Maybe he fled with the automobile containing two English moving-picture operators which passed us at that moment, and from which floated back a shouted warning that the Germans were coming.

Maybe he stayed too long and was gobbled up--but I doubt it.

He had an instinct for safety.
As we went forward afoot the sound of the firing grew clearer and more distinct.

We could now hear quite plainly the grunting belch of the big pieces and, in between, the chattering voice of rapid-fire guns.

Long- extended, stammering, staccato sounds, which we took to mean rifle firing, came to our ears also.