This was our great chance.
We put our horses to their best; and when we again reached the river, Max, who was riding in advance, announced that the other cavalcade was not in sight.

If it had passed, our race was lost; if it had not, we felt that we could easily ride into Peronne ahead of Duke Charles.

At that point the roads followed the river within a stone's throw of each other for a great distance.

If the duke had not reached this point, our need for haste was greater than ever before.

We must be beyond the open stretch before the other cavalcade should come up to it.
Our poor blown horses were loath to run, but we urged them to it.