CHAPTER XII.
ON THE VISTULA.
"How far are we from the Vistula now, Alexis?" asked Chester, as thelittle party rode rapidly forward.
"Not more than seven or eight versts, I am sure," was the reply.
"Is it likely the Germans have advanced that far in this section?"
"There is no telling; we shall have to be careful."
All day long the four friends had been hurrying toward the Russianlines. Alexis, after his terrible struggle with overwhelming odds, whenhe had dashed forward to save Chester, had slept for hours withoutmoving-all night, practically. When he awoke, shortly before dawn, heannounced that he was in condition to move on.
Chester's wound also had benefited by the rest and now bothered himlittle. While Alexis and Chester slept, Hal and Stephan had succeeded incapturing four horses; and so, long before sunrise, the little partycontinued their flight, Marquis, as usual, trailing along behind.
For another hour now the four rode on, and then a welcome sightconfronted them. Hal was the first to perceive water ahead, and calledthe attention of the others to it.
"The Vistula," said Alexis briefly.
There was not the sign of either friend or foe. For some unaccountablereason neither bank of the stream was guarded. Hal supplied anexplanation.
"The Germans have probably been pushed back further to the South," hesuggested, "thereby doing away with the necessity of a patrol here."
They drew nearer the river. At this point the stream was very deep, andthere was no bridge; but as the four drew up on the bank, Chester madeout a cloud of smoke coming up the stream.
"A steamer!" he exclaimed.
The lad was right. The smoke drew nearer, and at last the friends wereable to discern the outline of a small river vessel steaming towardthem. They jumped from their horses, and advanced to the very edge ofthe water, where they awaited the approaching boat.
"She may be a German," said Hal.
"It is hardly likely," said Alexis.
"But I understood the Germans had fitted out several river steamers,"said Hal.
"True," replied Alexis; "I had forgotten. We shall have to be careful."
But now the vessel was close enough for those on shore to make out herflag. The emblem flying aloft was that of the Czar. Hal drew off hiscoat and waved it about his head.
"If they will stop and pick us up," he explained, "it may save us atedious ride."
A sharp blast of the whistle signified that Hal's signal had been seen.The steamer came to a stop in midstream, a launch put off toward theshore, and soon grounded at the spot where the four friends stood.
Quickly they leaped into the little craft and were soon aboard thesteamer, where they were greeted by the commander of the vessel. Halexplained their situation as briefly as possible.
"Well," said the commander, "I can't promise to put you ashoreimmediately, for I am bound further up the river in pursuit of a Germansteamer that has been bombarding several upstream towns. When I havedisposed of the enemy, however, I shall be glad to land you down thestream, for I shall return immediately I have sunk the foe."
With this the fugitives had to be content. They were assigned quarterson the steamer, and after washing the dirt and grime from their handsand faces, they returned on deck, where they made themselves comfortableas the steamer continued on her way. They passed several little townswithout stopping.
Suddenly those on deck were brought to their feet by the booming of asingle heavy gun. All strained their ears to listen. The first reportwas followed by the sound of others. The commander of the vessel sprangto action.
"Full speed ahead!" he cried.
The steamer leaped forward faster than before. The crew prepared foraction. The guns were made ready and the crews stood to their posts. Thecommander, from his position, motioned the four friends toward him.
"We have run the enemy down," he informed them. "Can I count upon yourservices if they are needed?"
"You may," replied Hal and Chester briefly.
Alexis and Stephan nodded their heads in assent.
"Good!" said the commander. "You will stay here near me, then. I shallnot hesitate to call upon you."
Rounding a slight bend in the river, the Russian steamer came in fullsight of the enemy. So silently had she approached, that the Germans,engaged in hurling shells upon a little village, did not perceive theirpresence until a shell from the Russian plowed up the water under theprow of their boat.
As soon as the Germans became aware of the presence of another enemythey turned to meet it. Their forward guns were quickly trained upon theRussian steamer and burst into action. The first salvo was harmless, forthe range had not been gauged accurately.
The Russians were more fortunate with their second fire. A shell burstsquarely upon the deck of the German with a loud explosion. There was ashower of steel and wood, followed by a cry of triumph from the crew ofthe Russian vessel. A second shell carried away the enemy's singlesmokestack and a third burst in the muzzle of one of the foe's forwardguns, blowing it to atoms.
At full speed the Russian advanced, and when within two hundred yardsswung her broadside to the enemy and poured in a rain of shells. TheGermans fought back gamely, but with the first success of the Russiansthey seemed to have lost their heads and fired wildly. Their aim waspoor, and the Russians suffered little.
Having delivered his broadside, the Russian brought his forward guns tobear and with these he raked the deck of the enemy--fore and aft--withshot and shell.
All this time the vessels had been drawing closer together. Now theGerman commander, apparently realizing that he was fighting a losingbattle, steamed full speed for the Russian ship. By a hasty maneuver theRussian commander avoided being run down, but a second later the vesselscrashed broadside to broadside.
The German vessel stood somewhat higher in the water than did theRussian craft, and before any aboard the latter realized what washappening, the foe swarmed down the side onto the Russian vessel. Sosudden and unexpected was their onslaught, that for the moment theRussians on deck gave way before them; and had it not been for thepresence of mind of Hal and Chester, it is likely the German rush wouldhave been successful.
The two lads sprang forward into the very faces of the enemy, theirautomatics spitting fire as they leaped. Alexis and Stephan came closebehind them. The very fury of their attack caused the Germans to haltmomentarily, and this gave the Russian sailors time to rally and springto their aid.
Their automatics having been emptied, the lads leaped into the thick oftheir foe, striking out with their naked fists. Hal twisted a sword fromthe hand of a German officer, and laid about him lustily. Chester,stooping, came to his feet with a sword in his hand, and joined hisfriend in the press. Alexis also possessed himself of a weapon andrushed forward.
By this time the Russian sailors had met the foe and the conflict becamegeneral. Slowly the Germans gave way, retreating to the side of theship. Then, suddenly, they turned and leaped for their own vessel, whichstill lay close, under the guiding hand of the German commander. TheRussians plunged after them, following them to the deck of the Germanship.
Brought to bay, the Germans turned in a last desperate stand. Releasingthe helm, the German commander himself sprang into the midst of thestruggle. His sword flashed aloft, and two Russian sailors hit the deck,pierced through and through. He was a big man, this German commander,and a powerful one. As he pressed fiercely forward, for a moment thefirst line of Russians gave way; but at that moment he ran against asolid obstruction in the form of Alexis.
They fell to, hand to hand, and on all sides of them the others gaveway. Thrusting and parrying, the two skipped forward and back, eachlosing ground and then recovering it. Alexis, by a quick sidestep,avoided a fierce thrust, and stepped forward to put an end to theencounter. In his haste he slipped, and slid to the deck.
With a fierce, guttural cry of satisfaction, the German stepped forward,raised his sword and would have plunged it into
his opponent's breast;but Alexis was too quick for him. With his bare hand he seized the nakedblade aimed at him and clung to it. In vain did the German try to drawhis sword through the Cossack's hand. Alexis' mighty grip held iteasily.
Now, putting forth greater exertion, by the aid of the weapon to whichhe clung, Alexis dragged himself to his feet. In vain did the Germancommander wrench at the sword. He could not free it. He at length gaveup the idea, dropped the sword and leaped back.
As Alexis, now firm upon his feet once more, took a step forward, theGerman commander turned and ran toward a rack of rifles. Alexis did nottake time to reverse the weapon he still held by the point. Raising ithigh above his head, he carefully gauged the distance, and let fly. Thesword went hurtling through the air, turning once in its flight. Alexis'aim was true, and the point of the weapon pierced the German commandersquarely between the shoulder blades. He threw up his hands and fellforward on his face.
Alexis turned and surveyed the battle.
The Germans had been pressed back by the Russians, led by Hal andChester, until now they were fighting desperately on the stern of thevessel. Alexis dashed forward to take part in this fray; but theGermans, having witnessed the death of their commander, had lost heart.Perceiving the giant form rushing down upon them, they threw down theirarms as one man. Some turned quickly and leaped overboard into the riverand struck out for the shore, while others stood quietly waiting to bebound by their captors. The battle was over.
Immediately the commander of the Russian steamer ordered his men and theprisoners back aboard his own ship. Then he turned to Hal and Chester.
"As you have taken such a prominent part in this victory," he said, "Iwill allow you to finish the work by blowing up the enemy. You willattach a fuse to the magazine and then hurry back here, that we mayreach safety before the explosion."
The two lads saluted, and made their way to the magazine of the Germanvessel. Here they quickly attached a fuse, and lighted it. Then theyhurried aboard the Russian steamer, which immediately got under way. Onehundred yards, two hundred yards, three hundred, they steamed from thedoomed vessel; then there came the sound of a muffled explosion, theGerman craft burst into a sheet of flame, broke into two pieces, andsettled slowly beneath the waters of the Vistula.
"A good job done," said the Russian commander briefly.
He turned once more to the two lads. "I want to say," he added, "that ithas never been my fortune to meet two braver lads. You are English, Itake it?"
"Americans," replied Hal briefly.
"So? Still, I might have known it. I have known several Americans, andthey were always cool and brave. Where do you wish to go now?"
"Well," said Hal, "we would like to get back to Lodz. I suppose ourregiment is still stationed there."
"I will see that you get there with all possible dispatch," thecommander promised. "I will land you where it will be most convenientfor you."
The lads thanked him, and walked across the deck, where they rejoinedAlexis and Stephan.
"You would make a pretty good sailor, Alexis," Chester told him.
The Cossack drew himself up and strutted proudly for several moments.
"Of course I would," he said. "It is nothing new to me."
"Nothing new!" exclaimed Hal in some surprise.
"No," replied Alexis.
"You mean you have been a sailor?" demanded Chester.
"Certainly. Of course the commander of this vessel did a fair piece ofwork a few moments ago; but I could tell him a few things. Why, when Icommanded a ship in the battle of----"
"Enough! Enough!" cried Hal, throwing up his hands in protest.
"Do you doubt my word?" demanded Alexis fiercely.
"Not at all," Hal hastened to assure him. "But, Alexis; have you learnedyet what 'drawing the long bow' means?"
"No," replied the giant, "are you going to tell me at last?"
"I had about decided to," said Hal slowly; "but after this, never!"
Boy Allies with the Cossacks; Or, A Wild Dash over the Carpathians Page 12