“Why, sir, that house must be the very one which Mr Higson and your brother visited,” said Green; “unless the Cossacks have carried them off to a distance, they may, I hope, be easily recovered.”
“That is satisfactory,” said Jack; “whether we recover them or not, we must be away from this early to-day, as there is work to be done in other places.”
The boats pulled on some way, when they caught sight of a vessel stealing along on the opposite shore towards the mouth of the river. Jack immediately steered for her, ordering Archie to pull ahead, so as to cut her off should she attempt to slip by them. On seeing them approach, however, the Russian skipper immediately hauled down his colours.
Jack found, on stepping on board, that the Russian skipper was not aware that the English vessels were still off the mouth of the river, and had expected to get clear; he said that his was the only vessel that had not been burnt.
“Sorry to have to condemn yours to the fate you have escaped,” said Jack.
“It is the fortune of war,” answered the skipper, shrugging his shoulders; “I only wish the war had come to an end.”
The operation did not take long; the unfortunate skipper and his crew were landed, to make their way home as best they could; when the vessel, being set on fire, drifted on to the bank, where she quickly burnt to the water’s edge. Jack then pulled on, and in a short time the boats reached the landing-place near the colonel’s house, which Green pointed out. Having, as far as they could from the water, examined the ground before them, they came to the conclusion that no enemy was in the neighbourhood. Green, who felt that some blame might have been attached to him for deserting his commanding officer, volunteered to proceed by himself to the house to ascertain how matters stood. He assured Jack that he could trust Herr Groben, who would give him warning should the enemy be near. Jack agreed to this, and Green set off.
In a short time he was seen returning to the boat, accompanied by the old German tutor, who, as he approached, appeared to be much agitated.
“Bad news, sir,” said Green, as he came up to Jack; “the Cossacks have got hold of Higson and your brother.”
“It was dere fault, it was dere fault,” broke in the old tutor; “dey would go out walking vid de young ladies when I warned dem not to go, and a troop of Cossacks came galloping up to dem, and carry dem both off. It almost break de young ladies’ heart, and dey have not done crying yet.”