t he will send off
a small party of cavalry, by the Freyberg road to Budweis, to order
the authorities there to keep a sharp lookout for three men passing
north. But I doubt very much whether they will think of sending in
this direction. The escape of three Prussian officers is, after
all, no very important matter. Still, one cannot be too careful,
for possibly the commandant may send to Munich, Ratisbon, and
Vienna.

"It is more likely, however, that the search will be made
principally in and round Linz. They will feel quite sure that we
cannot possibly have obtained any disguises, and must have gone off
in our undergarments; and they will reckon that we should naturally
have hidden up in some outhouse, or country loft, until we could
find some opportunity for obtaining clothes. Most likely the barge
went on this morning, before the alarm had been given; but even if
it didn't, boatmen would not be likely to hear of the escape of
three prisoners.

"No, I think beyond Passau we shall be quite safe, as far as
pursuit goes; but it will be best to halt there only long enough to
take a good meal, and then to go on for a bit, and stop at some
quiet riverside village."

"I don't think I shall be able to go very far," Ritzer said. "These
boots are a great deal too large for me, and are chafing my feet
horribly. The road is good and level; and I was thinking, just now,
of taking them off and carrying them."

"That would be the best way, by far," Fergus said. "I should think
at Passau we are sure to find a boat going up to Ratisbon, and that
will settle the difficulty."

The distance was some thirty miles and, making one or two halts for
a rest, they reached Passau just as morning was breaking. In a
short time the little inns by the river opened their doors, and the
riverside was astir. They went into one of the inns and ate a
hearty meal, then they went down to the waterside, and found that
there were several country boats going up the river. They soon
bargained for a passage, and had just time to buy a basket of
bread, sausage, and cheese, with half a dozen bottles of wine,
before the boat started. There were no other passengers on board
and, telling the story they had agreed upon, they were soon on good
terms with the boatmen.

Including the windings of the river, it was some eighty miles to
Ratisbon. The boat was towed by two horses, and glided pleasantly
along, taking three days on the passage. They bought food at