He walked by the house without stopping, for he had no mind to linger long in that vicinity.
“The quicker I find the main army and lose myself among the rest of the officers the better off I shall be,” he told himself.
He espied a small squadron of Germans approaching him at a quick trot. Making sure that his revolvers were ready for instant action, the lad trudged bravely on. The mounted troops passed him at a distance of perhaps a hundred yards, and the officer in command waved his sword in greeting as they went by.
“So far, so good,” muttered the lad to himself.
Small bodies of troops passed him at more frequent intervals now. But feeling perfectly safe in his German uniform, with shoulder straps of captain, the lad continued boldly on.
At last, some distance ahead, he made out a large encampment.
“Guess this is the place I am headed for,” he told himself.
He approached boldly and soon mingled with the German officers, who were taking life easy, war, seemingly, being far from their thoughts. The place, to Hal, looked as if it might be a drill ground, with a large body of troops on parade.
He walked about for an hour or more and was not challenged once, although once or twice passing officers nodded pleasantly to him.