The boys rightly interpreted this to mean "Who goes there?" but they did not stop. This time they darted through the bush and ran to the south along the hedge row, as fast as they could scurry, while the sentry, putting the spurs to his horse, was over the fence at a leap, and after shooting twice came directly across the field.
The boys knowing that the sentry could not see them after they crossed the little ravine, entered the dense shrubbery which grew along the river bank. Their hearts were in their mouths. As they looked around, however, they saw three other horsemen following them.
Now began the flight of their lives. "Let's go to the left along the river bank. That may throw them off our tracks. They may turn to the right, thinking that we would be most likely to go in that direction," proposed Ralph.
His prediction was verified, for without waiting to go directly to the brink of the river the horsemen all headed for the river to the right, thus enabling the boys to look about for some sort of protection.
The high grass and weeds enabled them completely to cover themselves and they had the satisfaction of hearing the troopers a half-mile in the distance, beating every clump of shrubbery, but soon all was quiet.
Ralph laughed as they lay there and reflected how the Uhlans were outwitted. "What made you think of that ruse?" he asked.
"I happened to remember what the General said one day, when they were planning some new movement of the troops. He said we ought to get east and occupy the ridge. Our weakest movement would be to go to the left. Napoleon's policy was first to consider what a commander would be likely to do to defend a position, and then do just the other thing. It was by following this plan in the field that he won all his battles in Italy, and it gave him wonderful fame. You see, they were driving us down the river bank, and they would naturally think we would not go in the opposite direction, as it would bring us closer to them, in stead of farther away."
"Well, that is a good lesson, any way. I suppose the proper thing for us to do now is to follow them by going up the river?" said Alfred.
"Certainly. They won't be looking for us in that direction now," said Ralph.