Part 17 (1/2)

”They've coot here!” he cried, in a paroxysh he should always deeply regret that it had not fallen to his lot to strike _one_ blow for the cause, and that all the honors had gone to Rod

Rod, seeing that none of the Uhlans seeed to look out; and the others were speedily at his side

The danger, in so far as it related to the ine houses, was past; but evidently it had only begun for the Uhlans They had mounted their already tired horses in hot haste, that is, all those capable of doing so, and were trying to get out of the village, turning and firing back at the French with reckless abandon as they went galloping away

Rod saw onehorse He had his arer in the desire to fetch his comrade safely away

”That's the fellow you pinked the first tiuessed as much He hoped deep down in his heart that the Uhlan would ain his saddle and ride to safety, for the boy did not want to feel that through any act of his the raider ht down

Half aoff Once the injuredcare of hih unless his wound were attended to shortly he must become too weak from loss of blood to continue on his way, and would find it necessary to allow himself to be taken prisoner by the French in order to save his life

All around the active zouaves were runningin their wild excitement The Uhlans had not attempted to make any sort of a stand, for they realized they were vastly outnumbered, and that it was ”safety first” with theuns that continued for some time Rod felt assured that all of the raiders who had so boldly entered the French village could not have gone out of it again Soht in a trap, for it see had started to encircle the place, with the idea of cutting off the retreat of the pillagers when they took the alar hands with each of his chums, and then with the three valiant old rit Rod, more practical, knew that there was other work to be done

”Here, we ets too big a headway!” he told both of his companions, upon which they bestirred the to their assistance, they presently had the flaan to assue as the sun sank low in the west, seen through the breaks in the clouds There ailing in a few of the houses over the destruction that had been wrought during the temporary occupation of the place by the enemy

Luckily, however, no one of the inhabitants had been killed, or even seriously injured Two buildings were burned, several dogs shot because they had dared bark at the invaders, a few slight wounds received; but on the whole every one felt that they had good reason for congratulating thes were no worse Other French villages did not fare so hen overrun by the invaders

CHAPTER XIX

THE ROAD OF VON KLUCK'S RETREAT

After all the boys were not sorry for the experience They had witnessed soet Rod too could plu when he used his weapon tith telling effect

After the fire in the rear of the house had been effectually extinguished the good woman appeared before theies because they ht find some of the dishes not quite so warm as they liked, ”For,” as she navely put it, ”we had too much heat in another quarter; and one never knows just how to e when those terrible Uhlans are around”

Certainly none of the three boys found anything to co down to a finer e, as just then happened to be the case

Hanky Panky ate until Josh solemnly warned him that he would surely founder unless he curbed that awful appetite of his Itthere for some little ti” the good things that tempted him

It was settled that since the three ht as well reed to fix the sh a carpenter's skill would be required to place it in its for it was beginning to grow dusk Josh res, and at the sae inflicted by the brief occupation of the village by the raiders

”They say those Uhlans canwilderness of a Paradise quicker than any s,” Josh explained as he picked up his hat, ”and I'd like to find out if there's any truth in the yarn”

Rod told hiht coht not hover over his head

”For all we know so about,”