Book: The Boy Allies in Great Peril

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




"I'm coming to that. Before we start, we'll draw up a couple of maps of
supposed Italian positions--which, of course, will be directly the
opposite of how things are here; we'll take down false figures of the
Italian strength and other such things. We'll tell the Austrian
commander, when we are taken before him, that we are German secret
agents, and we'll get away with it. Fortunately, I think we know the
phrase that will get us by."

"What do you mean?" asked Hal.

"Why, the one you used on Robard in Rome," said Chester. "'From the
Wilhelmstrasse.'"

"By Jove! I believe you are right," declared Hal.

"I am certain of it," replied Chester. "So, you see, we will overcome
suspicion, and will have freedom of the Austrian camp--practically. Now,
what do you think of the plan?"

"Well, it has its advantages," replied Colonel Anderson, "and if we are
careful and cautious, it may work. In lieu of a better, I guess we may as
well act upon it. Now, who is going to draw these maps? A map I would
draw wouldn't look like much."

"I guess that is up to me," said Chester. "I am rather handy with
a pencil."

He set to work and an hour later produced the result of his labors.

"Fine," said the colonel, after gazing at the maps. "And you have laid
them out, names and all. If the Austrians were to advance with the belief
that these were authentic, we'd eat 'em alive."

"I hope they do it," said Chester. "Now it's up to you to get the
other figures."

"We've prepared those," said the colonel, and produced the result of an
hour's work.

"Now we'll have to hide them, so it will look right," said Chester.

"Right; but first crumple them up and rub a little dirt on 'em," said
Hal.

This was done.

Then the three went in search of the necessary clothing. This they
obtained without much difficulty.

"Now, about the starting time?" said Chester.

"My idea," said Hal, "is that we go to the front at once, but that we do
not start toward the enemy's lines until just after the break of day."

"Why?" asked Colonel Anderson.

"For several reasons, but one will suffice. If we go at night the whole
thing is likely to go wrong, and they'll shoot us without taking any
chances. They won't see our apparently serious predicament in the
darkness."

"You are right, as usual," replied the colonel.

"Now about weapons," said Chester. "We ought to carry a couple of
guns apiece."

"And a good supply of ammunition," agreed Hal.

"We've got the guns, but not the ammunition," said Chester.

"I'll rustle that up for you in a few minutes," said the colonel.

He was as good as his word.

An hour later they set out for the front, still in uniform, for they did
not wish to don their civilian attire until it became necessary, for fear
they would arouse suspicion in the breast of the Italian officer in
command and necessitate a loss of time.

The Italian colonel in command of the outpost at the extreme northern
front listened to their plan and pronounced it a good one.

"I'll have you chased good and properly," he said, with a grin.

"Guess we had better turn in," said Colonel Anderson. "We'll leave it
to you to have us called half an hour before daybreak," he said to
the officer.

"I'll have you up if I have to pull you out by the heels myself," was
the reply.

The three friends turned in in the officer's own tent and soon were fast
asleep, their desperate mission of the morrow weighing not at all upon
their minds. They were too seasoned veterans for that.

Half an hour before daybreak they were aroused. All were perfectly
wide awake in a moment and donned their civilian clothes. Then they
left the tent and joined the Italian officer, where he awaited their
coming and explained to the officer of a squadron of cavalry what was
expected of him.

The latter nodded his understanding of the order and repeated it
to his men.

It was cool in the early morning air, close to the mountains as they
were, and the boys shivered a bit. Both were anxious for the time
for action.

A faint tinge of gray streaked the eastern sky; and gradually it
grew brighter.

"Well, guess we may as well be on our way," said the colonel. "Have you
got our horses?"

The animals were led up at a command from the Italian officer. The three
swung themselves to the saddles.

"Ready?" queried the colonel, gazing carefully around.

"All ready," came the reply.

"Good! Here we go then," and the colonel set off at a gallop, his
revolver in his hand. Hal and Chester spurred after him.




CHAPTER XXIII.

WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES.


Revolvers clasped tightly in both hands, the reins hanging loose on their
horses' necks, while they guided the animals by the pressure of the
knees, the friends dashed forward toward the Austrian lines, probably
three miles ahead.

When they had gone some two hundred yards, there came behind them, with
loud shouts, a squadron of Italian cavalry, firing as they urged their
mounts on.

A hundred yards farther on the three saw signs of excitement in the
Austrian ranks, now visible in the distance. A moment and a troop sallied
forth to protect the flight of the apparent fugitives, and to drive back
the Italians.

Hal, thinking to help the illusion along, pulled his horse up sharply,
and as the animal staggered and lost his stride, the lad tumbled off.
He was up in a moment, however, and raising his revolver, emptied it
at the Italian horsemen bearing down on him. He was careful to aim
high, however.

Chester and Colonel Anderson checked their mounts and the former leaped
to the ground and helped Hal back to his saddle. Then, with a last volley
in the direction of the Italians, they urged their horses on again.

Meanwhile they could hear the whine of the Italian bullets above their
head, some so close that Chester feared for a moment the Italian
cavalrymen had misunderstood their orders. But none touched them.

Straight toward the onrushing Austrians they spurred their horses; and
the Austrians parted to let them through. At this juncture the Italians
gave up the chase and retired; and the Austrians did not pursue them.

"Pretty narrow escape you fellows had," said the Austrian officer,
speaking in German.

"Rather," replied Hal dryly. "When my horse stumbled back there, I was
afraid it was all over."

"I thought so myself," returned the Austrian. "But what is the matter?
Who are you?"

Hal gazed about sharply, and then leaning close to the Austrian,
whispered:

"From the Wilhelmstrasse."

The Austrian never moved a muscle, but whispered back again:

"Good! Then you desire to see General Brentz?"

"At once, if you please," replied Hal.

The Austrian nodded.

Back within his own lines the officer volunteered to conduct the three to
the general himself.

"It will avoid delay," he explained.

The three friends followed him.

Before the quarters of the Austrian commander, the officer whispered to
the orderly stationed at the entrance. The latter saluted and
disappeared. He came out a moment later and motioned for all to enter.

A large man, both tall and stout, was General Brentz, and he eyed the
three with a close gaze. All gave the stiff German military salute.

"You come from--" said the general, and paused.

"The Wilhelmstrasse," said Colonel Anderson, leaning slightly forward.

"And how did you get here?"

"Well, not without some trouble," replied the colonel. "And we almost
failed. But, fortunately, we remembered that the Wilhelmstrasse never
fails, and with the aid of your cavalry, sir, we escaped. This officer,"
pointing to the man who had conducted them there, "can perhaps tell you
better than I. I was too busy with my horse."

The officer, at the general's command, gave an account of the chase.

"Very well," said the general, when he had concluded. He turned again to
Colonel Anderson. "I take it you have valuable information for me, then?"

"Yes, sir, but for you only," replied the colonel, nodding toward the
other officer.

General Brentz took the hint. He motioned the subordinate to withdraw.

Colonel Anderson leaned down and unloosened his boot. He took it off, and
drawing a knife from his pocket, slit the sole. Then he withdrew several
sheets of dirty, crumpled paper, which he extended to General Brentz. The
latter took them eagerly, and turned quickly to his desk.

For almost an hour he poured over the papers and at last a slow smile
spread itself over his face. He turned to the others.

"This," he said, "will prove the very link for which I have been wishing.
I may need more information from you, sirs."

The three friends were afraid to look at each other for fear they would
betray themselves, so all stood silent.

"I take it you know something of my position here," said General Brentz
to Colonel Anderson.

"Very little, sir," was the reply.

"I'll show you," said the general. "Draw up chairs, gentlemen; you may be
able to help me."

The three did as requested and then the Austrian commander spread a big
map on the desk.

"Here," he said, "are the positions of my troops. Now, having in mind the
lay of the enemy forces, can you not see that a feint on the enemy left
wing, followed by an attack in force on the center, is the key to the
whole situation?"

Colonel Anderson nodded his head slowly. In the meantime he was looking
carefully at the map before him, impressing it upon his memory, as were
Hal and Chester also.

The colonel put a finger on the map.

"Then the bulk of your men are massed here?" he asked, indicating
the center.

"No, that's the beauty of it," was the reply. "My strength is on my left
wing. But an attack in force in the center, after a feint with my right,
will call such Italian troops to the center that a second assault in
force on our left will be almost certain of success."

"I see," said the colonel slowly. "You are right, sir. And what is the
strength, approximately, of your left wing?"

"One hundred and fifty thousand men. Fifty to seventy-five thousand in
the center and somewhat under fifty thousand in the right wing."

"Enough to make a show of force at any given point," commented the
colonel.

"Exactly; and with these maps and plans you have brought me, there can be
no reason for failure."

"Have you ever considered, general," said Hal, "that a raid by the enemy
in force of say fifty thousand men, through your right wing, would give
them a commanding position in the mountains, a position from which they
could not be dislodged without a deal of trouble?"

"It has been one of my worries," was the quiet reply. "But, because of
the strategic position of the ground, I cannot afford to weaken my left
wing or my center to strengthen it. But if this new plan of mine goes
through, it will obviate all danger of such an attack."

"And how long would it take you to prepare for such an attack?"
asked Chester.

"I would not attempt it under three days," was the reply. "Besides,
feeling sure of success as I do, I will wait for another reason. The
Emperor of Germany will be here within the next day or two and I would
have him see my troops in action. I trust you will stay here until he
arrives. I shall take pleasure in commending you to his Majesty."

"We shall be glad to accept your hospitality until that time," said the
colonel, "if you can provide us with suitable quarters."

"It shall be done," said the general and clapped his hands.

An orderly entered and to him the general gave the necessary
instructions. As the three would have followed the orderly out, the
general stayed them.

"One moment," he said. "I had forgotten you are not in uniform and would
be annoyed without a paper giving you the freedom of our lines."

He turned and scribbled for a few moments, and gave each a paper.

"Make yourselves entirely at home," he said. "I shall always be ready to
give you an interview providing the press of other work does not
interfere."

Again the three gave the stiff German military salute and the general
rose to his feet as he returned it.

Then the three friends followed the orderly from the tent.

An hour later found them established in large and pretentious quarters--a
handsomely appointed tent not far from the first-line troops, but still
far enough back to be safe from the Italian artillery shells that ever
and anon came hurtling across the open.

"Well," said Chester, in a low voice, "we were fortunate."

"We were, indeed," returned the colonel. "I can't imagine yet what
possessed the general to let us have a look at that map."

"Nor I," said Hal.

"Well, I've got a picture of it in my mind that will keep for a week,"
said Chester. "I don't need to draw it."

"And it would be well not to," declared the colonel. "For if anything
should happen and you had such a map, you would be shot without a
moment's notice."

"There is one thing sure," said Hal. "We'll have to get out of here
before the Kaiser arrives. He'll naturally want to have a look at his
secret agents and then it would be good night."

"Rather," replied Chester dryly. "Besides, it seems to me that we know
enough right now."

"Well, we'll look about another day, anyhow," said the colonel. "We may
be able to gather a few more details."

"It won't hurt anything," said Hal. "That's sure."

"Then we'll make our dash for the Italian lines to-morrow night,"
said Chester.

"Agreed," said Colonel Anderson and Hal.

There was a call from without and a moment later a pleasant, dapper
little officer stuck his head in the tent.

"General Brentz has told me to put myself at your service," he said.
"Perhaps you would like me to conduct you through the camp?"

The three friends were glad of this chance and followed him.




CHAPTER XXIV.

UNCLE JOHN "BUTTS IN."


"Well," said Chester to the young Austrian officer, as they were
returning to their quarters an hour later, "you hold a remarkably strong
position here. And still, if you are forced to fall back, then what?"

The Austrian smiled.

"We have considered all possibilities," he replied. "Back there,"
sweeping his arm about in a comprehensive gesture, "lies Gorizia, the key
to Trieste, which naturally is the Italian goal in this section. Gorizia
is exceptionally well fortified, as you well know. We could defend
ourselves there indefinitely in the face of overwhelming numbers."

"But," interrupted Hal, "it is not necessary to capture Gorizia to
take Trieste?"

"No," said the Austrian with a smile, "but it is necessary to take
Gorizia to hold Trieste. The mountains that overhang the city are
fortified with our great guns, which could rain shells upon the city
without danger of a successful reply. The Italians know this, which is
the reason they have not struck at Trieste before. The same goes for
Trent, the other point coveted by the enemy."

The party had stopped during this discussion, but now moved on again. In
this part of the camp the tents were laid out in little streets and
avenues, and down these they walked slowly.

And suddenly the three friends were treated to a disagreeable shock.

Closely followed by a guard, Uncle John suddenly stepped from a tent and
stood directly in their path. He seemed stricken dumb with amazement for
a moment and then hurried up to them with a glad cry.

"Chester! Hal!" he exclaimed in English.

For a moment the two lads were dumbfounded. Then, realizing their
perilous situation, Hal pushed Uncle John away and frowned at him. He
whirled upon the Austrian officer.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded sternly. "I did not know you
had lunatics here."

Now Uncle John knew something of German himself, and he caught this
remark. He glared angrily at Hal and then spoke to Chester.

"What's the meaning of this, Chester?" he asked.

Chester did not reply, pretending that he did not understand English.
Uncle John grew more angry.

"You young scalawags," he shouted, "what are you trying to do? Have some
fun with me? I want to tell you this is no place nor time for fun. I want
to get out of here."

Hal and Chester each was afraid to give Uncle John a signal for fear it
might be seen and Colonel Anderson made no move to interfere. The
Austrian officer turned a suspicious gaze upon the three friends.

"Do you know this man?" he asked.

Hal shook his head.

"He evidently has mistaken us for some one else," he said. "Do you
understand what he says? It sounds like it was English he spoke."

"So it is," replied the Austrian. "He called you Hal and Chester and also
scalawags, whatever that means."

Chester shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know him," he said.

"Nor I," said Hal.

"I've never seen him before, to my knowledge," declared Colonel Anderson.

The Austrian officer glared down at Uncle John.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded in broken English. "Why do you
accost these gentlemen?"

"Why?" exclaimed Uncle John, dancing up and down in his rage, "why?
Because one of them is my nephew. What does he want to deny he
knows me for?"

"He says one of you is his nephew," said the Austrian turning to
the others.

"Well, he's wrong," declared Chester. "I'm sure none of us ever saw him
before. Let us go."

The Austrian signified his readiness and they moved off; and as they went
along Uncle John, glaring after them, shook a finger violently, and
shouted time after time:

"You young rascals. You'll be sorry for this."

He was still raging when the others disappeared from sight among
the tents.

"I wonder why?" he asked himself repeatedly, when he was back in his
prison tent. And then suddenly it dawned upon him. "What a fool I
was," he muttered. "Of course they are here to get me out of this and
I came almost spoiling the whole thing, if I have not done so. I ought
to be licked."

Meanwhile, the three friends followed the Austrian officer back to their
quarters, where he left them.

"By Jove! that was a pretty close shave," remarked Hal, after the officer
had taken his leave.

"Rather," replied Chester dryly. "You would think a man of Uncle John's
age would have more sense. I'll tell him about it good and strong when I
see him again."

"But great Scott! wasn't he mad," said Hal with a laugh. "Did you see how
he glared at us? Wonder what he thinks of us, anyhow?"

"Maybe he thinks he has made a mistake," put in the colonel.

"No, he doesn't," declared Chester. "He knows us when he sees us, all
right, and I'll bet he is doing some tall thinking about now."

"Well," said the colonel, "we have done about enough for to-day. I vote
we accept the officer's invitation to have dinner with him."

"Same here," agreed the others.

The evening and night passed quickly, as did another day, and with the
coming of darkness on the second day, the friends began to think of a
method of making their way back to their own lines.

"We'll have to make an effort to take Uncle John with us," said Chester.

"Sure," agreed Hal and the colonel, and the latter added: "I guess we
will manage it some way. Now, as to the matter of getting by the
outposts."

"I can't see as there will be any difficulty about that," said Chester.
"Fortunately we are known to most of the officers around here by sight.
They will think nothing strange of the fact that we are making a tour of
the outposts. Then, if we can manage to catch a sentinel off guard, we
can nab him and run."

"Sounds all right," remarked Hal. "We'll try it. But first we must get
Uncle John."

"Of course," said the colonel. "We'll get him, all right. In an hour,
then, we shall move."

The hour passed slowly, and it seemed to all that the time for action
would never come. But at last Colonel Anderson, after a glance at his
watch, rose to his feet.

"Let's go," he said briefly.

The others followed him from the tent and he led the way quickly to where
Uncle John was confined. In the distance they saw that a sentinel stood
on guard and that to enter by that way would arouse suspicion.

"You fellows engage the guard in conversation," said Chester, "and keep
talking to him until I rejoin you."

The others asked no questions, but signified that they understood.
Chester let them walk on ahead of him, and then made his way to the rear
of the row of tents.

He produced a knife when he stood behind Uncle John's tent and slit the
canvas silently. Inside Uncle John was reading by candle light. Chester
whistled softly, the old whistle of his boyhood days at home, which he
felt sure Uncle John would recognize.

Nor was he wrong. Uncle John looked around quickly and beheld Chester's
face peering into the tent. Chester laid a finger to his lips and Uncle
John nodded. Then Chester beckoned Uncle John to come toward him and the
latter did so. Chester enlarged the opening in the tent with his knife
and Uncle John stepped into the open.

"Follow me," whispered the lad.

Uncle John asked no questions, but obeyed. Two hundred yards from the
tent, Chester halted.

"Now you stay right here till I come back," he said.

He hastened away to join his friends, who were still talking to Uncle
John's guard.

He joined in the conversation for a moment and then announced that they
might as well turn in. They told the guard good night and walked back to
where Chester had left Uncle John. The latter greeted them with silent
joy; he realized that to make a sound might betray them, and he was tired
of standing there by himself.

Colonel Anderson motioned to the others to follow and led the way
forward.

Swiftly and silently the four shadowy forms made their way along in the
shelter of the innumerable tents; and finally they passed beyond the
farthest row and into the open. Rapidly they covered the ground toward
the outposts, and nearing them, slowed down.

Then they walked forward, talking quietly among themselves, as though
they were just out for an evening stroll. And then--

"Halt!" came a hoarse command.

The four obeyed. A soldier confronted them with levelled rifle.

"Who goes there?" he continued.

"Friends," was the reply.

The man peered at them closely, and still keeping them covered, raised
his voice for his superior. The latter came on a dead run.

He eyed the four in the darkness and then motioned the soldier to
stand back.

"It's all right," he told him.

The soldier saluted and walked away. The officer spoke to Hal.

"You are out rather late," he said.

"Right," returned the lad, "but we thought we would take a short stroll
before turning in. We had no idea we had wandered so far from camp."

"Oh, it's all right," was the reply. "Who is that with you?" peering at
Uncle John in the darkness.

"Just a friend we have made," said Chester, a slight tremor in his voice,
for he had hoped that Uncle John's presence would be overlooked.

"I don't seem to know him," said the officer, still peering intently at
Uncle John. And then suddenly he exclaimed: "The prisoner!"

He raised his voice in a cry for help; and at the same moment Hal's
revolver butt crashed down upon his head!




CHAPTER XXV.

A WILD DASH.


But the damage had been done; and in response to the single wild cry,
footsteps came hurrying toward them. Every sleepy outpost within hearing
was wide awake now; and the alarm was carried both ways down the long
battle line.

"Run!" cried Hal.

The four took to their heels and dashed ahead--in the direction that
eventually would carry them into the heart of the Italian lines, were
they fortunate enough to escape the bullets that in a moment would be
sent whizzing after them.

"If we only had horses," thought Chester as he dashed over the ground.

The same thought struck the others, but they did not pause to give
voice to it.

Fifty yards, a hundred yards they covered in the darkness before the
first shot came whining after them; but this was wide, thanks to the
blackness of the night. But now came a volley, from the Austrian troops
behind. They could not see the running figures, but the volley was
scattered and the four heard the sound of the singing bullets as they
passed over their heads.

"Down!" cried Colonel Anderson, even as a second volley rang out, and
they dropped just in time; for this second volley was aimed low, and
would have riddled the four fugitives. A third volley passed over their
prostrate forms, and then, as another did not come immediately, Colonel
Anderson gave the command: "Up and on again."

This command was obeyed to the letter and again the four fugitives dashed
over the ground without a word. Two, three, four hundred yards they
dashed at top speed and then paused for a much needed breath and to take
stock of the situation.

"Anybody hit?" asked Hal anxiously.

"No," came the reply from the other three.

"Good. Now the question is what is best to do. Undoubtedly the Austrians
will send a force of cavalry out looking for our bodies, and when they
fail to find them, they will spread out and give chase. That way they are
bound to overtake us sooner or later. Shall we bear off to the left, with
a hope of losing them, or shall we go straight ahead as fast as we can
and trust to luck?"

"I think I can answer that," said Hal, suddenly. "As we came out I
remember passing an old shack of some kind, a short distance off our
left. I vote we make for that, and if we can reach it, we will attempt to
hold it until daylight, when we can expect some assistance from the
Italians. They will come to our aid when they see us besieged by the
Austrians."

Copyright (c) 2007. knowncrafts.net. All rights reserved.