1 1 2 
THE STRAND MAGAZINE. 
had kept our four rooted to the spot. In the 
triumphant performance of one duty they 
failed to remember the duty that should have 
followed. They stood there rejoicing in their 
victory, when by all the rules of the Service 
they should have rushed back to the armoury 
for fresh weapons. 
The omission was fatal. Even as they 
stood there rejoicing in their cleverness and 
boldness, and in the helpless anger of the 
enemy, something thin and string-like spread 
itself round them— their feet caught in 
string, their fingers caught in string, string 
tweaked their ears and flattened their noses — 
string confined their elbows and confused 
their legs. The Lobster-guarded doorway 
seemed farther off — and farther, and farther 
.... They turned their heads : they were- 
following backwards and against their will a. 
retreating enemy. 
“ Oh, why didn’t we do what she said ? ” 
breathed Cathy. “ Something’s happened ! ” 
1 should think it had,” said Bernard. 
“ We’re caught — in a net.” 
They were. And a tall Infantryman of 1 
the Underiolk was towing them away from* 
Merland as swiftly and as easily as a i 
running child tows a captive air-balloon. 
CHAPTER XI. 
Those of us who have had the misfortune 
to be caught in a net in the execution of our 
military duty, and to be dragged away by 
the enemy with all the helpless buoyancy of 
* A TALL INFANTRYMAN OF THE UNDERFOLK WAS TOWING THEM AWAY FROM MERLAND A 
SWIFTLY AND AS EASILY AS A RUNNING CHILD TOWS A CAPTIVE AIR-BALLOON. 
