Page 58 - A Hero of Liége

Sambre, the railway crossed the stream on a brick bridge of four arches.
The mill was at least two hundred yards from the bridge, a distance that

seemed too great to have been tunnelled; but it was the first spot he had
seen that in any way conformed to the particulars he had overheard, and it

appeared worth while to examine the place more closely.

The importance of the bridge was obvious. Its destruction would seriously

delay the transport of any French troops that might be sent northwards to
support Namur or Liege, and correspondingly assist the Germans in an

attempt to take either of those towns by a coup de main.

At Kenneth's shout Pariset turned his head, understood that some discovery

had been made, and nodded. He did not at once prepare to alight. If
Germans were in possession of the mill they would notice the sudden

cessation of the noise of the propeller, which they must have heard, and
might take warning from the descent of the aeroplane in their
neighbourhood. Luckily he had been flying low, so that the course of the

machine could not be followed for any considerable distance. Having run
out of sight beyond a wood, he selected an open field for his descent, and

alighted a few hundred yards from a farmhouse.

"Have you found it?" asked Pariset eagerly.

"I saw a mill and a railway bridge," replied Kenneth; "but we were going

too fast for me to be sure it's the right place."

"Well, we shall have to find that out. We'll get the farmer to help us run the

machine into his yard, and then reconnoitre."

The farmer and a group of his men were already hurrying towards them. In
a few words Pariset enlisted their help. The aeroplane was run into the yard,
and placed behind a row of ricks that concealed it from the outside.

"We should like some bread and cheese and beer," Pariset said to the

farmer. "May we come in?"