Part 22 (1/2)

”Oh, shut up!” exclaimed his companion. ”It's bad enough without rubbing it in.”

”I wasn't.”

”Yes, you were; but, I say, don't let us start quarrelling. The question is----”

”Hist!” whispered Kenneth. ”I hear voices.”

The lad was right. Almost above their heads heavy boots were stumbling over the debris, while the m.u.f.fled sounds of guttural voices were borne to the ears of the two prisoners. The Germans were searching the ruins.

”I vote we shout. They'll dig us out,” suggested Kenneth.

”I vote we don't,” objected Rollo st.u.r.dily. ”See, the gleam of a lantern is showing through a crack or a hole in the brickwork, so it can't be so very thick. We may be able to tunnel our way out when they clear off. If we gave ourselves up, ten to one they would shoot us for giving them all this trouble.”

It was that small glimmer of light that raised their hopes, without which they would, through sheer panic, have called frantically to their foes for aid, without considering the consequences.

For perhaps an hour the Germans continued their search, until, discovering the pa.s.sage of the final and fatal sh.e.l.l, they removed sufficient of the debris to enable them to descend to the cellar. The entombment of the two lads now proved to be a blessing in disguise, for, screened from observation by the mound of rubble, their retreat was unsuspected by the searchers.

Having found sufficient evidence to satisfy themselves that the Belgians who had ambushed the Uhlan patrol were themselves slain, the Germans concluded their investigations and went away.

For another long period the lads remained silent, until they felt convinced that once more they were free from the unwelcome attentions of the German troops. Then Rollo broke the silence.

”I'm jolly thirsty,” he remarked.

”So am I,” declared Kenneth. ”There's some water in the bucket. We needn't be too particular. I dipped my handkerchief in it, but it was fairly clean.”

”I'm ready to mop water out of a ditch,” said Rollo.

Kenneth groped for the bucket. It was within six inches of his foot and standing upright, but it was empty. A fragment of sh.e.l.l had torn a hole through it close to the bottom. Not a drop of liquid was left.

”We've had a jolly narrow squeak,” said Kenneth. ”After that it would be hard lines if we were knocked out in the last lap. I don't think we shall be. Suppose we start tunnelling.”

”Steady on, old man! We ought to wait till it gets light. Then we will be able to see what we are doing,” expostulated his companion.

”I can feel.”

”Yes, perhaps; but by dislodging part of the rubble you may cause a sort of landslide and bury us completely. I vote we exercise just a little more patience.”

They had been conversing in whispers, lest the sound of their voices might be heard by a sentry, for it was quite possible that the Germans might think they had not accounted for the whole garrison of the ruined farmhouse. They had good reason to believe that the British dispatch-rider had taken refuge there; the only chance was that they might have come to the conclusion that Rollo was one of the unrecognizable victims of the deadly sh.e.l.l.

Slowly the hours of darkness pa.s.sed, the silence broken only at intervals by the dull grinding of the subsiding debris and by a desultory, whispered conversation between the lads. Then Kenneth became aware that he could indistinctly discern his companion's face The long-hoped-for dawn had come at last.

In another half-hour it was light enough to form a fairly accurate idea of the state of affairs. The prisoners were in a triangular-shaped s.p.a.ce, two sides consisting of the adjoining walls of the cellar. The third was composed of a bank of broken bricks and stones, diminis.h.i.+ng in thickness as it grew in height. Overhead a part of the vaulted roof had fallen, but the brickwork remained cemented together, forming a s.h.i.+eld from the rubble above it. But for this ma.s.s of brickwork the lads would have been crushed to death by the immense weight of the ruined walls of the farm-house.

Between the topmost bricks and the overhead protection quite a strong light penetrated into the cavity where they crouched. The early morning sun was s.h.i.+ning directly upon the heap of debris.

”I think we can s.h.i.+ft this stuff,” remarked Kenneth, cautiously feeling a loose brickbat.

”All right, carry on,” replied Rollo. ”Only be careful to test each piece of rubble before you remove it. If we cannot make a hole through in that direction we must try cutting through the existing wall. It will be a tough job, but you have your knife.”

”I hope we won't have to do that. The cement is as hard as iron. It would take us a week. Let's hope for the best.”

Proceeding very cautiously, Kenneth removed enough of the debris to disclose an opening sufficiently large to thrust his head through.