It was a painful experience, to crawl along the low hedge that ran up to the highway, for it was now early morn, and light enough so that cavalry could be seen in the screen formed by the trees along the road.

Gascon knew what scouting meant, and he gave them a word of caution. "We must not go along the hedge together. We should be separated at least ten meters apart" (a little over 30 feet), "and the movement must be made without any noise."

He then threw himself on the ground and showed them how to crawl. "Just watch me for a moment and you will learn an easy way to do it."

Gascon stretched himself full length on his face, lying partly on his left side. "Now," he said, "draw up the right leg, and stretch the right arm upward past your head. If you will now turn your body over to the right, or, in other words, roll yourself over on the right arm and leg, the left foot can be used to propel yourself forward, without appreciably raising the body."

The boys remembered the terribly trying act of crawling on the first day of their experience, and this exhibition was a most gratifying thing to them, now that there was more of it to do.

"Where did you learn how to do this?" asked Ralph.

German 42-Centimetre Gun.

"This is part of the drill in the army. This62 creeping movement is characteristic of the North American Indian, and is also practised by some of the African tribes."

62

Gascon now started on his peculiar movement along the fence followed by Joseph, their other companion, and then Ralph, observing the proper interval, followed and after him came Alfred.

Early as it was there were sounds of activity that did not arise from the ordinary farming operations. The roads here, as everywhere throughout Belgium, were found at frequent intervals in their pathway, and while they must avoid them, it was also necessary that they should cross them.

Another characteristic of Belgian roads is, that they are, usually, lined with trees, and the hedges afforded ample protection for lurking enemies, while, at the same time, it served to hide their movements.

As the first streaks of the morning sun began to show over the landscape, the party came to a halt for the 

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