"For myself, never!" replied the giant. "But there are more lives than mine depending upon this. Therefore I say retreat."

Alexis was as good as his word. Upon their return to the main column, Alexis was called into consultation with the commanding officer. He recounted what he had learned, and urged that the retreat be begun at once.

"There are half a million men in these hills," he informed his commander, "and they are trying to draw us on. We will be allowed to go so far, and then they will close in on us. One hundred or two hundred thousand, I don't mind. We could whip them with ease; but half a million are too many for sixty thousand. If we had not outdistanced our infantry and artillery, we might do it, but without them, no."

"Still," said the commanding officer, "I have set my heart on striking one more blow at the enemy. Would you counsel against it?"

"I am always in favor of striking one more blow at the enemy," replied Alexis. "I suppose I should counsel against it, but I will not."

"Good!" exclaimed his commander. "One decisive blow to the enemy in the hills, and then we shall fall back into Galicia. Now, where are the Austrians ma.s.sed?"

"It will be extremely hazardous," said Alexis slowly, "but I guess it can be done. Fifteen miles straight along this mountain pa.s.s you come to a small plateau. I advanced that far myself. Encamped there are in the neighborhood of one hundred thousand of the enemy. By a quick and silent dash and a night attack, we may be able to deal them a crushing blow; but even so, we must fall back immediately. Even then we shall be greatly hara.s.sed by the foe."

"Well," said the commander, "we shall make the attack, come what may afterward."

Alexis saluted his commander and returned to where he had left the two lads, where he repeated his interview. Then he turned to Chester.

"It is too bad," he said, "that you will be unable to take part in the battle."

"But I shall take part in it," exclaimed the lad. "You don't think I am going to sit idle while there is fighting going on, do you?"

"I am afraid you cannot help yourself," replied Hal. "You will go with the advance, of course; but you will be kept well in the rear."

In vain did Chester protest. His commanding officer overruled all of his complaints, and at last the lad was forced to make his way to the rear of the Russian army. All that day the army rested, and it was not until the following afternoon that the signal was given for the advance, for the Russian commander had so timed his movement that he would come upon the enemy after nightfall.

It was indeed an imposing sight, these 60,000 men, able to march scarcely six abreast through the narrow mountain pa.s.s, moving hurriedly through the midst of the wild Carpathians. For miles they stretched out, but they advanced rapidly, and long before night the advance guard was within sight of the Austrian position.

This was made known to the Russian commander by his scouts; and still out of sight, the Cossacks halted.

The pa.s.s was considerably wider here, and the men spread out somewhat.

Outposts were thrown out to guard against a counter surprise attack, and the men allowed to lie down and rest.

The battle formation was preserved, however, and the men fell to sleep upon their arms, each and every one ready to spring up and dash forward at a moment's notice.

And still the Austrians were unaware of their approach.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE SURPRISE.

Stealthily the vanguard of the Cossacks crept forward afoot. They had dismounted that they might approach the enemy with less danger of being heard. Naked blades were held firmly in their hands; revolvers and hand grenades were ready. The night attack of the Cossacks was under way.

Not a shot had been fired. Silently they stole on toward the sleeping Austrian camp. Feeling perfectly secure in the mountain fastness and believing their position practically impregnable, the Austrians failed to keep vigilant watch.

Now the first line of Cossacks, at a whispered word of command, fell to the ground on their faces. A sentry walked directly toward them, but in the blackness of the night he did not make out the silent forms.

As he turned his back on them, one shadowy form rose quickly to his feet and moved swiftly forward. There was the sound of a brief struggle, a cry stifled in his throat and the Cossacks moved forward again.

A second and then a third time this operation was repeated. Three Austrian sentinels lay dead upon the ground; still the camp slept on, unsuspecting.

More swiftly now, other troops issued from the mountain pa.s.s and spread out in a great semi-circle over the plateau. For two hours this movement continued in the darkness. The first line of Cossacks stood ready to fire at the first sign of discovery, but, undiscovered, waited for the rest of the force to get in position.

A dog in the Austrian camp barked. Others took up the cry. A sentry, aware of some strange sensation, fired his rifle in the air. At the moment the last of the Cossacks issued from the mountain pa.s.s. These last troops were mounted and stood with bared lances awaiting the word to charge.

The huge Austrian camp stirred along its length, but at that instant the Cossacks sprang to action. Came quick commands from the officers, and the first line moved upon the Austrian camp at a dead run. A hail of revolver bullets sped through the canvas of the tents, striking down those who were yet asleep and reaping a toll of death among those who were dashing to arms. Then the Cossacks charged with cold steel.

In little parties, without the semblance of formation or discipline, the Austrians dashed from their tents to beat back this sudden attack. There was no time for them to fall into position. The Cossacks were upon them.

Right into the heart of the enemy's camp rushed the fearless horde in a terrible charge, cutting, slashing, hewing their way through.

The Austrians, caught unprepared, gave ground. The Cossacks followed up their first advantage closely, pressing the enemy so that they had no time to get into battle formation. A squad of Cossacks sprang toward a battery of field pieces, quickly wheeled it into position, and opened fire on the fleeing Austrians. The execution was fearful. Men went down in heaps, and those that survived fled faster than before.

The surprise was complete. A terrible confusion reigned among the enemy.

The Russians pursued them relentlessly. Here and there men threw down their arms and surrendered by the hundreds.

Other mountain batteries now had been seized by the Cossacks and turned upon the foe. For a mile the Cossacks pursued the beaten enemy; then drew off as suddenly as they had come. Prisoners were abandoned. Quickly the big guns were put out of commission, and the advance guard--now the rearguard--fell back slowly, protecting the retreat of those in front.

In almost less time than it takes to tell it, the Cossacks were again in the saddle and dashing back down the mountain pa.s.s.

The Austrians, for a moment, were unable to form in solid ranks. But, at length, under the command of their officers, they formed and gave chase.

But the Cossacks had too great a start. The losses of the Austrians had been terrible, those of the Cossacks comparatively slight. In spite of the fact that they had been in the midst of the fighting, Hal and Alexis had escaped without injury.

Now the Austrian cavalry, having had time to form, scattered on each side of the pa.s.s and rode after the Cossacks. They came up with the rear guard, and from the sides poured in bullets, until they were forced to draw rein because of the treacherous nature of the ground on either hand. It was here that the Cossacks sustained their heaviest losses.

But the raid had been a success; there could be no doubt about that.

The Russian commander was elated as, in the midst of his men, he ordered the retreat; but as the retreat continued, it became more hazardous.

Even as Alexis had predicted, the mountains swarmed with the enemy, who rained bullets upon the Russian columns from every hand.

In spite of this, however, by noon of the following day the Cossacks had reached the spot from which they had started the day before; and here a halt was called. Videttes were placed and the troops settled down for a brief rest. While they made a good mark for the guerillas, they nevertheless were in too great force to permit of an attack in force.

Night fell, and once more the troops sprang to the saddle and continued their retreat. Morning found the vanguard well out of the mountains on the plains of Galicia, and soon the last of the rear guard had issued from the pa.s.s. Then the mighty columns spread out. There was no pursuit, and the commander ordered the retreat conducted more slowly.

Two days later the columns of raiding Cossacks rode in among the Russian troop besieging the Galician city of Cracow. Here the commander decided to remain until he should receive instructions from the Grand Duke. He dispatched Chester, who had now recovered sufficiently from his wounds as to be feeling perfectly fit, Hal and Alexis to carry word of the expedition to the Grand Duke. So the three friends again set out upon a journey.

They traveled without haste and without incident and at length found themselves once more in Lodz. Here all three reported to the Russian commander-in-chief. After receiving his congratulations, and while they yet stood in his presence, there came a terrible roar from outside the tent.

The Grand Duke listened intently. Thousands upon thousands of voices rose on the air. They were cheering. Thousands upon thousands of voices took up the cry:

"G.o.d save the Czar!"

The Grand Duke advanced rapidly toward the entrance to his tent. The two lads and the giant Cossack made as if to depart; but the Grand Duke, with a movement of his hand, signified for them to stay and so they remained.

The sound of cheering drew nearer. The Grand Duke left the tent, and through the door the lads could see him standing with bared head. Came the sound of galloping hoofs, and a cavalry troop drew up at the Grand Duke's tent. The latter stepped forward, and giving his hand to a brilliantly uniformed man, a.s.sisted him to dismount. Then, bowing low, he escorted his visitor into his tent.