Rogers nodded agreement. Without another thought, in his eagerness to rejoin Larry and have all made clear, Bob stepped ashore and ran up the hill toward the little house where, in another few moments, he and Lucy surprised each other.
Karl appeared dumbfounded at sight of Bob, and his remaining braggadocio left him. He was all timid willingness to please and could not obey orders quickly enough.
“Come, let’s get them to the boat,” proposed Larry. “We were just starting when you came, Bob.”
“All right. What about the old cottager? What’s to be done with him? Dick, I have a thousand things to ask and tell you,” said Bob, slapping Major Harding’s shoulder. “When did you get here, and how did Larry know——”
“That Elizabeth was to cross the river? It was Lucy’s doing. I got to Coblenz early this morning. As for the old Boche,” nodding toward the owner of the cottage, who stood staring fearfully from one officer to the other, “let’s leave him alone. He’s just a wretched tool in their hands.”
“And they are tools in von Eckhardt’s hands,” said Bob. “It’s hard to know who to blame.”
“Come, Elizabeth,” said Lucy, taking her old nurse’s arm. “I’ll go with you. Don’t be afraid.”
“Is that steersman of yours a reliable sort of fellow, Larry?” asked Bob. “I’d hate to have von Eckhardt give him the slip.”
“Oh, Rogers is all right.”
They had come out into the moonlight and begun to descend the slope, Karl and Franz guarded by Ed and Larry. Almost as Larry spoke a shot rang out from below the hill.