笔趣阁 - 历史小说 - The Young Franc Tireurs(英文版)在线阅读 - 第62节

第62节

    【】upontheground

    deuchreeasythanitotherwisewouldhavebeen.

    theirfootstepsffledalikebytheindiarubbersoles,andthe

    snoselves.

    theyhadseveralb,andthenoiselessindiarubber

    solesestheyuldhearthe

    sentries,beatingtheirfeetuponthegroundtothebutin

    nocase.

    atlast,afteranhourandahalfspentinpassihree

    hundredyardsfroherivertheyreached,in

    safety,theheroadheriver.here

    thesentriesdistahirtyorforty

    yardsapart.theehouses,upontheoppositesideoftheroad,

    uldbefaintlyseen;andtheboysvedalonguntiloppositean

    openi,byheyuldgetthroughtotheriver.

    lookiheheyuldchthesentriesandchoosing

    theirtipassed,sothathisbackwouldbe

    tuedtohenosoonerdisappearedinthedarkhan

    theydroppednoiselesslyintotheroad,ranacrossthestreet,

    cliedalooodinagardeno

    theriver.

    theystoodeti,toassuretheelvesthatno

    sentryhegarden;butatlasttheystoleforwards

    andstoodattheendofthegarden,htheriverattheirfeet.

    thesnotheirbackserthanever.

    theriverdeepenedrapidlyfrohetheerwaslow

    enoughforanyoogetalongontheslopingsidefacedh

    roughstohefootoftheheer.

    theboysgotoverthefrohebagand,

    holdingoneendoftherd,putitquietlyintotheer;and

    allotofloatdosixtyyards.

    ”oslipintotheer,as

    quietlyaspossible,thentyouhearasplash.iwillleave

    thisbaghere,soastoknolywhereyouhavegoneinandas

    theropeisplentylongenoughyoukeepholdofithere,atsixty

    yardsfroheduy;ahesladtothestone

    sothat,yhand,to

    beabletojoinyou.iy

    hand;hisshelvingbank,tilliarriveatthe

    duy;ahrohestonein,andrunbackatfull

    speed,aheerafeeryouare.”

    ”allright,ralph,iuand.keepyourpistolckedinyour

    hand,asyougo.”

    ralphy

    floatingattheedgeofthe.heroseon

    hisfeet,tothroation

    behindhind,lookinground,hesahint

    ofhia,aryhisrifle

    tohisshoulderforhesprangback,givingaloudshoutbut

    ralphantaneously,threwuphisrevolver,and

    firedatthesentinelsbody.

    hesafall;tuedround,hurledtheheavystonehaloud

    splashintotheer,andthencrahewallran

    atfullspeedbackagain.ashedidso,triesinthegarden

    overhisheadfired,inthedireofthesplashintheer;

    andshoutshebank.

    inanotherinstantralphgraspedtheline,andsliddohesnowy

    slopesintotheer;enteringsoquietlythatnosound,ever,

    betrayedhisentry.itosttookawayhis

    breath.tystrokes,andhejoinedpercy.

    ”allright,oldn,theytseeusnow.”

    ”youarenothit,areyou,ralph”percygasped.

    ”no,ityrevolver.ihadtoshootasentry,tosavelife.

    itsluckysureweshould

    across.”

    ”therethere”an.”iseehisheadbobbingup

    anddothegarden

    .

    theboyssondesperately,thenralphsaid:

    ”youslipthestringnohasdoswork.

    itstbequiteoutofsightfrohebank.

    ”donotyoufeelthebeoftheindiarubber”

    ”yes,”perylegsare

    inagony,froheld.theseglovesarehelpinguson,though,at

    agreatrate.”

    ”hereisoneblessing,”ralphsaid,”isstheway,

    now.”

    ashespoke,aheavyfireofsketryopenedfrohefrench,upon

    theotherside.alardatthesuddehepartofthe

    gerns,theyfiredattheflashesoftheirgunsand,fresh

    reinfortsingupoherside,aheavyexgeof

    sketryshotstookplarosstheriver;partiallyoverthe

    boysheads,butprincipallyahundredyardslo,

    inthedireyans.

    theboysshlong,steady,noiselessstrokes.

    ”ustbehalfross,”ralphsaid.

    ”iaettingdeadlyld,allover,ralph.itsink,of

    urse;butishallfreezetodeath,beforeireachtheopposite

    bank.”

    ”no,no,percy,”ralphsaid,ascheerilyasheuld;thoughhe

    felt,hielf,thattheintenseldinghis

    strength.”keepupyourheart.strikeashardasyou.there

    youexertyourself,thebetter.”

    inaeortybehind,

    andslaedhisspeed.

    ”goodbye,ralph.legsareallcraedup,andarare

    nued.itsaroke.itisallupe,”he

    said,faintly.”godblessyou.dontstope;youdono

    good,andyouronlyceistogoon.”

    ralph,hoonehanduponpercyslifebelt,andstruckout

    forshore;buthefeltthatitfulpainswere

    shootingthroughhislis,andhebreathedhebelievedtobe

    alastprayer;likethunder,afewyardsoff,

    galvanizedhintolifeagainforhesahegunboat,hey

    hadseenintheing,onlyafeant.shehadjust

    firedagun,loadedanswho

    ing

    theouponher.

    ”help”ralphshouted.”helphes

    throk”

    ”whereareyou”anse.

    ”here,closetoyou,justabreast,”ralphshouted.

    inanotherinstantaropestrue.hegraspedit,ted

    ittightlyroundpercysbodyandhisoiedaroughknoth

    hislaststrength,andthenlostnsciousness.

    sensationhatof

    intensepainsoihatitextrahi

    ”thatsright,rubaerebrandydownhis

    thro

    ...