"I guess," he said, "that Joe, Frank and I had better start back at once. You two will have to wait here some time before you can begin trailing that army. I'm sorry we can't stay with you, but I feel that we ought to report back as soon as possible."
And so the three of them began the preparations for their return, while Jerry and Slim watched and studied the movements of the regiments they were to follow.
"They seem to be pretty well tired out," said Slim at last. "Guess they didn't have any sleep at all last night."
"We're going to find it pretty heavy tramping through that snow, too," Jerry answered. "And with the wireless and rations we'll be carrying a hefty weight."
"Well, boys; we're off," announced Lieutenant Mackinson, and the separating parties shook hands all around. "Take care of yourselves," he admonished, "and we'll look for you back by to-morrow."
The officer, Joe and Frank started off on their long tramp back to camp, and Jerry and Slim watched them until they were out of sight.
"That looks like the last regiment of the Germans going over the opposite hill there, too," said Jerry, as they turned to observe the enemy army. "We can start in a short while."
And in half an hour, Jerry carrying the heavy pack-set and Slim toting the equally weighty rations and incidentals, they set off on the Boches' trail.
Out in the open, and especially in the mountains, distances are deceptive. Jerry and Slim learned this when they had been traveling for two hours, and the point where they had seen the last German disappear over a hilltop seemed as far away as when they started.
"Ever travel along in a train at night watching the moon, and notice how it seemed to move right along with you?" asked Jerry.