If so, we will knock them on the head and take their uniforms, wait until nightfall, slip through the lines, find out what we can, and go back and tell the Emperor.

It is very simple." "Quite so," laughed the young officer; "if we can catch two Russians, if their uniforms will fit us, if we can get through, if we can find out, if we can get back.

Do you speak Russian, Bal-Arret ?" "Not a word." "Prussian ?" "Enough to pass myself through I guess, and----" "Hush," said the young man, as three Russians suddenly appeared out of a little ravine on the edge of the wood.
They had come on a foraging expedition, and had been successful, apparently, for, tied to a musket and carried between two of the men was a dead pig.

How it had escaped the Cossack raiders of the day before was a mystery.

They were apparently coming farther into the forest for firewood with which to roast the animal.