"
"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.
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