第22节
【】and,insteadofretuingtothevillage direct,theyhiditcarefullyinaashortdistanceaway. theytheuedand,ieoon,receiveddetailed instrujortee. itattershouldbekeptentirelysecret, lestanyincautiousightbeoverheardaed.theywere tostartatdaybreak,uponthefollooing.theirusinsand tioylebeingaloakenintotheirnfideheirfriends regretted,andsharetheir daheboyspoihohatevenuldtheyhave spokengerlytheyuldnothavegoneas, althoughtrangersenoattention,ever,five aintodoso. theiartedtogether,asifforawalk.upon reagthespotinthehepeasantsclotheswere hidden,theboystookofftheiruniforhwereedup, andncealedinthesapladputohes.they fittedfairly;ahanthatnecessary,aspeasants uratelytothefigure.roundingtheir shoulders,andpingsortofstride,noonewould haveigihattheyherthantheypreteobetwo aianlads. theyks,exgedaheartygoodbyehtheir friends,andstartedforsavee.tertheywerewalking initsstreets;staringintotheshopeverything thatouthedcuriosityoftwoyoung untrylads.thentheydeafeeffee,sugar, andpeppertiedthenaloredpockethandkerchief,andthen allcabaretegernsoldiers drinkingsatdoebreadandcheese andbeer. hey,theylisteheionof thesoldiers.theonlyinfortionthattheygleanedfrotwas thattheohavenoexpectation,ever,ofanyearly vent;andthattheyonotonyofthe pladthehardrollingthelineofrail andday.presentlythesoldierspaidfortheirbeer,a;and soofthetoein,andtooktheplacestheyhadleft. theirion,ofurse,tuedontheprussianoupation, anddeephecursesheapedupontheiheonlything ntioheirfavorallnessoftheiuer.there en;andthisauntlightly uponsavee,paredhthefifty,sixty,orahundred quarteredateverylittlevillagealongthelineofrailway. theboyshadnoostedtoknoaying fortheirrefreshnt,outagainintothestreet.thenthey otherailationheysawseveralsoldiers,on guardaofftoapointheyuldseethe entrahetuherethile othersatioshortdistances,allalongtheline. theboysnoselves,they uldealongnearlyeveryhalf hour;ienselylongtrains,filledhstoresofallkinds.asit becadusk,theysaargdohe line;relieviries,andplagfreshodistances oflittlerethanfiftyyardsapart.theserkwardsand foreteachother;theuing,untilthey facedtheirradeattheotherendoftheirbeat. ”anbeoffnoy,”ralphsaid,rising.”ouewsisbad, foriteaocutthelineaswehad expected.thesebeveryeasilycaughtasleep.” ”no,indeed,”percysaid.”theideaofcuttingthelinesoundedso easy,adistaitisquiteadifferent tter,noearehere.” upontheirretutheyfoundedifficultytheplacewhere theyhadhiddentheirunifaingedclothes,and thenadeupinto buheyreehevillage,andstraightto headquarters. jorteediheotherofficers,andreceived thegreatpleasure;forhehadbeenanxious,allday,lest toeat,sintosit doilitarydisciplineisfarlessstrithese tters,infrahanitisinengland;andangtherpsof franctireursespeciallyasangtheenglishvolunteers,where theprivateisinnycasesequalto,orsuperiorto,hisofficer insouchputaside, exceptonduty. ”andyousaythattheyhaveaseeveryfiftyorsixty yards,alongtheline”jorteesaid,whenralphhadgivenan ae,tobe fataltoourplans.” ”ahefirst panyasked.”itseetothatnothinguldbeeasier. suppose,thesentrieswouldbe atonadeprisoners;andevenallowingasyoung barclaysaysthattherearetroopsinallthevillages,itwould beagoodhalfhourbeforeaforce,suffittodisturbus,uld arrive.” ”thatistrueenough,”jorteeansuldwedo, inhalfanhhtpullupt realadvahelineofsentriesalong theraililes,in halfasnynutes;arainsoppedlongbefore theyarrivedatthebreak.eaarries,iknoenand terialsforrepairingtheline;andasitpossiblefor ustocarryaup,theywouldbe replaeasittookustotearthep;andthe nsequehetrafficwouldonlybesuspendedfor anhourortost.forabreaktobeofaility, ustlastfordays,ifnotforweeks. ”thegreatup,ofurse,hedestruoftherock tunnelofsavee,hespetofourpresence here.failingthat,usttryabridge.thetunnel,however,is thegreataffair.oroyed,there, fornyypropositionis,therefore,thatuour attentionatohatpoint.” thereurrofassent. ”thebestursepanytortto theotherendofthetunnel,seizeit,ainterference frohatehersthehesaveeend,and holditadeforbloup.then,when the ...