When all had landed they were quietly marched to the east until they struck a road leading to the north. A quarter of a mile beyond was a cross road, passing through a cluster of magnificent oaks. They were led to a thick wood adjoining the cross road, and concealed in the chapparal which commanded the main road.
It consumed an hour to reach this point, and it was now four in the morning. In a half hour more the party from the downstream landing appeared, and now the first streaks of dawn appeared. Without waiting for explanations as to the course to be pursued, the Captain selected four men, who were ordered to advance.
The scouts thus designated were armed, and immediately forged ahead, and after a wait of five minutes, the party followed. All talking was prohibited.
"We shall know within the next hour whether we shall meet friend or foe," said the Captain.
Every minute or two one of the scouts would appear and report to the Captain. The party marched on without halting, until a little village was reached, through which ran a main road.
Beyond was the railway from Tongres to Liège. This must be reached, for, if the Belgian reinforcements were coming it is probable they would come over this line.
"The party is too large to pass around the village," said the Captain. "We must divide, one-half going to the left and the other to the right. We shall meet at the railway, a mile beyond."
The boys were fortunate enough to accompany the party commanded by the Captain, and Roland was also one of the company.
All was too much excitement, however, to enable them to ask for much information. What if the road should be in possession of the Germans. It required no information to tell them what that would mean.
A tramp of twenty minutes brought them in sight of the railway embankment. The other party had arrived, and were in waiting. The commander in charge of the other party came forward with the information that no trains had come from the north since six o'clock the night before.