Book: The Boy Allies in Great Peril

C >> Clair W. Hayes >> The Boy Allies in Great Peril




"Right," declared Chester briefly.

But, much as they would have liked it, they were not to get back within
the heart of the Italian army for many a long day; and strenuous times
were to befall them before they again saw their mothers, and Uncle John,
who was to put in many weary days searching for them.

As Hal headed the huge machine southward, a blinding glare caught his
eyes. It cut off his view entirely, and only for the lad's quick wit,
might have ended the lives of all.

But the moment the light blinded him Hal acted. He knew in an instant
from whence it came, and he swerved to the right so quickly as almost to
upset the plane; but it was in time to avoid the forward sweep of an
enemy plane.

"Wow!" cried Stubbs. "Don't throw me out!"

"Keep quiet," ordered Hal, when he had slowed down a bit, so as to ease
his dazzled eyes and gain his bearings.

"What was the matter?" demanded Chester.

"Matter?" echoed Hal. "You mean to tell me you didn't see that other
airship flash by?"

"I didn't," replied Chester.

"Well, I did," declared Hal. "We'll have to get away from here pretty
quick. There'll be more of them along in a minute."

He threw over the elevating lever and the craft soared higher into the
heavens. And again Hal turned south.

Once more he caught the flash of a hostile craft in time to avoid being
run down. Again and again it happened. And at last Hal said:

"Evidently there is no use trying to get back that way. They must be on
the lookout for us. What shall we do?"

"Whatever you say," replied Chester.

"We'll take a vote on it," Hal decided. "I'll make my suggestion first."

"All right," was the reply.

"Then I'll suggest that we head in some other direction and keep going
until we have passed out of the enemy's territory."

"Which way?" asked Colonel Anderson.

Hal considered a few minutes before replying.

"Well," he said finally, "I should say east."

"What!" exclaimed Chester. "Right into the heart of Austria?"

"And why not?" Hal wanted to know. "We'll be safer there than any place
else. Besides, if we go far enough we'll eventually land in Greece or
perhaps Servia or Montenegro. They won't be expecting a foe that far from
Italian soil. What do you say, Colonel Anderson?"

"I'm with you," was the quiet response. "I believe that is good
reasoning."

"My only objection," said Chester, "is that we must get back to Uncle
John, and then to Rome, where mother is."

"True," replied Hal. "But mother would a great deal rather have us safe
in Greece or Servia, than dead in Italy."

"Which is more good reasoning," declared Colonel Anderson.

"I guess you are right," replied Chester. "I'm with you then."

"And you, Stubbs?" questioned Hal. "You have a vote on this."

"Oh my, I don't care where you go," was the answer in a weak voice, "just
so you let me put my feet on the ground once more. I'm so sick."

"Poor fellow," said Chester, in a low voice, "he's frightened."

"What's that?" demanded Stubbs in a shrill voice.

"Frightened? Me frightened? I'll leave it to Hal there if I am
frightened. Who was it found the way to get here and help you fellows,
anyhow? Who was it, I ask you? I'll tell you who it was. It was me,
Anthony Stubbs, war correspondent of the New York _Gazette_. Yes, sir, it
was--Oh, let's go down. I'm so sick."

"Stubbs, you are all right," declared Hal, and added to the others: "What
he says is perfectly true. Had it not been for him, we would not be here
now. He conceived the plan that admitted us to the Austrian lines, and if
it were light enough you would see that it was a good plan. I'll venture
to say you would know neither one of us but for our voices," and he
explained in detail.

"By George, Mr. Stubbs, I didn't think you had it in you!" exclaimed
Chester. He stretched forth a hand. "Shake!" he said.

"Oh, please let me alone," moaned Stubbs. "I'm terribly sick. How long
before we can go down?"

"Not for some hours, I'm afraid," replied Hal. "If we were to descend now
we would fall into the hands of the Austrians."

"I don't care whose hands we fall into," mumbled Stubbs, "if we could
only fall, that's all I ask."

"He must be sick," declared Chester. "Funny it never affected me
that way."

"No, it's not," declared Stubbs, suddenly taking an interest in things.
"Nothing would affect you like it does me. Nor any of the rest of you.
You are hardened to these things. I'm a man of peace, and sympathetic,
and kind. You are a lot of hard-hearted brutes."

The other three occupants of the machine smiled to themselves. Not for
the world would they have laughed at the little man, for he was very
close to them all. And at last Hal said:

"Tell you what, Stubbs. I'll put on a little extra speed, just for your
benefit. We'll get you back on terra firma just as soon as we can."

Stubbs' only reply was another moan.

"Well, Chester," said Hal, "here we are again, flying over an enemy's
country. May we be as fortunate as we have been before."

"Which we shall be," was Chester's quiet response. "We have had our share
of bad luck in the last few days. Fortune must smile on us at last."

And Chester proved himself a true prophet; for, before another sun had
risen and set, the huge air craft had carried its four occupants safely
across the Austrian empire and beyond the Montenegrin border. And here,
among these hardy mountaineers, among the best fighters in the
world--among the people of this little Balkan kingdom--the smallest to
declare war against the Teuton oppressor--the lads were to see more of
the horrors of war--were again to play active parts in the struggle. And
also they were to see service with the heroic Servian troops, than whom
there are none braver.

But these adventures must come in their proper place; and so, for the
time, we must again take leave of these two lads and their brave
companions and friends, but only to meet them again in a succeeding
volume, entitled: "The Boy Allies in the Balkan Campaign; or The Struggle
to Save a Nation."

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