The Boy Allies with the Cossacks Part 12

Hal turned to Alexis.

"Change clothes with him," he whispered, motioning to the fallen German.

Hastily Alexis obeyed. In spite of the fact that von Bernstrum was almost two inches taller than Alexis, the height of the latter was so great that Hal believed the difference would not be noticed.

The lad now relieved von Bernstrum of his revolvers. Alexis had donned his adversary's sword with his uniform. Then once more Hal approached the door and peered out. Then he spoke to Alexis.

"We will go with you as though we were your prisoners," he explained.

"If anyone accosts us, we may have to fight. However, I believe you look enough like von Bernstrum to avoid detection. Pull the hat well over your face, and if anyone asks where you are going, reply that you are taking the prisoners to the commandant. Do you understand?"

Alexis signified that he did, and quietly the three, still followed by Marquis, left the room. Along the same pa.s.sageways they had traversed Hal guided Alexis by a touch of the hand, for the lad's sense of direction was much better than that of the giant Cossack.

At last they came into the open and started toward the gate. So far they had not been accosted. At the gate a soldier approached Alexis and saluted.

"Are you going out, sir?" he demanded.

"Yes," replied the Cossack, mimicking von Bernstrum's voice as best he could. "These prisoners have given me their parole, and I am taking them out for a breath of air. Get me two more horses."

The soldier saluted and turned away. Hal addressed Alexis.

"You are doing beautifully," he exclaimed. "I didn't know you were such a strategist."

"Why," exclaimed Alexis, "next to being a fighter I am a strategist. I remember one time----"

"Save it for some other time," said Hal.

"If you don't believe----" began the big Cossack, somewhat crestfallen.

"Never mind now," broke in Chester. "We have other things to do."

Alexis subsided, grumbling. A few moments later the soldier reappeared leading three horses. Alexis took all three bridles, and bade the soldier begone, which order the latter obeyed in a hurry.

Quickly the three friends leaped into the saddle, and started off at a rapid trot, riding eastward. Out of sight of the town, they bore off slightly to the North, for, as Hal said, they did not wish to run right into the German army advancing on Lodz.

They had proceeded perhaps a mile out of sight of the castle, when Hal suddenly checked his mount, and raised a warning hand. All stopped to listen. From the direction in which they had just come, came the frenzied tolling of a great bell, followed by a few faint shots.

"They have learned of our escape," said Hal quietly. "That, I imagine, is a warning to the countryside to be on the lookout for us."

All three put spurs to their horses, and set off again at a gallop. For two hours they kept up this swift pace, and then Alexis drew rein.

"Unless I want this horse to drop under me," he said, "we shall have to slow down. There is no horse living that can carry me at that gait very long."

The boys did not doubt this, and they continued their journey at a more leisurely pace. Finally, rounding a turn in the road, they came upon a little stream, perhaps a hundred yards wide. There was no bridge.

"Guess we shall have to make our horses swim it," said Chester.

Accordingly all plunged into the stream, Marquis swimming behind, and soon reached the opposite sh.o.r.e. Here they drew up in a clump of bushes and sat down to dry off a bit.

"Do you suppose they know which way we came?" asked Hal of Chester.

"I don't know. However, I suppose they will search in all directions, and they are bound to come upon us sooner or later if we linger around here."

"You are right. I guess we had better move."

Soon the little party was in the saddle again, and making off at a rapid trot. Hal, for some unaccountable reason turning suddenly in his saddle, uttered an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n.

"What's the matter?" demanded Chester.

"Look!" said Hal, pointing back toward the little stream.

Alexis and Chester followed the direction of Hal's finger. Just plunging into the stream were half a dozen hors.e.m.e.n, and it was plain from that distance that they were German soldiers, and that they had made out the forms of the fugitives.

The three friends put spurs to their horses and, with Marquis loping along behind, soon lost themselves in a little woods. Here they urged their tired horses on, and at last came to a small open s.p.a.ce. This they crossed before Alexis' horse gave out and went to the ground in a heap.

"I am afraid it's all off," exclaimed Hal. "How far do you suppose we are from the German border, Alexis?"

"Not far," answered the Cossack. "Besides, some of our troops have been operating in these parts. They were only small detachments, and most of them have been driven off; but even now there may be some of them near."

Alexis urged the two lads to ride on and leave him, but this they refused to do. Therefore they dismounted and, turning their horses loose, they continued their journey on foot.

As they walked along a man suddenly popped out from among the trees, brought his revolver to bear upon the trio, and in a loud tone cried:

"Halt!"

Alexis gave one quick glance at the man's uniform, uttered a cry of pleasure and spoke a few quick words in his native tongue. The lads were surprised to see the man drop his rifle, throw his arms about Alexis and embrace him.

For some moments after quitting this embrace the two talked in Russian, the lads being able to pick up only a few words. Then Alexis turned to the two lads.

"My brother," he said simply. "He belongs to a detachment of Cossacks who raided in these parts two weeks ago. The detachment was surrounded by Germans, he tells me, and practically annihilated. About 150 men escaped to the woods, where they have been conducting a guerilla warfare, picking off the Germans one at a time, wherever they happen to find one alone, or in pairs, or small parties. These Cossacks are scattered all through the woods, and to get them together would be almost impossible."

"Then how are they able to tell friend from foe?"

"You see that large green leaf my brother wears in his hat?"

"Yes."

"That is their emblem."

Alexis' brother approached and spoke in German.

"Come," he said. "I shall show you something."

He led the way into the woods, and approached a large tree, where he pointed to a placard tacked on it. The placard read:

"All Russians at large in these woods are ordered to a.s.semble at this spot the 10th of this month without arms and surrender, under penalty of death."

"That was posted two weeks ago," said Alexis' brother, "and this is the 20th. Read our answer below it."

The answer read: