Page 162 - A Hero of Liége

command. They got out, however, and were still more astonished when the
masterful Uhlan mounted into their place, and after a glance at the car

below, released the brakes, let in the clutch, and sent the wagon lumbering
down the hill. For a few seconds, while the vehicle was gathering speed,

Kenneth steered straight; then, turning the wheel so as to give a slight
tendency to the left, he sprang off, fell sprawling, jumped up and ran after
the wagon, watching its course eagerly.

On it thundered, every moment faster. Would it reach the foot of the hill, or

swerve into the bank on the left? On, and on--and then, at a speed of twenty
miles an hour, it struck the left-hand cart with a terrific crash, and threw
both cart and itself in a pile of wreckage up the bank and into the field

beyond. The chain connecting the carts had snapped like rotten cord.

[Illustration: CLEARING THE ROAD]

"Bravo!" shouted the two men waiting beside the motor-car.

Rushing forward, they helped Kenneth to draw the released cart to one side,

leaving a clear space between it and the wreckage. Then they leapt into the
car, waved their hands to the astonished motormen above, and started
forward towards Durbuy and safety.

"We are all right now--unless the Germans are in greater force than I

believe," said Granger, taking a map from his pocket. "If we can cross the
river at Durbuy, we can run due west to Dinant, where we shall probably
find the Belgian, or maybe the French lines. Then we can swing

northwards, and get to headquarters somewhere between Tirlemont and
Brussels."

A run of a few miles brought them within sight of the river winding away
to the east, and the little town--a mere village in point of size--of Durbuy.

But here they perceived with dismay that the course they had planned was
not feasible. Along the road between Barvaux and Durbuy a large German

force was on the march. Their leading companies were already crossing the
quaint old bridge, covered by troops of Hussars on both banks.