Another shot rang out, but this too failed to take effect, and in a twinkling the fugitives had disappeared into the friendly shelter of a pine wood.
Saunders wore a pensive air, in marked contrast to Von Hügelweiler, who was betraying signs of strong excitement.
"Of what are you thinking?" demanded the latter.
"I am thinking that if we follow the others we shall most certainly be shot," replied Saunders.
"That is true," agreed the Captain. "Our enemies must be quite close now. It would be madness to venture out into the open."
"Precisely," said Saunders. "We are left here as a rear-guard, and it is our duty to check the pursuit, not to be killed. Here we are under cover, and here I propose to remain."
"The enemy will make a detour to avoid this cliff," said Von Hügelweiler, "then will come our opportunity to move out."
Saunders shook his head.
"This cliff stretches half a mile at least, in either direction," he said, "and there is broken ground beyond that. No, they won't make a detour, not if they're the good ski-runners I take them for. To a clever ski-laufer, a jump over a cliff like this is no very desperate affair, and it's their only chance of nabbing Karl before he gets back to Weidenbruck."
"Then we wait here and fire at them from behind?" demanded the Captain excitedly, taking his orders from the distinguished Englishman as a matter of course.