Both he and Kenneth were deeply impressed with the enormous westward movement of troops and transport which they saw in their flight. The country beneath them seemed to be alive, like an anthill; with this difference, however, that although there were cross currents the general movement was all in one direction. Such might have been, in days long past, the migrations of the Huns or of the Kalmuck Tartars. Over the Meuse, which wound like a silver streak four thousand feet beneath them, there appeared to be a number of pontoon bridges. Every road was a continuous stream of moving objects. Far away to the right they heard at times, above the whirr and hum of the engine, the dull boom of heavy guns; and now and then patches of white and yellow appeared in the air as from nowhere, spread into fantastic shapes, and finally thinned away. They had just passed over the little town of Verviers, and were bearing away to the west-south-west, so as to pass round Forts Embourg and Boncelles, when the engine suddenly stopped. It had behaved well in their previous excursions, and had been thoroughly overhauled before they started. There was only one thing to be done: to make a vol plane and land as best they could. The aeroplane was very high, and there was plenty of room, but little choice of a landing place. Pariset worked the controls for a long spiral descent, and came down in a field between a wood and a highroad, which he believed to be the main road between Liége and Luxemburg. There was no traffic at this spot, and they at once began to examine the engine. "The plugs are choked," said Pariset after a few moments. "Luckily it’s only a five minutes’ job." "Hadn’t we better wheel the machine round the corner of the wood?" suggested Kenneth. "We don’t know but that some Germans may come up at any moment." "Come along then," said Pariset. But they had hardly moved the machine three yards when they heard the clatter of hoofs, and a patrol of Uhlans came dashing round a bend in the road. Neither hedge nor dyke bordered the field, and the Uhlans rode straight across it towards the aeroplane. "We are in for it!" said Pariset, hastily adjusting his bandage. "For goodness’ sake try to bluff it out." Kenneth went hot and cold; his brain seemed paralysed; and when the Uhlans reined up a few yards away he had cudgelled his wits in vain for something to say. A lead was given him by the lieutenant in command. "Do you want any help, Herr Captain?" he said. "I saw you come down suddenly, and guessed there was something wrong." "Thanks; it is a mere trifle," replied Kenneth somewhat breathlessly. "Two of the sparking plugs need cleaning. In five minutes we shall be up again." He bent down to assist Pariset, who had turned his back and was unscrewing the plugs. "Have you been hit?" asked the lieutenant, noticing the bandage.