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Page 53
The Alsatian, whose eyes followed his, shook his head.
"He is not there, Mr. Scott," he said, "and you will not see him today,
but I have a conviction that he will come, by night doubtless."
John lowered his eyes and his feeling of disappointment passed. It had
been foolish of him to hope so soon, but it was only a momentary
impulse, Lannes could not seek him now, and even if he were to come
there would be no chance of rescue until circumstances changed.
"Doubtless you and he were embarked on a long errand when you were
taken," said Weber.
"We were carrying a message to the commander of one of the French
armies, but I don't know the name of the commander, I don't know which
army it is, and I don't know where it is."
Weber laughed.
"But Lannes knew all of those things," he said. "Oh, he's a close one!
He wouldn't trust such secrets not even to his brother-in-arms."
"Nor should he do so. I'd rather he'd never tell them to me unless he
thought it necessary."
"I agree with you exactly, Mr. Scott. Hark! Did you hear it? The battle
swells afresh, and it's not yet full day!"
The roaring had not ceased, but out of the west rose a sound, louder
yet, deep, rolling and heavy with menace. It was the discharge of a
great gun and it came from a point several miles away.
"We don't know who fired that," said Weber, "It may be French, English
or German, but it's my opinion that we'll hear its like in our forest
all day long, just as we did yesterday. However, it shall not keep me
from bathing my face in this brook."
"Nor me either," said John.
The cold water refreshed and invigorated him, and as he stooped over the
brook, he heard other cannon. They seemed to him fairly to spring into
action, and, in a few moments, the whole earth was roaring again with
the huge volume of their fire.
Other prisoners, wounded and unwounded, awakened by the cannon, strolled
down to the brook and dipped into its waters.
"I'd better slip back to my place beyond the hillock," said Weber.
"We're in two lots, we prisoners, and I belong in the other lot. I don't
think our guards have noticed our presence here, and it will be safer
for me to return. But it's likely that we'll all be gathered into one
body soon, and I'll help you watch for Lannes."
"I'll be glad of your help," said John sincerely. "We must escape. In
all the confusion of so huge a battle there ought to be a chance."
Weber slipped away in the crowd now hurrying down to the stream, and in
a few moments John was joined by Fleury, whose attention was centered on
the sounds of the distant battle. He deemed it best to say nothing to
him of Weber, who did not wish to be known as an Alsatian. Fleury's
heavy sleep had made him strong and fresh again, but he was in a fury at
his helplessness.
"To think of our being tied here at such a time," he said. "France and
England are pushing the battle again! I know it, and we're helpless,
mere prisoners!"
"Still," said John, "while we can't fight we may see things worth
seeing. Perhaps it's not altogether our loss to be inside the German
army on such a day."
Fleury could not reconcile himself to such a view, but he sought to make
the best of it, and he was cheered, too, by the vast increase in the
volume of the cannon fire. Before the full day had crossed from east to
west the great guns were thundering again along the long battle line.
But in their immediate vicinity there was no action. All the German
troops here seemed to be resting on their arms. No Uhlans were visible
and John judged that the detachment under von Boehlen, having gone forth
chiefly for scouting purposes, had not yet returned.
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