“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.