CHAPTER V.
UNDER THE BRIDGE.
Of course what Anthony told them caused the boys more or less concern.They had no desire to fall into the hands of the Germans. While it couldnot be said that they were against the invaders, the terrible storiesthey had heard in Antwerp, even if only a small part were true, gavethem an unpleasant feeling toward the Kaiser's men.
That word Uhlan was dreaded by every Belgian or native of NorthernFrance. While it really stands for the cavalry arm of the German forces,still, ever since the Franco-Prussian war of more than forty years ago,it has possessed a terrible significance all its own. Humble peasantsshivered when they pronounced it, and no doubt many an unruly child wasthreatened with the coming of the terrible Uhlans unless it mended itsways.
"If that's the case, then," Merritt voiced the opinion of himself andchums by saying hurriedly, "we want to get out of this. It's a case ofeither run or hide with us."
"But where could we hide?" asked Tubby, looking all around himhelplessly. "Just now there isn't a single cottage in sight; and thebare fields around don't offer much shelter, seems to me."
"There's a bridge just ahead of us," said Rob.
"And we might manage to get our mounts down underneath," added Merrittinstantly, grasping the idea that was in the patrol leader's mind. "Thebank slopes easy enough to allow of it."
"Eet could be done, Messieurs!" allowed the guide, who was even morealarmed, it seemed, than Tubby himself, since the prospect of fallinginto the hands of the dreaded Uhlan raiders began to assume greaterproportions, now that the peril no longer lay in the dim distance, butwas close at hand.
"Then let's hurry and see what it looks like under the bridge," advisedRob.
Just as they figured, it proved easy enough to lead their horses downthe bank, which was covered with grass and growing weeds, for since thewar began all really unnecessary work on roads and railways had beenstopped. And those horses would have willingly gone anywhere if thereonly seemed a prospect that they might rest a spell, for they seemedtired all of the time.
"Listen to them shouting, will you?" Tubby complained as they were goingdown amidst the bushes that promised to screen them from the party onthe other side of the little stream across which the massive bridge hadbeen built.
"I'm afraid they must have seen us," Merritt said, "and that will meanthey'll soon be across the bridge again to find out what we're doing,and who we are. What's the program, Rob?"
"We must act as though our only object in coming down here was to waterour horses," replied the patrol leader; this idea having possibly comeinto his mind as he noticed the way his mount put its ears forward, andcommenced to whinny--as horses invariably do when they scent water, andare thirsty.
"Come on, here, what's ailing you, Dobbin?" demanded Tubby, jerking atthe reins when his animal displayed an inclination to hold back.
"He acts kind of queer, doesn't he?" Merritt said when, afterconsiderable fussing, Tubby managed to coax his horse to once moreadvance, though the animal seemed to be snorting, and trembling. "If wewere on the cattle range right now I'd be half inclined to think hesmelled a rattler near by."
"My stars! I hope they don't have such pests over here in Belgium!"exclaimed Tubby, beginning to himself show immediate signs ofnervousness.
"Not the least danger," declared Rob. "But, all the same, my horse seemstrying to hold back, just as yours did, Tubby."
"They're sure a cantankerous lot all through!" grumbled the fat scout,looking carefully where he expected to plant his foot next; for, inspite of Rob's assurance, he was not quite so certain that theundergrowth beneath the bridge might not harbor some poisonous reptilewhich might strike unexpectedly.
"They're still keeping up that shouting!" announced Merritt, listening."Which I take it is a queer thing for them to do. If they're Germanraiders why don't they come across and interview us, I wonder? I thoughtI saw uniforms among the bunch. How about that, Rob?"
"The sun was in my eyes, and I couldn't say for certain," acknowledgedthe one spoken to, jerking at the bridle of his horse.
"One thing is sure," said Tubby, "the horses are not at all thirsty;else there's some thing they don't like about this place down here."
All of them were really puzzled by the strange actions of their horses.It was no longer simply Tubby's mount that acted so contrary, but theother three also.
"Guess my nag got cold feet about something; and it's catching as themeasles," Tubby announced, as he shook his head in the manner of one whofinds himself with too hard a nut to crack.
"Well, that water looks cool and clear," said Merritt, "and I think Icould enjoy a few swallows myself, if the horses won't."
"Sure it ain't poisoned, are you, Merritt?" queried Tubby dubiously.
"Oh! get that crazy notion out of your poor head, Tubby. Germans don'tmake war that way. They face the music, and stand up before the guns.What makes you look at me like that, Rob?" and Merritt as he asked thisquestion stopped short, for he had been in the act of putting his threatinto deeds, and getting down beside the stream to take a drink.
"I smell it too, Rob!" exclaimed Tubby just then. "And, oh! let me tellyou it's a rank odor. Isn't it in this country they make all thatLimburger cheese; or over the border in Holland? Well, if you asked meI'd say it was something like that."
"Smells more like burnt powder to me!" snapped Rob, showing visiblesigns of increasing excitement.
With that he commenced looking hurriedly around. Perhaps a suddentremendous suspicion may have flashed into his mind, and he was seekingto justify it by making some sort of discovery.
The gully was of considerable width, as has been said before, thoughjust at that time in the late summer the stream that flowed through itdid not appear to be of any great depth, and could be easily forded.
There were bushes and grass and weeds growing all about, besides straystones that may have fallen there when the solid masonry of the reallyfine bridge had been constructed years before.
Although he turned his eyes in this quarter and that, Rob failed to seeanything that looked at all suspicious. Still that peculiar odorcontinued to strike his sense of smell, stronger than before, ifanything.
"Must be something burning, fellows!" announced Tubby, as he held a handup so that he could close his nose with thumb and finger against theoffensive odor.
The guide had meanwhile thrown himself down at the brink of the streamand proceeded to drink his fill. Evidently he had no fear concerning thequality of the water. Typhoid germs were unknown to his lexicon; and solong as water looked fairly clear it suited him.
He was getting on his feet again as Tubby made that last remark. Hishorse had been pulling more violently than ever at the rein, and theBelgian started to say something uncomplimentary to the animal inFlemish.
Rob had stopped examining the shore upon which they were standing. Heturned his gaze across the stream to the opposite bank, for his scouttraining told him that since the breeze came from that quarter he wouldbe apt to learn the cause of the odor, so like burnt powder, if hefollowed it up.
The others heard Rob give a half suppressed shout, as though he had madea sudden and startling discovery.
"Oh! what is it?" cried Tubby, straining to keep his horse from tryingto start up the ascent again.
"Across the river, over there under the arch of the bridge, don't yousee that little curl of blue-white rising?" exclaimed Rob. "Watch it andyou'll find that it is creeping along over the ground. Come, we've gotto get up out of this in a hurry! Turn your horses, and let them helpto drag you up! Quick, everybody; not a second to lose, I tell you!"
Tubby no longer tried to hold his horse back; on the contrary, he evenurged the animal to climb the grade in frantic haste. He did not knowwhat it all meant, but Rob acted as though there must be some terribledanger threatening them; and Tubby was no fool.
With cries and shouts they urged the animals to ascend. Several times ahorse would slip, and come near falling headlong backward; t
hen it wasthe one who held the reins found it necessary to encourage thestruggling beast with word and act, so that the horse might regain hisfooting.
Tubby, chancing to glimpse Rob's face about the time they drew near thetop was horrified to see how very white it seemed. Then more than everdid he realize that it must be something dreadful that had threatenedthem.
"Rob, tell us what it was all about?" Tubby managed to gasp, when,having reached the road again, they were hurrying back as rapidly asthey could go, the horses helping to drag them along.
"Just this," Rob told him briefly. "They've fixed a mine there under thebridge, so as to blow it up; and we've had the narrowest escape of ourlives!"