A party which had attacked the rear of the column at the same
moment when the main body fell upon its head, had for a time obtained
possession of a wagon with spare ammunition, and had succeeded in
carrying off the greater part of it.

The leader of the party, having given orders to his men and seen that
the wounded were carried away on stretchers roughly formed of boughs,
either to their own villages, or when these were too distant, to a
collection of wood-cutters' huts in the heart of the forest, returned
and took a seat by the lads near the fire.

"We have not introduced ourselves yet," he said in Russian, laughing.
"My name is Stanislaus Chernatony."

Dick named himself and his comrades.

"Tell me now," the Pole said, "how you got here, and what are your
plans."

Dick in reply gave him a narrative of their adventures, and said that
they were making their way to the Austrian frontier.

"It would be absolutely impossible," the Pole said, "for you to
succeed in making your way in safety. Every town is full of Russian
troops, who are forever scouring the roads. It would be out of the
question for any one except a native to succeed in getting through,
and even a Pole would find difficulty, so strictly is every one
questioned. Of course their object is to prevent our bands from
increasing, and to capture any of us who may be returning to our
homes. We only manage to assemble by marching constantly in the woods
by paths known only to villagers. You would find it, too, a matter of
extreme difficulty to cross the frontier, even should you gain it, as
there is a perfect cordon of troops posted along the frontier, to
prevent any one from escaping. Once in Austria, you would be safe, but
you could not cross into Prussia, even if you succeeded in passing the
Russian troops stationed along that line; for Prussia, who is as harsh
a master to the Poles under her rule as is Russia, acts as policeman
for the latter, and turns all fugitives back who may cross the
frontier. At present I fear I can give you no assistance; but there is
a talk of a union of several of our bands further west, and in that
case you might travel with us, and we might pass you on, and see that
you had guides. For the present I can either lodge you in the village
where our wounded are now taken, and where it is not likely that the
Russians will find you, at any rate for the present; or if you like to
join us, I need not say how glad we shall be to receiv