There was but one possible result of such a chase. Noble animals, though the Austrian horses were, they were no match, at their best, for the Cossack chargers. And there was no mercy in the hearts of the Cossacks for their enemies. The Austrians did not cry for quarter, and no quarter was given. Ten minutes later the Cossacks, their ranks thinned by four, returned to where their leader had dismounted beside the lads.
As the Cossack commander flung himself to the ground by their side, both lads gave a cry of glad surprise.
“Alexis!” they exclaimed in a single voice.
“The same!” replied their Cossack friend. “Don’t tell me any more about your strategy. Where would you have been, if I hadn’t arrived just now, eh?”
“Well,” said Chester slowly, “we wouldn’t be here.”
“You would have been dead, that’s where you would have been,” said Alexis calmly. “As it was, I almost arrived too late. Perhaps next time you will not leave me behind.”
“We won’t try to thank you,” said Hal. “But how did you happen to arrive so opportunely?”
“Why,” replied Alexis, “looking across the plain I saw two horsemen pursued by many others. I knew you would return from that direction, and I surmised who it was. But here is one case where my keen eyesight almost worked to your disadvantage. I made out your Austrian uniforms, even as I would have ordered my men forward, and hesitated. It wasn’t any of my business if two Austrians were killed. Then I remembered your talk of strategy, and guessed that maybe the uniforms were part of it. But, you may take my word for it, you almost used too much strategy.”
Alexis now ordered one of his men to secure two of the riderless horses, and, mounting, the lads rode back toward the Russian lines with the Cossack troop. Here they wasted no time, but started at once on their return journey to Lodz, Alexis, having obtained permission from his superior officer, going with them.
Grand Duke Nicholas was well pleased with the lads’ report and complimented them highly upon their bravery and resourcefulness. Then he added, somewhat sorrowfully, the lads thought: