"I agree," he said, and made his way back to Hal, where he told him of the strange request and his answer.
As the little war correspondent still struggled with his feline assailants the Germans, from their side of the woods, gradually came out from among the trees to get a closer view of the struggle. Unconsciously also the British left their shelter and crowded about to get a better view.
With his right hand Stubbs succeeded in grasping the cat that had bitten him by the back of the neck, and in spite of the animal's frantic clawing and scratching he raised it in the air and brought its head against the ground violently. The cat lay still.
But while Stubbs was thus engaged with one of the enemy, the other two were busy. Stubbs had now jumped to his feet, and one of the animals had succeeded in crawling to his shoulder, where it was making desperate efforts to reach the war correspondent's eyes with its claws. Stubbs protected his eyes with one upraised arm, and groped blindly for the cat.
At last he grasped it securely by the neck and raised it aloft; the other now was biting so fiercely at the back of his neck that he did not take time to dash the first one to the ground, but still holding it aloft with his left hand sought to pluck the other away with his right.
He was unsuccessful in this, for he could not obtain a good hold on the last cat. With a cry of rage he suddenly dashed the cat he held aloft to the ground, and then threw himself to the ground backward, pinioning the cat beneath him.
The cat screamed angrily, and succeeded in squirming from beneath Stubbs; but instead of running away it launched itself directly at Stubbs' face. Stubbs threw up his arm just in time and caught the animal by the neck. Then he walked over to a tree, the Germans allowing him to pass, and dashed the animal's head against the trunk.
The fight was over. The truce was ended.
Quickly the British and German soldiers returned to their shelter on opposite sides of the road. Five minutes passed. Then a British soldier who had exposed himself tumbled over, struck by a stray German bullet.
The battle in the dark was on again.
Chester had drawn Stubbs to shelter behind a large tree, and now, bending over the little war correspondent, sought to stop the flow of blood from his wounds. Stubbs was not seriously injured, although he had been badly scratched and bitten in the back of the neck.
"You are a fine bunch, you are!" exploded Stubbs when Chester announced that he had dressed the wounds as well as he could. "Wanted to see those cats chew me up, didn't you?"
"You are a brave man, Mr. Stubbs," replied Chester. "You have accomplished a feat you may well be proud of the rest of your life. It isn't every man who has the chance of distinguishing himself by slaying three wild cats single handed."
"Were they wild cats?" asked Stubbs in surprise.
"Well, they were cats and they certainly were wild," replied Chester."Yes, sir, you are a brave man."
"I know that," said Stubbs, "but just the same you fellows should have pitched in and helped me out."
"Had we not been struck motionless by your great display of courage, we might have done so," replied Chester, smiling to himself. "But surely you would not have had us rob you of the glory?"
"Well, no, I wouldn't have wished that," answered Stubbs. "But just the same when a man is attacked by a bunch of wild cats, the first thing he thinks of is help."
"But tell me, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester, "what were you doing in the road in the first place?"
"Why," muttered the little man, somewhat confused, "I was seeking to make out the number of the enemy so that I might tell you whether we were strong enough to defeat them."
"That's all right; I just wanted to know."
Mr. Stubbs peered out from behind the tree, and as he did so a German bullet went whizzing by. Mr. Stubbs hurriedly threw himself upon the ground.
"What's the matter?" demanded Chester, although he knew well enough.
"A slight illness," replied Mr. Stubbs. "I am somewhat faint. I fear I overexerted myself in my struggle with the wild cats."
He lay there behind the tree, stretched out at full length. Nor could he be induced to get to his feet.
Slowly the last half of a moon arose, giving a little light but making the shadows deeper.
Bullets whistled through the trees at regular intervals now, and wherever a man exposed himself the German sharpshooters ran him quickly back to cover or shot him down.
But the British, excellent marksmen that they were, in spite of their losses were having the better of the encounter. Wherever a German arm or leg was exposed, there a British bullet struck. Consequently the firing soon became desultory and then ceased altogether.
Taking advantage of this lull, Chester made a dash, and succeeded in reaching a tree behind which Hal and Captain Anderson had taken shelter.
"What are we going to do?" he demanded. "Surely we can't stay here much longer."
"Well, what shall we do?" demanded Hal. "At the first break the Germans will shoot us down."
"We must do something," replied Chester. "Wait a moment"—as Hal turned away—"I have an idea."
"What is it?" demanded Hal.
"Yes, let's have it," said Captain Anderson.
"Well, why can't a few of us—say ten men—crawl toward the rear, and, when out of sight, make a detour and catch the Germans from the rear? Those who are left here will fire only at intervals, so that when we open from the rear the enemy will believe that the major part of our men are there. Naturally they will present their strongest front there. Then you can take them by surprise from this side."
"By Jove!" ejaculated Captain Anderson. "That's not a half-bad idea."
"It's a good idea," said Hal. "It shall be acted upon at once. Now, who shall go and who shall stay here?"
"Well," said Chester, "as it was I who suggested the plan, I guess I am the one to head those who go. Detail ten men, Hal, and I'll start at once."
The men placed at his disposal Chester made ready to go; but, before he left, he called to Hal:
"By the way, when you leave here don't forget Stubbs. He's lying behind a tree over there," pointing.
"I'll get him," Hal called back, "if I have to carry him on my shoulder."
Dropping to all fours Chester and his ten men soon disappeared in the distance.
Feeling sure that he was out of sight in the thick underbrush, Chester jumped to his feet. The ten men did likewise, and turning to the left all dashed off through the brambles as fast and as quietly as possible. Among the bushes it was very dark, and for this reason the little party was unable to make much speed; but, nevertheless, they pushed on as rapidly as possible.
Finally, feeling that he had gone far enough, Chester turned once more sharply to the left, and pushed on in the way he had come.
At length they came again to the road, and, making sure that there was noGerman in sight, Chester silently led his men across the highway to theGerman side. Here they pushed straight on for a considerable distance,until the lad felt certain that they had penetrated to the rear of theGerman line. He then led his men sharply to the left again.
If his calculations were correct he must now be behind the enemy.
The little band of British crept forward silently now and more slowly. It was ticklish work, and not a soldier but recognized the fact as, very cautiously, they pressed on.
Chester halted abruptly. Directly ahead, perhaps fifty yards, he made out the form of a single figure. Silently the lad crept closer. It was as he had expected. The man was a German, and undoubtedly one of the force which had so recently attacked them.
Chester threw his men out in a thin line, the distance between each man being perhaps twenty yards.
"Fire when I give the word, and not until then," he ordered. "And make every shot count. If the enemy rushes us give way as slowly as possible; but if they try a hide-and-seek game, keep your positions behind shelter as much as you can."
The men repeated this order to show that they understood, and all crept forward. Three minutes of silent crawling and they came within full view of the German line. It was still facing the road, across which were the British. In the faint moonlight the entire force was clearly exposed to Chester's party.
When Chester believed that he had approached near enough, he raised his hand for a halt. Quickly each man concealed himself behind the largest tree he could find.
So far they had not been discovered.
Chester glanced quickly around. Everything was ready.
Drawing a bead upon the German soldier who was nearest, Chester at last gave the command his men had been eagerly awaiting:
"Fire!"
The eleven British rifles cracked out as one, and as many of the enemy toppled over, for the British, unseen, had approached so close that a miss was practically an impossibility.
Immediately confusion reigned among the enemy. Taken completely by surprise, as Chester had intended they should be, the Germans lost all signs of formation. Before they could recover their scattered wits and turn upon their new foes, or even seek new shelter, the British had poured in a second volley.
But the German officers, displaying great skill and bravery, soon had their men under control, and turned upon the little party of British in the rear.
Chester perceived what was about to happen and cried out to his men:
"They are going to rush us! Pick 'em off as they come!"
The Germans, at a command, sprang forward, and the British fired full in their faces.
The Germans reeled, and for a moment it seemed they would seek shelter once more; but they rallied and came on.
But, as they came, a volley was poured into them from the rear. Hal's men, on the opposite side of the road, had advanced quickly, and again the Germans had been surprised.
Caught thus between two fires, and unable to tell the number of their foe, the Germans were at a great disadvantage. Nevertheless, outnumbering the British as they did, they fought bravely, jumping quickly behind the nearest trees, determined to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
When Hal heard the first sounds of firing, and realized that Chester and his men had come into position and opened on the enemy, he quickly ordered his men forward. He himself stopped for a moment to seek out Stubbs, for fear that the little American might be left behind and fall into the hands of the enemy.
"Quick, Stubbs!" he cried. "Get up, man, and come on!"
Stubbs scrambled to his feet.
"Where are you going?" he demanded in some anxiety.
"After the Germans," replied Hal. "We are attacking them from two sides. Come on!"
Stubbs drew back.
"We'll all be killed!" he exclaimed.
"Never mind that," said Hal impatiently. "Are you coming with me or are you going to stay here?"
"Alone?"
"Yes, alone."
"Oh, I'll go," said Stubbs mournfully, "but I know I'll never get back toAmerica alive. TheNew York Gazetteis about to lose its best man."
Still mumbling to himself he followed Hal.
The British under Hal and Captain Anderson broke from their shelter and crossed the road to the enemy's side on a dead run, their smoking rifles dealing out death on every hand as they advanced.
When Hal's men had attacked, Chester found it unnecessary to retreat, as he had figured upon doing, and the rain of hail continued to pour upon the enemy from all sides.
The British gradually closed on the enemy, fewer now by half than they had been a few moments ago, until the circle had narrowed to within a few yards of the enemy.
In spite of the semi-darkness the aim of the British cavalrymen had been remarkable, and wherever and whenever a German showed himself, in nine cases out of ten he fell to rise no more. The losses of the British had been heavy, but not so great as those of the foe.
Now, at a command from Hal, the fire of the British ceased. Then the lad, raising his voice to its highest pitch, shouted:
"Surrender!"
"Never!" came back the reply of the German officer in command.
Hal, who had stepped slightly from the shelter of a big tree, jumped back quickly as a bullet lifted his cap from his head.
"Too bad," he said quietly. "I would have avoided further loss of life.However, if they will have it, give it to them, men."
The fight had raged, at intervals, all during the night. Now the first faint signs of dawn appeared and a little while later it became light.
From his shelter Hal took in the situation about him. Here and there dead bodies strewed the woods, Germans and British alike. Wounded men also lay upon the ground.
Hal now decided that the battle had lasted long enough. With a cry to his men he dashed suddenly forward, the troopers following close behind. Chester, at his end of the field, perceiving this movement, also led his handful of men forward.
Some fell, as they dashed into the very face of the German fire, but the bulk of the British reached their goal, where, outnumbering the Germans now, they soon disposed of them. When all were down but a mere handful, a German lieutenant, the sole surviving officer, threw down his revolver and raised his hands in token of surrender.
Hal drew a great breath of pure relief and advanced. He was within ten feet of the German officer, when the latter suddenly sprang forward. His sword again leaped forth, and he made a furious thrust at the lad.
Although surprised at this attack, Hal was not caught completely off his guard. With a single movement his own sword leaped from its scabbard and parried the thrust of the German officer.
Chester took a sudden step forward to interfere, but Hal, perceiving his friend's move out of the corner of his eye, cried out:
"Stand back, Chester. I'll dispose of this cowardly dog alone."
But the German was an accomplished swordsman, which Hal was not. True, the lad had had some experience with the sword and had already fought one successful duel; but, in spite of this, he was no match for the more experienced German officer.
The German pressed the lad hard and, secure in the knowledge that he would not be interfered with, he tried his best to run the lad through. Fortunately, however, the lad's blade met his at every thrust. Tiring of this, the German took a step backward, and, raising his sword, grasped it by the point and hurled it at Hal.
The lad escaped being impaled only by a quick spring aside. The German turned to flee, and as he did so, bumped squarely into Anthony Stubbs, who accidentally barred his path at that moment. The two collided with a crash, and were soon rolling about on the ground.
To attack the German officer had been farthest from Stubbs's mind; but the German officer, believing that the little American had barred his path purposely, struck out at him heavily. More by good fortune than anything else, Stubbs evaded the blow by rolling quickly over, and as he did so his right hand accidentally descended upon the German's face.
Stubbs was as greatly surprised as was his opponent, but the latter became furiously angry.
"Hit me, will you!" he cried.
"I didn't do it on purpose!" exclaimed Stubbs, greatly alarmed by the anger of the German.
Quickly he rolled over again, once more escaping by a hair's breadth a heavy blow of the German's fist. Then he arose quickly and started to run; but the German was close behind him.
Realizing that he could not possibly outrun his opponent, Stubbs turned suddenly and dived at the German's legs, crying out as he did so:
"Help! Help! Anthony, you will be killed."
His sudden maneuver had taken the German by surprise, and again the two rolled over and over upon the ground in a tangled heap.
In some unaccountable manner Stubbs was the first to extricate himself, and, absolutely certain that his adversary meant to kill him, he rolled over quickly and sat upon his enemy's breast.
In vain did the German attempt to shake himself free. Stubbs, still crying for help and moaning to himself, was as immovable as the Rock of Gibraltar.
Hal, Chester, Captain Anderson and the British cavalrymen had derived great amusement from this scene, and, as Hal had realized that the German, now unarmed, could not do much harm to the war correspondent, he had let the two fight it out alone.
Now that Stubbs had been returned the victor, greatly to the surprise of all, Hal advanced and induced the little American to relinquish his seat. This the latter did, though not without some trepidation—fearing that the German would attack him again as soon as he could arise—and, when he finally did get upon his feet, he put a respectable distance between himself and his late opponent.
"You fellows are bent on getting me killed," he said, turning to Chester with a frown. "You always help each other, but whenever I am in trouble you leave me to fight it out alone."
"And you always acquit yourself admirably," said Chester, forbearing to smile.
"Well, I'll admit that," returned Stubbs; "but some time I am bound to get the worst of it. Then I suppose you'll laugh."
By this time Hal had the German officer securely bound, and at his command the rest of the enemy still upon their feet also were tied up. Then, with their prisoners in the center, the British once more set out upon their march to the British lines, Stubbs trailing along behind.
Before noon they came within sight of the first British outposts, and soon had passed to safety. Here they procured horses, and made all haste back toward their own division, where they arrived several hours later.
When those of the British troop who had gone forth with the two lads returned to their own regiment, and the lads, with Captain Anderson, took their departure, they raised three lusty cheers for each of the officers in farewell.
The three, accompanied by Stubbs, immediately made their way to the headquarters of General French. Here Hal, Chester and Captain Anderson were at once admitted, but Stubbs was forced to remain without, being told that Sir John French had no time to waste upon war correspondents.
"Well, what do you think of that?" Stubbs ejaculated. "A newspaper man refused admittance! I never heard of such a thing before."
Nevertheless he was forced to cool his heels on the outside until his newly found friends should come out, and this is what he proceeded to do.
General French greeted the two lads with a smile.
"Back so soon?" he exclaimed. "I hardly expected you before to-morrow.And was your mission a success?"
"Well, General," replied Hal, "we didn't go as far as we could have gone. We were fortunate enough to come upon Captain Anderson, who had just escaped from the Germans, and knows more of the situation there than we could possibly have learned. We figured that it was not necessary to sacrifice lives foolishly."
"You did exactly right," replied General French.
He turned to Captain Anderson. "Are the Germans contemplating any new move in the north that you know of?" he asked.
"They are not, sir," was the reply. "I can say that positively. I heard plans while I was in the hospital. The German forces in the west have been drawn upon somewhat heavily to reënforce their troops in the eastern theater of war."
"Do you believe that a new offensive would drive them back?"
"That's a hard question, sir. They are strongly intrenched all along the line, and I should say that unless the offensive were to be pushed to the limit, with some object in view besides merely advancing a mile or two, it would be a needless sacrifice."
General French looked Captain Anderson full in the eye.
"That, sir," he said gravely, "is my idea exactly, which is the reason we have not assumed the offensive long before this. I have been censured for my policy more than once; but I would not sacrifice lives needlessly, and would wait until Lord Kitchener has furnished me with sufficient men before ordering a concerted advance."
Captain Anderson did not reply to this statement, for he knew that no answer was expected. He was, nevertheless, honored by the general's confidence, and pleased to know that his ideas found favor with his commander.
"You gentlemen had all better get a little rest," said General French.
He turned to his desk, littered with maps and papers, signifying that the interview was ended. The three officers drew themselves up to attention, saluted, and left the tent.
Outside they were joined by Anthony Stubbs, who poured into their ears his tale of woe at being refused admission to the general's quarters.
"And where am I to go, now?" he asked.
"Where do you want to go?" asked Hal.
"Why," was the reply, "I want to go where I can get some news for my paper. I want big news—something that the other papers will not get."
"But," said Hal, "you know that, even if you got it, you could not send it to your paper. The censor would see to that."
"Oh, I know that," replied Stubbs, "but if I can get it I'll get it out.You leave that to me."
"Well, Mr. Stubbs," said Hal, "I don't know where you can get it right now, but for to-night I ask you to share our tent. You may fare forth on your quest in the morning."
Mr. Stubbs made a profound bow.
"I thank you," he replied, "and I shall do myself that honor."
Hal turned to Captain Anderson.
"And you, too, Captain," he said, "I hope you will stay the night with us. You can look up your regiment in the morning."
Captain Anderson replied that he would be happy to accept this invitation, and the four immediately went to the quarters provided for the two lads when they had returned to the army from the air flight from Russia.
Here, tired out and almost exhausted, they turned in immediately—in spite of the fact that the sun had not yet sunk below the horizon—and soon all lay snug and comfortable in the arms of Morpheus.
The following morning Captain Anderson bade the boys good-by and set out to find his own regiment. Stubbs also said good-by, announcing that he must be moving in his search for news. He had been given credentials days before and, representing as he did one of the greatest newspapers in the world, was one of the few correspondents to have the freedom of the allied lines.
Hal and Chester idled about the greater part of the day. There had been a lull in the fighting, and, although they had reported to General French, no duties had been assigned them; but along in the afternoon they were again summoned to headquarters.
"I have here," said General French, placing a document in Hal's hand, "a communication that must be placed in the hands of General Joffre with all possible dispatch. I have selected you to deliver it. General Joffre has his headquarters near Soissons. You should have no difficulty in reaching him. Take an automobile and make haste."
The lads saluted and left the tent, actually disappointed that they had not been selected for some more strenuous work.
"Anybody could carry this," said Hal.
"There is certainly no danger," agreed Chester. "All we have to do is to stay within our own lines."
Half an hour later found them speeding southward, well in the rear of the great battle line. Hal himself was at the wheel and Chester sat in the tonneau of the machine. Through Ypres, Douai and many smaller towns the huge car sped without a stop. At Roy they halted for a fresh supply of petrol, and immediately resumed their journey.
But the lads were not entirely familiar with the lay of the land, and this fact resulted in throwing them into great danger once more.
Just south of Roy the long battle line—which had previously stretched straight southward—swerved suddenly to the east. The lads turned with it all right, but too soon. Instead of going straight south to the banks of the river Aisne, as they should have done, they turned eastward some distance north of this river, and were in trouble before they realized it.
Neither lad thought anything of the fact that they were pushing straight through the mass of French troops in this region, and it was not until they had come into an isolated region—an opening between the two great armies—that Chester surmised there was something wrong. The desolate appearance of the land spelled suspicion to him, and, leaning forward in his seat, he shouted to Hal:
"Slow down, quick!"
Hal obeyed without question and then turned to his chum to ascertain the reason for this abrupt command.
"We must have gone clear through our own lines," Chester explained. "If we hadn't, certainly there would be troops about. I believe we must be right between the two armies."
"I don't think so," replied Hal. "There are probably more French troops ahead of us."
"I am sure I'm right," persisted Chester.
"Well, it's not worth while taking a chance," said Hal. "We'll turn south here."
At a cross road he swerved toward the south again. But, although neither lad realized it then, they had penetrated right through the German lines where they had been thinnest and most greatly scattered. They were still north of the Aisne, and the main German line lay between them and the far shore, where the French were massed in strength. They could have turned west again at this point and probably have reached safety by the way they had come; but neither realized his danger, and so the big car sped south directly toward the enemy.
It was night now, and the machine was forced to travel more slowly, running along at a snail-like gait until the first signs of dawn appeared in the eastern sky. An hour later the lads made out in the distance a mass of troops. They were still too far away to make out plainly, but neither doubted that they were French.
But they were doomed to disappointment.
As the machine sped closer, Hal suddenly applied the brakes and uttered an exclamation of dismay.
"What's the matter?" demanded Chester.
"Matter!" echoed Hal. "Why, we have run right into a nest of Germans!"
It was only too true. The troops whom they were now approaching were the enemy, and both lads realized in an instant that they must be surrounded by Germans on all sides. In the darkness they had penetrated through the rear line, and now were in the very midst of their foes.
Hal thought quickly. So far they had not been perceived. Two men in civilian clothes were approaching afoot, and as they came up to them Hal crawled under the machine and began to tinker with it. The men came closer and stopped to watch.
Suddenly Hal crawled from under the car, and, as the men cried out in surprise at the sight of his British uniform, he covered both of them with a pair of revolvers.
"Silence!" he cried, "or you are dead men." He spoke to Chester over his shoulder. "We'll have to go straight though the line," he said, "and we can't do it with these uniforms. We'll have to exchange with these fellows."
In vain did their prisoners protest. Hal kept the two covered while Chester stripped himself of his own garments and climbed into those one of the prisoners passed to him. Then Chester covered the men while Hal made a change and transferred the document given him by General French to the pocket of his new coat. Then they bound and gagged the two men and tumbled them into the ditch at the side of the road.
"So far so good," said Hal. "Now, if we simply act unconcerned, we should have no difficulty in going through the lines. It's when we make a dash for the other side that the trouble is likely to come; but we must chance that."
"All right," said Chester, "let's move."
They started off slowly down the road and within the hour were in the town of Caronne, held by the Germans, but a few miles from the northern bank of the river Aisne. Here they left the machine to avoid attracting unnecessary attention.
They lost no time, and made their way through the town as swiftly as possible. They walked along boldly, and near the outskirts, coming upon a little restaurant Chester suggested a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Hal assented and they entered the door.
They took seats at an improvised counter and soon were engaged in the pleasant occupation of satisfying their appetites. A German officer, who had been eating in the rear of the restaurant, passed them on his way out, and, as he did so, he cast a quick look at Chester, and turned back toward him.
"Haven't I seen you some place before?" he asked, tapping the lad on the shoulder.
The lad turned and glanced at him sharply, and his heart leaped into his throat. He recognized the officer in a moment. He was the man with whom Hal had fought in a farmhouse near Liège in the earlier days of the war, the man who, mistaking Chester for Hal, had spared the former's life when he was sentenced to death by a band of conspirators in Louvain, and from whom the lad had escaped in time to warn the Belgian commander of the plot to deliver the town into the hands of the Germans.
"I don't seem to remember you," said Chester, replying to theGerman's question.
The officer looked at him long and searchingly. Chester returned the gaze without flinching, and finally the German, evidently satisfied that he had made a mistake, bowed and turned to leave. Chester drew a quick breath of relief as the officer stepped from the door.
"Do you know who that was," he whispered to Hal, who, although he had said no word, had been greatly surprised by the conversation between his friend and the German officer.
"No," he replied. "Who is he?"
"That," replied Chester, "is the German whom you disarmed in EdnaJohnson's home and whose life you spared."
"Is that so?"
"Yes; and it's lucky he didn't recognize us."
"I should say it is. Well, let's be moving."
The two lads left the restaurant and started on their journey again. They had not gone a block, however, when they halted at a sudden hail from behind them. Turning suddenly they saw the German officer hurrying after them.
"I can't get you off my mind," he said to Chester, as he came up. "I am positive that I have seen you some place, but for the life of me I can't tell where."
"Well, you have the advantage of me," replied the lad, his hand seeking his pocket and resting on the butt of one of his revolvers.
The two lads started to move on again, and at that moment the German explained:
"I have it! You are the lad who invaded our secret council in Louvain!"
Chester did not take the trouble to deny it, but as the German's hand went to his hip he said quietly:
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
His revolver gleamed in his hand as he spoke, and he took a step forward. The German moved back a pace, but he made no further move to draw his weapon.
"Now that you have recognized me," continued Chester, "I would advise you to come along with us. We can't afford to let you go back and set up an alarm, you know. I don't want to shoot you, for I remember that I owe my life to you. Walk on ahead of us, now!"
He emphasized this last sentence with a flourish of his revolver, and the German, realizing that a refusal to obey might possibly spell death, obeyed.
"Sorry I didn't place you at once," he exclaimed. "Then I guess we would be going the other way."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Hal broke in. "We usually go the way we want to."
Half a block farther on Hal perceived a body of German troops moving toward them.
"Step in between us," he commanded the prisoner.
The latter obeyed without remonstrance.
"One false move and you are a dead man, no matter what happens to us," said Chester quietly.
The prisoner recognized by the lad's tone that he was in earnest, and he would have passed right on, but an officer with the approaching troop walked directly up to him and saluted.
At the same moment he felt the pressure of Chester's automatic, which the lad gripped inside his pocket, against his back.
The prisoner was in a quandary. To raise a cry of warning, he felt sure, would mean his instant death; and yet, should he remain silent if he was asked any questions concerning his companions he might also get into trouble.
"Good evening, Captain," said the officer who had accosted him. "Are you going far?"
The pressure of the revolver against the German's back increased, and he replied:
"I am accompanying my friends to the bank of the Aisne. They wish to have a look at the enemy on the opposite shore."
"You might invite them to go with us when we cross the next time," was the laughing rejoinder. "When we cross again we shall stay."
The prisoner also forced a laugh.
"I am likely to go across sooner than I expect," he said.
"What do you mean?" demanded the other. "Are you going on a scout?"
"Well, you might call it that. Anyway, I am going across."
Both lads were forced to smile to themselves at this. In their minds there was no doubt that the prisoner was going across the Aisne at once.
"Well, I wish you luck," said the second German officer, as he continued on his way.
"Thanks," replied the prisoner briefly.
The lads, with the man still between them, started on again.
After some walking they made out in the distance a stream of water.
It was the Aisne, and the lads, realizing that upon the opposite side lay safety, increased their pace.
Some distance back, on both sides of the stream, the opposing armies were drawn up in force. Occasional raids had been made by first one side and then the other, but there had been no real change in the situation for days. Now the French, by a bold assault or a night attack, would gain a foothold upon the German side, only to be driven back again; and now the Germans would gain a foothold on the French ground by a bold attack, but would also be forced to retire. This give-and-take game had continued for weeks.
Feeling secure in the company of their prisoner the lads did not hesitate, but marched straight through the German line to the very edge of the river. The German officer spoke to several others, as they made their way along, but Chester kept his revolver pressed against him, and he did not once offer to raise an alarm.
The three descended the sharp incline to the water's edge. There they were fortunate enough to find a small motor boat, apparently having suffered much usage by the Germans in their travels forward and backward across the river. Into this they forced their prisoner to climb, and then quickly jumped in after him.
"Head down the river, Chester," ordered Hal. "If we put off straight for the opposite shore they are likely to suspect something and open fire on us."
Chester, at the wheel, guided the boat down the stream, keeping close to the German shore.
But this plan also was fraught with danger, for a French sentry on the opposite side, espying the boat, opened upon it with his rifle.
The first shot attracted others to the scene, and several more rifles were brought into action. The Germans, seeing the boat with a German officer and apparently two friends in it, immediately opened upon the French. The latter turned from the boat and opened upon these new foes.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Hal. "This is more than I bargained for. We'll have to get out of here, or we shall wind up at the bottom of the river."
Seeing that the French and Germans were too busy with each other to pay much attention to the little boat, Chester steered quickly to the center of the river. There, as the bullets sped overhead, he felt safer.
Turning to view the scene, Hal for a moment relaxed his vigilance over the prisoner, and in that moment the latter sprang upon him. He launched himself in a desperate spring, and Hal, taken unprepared, was borne back to the bottom of the boat, almost being hurled overboard.
Chester immediately released his hold upon the wheel and sprang to Hal's assistance.
The boat, now with no guiding hand upon the wheel, staggered crazily about, heading first in one direction and then in the other, as the struggling figures gave it impetus, first toward one shore and then toward the other.
As the boat heeled over, Chester hurled himself upon the German, who had succeeded in clutching Hal by the throat and was slowly strangling him. He seized the German by both shoulders, and, putting his knee in his back, pulled with all his strength.
The pain was unbearable, and the man was forced to loosen his grip on Hal's throat. But so fierce had been the pressure of his fingers, that for a moment Hal was unable to go to Chester's assistance, and lay panting and gasping for air.
The German, who was much larger and more powerfully built than Chester, turned upon his second opponent. By a quick shift of position, he grasped the lad's throat with his left hand and with his right aimed a hard blow at his face. This the lad struck up with his left arm, and before the German could repeat the blow, let drive with his right.
There was a loud smack, as his right first crashed into his opponent's face, and a stream of blood poured from the German's nose. Hal now had regained his wind, and jumped to aid his chum.
All this time the battle between the two skirmish lines of the armies continued. Both sides had perceived the struggle in the boat, but both were fearful to fire for fear of wounding friend as well as foe—for the very fact of the struggle proved that there were men of both armies in the boat. Gradually the fire of both sides slackened, as the troops peered intently toward the fighting figures in midstream.
The lads' prisoner, raising his left arm to ward off a blow delivered by Chester, accidentally caught the lad under the chin with his fist. The blow was a hard one, and, before the lad could recover his balance, the prisoner had delivered another resounding smack, which caused Chester to stagger back.
At that moment Hal leaped upon the German from behind. His right fist struck the man a stunning blow on the back of the neck. The German wheeled and clinched with his opponent, and for a moment they stood, arms locked about each other, swaying upright in the boat.
Then Hal, putting forth every ounce of his strength, succeeded in breaking his opponent's hold, and gave him a violent push. The German staggered and tottered; but, in the very act of falling overboard, his outstretched hand grasped Hal by the collar and both tumbled into the river together.
Chester scrambled to his feet as the two pitched into the river. As they went over the side, violently tipping the boat, it suddenly turned turtle. Chester went flying through the air and disappeared beneath the water with a loud splash.
Still locked in each other's embrace Hal and his opponent rose to the surface. Both had one arm free and struck out blindly at the other's face. Hal landed two short-arm blows, and the German sent one home. Neither had an advantage, however, and they sank again.
At almost the same instant Chester's head appeared above the water. He cast a quick look around, but could see no sign of the other two occupants of the boat. Treading water, he remained close to the spot where the water bubbled up. Two or three seconds later the heads of the struggling pair again appeared above the water.
Chester acted promptly. Swimming rapidly up to them, he raised his right arm and sent his fist crashing full into the German's face. The latter's already white countenance turned whiter, and gradually his hold on Hal relaxed. With a quick movement Hal freed himself, and the German sank from sight.
Without waiting to see whether he would come up again both lads struck out for the opposite shore.
But they were too late.
When the little motorboat had capsized, four French soldiers had run down to the bank and thrown themselves into the stream. Almost at the same time a squad of perhaps a dozen Germans had performed the same maneuver. Now, from both sides of the river, men were closing in upon the almost exhausted lads.
But the Germans were the best swimmers and overtook them first. One grasped Hal by the arm and another seized Chester. In vain did the lads try to shake off these opponents, striking out blindly at them, and calling to the French to hurry to their assistance.
In spite of the superior numbers of the enemy the French swam rapidly toward them. The first to arrive struck the man that grasped Hal a stunning blow. Immediately the lad felt his arm freed, but it was immediately grasped again by a second German, who held on while his comrades swam on to drive back the French.
Knives were drawn and the battle in the water continued with desperation. The four Frenchmen gave a good account of themselves, and two German soldiers disappeared beneath the water to come to the surface no more.
But the weight of numbers told at last; and, when two of the French had been severely wounded, the other two, realizing the futility of further fighting in the face of overwhelming odds, drew off, and, supporting their wounded companions, returned to the far shore.
Hal and Chester had put forth their best efforts to free themselves from the hands of their captors, but in spite of their frantic struggles, they were overpowered and were soon dragged back to the bank on the German side.
A German trooper had dived beneath the water and succeeded in grasping the collar of the boys' late prisoner and dragging him to shore, where several men were now at work trying to restore him to consciousness.
The men who had captured the boys stopped to watch this operation. Soon the German began to gasp for breath, and ten minutes later he was able to sit up and look about. His gaze rested on the two lads.
He was a pitiful-looking object, but in spite of this the lads were forced to smile as he glanced at them. The man arose and approached them, leaning heavily upon the arm of a brother officer.
"So you didn't get away after all?" he said.
"No," said Hal quietly, "we are still here."
"And here you'll stay, if I have anything to do with it," was the response. "You are tough customers, and no mistake, but I guess there are enough here to keep you quiet now."
The German officer turned to his fellow-officer.
"I'll take charge of them," he said quietly. "Give me a couple of dry guns; mine are no good."
The other did as requested, and, pointing his two weapons at the lads, the German ordered:
"March!"
Chilled to the bone by their cold swim the boys marched along with chattering teeth. Their clothes froze to them until they were stiff, and the lads moved with difficulty.
"Where are you taking us?" asked Hal, shaking with cold.
"To my quarters right now," was the reply, "where I shall let you warm up a bit before taking you before General Steinbach."
It was a long walk to the quarters of Captain Eberhardt, for as such the captain later gave his name, and when they reached there both lads were blue with cold.
Captain Eberhardt's condition was just as bad, and once inside the hut all three shed their frozen garments and drew close to the fire. Here they thawed out quickly, and the German officer motioned them to seats.
"You are both brave lads, as I learned a long time ago," he said, "and it pains me that I must turn you over to my commanding officer. I bear you no grudge for anything you have done against me, and if I could do otherwise I would. But my duty is clear. The necessity of war demands that you be tried by court-martial."
"Tried by court-martial!" exclaimed Chester. "What for?"
"You were found within our lines in civilian clothes. Had you been in uniform you would have been treated as prisoners of war. As it is—"
The captain broke off and shrugged his shoulders expressively.
"True," said Hal quietly. "I forgot."
"So we are to be shot as spies, eh?" said Chester.
"I am sorry," replied Captain Eberhardt. "I will speak a word for you, but I doubt if it will do any good."
"Thanks," said Hal.
They sat about the little fire for several hours, when the German officer, arising, said:
"Well, whenever you are ready I shall conduct you before GeneralSteinbach."
"We are ready any time," replied Chester.
The lads followed the captain from the tent, and at last stood before the German commander. Here Captain Eberhardt briefly explained the details of the capture.
"And you say they were in civilian attire?" asked the general.
"Yes, sir."
"Then they shall be given a trial, but unless they can show good reason for their actions they will be shot."
"But, General," said the captain, "I have told you that they wore civilian attire simply to get through our lines. I can vouch for the fact that they are not spies."
"You can make your statement before the trial board, sir," replied the commander briefly. "I may as well say, however, that I do not believe you will be able to do them much good. You know our rules are ironclad."
The lads returned to Captain Eberhardt's tent, the general ordering him to guard them until they should appear for trial early the following morning.
"I am afraid I cannot be of much help to you," said the captain. "I am sorry."
"Never mind," replied Hal. "We are grateful for what you have done for us. Of course we know that you are governed by a sense of duty in capturing us, and we would have been forced to do the same had we been in your position."
"I am glad to have you say that. However, I shall do what I can for you."
An hour later all turned in and soon were fast asleep.
Hal had been asleep for perhaps three hours when he was suddenly awakened. Glancing up quickly he was surprised to see Chester standing over the sleeping figure of Captain Eberhardt. His arms were free and he had untied his legs.
Just before the three had turned in Captain Eberhardt, with an apology for the necessity of his actions, had bound them. Chester, after sleeping for perhaps an hour, had roused up, and, by holding his hands over the blaze, had loosened the knot that bound them. Then quickly untying his feet, he had relieved the German officer of his weapons, and in turn had bound and gagged him. He was just approaching Hal when the latter awoke and saw him.
To untie his chum was the work of a moment. Then the boys, in low tones, talked over what was best to be done.
"There is no use staying here," said Hal. "Every moment brings us that much nearer death."
"Right," agreed Chester. "Therefore, to my way of thinking, the sooner we make a start the better."
Without further delay the lads stepped cautiously from the hut. Keeping out of the glare of the small fires on the outside they stole away in the darkness.
At the far end of the camp, toward the river, they came upon a troop of horses picketed. Silently Hal crept forward, and with his penknife slashed the ropes with which two of the horses were tied. Leading the animals quietly some distance away, he gave the bridle of one to Chester.
Quickly both lads leaped to the saddles.
Chester now passed one of the weapons he had taken from Captain Eberhardt to Hal, and, grasping a bridle in one hand and a revolver in the other, the lads urged their mounts silently forward.
They passed close to several bodies of moving troops, but were not challenged.
Hal rode his horse close alongside of Chester.
"We had better bear off to the east or west," he said. "We may not have so much difficulty in getting across the river there."
"Right," Chester agreed. "They will probably be keeping a careful watch along here, as the result of to-day's doings."
The lads turned their horses' heads to the right, and headed in a direction that eventually would bear them to Coucy, on the French side of the Aisne, should they be able to get through the German line.
Consequently they did not approach the river bank for upward of two hours.
Perhaps a mile from the river the lads came upon thousands of sleeping men, housed in little tents. Here and there sentries flitted about in the dark and campfires blazed merrily.
Keeping their horses well out of the glare of the fires, and going very slowly, so as to make no sound, they drew nearer and nearer to the river. The Germans were some distance back from the water's edge, to escape the danger of being bombarded by the heavy guns of the French during the night, and consequently there was quite an open space between the river and the most advanced German outpost.
Their horses made no sound, and they crept between the sleeping thousands, evading, by careful vigilance, the eyes of the enemy's sentries.
At last they were beyond the German line. Urging their mounts on with low words, they at length reached the edge of the little stream.
Without a moment's hesitation they forced the animals into the icy water, and the big German chargers, after shivering once or twice, struck out for the opposite shore.
The water was bitterly cold, and the lads drew themselves out as much as possible, holding their arms aloft, weapons in hand, that they might keep the revolvers dry.
There was no sound from the German side of the river until they were in midstream. Then one German sentry, chancing to cast his eye over the distant water, made out the two forms in the moonlight.
Instantly he brought his rifle to his shoulder and fired.
But the distance was too great for accurate shooting and he missed. At the sound of the shot the lads urged their horses to even greater efforts, and soon were upon the opposite shore, in comparative safety.
"Well, we are over here at last," said Chester gleefully, in spite of the fact that he was shaking with the cold.
"Right," said Hal; "and the thing to do now is to find a fire before we freeze to death."
They rode forward.
Suddenly in the moonlight a squad of armed men sprang up before them as though by magic.
"Halt!" rang out a command.
The lads drew up their horses and raised their hands above their heads.
"Who are you?" came a voice.
"British officers," replied Hal, "on our way to Soissons with a dispatch for General Joffre."
"Advance!" came the command, and the two lads obeyed.
An officer approached and looked at them closely. At sight of their civilian clothes he stepped back.
"How do I know you are British officers?" he asked.
"Because I say so," replied Hal angrily. "Take us to your commanding officer at once. We have just come across the river. Do you want us to freeze to death here in the cold?"
"But he was not to be disturbed," replied the officer hesitatingly.
"Well, you lead us to his tent and we'll do the disturbing," said Chester gruffly. "Hurry up, man."
Without further words the young officer motioned for the lads to follow him, and, dismounting, they did so. At the entrance of a rather large tent the officer halted.
"I don't like to disturb him," he said, "but—"
"We might possibly be German spies," said Chester, "so you had better arouse him at once—unless you want to take the responsibility upon yourself and find us quarters for the night."
"Oh, I couldn't do that," was the quick reply.
"Well, then, get your commanding officer out here immediately," ordered Hal. "We are officers of General French's staff, and we are entitled to some consideration, if we have to fight for it."
The French officer finally entered the tent, and returned a few moments later followed by the officer in command of the outpost. To him the lads explained the mission and recent difficulties, and the officer soon had them fixed up with comfortable quarters, where, safe once more and perfectly easy in their minds, they turned in for the night, and soon were sleeping the sleep of the exhausted.
On the opposite shore the German camp was in confusion. The escape of the prisoners had been discovered, and Captain Eberhardt, held responsible for his prisoners' disappearance, was under arrest.
"You say Captain Eberhardt is to be shot? What for?" demanded Hal.
"For allowing his prisoners to escape," was the reply of the German soldier, captured the following morning by a squad of French troopers, who had picked him up on their side of the river, where he had been on scout duty.
The conversation was taking place in the tent of the French officer in charge of the outpost. Questioned upon various topics the German had volunteered the information that Captain Eberhardt, from whom Hal and Chester had escaped the night before, was to be put to death.
"Tell us more about it," said Chester.
"Well, there isn't much to tell," said the soldier. "During the night a shot gave notice of the escape of two prisoners. General Steinbach, suspecting the cause of the shot, went himself to Captain Eberhardt's tent. There he found the captain bound and gagged. He immediately ordered him put under arrest, and commanded that he be executed at noon to-day for allowing the prisoners to get away. That is all there is about it."
Chester quickly drew his watch from his pocket and glanced at it.
"Nine o'clock," he said; "plenty of time."
"Plenty of time for what?" asked Hal in surprise.
"Why, plenty of time to save Captain Eberhardt."
"What have you got on your mind now?" demanded Hal, grasping his friend by the arm. "How do you figure you are going to save him?"
"Go back across the river," said Chester briefly.
"Go back!"
"Exactly. Didn't Captain Eberhardt put himself out attempting to save us?He interceded for us, didn't he?"
"Yes, but—"
"Well, then, it is our fault that he is to be executed."
"I know all that," said Hal; "but, if we go back to intercede for him, we shall probably be shot in his stead."
"That's a chance we must take," said Chester briefly.
"Well," said Hal slowly, after some hesitation, "I don't know but you are right."
"Of course I'm right," declared Chester. "We can't stand by and have a man shot because of us."
He turned to the French officer, who stood by with wide-open mouth while this conversation progressed.
"Can you furnish us with a couple of French uniforms?" he asked.
"Why, yes," was the reply, "but I—"
"Never mind the rest of it," Chester broke in, "we haven't much time."
The officer said no more, but quickly left the tent, returning in a few moments with two uniforms, which he gave the lads.
"What's the object in changing clothes?" asked Hal.
"It may help a bit," replied Chester. "If we went back in civilian attire we would undoubtedly be shot."
"I don't see that changing now will help matters," said Hal.
"Well, I hardly think so, either; but it may."
Attired in the uniforms of French lieutenants, the boys were at last ready to go; but, before leaving, Hal drew the dispatch he carried and put it into the hands of the French officer, saying:
"Will you have this forwarded to General Joffre at once?"
"It shall be done," was the reply. "I shall attend to it immediately."
"I guess that's all, then," said Chester. "Good-by."
The French officer shook hands with them warmly.
"You are brave," he said simply, as the lads left him.
On the river they found a small rowboat. Into this they climbed hurriedly and set out for the opposite shore. Halfway across a bullet from the rifle of a German sentry greeted them. Chester immediately dropped his oars, and, standing erect in the boat, waved his handkerchief.
There was no further shooting.
On the opposite side of the river a squad of German troops, commanded by a sergeant, awaited them when they landed. Chester approached the sergeant, and said:
"Take us to General Steinbach at once."
"What for?" inquired the sergeant.
"That," said Hal quietly, "is none of your business."
"Is that so?" blustered the sergeant. "If you get too gay, I shall have you clapped in irons and kept right here."
"I'll guarantee that you shall lose your stripes if you do," returned Chester.
The German sergeant looked at him long and searchingly. Something in the lad's face must have impressed him, for he said gruffly:
"I'll take you to the general, but I warn you that your business with him must be urgent."
"It is," replied Chester, and once more he glanced at his watch.
It was now after eleven o'clock.
"Great Scott!" cried Chester, "if we don't hurry we are likely to be too late!"
Realizing that the lads—for some reason unknown to him—were in great haste, the sergeant, in spite of his recent gruffness, hurried them along.
It was a considerable distance to the German commander's headquarters, and Chester became nervous as the minutes flew by. Half past eleven came, and a quarter to twelve, and at last they came in sight of General Steinbach's tent.
They approached rapidly, and the sergeant inquired for the general.
"He has gone to witness the execution," was the reply.
"Where is the execution to take place?" asked Chester, stepping forward.
The German soldier pointed over his shoulder.
"Nice place for an execution back there," he said. "Plenty of trees, so the sun won't interfere with the aim of the executioners. I am waiting now to hear the pop of the rifles."
Chester darted hurriedly forward.
"Come on!" he cried to Hal.
Hal dashed after his friend. Neither heeded the frantic cries of the sergeant, who called on them to halt.
It was now four minutes to twelve, but in less than that time the lads, Chester in the lead, came upon the scene of the execution. Their eyes took in the situation at one brief glance, and Chester hurled himself forward.
Standing firmly erect, with his face to the west, was Captain Eberhardt. Facing him, with grounded rifles, were six soldiers. These made up the firing squad who were to snuff out the life of the German captain.
Right between these men and their victim Chester and Hal dashed.
There came a startled cry as the Germans made out the French uniforms in which the lads were dressed, and an exclamation of alarm broke out.
"The French!" came the cry.
The Germans turned quickly in the direction from which the lads had come, evidently expecting to see more of the enemy. Then General Steinbach, realizing that he only had two of the enemy to dispose of, raised a hand and commanded:
"Shoot them!"
The rifles of the Germans came to their shoulders, but before they could fire Chester stepped quickly toward the general and raised his hand.