n-path that turned off to the left
of the road, which had now become absolutely impassable again on account
of innumerable transports. It was a dangerous ride, for any moment the
bicycle might smash into some unseen obstacle and topple over into the
abyss on the right, into which stones and loose earth were continually
falling as the cycle pushed them to one side.

Lieutenant Esher therefore got off his wheel and pushed it along. At the
edge of a wood he stopped for a moment to study his map by the light of
an electric pocket-lamp, when he heard a sharp call just above him. He
could not quite make it out, but gave the password, and two shots rang
out simultaneously close to him.--When Lieutenant Esher came to, he
found a Japanese army doctor bending over him.

He had an uncertain feeling of having been carried over a rocky desert,
and when he at last succeeded in collecting his thoughts, he came to the
conclusion that he must have strayed from the path and run straight into
the enemy's arms.

He tried to raise his head to see where he was, but a violent pain in
his shoulder forced him to lie still. The noises all around made it
clear to him, however, that he was among Japanese outposts. The doctor
exchanged a few words with an officer who had just come up, but they
spoke Japanese and Esher could not understand a word they said.

"Am I wounded?" he asked of the ambulance soldier beside him. The latter
pointed to the doctor, who said, "You will soon be all right again."

"Where am I wounded?"

"In the right thigh," answered the doctor, sitting down on a stone near
Esher. The doctor didn't seem to have much work to do.

The stinging pain in his right shoulder robbed Esher of his senses for a
moment, but he soon came to again and remembered his orders to
Lawrence's brigade. Thank God he had no written message on his person.
As it was, the enemy had succeeded in capturing only a broken
motor-cycle and a wounded, unimportant officer. The division staff would
soon discover by telephoning that General Lawrence had not received his
orders and then repeat the message.

Esher managed to turn his head, and watched the Japanese officer copying
an order by the light of a bicycle lamp. The order had just been
delivered by a mounted messenger, who sat immovable as a statue on his
exhausted and panting steed.

Suddenly the Japanese cavalryman seemed to grow enormous bats' wings,
which spread out until they obscured the whole s