Several men were now seen at the lower edge of the village, where they stood waving their hands.
"That means the enemy are coming," said Ralph. "Our only hope now is the bridge," and without waiting to hear further news, both boys started on a run to make the crossing.
Throughout this section there was a vast amount of shrubbery, and the inevitable rows of trees along the highways made it difficult for those on the western side of the stream to notice the approach of any one until they were within a few hundred feet of the bridge.
This was the boys' salvation. Within a minute they were on the bridge and they were then startled by the sound of the first gun behind them. They did not stop, but on glancing back were somewhat relieved to find that the shot was not intended for them. Possibly someone in the village had been made a victim.
They were now in the middle of the bridge, when a most terrific explosion shook them, and they stopped running as though they had been struck. They looked at each other in consternation. Then they glanced back, but the dense smoke hid them from the view of their enemies. A section of the bridge had been blown up; but by whom they didn't know, so they now walked toward the end of the bridge. As they went down the slight incline a soldier stepped in the roadway and halted them.
The boys halted for a moment and cried, "Belgique!" then rushed forward, at which the sentry understood and permitted them to pass. Behind the sentry were others who hurriedly motioned them to conceal themselves by the side of the road. At the same time they noticed that the lone sentry also had disappeared.
Looking back, they now saw a platoon of Uhlans at the other end of the bridge.
"Too bad," said Alfred, "that the explosion didn't do more damage." The troopers advanced, some of them dismounting, and within fifteen minutes sufficient repairs were made to allow a half-company to cross over.
The leaders were galloping off the bridge when two distinct explosions took place, one near their end of the bridge and the other behind the first explosion, thus completely cutting off those on the bridge and also entrapping those who had crossed.
A brief order, "Tirez!" on the part of the Belgian officer brought into view over a hundred concealed infantrymen, who fired volley after volley as they made a rush toward the horsemen. Some of the Uhlans turned and plunged into the stream, and many of those on the bridge did likewise, while the officer in command of the Belgians called out to them to surrender. Most of them did so, throwing down at the same time their lances and guns.