Page 55 - A Hero of Liége

"Not at all, Colonel," said Granger. "Appearances were against us. You
were quite justified in your suspicions; it was our misfortune that we

couldn't change our dress on the way.... I've had many a close shave," he
added in an undertone to Kenneth, "but was never quite so near my

quietus."

"I was feeling rather rummy," Kenneth confessed: "a queer feeling, not

exactly fear; a sort of emptiness."

When the troopers learnt the truth, they broke into cries of "Vivent les
Anglais! Vive l'Angleterre!" and the prisoners found themselves the idols
of the camp. They were invited to join the officers at lunch, and ate with

good appetites, having had no food but rye bread and beer since the
previous midday. The officers drank their health with hilarity when

Granger had related the trick by means of which they had escaped from
Cologne, and Kenneth was toasted with embarrassing fervour.

"The bridge! That will be a clincher," whispered Granger in his ear.

Kenneth's French was not so good as his German, but he managed, even
though haltingly, to convey to his interested auditors the gist of the scheme
he had overheard. The officers were much concerned. None of them was

able to identify the place from the bare description which was all that
Kenneth could give them. The bridge was clearly not in the line of the

Germans' probable advance; its destruction could only be meant to assist
them. But the clues, slight though they were, must be followed up, and the
Colonel declared that he would communicate with headquarters about the

matter.

After lunch he took Kenneth aside.

"I gather that you have not known your companion long?" he said.

"That is true," replied Kenneth. "I met him for the first time yesterday."