The train was now rattling through the town, and a few seconds later it reached the near end of the long bridge across the river.
“I guess here is where I’ll have to jump for it,” thought the young lieutenant. He knew that the guards above would be rushing to the spot where they had last seen him and that they would not hesitate to open fire again. He had no desire to fall a victim to a German bullet.
The train ran out on the trestle; and the edge of the cars was less than two feet from the outside of the bridge. Bracing himself as best he could, Dave took a long breath and then made the leap.
“There he goes!” cried one of the guards.
Dave took a long breath and then made the leap.—Page [252].
“Shoot him!” exclaimed the other; and then both blazed away with their rifles.
Dave felt a queer stinging sensation along the outside of his left leg, and then he hit the waters of the river with a loud splash and went under. He knew he had been struck, and he hoped it was not a serious wound.
Not to give the guards on the train a chance to shoot at him again, our hero kept under water as long as he could hold his breath. In the meantime, the long freight-train continued over the bridge and presently was lost to sight in the distance.
But the young lieutenant was too bewildered by what had occurred to note the disappearance of the train, and, coming up to the surface, he took a hasty breath and then dived again.