“If it comes to a fight,” said Chester, “we shall miss you greatly; but we shall have to try and get along without you this time.”
Back with their regiment they gave the message releasing them from active duty to their commander; then, changing their uniforms for civilian garb and bidding Alexis good-by, they set out in the direction of the Galician stronghold, making a wide detour so as to approach from the north, rather than from the direction of the Russian troops in the East.
They went horseback, and they rode slowly, for they did not wish to attract undue attention to themselves by too great speed. The route they traversed made it a good two-days’ journey, and long before coming to the city proper they encountered bands of Austrian troops. To these, however, they paid little heed and they were not molested.
“Evidently they don’t care who goes in,” remarked Chester.
“Looks that way,” replied Hal; “but I’ll bet they pay strict attention to anyone who tries to get out. That’s where our hardest work probably will come in.”
“I guess you are right,” said Chester.
Nevertheless they were halted by an Austrian patrol when close to the city. To him, however, they explained that they were American tourists, caught in Galicia at the outbreak of the war, and that they had penetrated beyond the Austrian lines without being aware of it.
“We want to get back to safety,” Hal told him.
The Austrian officer smiled and let them pass without further words. Inside the Galician city the lads prowled about leisurely. The extreme eastern end of the city was a mass of ruins. The shells hurled by the big Russian guns had done great damage; but the flames had been extinguished before they had reached the heart of the city, and as the Russians had later fallen back a considerable distance the city now was perfectly quiet.
Night came on, and the lads sought shelter in the home of a Galician peasant. The house was small but comfortable, and the old man who lived in it admitted them without question. They repeated to him the story told the Austrian officer, adding that the place in which they had been staying had been destroyed by a Russian shell.