within the next hour whether we shall meet friend or foe," said the Captain.

Every minute or two one of the scouts would appear and report to the Captain. The party87 marched on without halting, until a little village was reached, through which ran a main road.

87

Beyond was the railway from Tongres to Liège. This must be reached, for, if the Belgian reinforcements were coming it is probable they would come over this line.

"The party is too large to pass around the village," said the Captain. "We must divide, one-half going to the left and the other to the right. We shall meet at the railway, a mile beyond."

The boys were fortunate enough to accompany the party commanded by the Captain, and Roland was also one of the company.

All was too much excitement, however, to enable them to ask for much information. What if the road should be in possession of the Germans. It required no information to tell them what that would mean.

A tramp of twenty minutes brought them in sight of the railway embankment. The other party had arrived, and were in waiting. The commander in charge of the other party came forward with the information that no trains had come from the north since six o'clock the night before.

"That means that the Germans have seized the road," said the Captain. "Where is your informant?" he asked.

One of the men, who lived in the immediate neighborhood, came forward and he was carefully questioned. He could give no news as to the reason for the delay in trains.

88

88

"How far is it to the nearest station?"

"One kilometer to the east, Captain. I will undertake to go there and try to get some information."

"Go at once, and Corporal Antonio will accompany you."

Antonio was the non-commissioned officer who had charge of the other party in their movement around the village.

They hurriedly departed, and the Captain then disposed of the company, by ordering them to line the hedges along the embankment, and to remain perfectly quiet, until ordered to move.

 Prev. P 49/112 next