The soldier shook his head in the negative.
“No car can cross the bridge after this; it would not be safe, and would spoil all our plans for a trap,” he went on to say.
“But couldn’t you make an exception in our case?” asked Bumpus, trying to throw all the pathos possible into his voice.
Again the soldier shook his head.
“It is impossible,” he said, in a manner that would admit of no further argument. “You must turn and follow the river road to the west. There is another small bridge six miles that way, not strong enough for guns to be moved over, but you might get across. I hope you reach Antwerp safely.”
“We happened to see the fight at the other bridge, and watched when it was in the end blown up,” Giraffe ventured to say, at which the other’s face lighted up and just as Giraffe knew would be the case he cried out:
“Tell us what happened there, for we have been wondering what all the sounds of fighting in that direction meant. But we have had no word up to now.”
Accordingly Thad, assisted by the others at intervals, related some of the stirring sights they had seen while on the watch-hill a mile or more distant from the battlefield at the bridge. The three Belgians listened eagerly, and while two of the guard might not fully understand what was said, they caught enough to feel that their comrades had won new honor by their gallant defense of the bridge, and its ultimate destruction when defense was no longer possible.
“Thank you very much for giving us such splendid news,” said the soldier who spoke English, as he thrust out a hand to Thad; “and in return I may let you into a secret that will explain why you cannot cross here. This bridge had been weakened so that it is apt to fall when any weight is put on it. Even your car might be sufficient to bring about the catastrophe. We are hoping it will go down with the first detachment of raiding Uhlans that comes this way. Our duty is to fire on them and get them to charge. If twenty go down with the bridge so much the better.”
Of course Thad realized that all thought of crossing there must be abandoned. He saw that a road ran along the river, and by taking this they would after a bit come to the small bridge which was recommended for their notice.