But the Panther was watching the ammunition wagon, which was sinking deeper and deeper into the mire.

It seemed to him that it was groaning and creaking too much even for the deep mud through which it was passing.
The driver of the ammunition wagon cracked his long whip over the oxen and they tugged at the yoke.

The wheels were now down to the hub, and the wagon ceased to move.

The driver cracked his whip again and again, and the oxen threw their full weight into the effort.

The wheels slowly rose from their sticky bed, but then something cracked with a report like a pistol shot.