He called a fourth trooper to him.
“Your name?” he demanded.
“Bristow, sir.”
“Then, Bristow, we appoint you to take command while we are gone. The rest of you will remain here until we return, or until you find it necessary to retreat across the river.”
“Very good, sir,” said Bristow, and fell back and informed his companions of the situation.
“Do you realize,” asked Lieutenant Anderson of Hal, “that if we are captured in these German uniforms it will mean a spy’s death for all of us?”
“Perfectly,” said Hal, “but we shall have to take that chance. I believe that having three English soldiers with us, apparently prisoners, will be a means of avoiding detection.”
“All right,” said Chester, “only we shall have to be careful.”
Quickly the three mounted, and marching the soldiers on ahead of them started north, bearing off slightly to the east. For an hour they continued their journey, passing now and then a body of German troops. But they were not molested, not even challenged.