CHAPTER XXVII.
A SACRIFICE.
"Hold on there a minute," said Chester. "We are forgetting one thing."
"What's that?" demanded Colonel Anderson.
"Why," returned Chester, "that at least one of us must get back toGeneral Ferrari and give him the information we were sent after."
"But how can we?"
"Well, not by jumping out there and fighting and getting killed, all ofus. I've a plan."
"You'll have to hurry," said Hal. "It's getting too hot in here."
"Listen then," said Chester, speaking rapidly. "I'll climb up to thiswindow and drop out. They won't shoot at me at first, because theynaturally will think I am about to surrender. When I get to the bottom,I'll wait for either you or Colonel Anderson, as you may decide. When oneof you reach my side, we'll both run. The Austrians will give chase. WhenI yell, the two who remain here will make a break out the door, try tofind a couple of horses and head for the Italian lines. Come, now, let'sget busy."
Without awaiting a reply, he crossed to the window.
"A hand up, Uncle John," he said quietly.
The latter hurried to his side, and making a step of his uncle's hand,Chester pulled himself up. A moment later he disappeared.
"I'll be the other," declared Colonel Anderson and started toward thewindow. Hal stretched out a hand and detained him.
"No, I'll go," he said.
"You forget," said Colonel Anderson, "that I am in command of thisexpedition, sir. I command you to obey my orders."
Hal stepped back.
"Very well," he said slowly.
Uncle John gave the colonel a hand up, and then hurried to Hal's side,and the two stood awaiting the word that would send them from their fieryretreat in a wild dash through the Austrian troops without.
Suddenly the sound came. Hal heard it plainly--Chester's voice, raised ina shout in English.
"All right! Go!"
With a low cry to Uncle John to follow him, Hal leaped through thescattered heap of chairs, over the table and dead bodies that almostblocked his progress, and into the open. Uncle John was right behind him.
The way seemed clear and Hal's heart beat with hope as he made outdirectly ahead of him the shadowy form of what he knew to be a body ofhorses. He dashed toward them silently.
He seized a bridle of the first horse and tossed it to Uncle John, wholeaped quickly to the saddle, and waited a moment for Hal. The lad wasastride a second horse a moment later and whirling the animals quickly,they urged them forward in the darkness at top speed.
At that moment a form blocked their way.
With a quick movement Hal whipped out his automatic, and without pausingto take aim, fired. The bullet went true, and the man toppled to one sideeven as Hal's horse would have trampled him under foot.
There came a loud cry from behind and Hal realized that their ruse hadbeen discovered.
"Hurry," he called to Uncle John.
A volley of bullets was sent after the flying horsemen by theAustrians, who realized for the first time that two of their quarrywere about to escape.
"Mount and after them," came a hoarse Austrian command.
Half a dozen troopers made a rush for their horses, while as many moredropped to their knees, levelled their rifles and fired into the darknesswhere the fugitives had been a moment before.
But the darkness was a blessing to the two fugitives. The Austrians wereaiming by mere guess and neither rider was touched.
Hal began to breathe easier. He checked the pace a trifle, as he realizedthat Uncle John was lagging a little behind, his horse, apparently, notbeing as fresh or as swift as the one the lad bestrode.
And now the boy caught the sound of hoofbeats hurrying after them.
"Hurry, Uncle John!" he called anxiously. "They are after us."
Uncle John urged his horse to greater effort and the animal respondednobly. For a moment he kept pace with Hal's swifter mount.
Hal dropped the reins to his horse's neck, and drew his second revolver.Then he slackened the pace of his horse even more.
"Go ahead!" he cried as Uncle John flashed by. "I'll hold 'em back aminute or two."
The pursuers gained upon him. Hal stopped his horse.
A moment later the Austrians became visible in the now semi-darkness--fordawn was breaking. Hal raised both weapons and fired three times in rapidsuccession.
His effort was rewarded by several cries of pain from the pursuers, andthe others checked their horses abruptly. Again Hal fired twice; andthen, turning his horse quickly, rode swiftly after Uncle John.
The Austrians hesitated a moment before again taking up the chase, andthis brief moment was the time the fugitives needed.
As they galloped along, Hal still somewhat in the rear, it grew light andless than a half a mile ahead the riders made out the first Italianoutpost. They headed toward it with loud cries, the Austrians now againin pursuit.
Their cries were heard in the Italian lines, and quicker than it takes totell it, Hal's heart was made glad by the sight of a mounted squadron ofItalian troops dashing toward them.
He slowed his horse down to a walk, and turning in the saddle, took aparting shot at the Austrians, who now had turned to flee. One threw uphis arms, and dropped to the ground, and the horse went on riderless.
The Italian horsemen pulled up when they reached Hal's side, and the ladexplained the situation in a few words.
"If you are quick," he told the officer, "you may take them unaware andrescue my two companions."
The officer wasted no time in words; a quick command to his men, and thetroop went on in pursuit of the foe.
Hal turned to Uncle John.
"There is nothing we can do for them," he said. "We shall go to GeneralFerrari and make our report."
He led the way, more slowly now.
The Italian commander received them immediately and Hal gave him theinformation they had gained in as few words as possible. After receivingthe thanks of the general, the boy, followed by Uncle John, again madehis way to the front; and at the extreme outpost, saw the Italians whohad pursued the Austrians returning--empty-handed.
The officer greeted him with a gesture of sorrow.
"It was no use," he said. "They had started when we reached there. Wepursued them as far as advisable, and fell back only when a strong forceof the enemy came out to meet us."
Hal thanked him and with Uncle John returned to his quarters, seeking tothink of some way by which he could be of service to his chum and toColonel Anderson.
Meanwhile, what of the other two?
When Chester leaped from the burning shack, he awaited the arrival of thenext, who proved to be Colonel Anderson, even as he had planned. AsChester had figured, the Austrians did not attack him when he reached theground, evidently believing he was about to surrender.
A moment later Colonel Anderson stood beside him, and as the latterraised himself to his feet, Chester shouted the words that had set Haland Uncle John on their dash for life:
"All right! Go!"
At these words, he and Colonel Anderson also dashed ahead. Taken by thesurprise, the Austrians hesitated a moment and then dashed after themwith cries. The men who had been guarding the door by which Hal and UncleJohn later escaped, also joined in the chase.
For a couple of seconds the Austrians did not fire at the fugitives,evidently believing they could catch them. But as the two gradually drewaway from them an officer gave the command:
"Fire!"
A score of rifles cracked, but fortunately for Chester and ColonelAnderson, none of the soldiers had taken time to aim carefully. But onebullet whistled close to Chester's head.
"I can't see any use getting killed," he muttered to himself.
Colonel Anderson also came to a stop, and both raised their hands intoken of surrender.
An Austrian officer advanced toward them--and he proved to be the sameman with whom they had talked just before making their dash from theAustrian lines--t
he man whom they had knocked unconscious as he gavethe alarm.
"So we have you at last, eh?" he said harshly.
"Yes, we're here," agreed Chester with a smile.
"And this time you will not get away," was the response. "Spies, eh?"
"Well, what of it?" demanded Chester.
"Nothing," replied the officer, "except that you will be shot sometime to-day."
"Oh, well, that's the chance we all take," replied Chester calmly.
At this moment a subordinate approached the officer.
"The other two fugitives, sir, have taken two horses and fled," he said.
"What?" shouted the Austrian.
"Yes, sir."
The officer whirled upon Chester and Colonel Anderson.
"So," he exclaimed. "This is some more of your work. You shall pay forit."
"Perhaps," said Chester.
The officer made no reply to this. Instead he motioned them to move aheadof him, which they did. A moment later they found themselves in thesaddle and headed back toward the Austrian lines, closely surrounded bytheir guards.
"And now," said Chester, "for another call on our friend, the general."