstripping them," said Pariset a few moments later. "The sounds
are fainter."

"The question is, what shall we find at the other side of the wood? If open

fields, we shan't stand a dog's chance against their rifles. Perhaps we had
better dodge about among the trees."

"With the risk of tumbling up against one! No, we had better go straight
on."

Again they pressed forward in silence. The sounds behind them grew still
fainter, but they became aware in a few minutes that the number of their

pursuers had increased. There were more voices, distributed over a wider
area.