They only waited long enough to make sure it was a band of horsemen turning the hill, that they were beyond doubt Uhlans, and that they were now heading in a direct line for the windmill.
“That settles it,” observed Jack, decisively. “They mean to make use of this observation post; so let’s dodge2 out of sight, Amos.”
A minute later and both boys were huddling3 under cover at a place where some of the wreckage4 of the arm of the sail together with other debris5 had been thrown.
[18]
“Let’s hope none of them think it worth while to stick a sword in here to see what’s under all this stuff,” ventured Amos.
“I hardly think they’ll go to any bother,” his companion observed. “You see, when these Uhlans are riding over hostile territory they are always in a big hurry to cover as much ground as they can. They stir up a hornets’ nest wherever they go, and the quicker they change base the better for them. I reckon a couple of the officers will climb up here with their field-glasses so as to take an observation. Then they’ll be off again, and only hit the high places as they ride away.”
“They can tell easily enough that there’ve been warm times around this windmill a short time back,” suggested Amos. “Let’s hope their powerful glasses show them a bunch of the British forces moving this way. That would help hurry them along, according to my notion.”
“’Sh! keep still now, because they’re getting close up. Use your ears all you want to, but say nothing even in a whisper.”
[19]
Thrilled by the fact that danger was hovering6 over them, the boys crouched7 there in their place of concealment8 and waited to ascertain9 what would happen. Although Amos did not claim to possess such acute hearing as his chum, he too could by now catch the thud of many horses’ hoofs10 beating on the earth. The sound grew in volume constantly, showing that the Uhlan party must be heading directly toward the site of the Dutch windmill, just as Jack had figured would be the case.
Suddenly the heavy beat of many hoofs ceased, and the concealed11 boys could hear a clanking of accoutrements, accompanied by snorts of horses brought to a standstill.
Jack nudged his comrade to signify that the crisis had arrived. Then they caught the sound of heavy voices, and the guttural nature of the utterance12, so different from French or even English, told them it was German, though as yet no word came distinctly to their ears.
Some one was undoubtedly13 climbing the ladder that led to the top of the concrete and stone[20] foundation of the windmill; Jack could tell this from the slight quivering sensation that he felt. As he had anticipated, the Uhlan meant to utilize14 the windmill as a lookout15. He only hoped that a short confinement16 in their uncomfortable quarters might be the whole extent of the experience to which he and Amos would be subjected.
Louder came the voices. The speakers were now close at hand, and had evidently succeeded in gaining the flat top of the structure without any accident on account of the shaky ladder giving way under their weight.
It happened that both boys had a smattering of the German language. On the way over they had spent many hours on deck brushing up their knowledge from books secured with that very idea in view. Hence they could make out fairly well what was said, though at times the translation might seem a little hazy17, and subject to doubt.
The party with the rasping voice seemed to be the leading officer, for he presently ordered some[21] one else to climb further up, using the perpendicular18 arm of the windmill for the purpose, so as to get a better view of the surrounding country from its apex19.
The hidden boys could hear the shaky arm groan20 under the weight of the climber, while the ragged21 remnant of the sail flapped in the breeze. Every second they anticipated a crash that would tell of disaster, but it did not come; and Jack realized that nothing was too venturesome for those recklessly hard riders.
Evidently the officer with the glasses must have reached the point which he had been aiming for, since presently he started making his report, the man below interrupting occasionally to ask pertinent22 questions.
From his lofty eyrie the one on the lookout must have been able to scan considerable territory, for he reported that only in one direction was there any sign of the enemy in force. Off toward the east he could see artillery23 in motion, accompanied by a regiment24 or two of British territorials,[22] and evidently heading for the front to take their place in the battle line.
Further questioning revealed the fact that an aeroplane was in sight, apparently25 belonging to the Allies, and evidently scouting26 in the interests of the new field battery that was seeking a position where it could do the most damage to the trenches28 of the invaders29.
The presence of this speedy air-craft seemed to make the commander of the Uhlans somewhat uneasy. He knew how easily the birdman could swoop30 down toward them and drop a few bombs with the intention of doing fell execution in their midst. If the air scout27 had manifested any interest in their presence there, and headed toward the spot, undoubtedly a hoarse31 command would have caused a hurried scattering32 of the rough riders, just as wild ducks separate when the eagle darts33 down for his dinner.
Now the observer was going down again to join his chief, who possibly would want to ask a few more questions before definitely deciding on[23] the course they must take after leaving the windmill.
Amos was almost holding his breath because of the suspense34. The Uhlan captain had seated himself on the pile of rubbish and was now within two feet of where the boys lay in concealment. It seemed to the anxious Amos that the very beating of his heart would betray them, so wildly was it pounding against his ribs35.
Once again did the captain fling his queries36 at the other. Surrounded as they were with hostile forces it meant considerable to the Uhlans that they pick out the line of least resistance. It was also of importance to them that they appear in places where German soldiers were least expected. In this way, by the very boldness of their dash, they might help strike terror to the hearts of the villagers, wherever a collection of houses had still escaped the general destruction that had visited that sadly harassed37 section of country.
Amos was undoubtedly a better German scholar than his Western cousin, and could[24] therefore understand what was passing between the two men. Jack felt him give a violent start once or twice, from which he guessed the other had caught something said which had seemed to have escaped his ears. It was no time to indulge in a whisper, however, and so he had to possess his soul in patience, and wait for a more fitting opportunity to learn what had upset his chum.
Once the Uhlan captain spoke38 of the fierce fight that must have taken place at the battered39 windmill, showing that he had read all the signs aright, even to the freshly turned earth over under the willow40 tree on the bank of the little brooklet41 near by.
There was a note of pride in his raspy voice when he spoke of the apparent fact that those who had used the buttress42 of the windmill for a fort must have held out until every man of them had been slain43. In the eyes of a German such devotion to the dearly beloved Fatherland was only what might be expected.
When the captain rose from his hard seat,[25] Amos for one terrible moment feared that the catastrophe44 he had dreaded45 was about to descend46 upon them, for he heard the second man make a remark that brought things directly home.
“Do you think our brave comrades could have found and buried all those who fell here, Captain, after first accounting47 for scores of the detested48 British?” was what he said.
Even as he spoke he bent49 down and tried to see under the pile of wreckage; and certainly both boys held their breath. But Fortune was kind to them, for it happened that the sun was under a cloud, and the man’s eyes could not penetrate50 the gloom that lay around them.
“Even if they did not, what does it matter?” remarked the commander. “A soldier needs no tomb. It is enough that he has done his duty toward his country and his emperor. If there should by chance be a body uncared for it will soon be buried just the same. Come, let us be going, Lieutenant51 Krueger. The horses will be all the fresher for this short halt. Twenty[26] miles we should cover before sunset, and strike terror to thousands of French hearts with our passage through the land!”
Yes, thank fortune they were going now. The eyes of the lieutenant had been unequal to the task of seeing what lay under all that piled-up rubbish; and he did not think it worth while to thrust in with his sword. Amos was breathing freely again, though far from easy in his mind.
Now they knew the men were climbing down from the elevation52. The horses had become restive53, as though eager to be once more on the mad gallop54 to which they were so accustomed. Amos had reached out his hand and found that of his chum, to which he was clinging, squeezing Jack’s fingers convulsively as though he might be laboring55 under a tremendous strain.
“In luck again, you see, Amos,” whispered Jack, managing to get his lips close to the ear of his companion. “They’re going off in a hurry, and without finding us. Why, you’re quivering[27] like a leaf, I do believe. What ails56 you, old chap?”
“Oh! then you didn’t hear what he said, or you wouldn’t be taking it so cool,” replied Amos, in a guarded tone, and trying at the same time to control his voice, which trembled in spite of him.
“Well, I own up I did miss some of his growl57, but what of that?” confessed Jack. “Was there anything in particular he said that meant trouble for you and me?”
“Yes, yes,” answered the other, in a gasp58. “He told the lieutenant they wouldn’t want to leave such a splendid lookout to be used by the enemy, and that it must be destroyed!”
“What, this windmill, do you mean?” demanded Jack, himself thrilled by the news.
“He said they ought to leave a bomb with a short fuse behind them, and the last man away would put a match to it!” Amos volunteered.
The Western boy may have been startled by what he heard, but it was Jack’s way never to show the white feather. He even whistled softly[28] half under his breath; for the trampling59 of many hoofs down below served to make it impossible for ordinary sounds to be heard, so there seemed no possible danger of the chums being betrayed by their low conversation.
“That’s a nice outlook I must say,” chuckled60 Jack, pretending to make light of the threatening peril61. “For one, I’m not hankering to climb the golden stairs in such a hurry. I tell you what we’ve got to do, Amos.”
“Wish you would, Jack, and be quick about it,” urged the other. “There, some of them are riding off right now, and the rest will follow on their heels. Then that last man is to touch a match to the fuse and hurry away. They expect to see the mill go shooting skyward in pieces before they get far off.”
“What d’ye reckon we’ll be doing along about that time, I’d like to know?” chuckled Jack. “Let’s crawl out of this in a hurry, so as to be ready to act. Then when we glimpse that last rider whooping62 it up in a hurry you’ll see how[29] fast I’ll drop down the old ladder and jump on that burning fuse.”
“Then you don’t think we’d better run for it, Jack? You reckon they might see us and give chase? I guess you’re right about that, too. But listen, isn’t that the clatter63 of a single horse starting off with a rush?”
“Yes, there goes the man who fired the fuse; it’s time we were on the move if we want to stamp out that slow match,” and Jack as he spoke jumped for the ladder.
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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huddling
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| n. 杂乱一团, 混乱, 拥挤 v. 推挤, 乱堆, 草率了事 | |
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4
wreckage
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| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
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debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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6
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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7
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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11
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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12
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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13
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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utilize
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| vt.使用，利用 | |
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15
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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apex
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| n.顶点，最高点 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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21
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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pertinent
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| adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的 | |
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23
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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24
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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25
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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28
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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swoop
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| n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击 | |
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31
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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32
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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33
darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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34
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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35
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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36
queries
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| n.问题( query的名词复数 )；疑问；询问；问号v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的第三人称单数 )；询问 | |
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37
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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38
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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39
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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40
willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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41
brooklet
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| n. 细流, 小河 | |
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42
buttress
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| n.支撑物；v.支持 | |
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43
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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44
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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45
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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46
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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47
accounting
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| n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表 | |
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48
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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50
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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51
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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52
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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53
restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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54
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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55
laboring
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| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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56
ails
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| v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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57
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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58
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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59
trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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60
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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62
whooping
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| 发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的 | |
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63
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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