‘Well,’ said Jack, ‘I’m going to try and get a bit nearer to the town to see what’s up; the Russians are not ringing those bells for nothing.’
Accordingly, the two lads left the cave and began to descend the somewhat steep sides of the hill. By some mischance they did not descend at the same place they had gone up, getting on a much more steep part.
They found themselves slipping, and they turned sideways, grabbing at the tufts of scrub as they went down. But presently these tufts ceased, the ground was loose and stony, and helter-skelter through the mist Jack and Will descended. They had almost reached the bottom of the hill when Jack thought he heard voices. He called out to Will and tried to stop; but the hill was too steep and he was going too fast.
A gruff challenge rang out; then a dozen flat-capped soldiers in long coats almost to their feet loomed big in the fog, and with a crash Jack and Will dashed into them. Several cries, either of anger or fear, rang out; then bang! bang! went a couple of rifles.
‘Come on,’ cried Jack; ‘let’s dash through them!’
A heavy hand was laid upon him; but he tore himself free. Another man advanced towards him, but Jack’s pistol was in his hand, and he shot the fellow in the leg. He was then free; but, turning, he saw Will in the grasp of two Russians.
The man whom Jack had shot had dropped his rifle, and this Jack instantly picked up. He pointed it at one of Will’s captors and pulled the trigger. The man fell. A crashing blow with the butt-end on the shoulder of the second Russian made him release his hold.
‘Come, Will,’ cried Jack; and before the other astonished Russians could do anything they dashed away up the hill.
They were soon out of sight in the mist; but several shots were fired in their direction, the balls chipping up the rocky ground around them. The heavy, crashing footsteps of the Russians could be heard behind them too, and it was clear they were not going to be allowed to escape with impunity.
Jack and Will struggled and panted up the hillside, and, being lighter, got along quicker than their pursuers.