Page 161 - A Hero of Liége

The three men sprang out of the car, and tried to drag the carts out of the
way. They failed to move them, and Granger discovered that they were

chained together.

"A hammer!" he cried.

But the hammer snatched from the toolbox proved useless. The links of the

chain had been flattened by some heavy instrument. After repeated blows it
was evident that the chain was unbreakable.

"What on earth is to be done?" cried Kenneth, looking helplessly at the
carts, while Pariset and Granger kept on the watch for any sign of the

enemy returning. A shot from the machine gun would probably be
ineffective, even at short range; the bullet would hardly dent the chain,

much less shatter it and release the carts.

At this critical moment the transport wagon which they had passed some

way back appeared on the crest of the hill behind them, and sounded its
horn. Kenneth had a flash of inspiration.

"Look out for the Grenadiers, Remi," he cried. "There's no sign of them, but
they may come back. If they do, turn the gun on to them."

"What are you going to do?" shouted Pariset, as Kenneth ran up the incline

towards the halted wagon.

"Commandeer the wagon for a battering ram. There's apparently no escort.

Back the car well away to the right."

Reaching the wagon, he said to the driver:

"The rascally enemy has blocked the road, as you see. The carts there are

chained together. Get out, quickly!"

The three infantrymen in the wagon were obviously amazed, not so much at
being ordered about by a Uhlan, as at the apparent purposelessness of the