Part 6 (2/2)
There was no time for first-aid. The Germans were now within three hundred yards of the abandoned trench. Throwing his arms round the sergeant's body, Rollo lifted him from the ground, then kneeling, he managed to transfer him across his back. Fortunately the wounded man was not very heavy, and the lad, staggering under his burden, carried him to the place where he had left his motor-cycle.
Just then came the rapid pop-pop of another motor-bike. Kenneth, having discovered that his chum was no longer in his company, had returned.
”Give me a push off, old man,” panted Rollo, as he set his burden across the carrier and stood astride his steed.
In went the clutch; Kenneth, running by the side of the cycle for a few yards, steadied the wounded sergeant, who was clinging desperately to the young dispatch-rider.
”All right, let go!” shouted Rollo.
The bike wobbled dangerously under the unusual burden. The sergeant's grip wellnigh destroyed the lad's power of command on the steering.
The _zipp_ of a bullet did much to add to the difficulty, and momentarily Rollo thought that nothing could save him from toppling into the ditch.
”Let go my arms and catch hold of my waist,” he shouted desperately.
The sergeant fortunately understood and obeyed; the motor-cycle began to recover its balance, and as Rollo opened the throttle and increased speed it settled down to its normal condition.
On either side the trees seemed to slip past like the spokes of a wheel; the pace was terrific, and although the wounded man must have been suffering agonies, not a groan came from his lips.
Presently Kenneth rode up alongside, for they were out of range and the road was no longer enc.u.mbered with the fallen. Five minutes later the two lads dismounted at the barricade of Argenteau.
Here ready arms relieved Rollo of his burden; soldiers a.s.sisted in lifting the cycles over the barrier. As they did so one of them pointed to one of the tool-bag panniers on Rollo's cycle. It was pierced by a bullet.
”Where are you going to?” demanded a major.
”To Saint Andre, to warn a half-company of the 9th regiment to retire, sir.”
”It is unnecessary. The men have already rejoined. Return to Fort de Barchon and say that if need be we can still hold the enemy in check, but that we are losing heavily.”
Soon they were back again at Argenteau, with instructions for the remains of the badly-mauled regiment to fall back upon the lines of defence prepared between the two forts in the north-eastern side of the circle surrounding Liege.
The invaders had been delayed sufficiently to allow General Leman to complete his dispositions. They were yet to learn that even the much-vaunted German infantry could not afford to despise the gallant Belgians.
”It's a jolly sight better than Rugby, anyway,” declared Kenneth, as at the end of their first day on active service they returned to their quarters at Fort de Barchon.
But Rollo did not reply. He was thinking of the bullet hole in the pannier of his cycle. It had been a narrow squeak.
CHAPTER VI
A Vain a.s.sault
”I say, how about your sister, old man?” asked Rollo.
”She's all right,” replied Kenneth optimistically. ”These Germans don't make war on women and girls. Besides, Madame de la Barre doubtless dropped a little of her standoffishness directly she heard the sound of firing. I'm pretty sure they are now either safe in Dutch territory or else on their way to Brussels.”
”If I had a sister I would be a jolly sight more anxious about her than you are,” persisted Rollo.
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