CHAPTER XXIV.
THE SURPRISE.
Stealthily the vanguard of the Cossacks crept forward afoot. They haddismounted that they might approach the enemy with less danger of beingheard. Naked blades were held firmly in their hands; revolvers and handgrenades were ready. The night attack of the Cossacks was under way.
Not a shot had been fired. Silently they stole on toward the sleepingAustrian camp. Feeling perfectly secure in the mountain fastness andbelieving their position practically impregnable, the Austrians failedto keep vigilant watch.
Now the first line of Cossacks, at a whispered word of command, fell tothe ground on their faces. A sentry walked directly toward them, but inthe blackness of the night he did not make out the silent forms.
As he turned his back on them, one shadowy form rose quickly to his feetand moved swiftly forward. There was the sound of a brief struggle, acry stifled in his throat and the Cossacks moved forward again.
A second and then a third time this operation was repeated. ThreeAustrian sentinels lay dead upon the ground; still the camp slept on,unsuspecting.
More swiftly now, other troops issued from the mountain pass and spreadout in a great semi-circle over the plateau. For two hours this movementcontinued in the darkness. The first line of Cossacks stood ready tofire at the first sign of discovery, but, undiscovered, waited for therest of the force to get in position.
A dog in the Austrian camp barked. Others took up the cry. A sentry,aware of some strange sensation, fired his rifle in the air. At themoment the last of the Cossacks issued from the mountain pass. Theselast troops were mounted and stood with bared lances awaiting the wordto charge.
The huge Austrian camp stirred along its length, but at that instant theCossacks sprang to action. Came quick commands from the officers, andthe first line moved upon the Austrian camp at a dead run. A hail ofrevolver bullets sped through the canvas of the tents, striking downthose who were yet asleep and reaping a toll of death among those whowere dashing to arms. Then the Cossacks charged with cold steel.
In little parties, without the semblance of formation or discipline, theAustrians dashed from their tents to beat back this sudden attack. Therewas no time for them to fall into position. The Cossacks were upon them.Right into the heart of the enemy's camp rushed the fearless horde in aterrible charge, cutting, slashing, hewing their way through.
The Austrians, caught unprepared, gave ground. The Cossacks followed uptheir first advantage closely, pressing the enemy so that they had notime to get into battle formation. A squad of Cossacks sprang toward abattery of field pieces, quickly wheeled it into position, and openedfire on the fleeing Austrians. The execution was fearful. Men went downin heaps, and those that survived fled faster than before.
The surprise was complete. A terrible confusion reigned among the enemy.The Russians pursued them relentlessly. Here and there men threw downtheir arms and surrendered by the hundreds.
Other mountain batteries now had been seized by the Cossacks and turnedupon the foe. For a mile the Cossacks pursued the beaten enemy; thendrew off as suddenly as they had come. Prisoners were abandoned. Quicklythe big guns were put out of commission, and the advance guard--now therearguard--fell back slowly, protecting the retreat of those in front.
In almost less time than it takes to tell it, the Cossacks were again inthe saddle and dashing back down the mountain pass.
The Austrians, for a moment, were unable to form in solid ranks. But, atlength, under the command of their officers, they formed and gave chase.But the Cossacks had too great a start. The losses of the Austrians hadbeen terrible, those of the Cossacks comparatively slight. In spite ofthe fact that they had been in the midst of the fighting, Hal and Alexishad escaped without injury.
Now the Austrian cavalry, having had time to form, scattered on eachside of the pass and rode after the Cossacks. They came up with the rearguard, and from the sides poured in bullets, until they were forced todraw rein because of the treacherous nature of the ground on eitherhand. It was here that the Cossacks sustained their heaviest losses.
But the raid had been a success; there could be no doubt about that.
The Russian commander was elated as, in the midst of his men, he orderedthe retreat; but as the retreat continued, it became more hazardous.Even as Alexis had predicted, the mountains swarmed with the enemy, whorained bullets upon the Russian columns from every hand.
In spite of this, however, by noon of the following day the Cossacks hadreached the spot from which they had started the day before; and here ahalt was called. Videttes were placed and the troops settled down for abrief rest. While they made a good mark for the guerillas, theynevertheless were in too great force to permit of an attack in force.
Night fell, and once more the troops sprang to the saddle and continuedtheir retreat. Morning found the vanguard well out of the mountains onthe plains of Galicia, and soon the last of the rear guard had issuedfrom the pass. Then the mighty columns spread out. There was no pursuit,and the commander ordered the retreat conducted more slowly.
Two days later the columns of raiding Cossacks rode in among the Russiantroop besieging the Galician city of Cracow. Here the commander decidedto remain until he should receive instructions from the Grand Duke. Hedispatched Chester, who had now recovered sufficiently from his woundsas to be feeling perfectly fit, Hal and Alexis to carry word of theexpedition to the Grand Duke. So the three friends again set out upon ajourney.
They traveled without haste and without incident and at length foundthemselves once more in Lodz. Here all three reported to the Russiancommander-in-chief. After receiving his congratulations, and while theyyet stood in his presence, there came a terrible roar from outside thetent.
The Grand Duke listened intently. Thousands upon thousands of voicesrose on the air. They were cheering. Thousands upon thousands of voicestook up the cry:
"God save the Czar!"
The Grand Duke advanced rapidly toward the entrance to his tent. The twolads and the giant Cossack made as if to depart; but the Grand Duke,with a movement of his hand, signified for them to stay and so theyremained.
The sound of cheering drew nearer. The Grand Duke left the tent, andthrough the door the lads could see him standing with bared head. Camethe sound of galloping hoofs, and a cavalry troop drew up at the GrandDuke's tent. The latter stepped forward, and giving his hand to abrilliantly uniformed man, assisted him to dismount. Then, bowing low,he escorted his visitor into his tent.
As they appeared in the small enclosure Alexis fell upon his knee, andbowed till his head all but touched the ground.
Nicholas, the Czar of all the Russias, turned toward the three with aquestion on his lips. But the Grand Duke spoke first:
"These, sire, are three of your majesty's bravest soldiers, who haveonly now returned from a successful raid into the heart of theCarpathians."
The Czar glanced at the two lads.
"But these," he said, pointing his finger at Hal and Chester, "are notRussians."
"No, sire," replied the Grand Duke. "They are American lads; but theyhave rendered invaluable services to our cause," and while the ladsstood listening, he gave the Czar a brief account of some of theirexperiences.
The Czar advanced and placed a hand upon the shoulder of each.
"I am glad," he said in perfect English, "to know you; and I envy mycousin George the services of such gallant youths."
Both lads bowed in acknowledgment of this compliment, and the Czarturned to Alexis, who was still kneeling.
"And this man," he said, "surely he is one of my Cossacks?"
"Yes, your majesty," replied the Grand Duke. "There is not a braver inthe whole army," and he related some of Alexis' feats, as told him daysbefore by Hal and Chester.
The Czar stretched forth a hand to Alexis, and the latter kissed it.
"You shall be remembered," said the Russian monarch.
Alexis' face glowed with pleasure. He was so taken by surprise that hewas unable to
speak.
The Grand Duke now signified that the three might leave the tent, andthey accordingly bowed themselves out. Outside Alexis could restrainhimself no longer.
"I told you I was a brave man!" he cried; "but I am even braver than Ithought. I have been addressed by the Czar!"
An officer entered the Grand Duke's tent, and departed a moment later ingreat haste. A second later and the shrill call of a bugle carriedthrough the town. It was the order for inspection. The Czar was about toreview his troops.
An hour later Czar Nicholas stood before his army, or such a part of itas could be crowded in the plain before the Grand Duke's tent. Far outit stretched on all sides. In a short address, in which he praised histroops for their gallantry in action, the Czar predicted that successwould eventually crown the Russian arms. Then he turned to an officer ofthe Grand Duke's staff and gave a command.
Immediately the latter approached Hal, Chester and Alexis, who, beingapart from their regiments, stood a little to one side watching theceremonies.
"Follow me!" he commanded.
Without a word the three obeyed. Straight to the Czar the officer ledthe way, the two lads and the Cossack wondering what it was all about.In front of the Russian monarch the officer withdrew, leaving them alonebefore the Czar.
The Russian ruler stepped between the three, with a smile on his facedrew something from his pocket, approached each in turn and pinnedsomething on his breast.
Alexis, Hal and Chester let their eyes drop to these objects, and allthree cried out in surprise.
For the Czar of Russia, there in the presence of the army of Poland,before the Grand Duke and other Russian nobles and dignitaries, with theeyes of the entire assemblage focused upon them, had pinned upon thebreasts of the two American lads and the giant Cossack the Cross of theOrder of St. George!
It was their reward for bravery, and a great cheer went up from theassembled hosts.