Having made their report an armed piquet was sent out, together with a couple of stretcher-bearers, in case the prisoner refused to walk.
"I feel rather 'bucked' over this business," remarked Danvers. "Despite a bang on the proboscis, I am inclined to assert that this night's work hasn't been thrown away. I was——"
A rifle-shot rang out, clearly audible above the rumble of distant guns.
"By Jove!" ejaculated Ralph. "Corporal Rogers has plugged the chap."
"Rather a wide interpretation of your orders, old boy," replied Danvers. "Why didn't he use cold steel?"
With the piquet hurrying at their heels the two officers ran across the intervening stretch of mud and reached the ruins. The spy was still there, very much alive. Over him stood the corporal. An empty cartridge case on the floor and the reek of cordite fumes were silent evidence to the identity of the man who fired the shot.
"All correct here, sir," reported Corporal Rogers. "I heard footsteps, went to the broken window, and saw a bloke sneaking up towards the building. I challenged, and he turned tail. Then I let rip, and he dropped. I'll swear I plugged him, but he made no noise when he fell."
Proceeding in the direction indicated by the corporal, Setley and Danvers found the lifeless body of a man dressed as a French peasant. There was nothing on him to prove his identity. Close by, and evidently dropped as he fell, was a small bag of corn. A couple of yards further away was found a little bottle containing water.
"Jolly fishy," declared Danvers. "Corn and water—too small to be of much use for human consumption. What does it mean?"
Nothing more could be done as far as the slain peasant was concerned. The officers returned to the ruins while the captive was being strapped to the stretcher—a task that took the united efforts of four of the piquet.