Book: The boy Allies at Liege

C >> Clair W. Hayes >> The boy Allies at Liege




As they did so, they heard the door to the closet through which they had
recently passed open again, and a voice exclaim:

"I know these high and mighty Belgian gentlemen too well. There is always
wine in the cellar. Come, Franz, we shall explore."

Heavy footsteps descended the stairs, and two German officers hove in
sight. The boys, in the dimness of the cellar, were not seen.

"Quick!" whispered Chester, "into the passageway."

As Hal followed Chester into the darkness of the passageway, he tripped
over some obstacle in the dark, which gave forth the sound of tinkling
glass. The boys stopped stock still.

"What was that?" demanded one of the officers.

"I didn't hear anything," was the reply.

"I thought I heard something moving in the cellar."

"Probably a rat. Here is what we came after. Let's go back upstairs."

The boys heard the sound of retreating footsteps, and presently the door
above slammed once more.

Hal and Chester breathed easier.

"Pretty close," remarked Chester, in a low tone.

"You bet it was close," was the reply. "For a minute I thought it
was all off."

"Well, I guess we are safe enough now."

"Yes, I guess so. But we must wait here until the Germans have left
the house."

"I suppose they will go as soon as they have finished their breakfast."

"I hope so; we haven't any time to waste."

The boys sat down and waited.

What seemed like hours later, the door to the closet above again opened,
and the voice of the girl floated down the stairway.

"It's all right, now," she exclaimed. "They have gone. You can come up."




CHAPTER XV.

THE FIGHT IN THE FARMHOUSE.


The boys ascended the stairs and followed the girl back into the
dining-room.

"Well," said Chester, after the three had talked for some minutes. "I
guess we had better be moving. We have wasted too much time already."

They turned toward the door, and, as they did so, Hal uttered a low
exclamation.

"Look!" he whispered.

Turning to where Hal pointed, Chester and Edna beheld a face pressed
against the window pane.

"It is one of the German officers!" cried the girl. "He has returned for
something."

It was apparent that the officer had seen the two boys. He turned from
the window, and the lads saw him making violent gestures to someone in
the distance. A moment later two soldiers joined him, and the trio turned
toward the door.

There came a loud knock, followed by the sound of footsteps in the hall,
as one of the servants went to open the door.

"Do not open the door, Bento!" called the girl.

The footsteps halted.

"Open that door at once!" came a voice of command from outside.

Again came the sound of footsteps, as the servant, evidently frightened,
moved toward the door.

"Bento! Do as I command you! Do not open the door!" cried the girl again,
and the servant stopped.

"Break down the door!" came the command from outside.

"What shall we do?" cried the girl, clasping her hands nervously.

"Fight!" was Hal's brief reply.

His eyes roved about the room. His gaze fell upon a pair of old dueling
swords hung upon the wall. Stepping on a chair, he took them down, and
passed one to Chester.

At that instant there came the sound of a crash, as the door gave way,
followed by a command from the officer:

"Follow me!"

Edna and the two boys retreated to the far end of the room, as the three
Germans rushed through the door.

"Surrender!" cried the officer.

"Come and take us!" replied Hal, his lips set grimly.

The officer covered the lads with his two pistols.

"Stun them with your rifle butts, my lads!" he cried to his soldiers.
"Take the spies alive!"

Reversing their weapons, the two soldiers strode forward. As one raised
his rifle preparatory to bringing it down upon his head, Chester leaped
forward between them, thinking to take the officer, who stood behind
them, unprepared, and cut him down.

But, even as he stepped forward, the officer's revolver spoke, and
Chester fell to the floor with a groan, a bullet in his chest. But, at
that instant, and before the officer could fire again, Hal, who also had
avoided the attack of the two soldiers, sprang forward and aimed a
slashing blow at the officer.

The latter warded off the blow with his arm, but one of his pistols was
sent flying from his grasp. As he raised his other revolver, his arm
was suddenly seized from behind, and Edna attempted to wrench the
revolver from him. He turned on her, and as he did so the revolver came
away in her hand.

Pointing the weapon straight at the officer, the girl pulled the trigger;
but the revolver missed fire. Stepping back, as the officer advanced, the
girl grasped the pistol by the muzzle and hurled it squarely in his face.
With blood gushing from his mouth and nose, the man fell to the floor.

In the meantime Hal had turned swiftly once more to face the second
attack of the two soldiers. As they again raised their rifles to strike
him down, he leaped between them, thrusting with his sword.

Pierced through the shoulder, one of the soldiers threw up his arm and
staggered back. In doing so he struck the arm of his companion, and the
latter's blow was deflected; and Hal was unharmed.

Turning, Hal dashed into the next room--the parlor--closely followed by
the two soldiers, the wounded man not being seriously hurt. At the same
time the German officer sat up on the floor, looked around dazedly, then
picked up one of his revolvers, drew his sword, and followed his men.

"Shoot the dog in the legs!" he commanded, and the soldiers brought their
rifles to their shoulders.

An instant before they fired Hal sprang upon the piano stool, which was
just behind him, and the bullets went low. Hal jumped to the top of the
piano, and then dropped behind it. As the soldiers again prepared to
fire, Hal put his shoulder to the piano, and sent it tumbling over, and
the bullets were imbedded in the soft wood.

Hal ducked as the officer raised his revolver and fired at him, and then,
stepping around the piano, made a sweeping slash at the officer. The
sword struck the latter on his pistol hand, and, with a groan, the
officer dropped his revolver.

Hal turned to the two soldiers, who had leaped on the overturned piano to
get at him before he stepped from behind it, and again his sword darted
out. The thrust went true, and one soldier fell to the floor, blood
streaming from a deep wound in his chest.

Before the second soldier could bring his rifle to bear, Hal ran from the
room into the hall. The soldier followed. In the hall, dimly lighted by a
single chandelier over the stairway, Hal sprang up the steps.

At the bottom of the steps the soldier stopped and took aim at the lad.
With a backward sweep of his sword, Hal knocked the chandelier crashing
to the floor, throwing the hall into inky darkness, and with a quick leap
was several steps higher up.

There came the sharp crack of a rifle, and the hall was lighted for a
second by a flash, as a bullet sped past Hal. With a light leap the lad
dropped over the railing into the hall, and, taking a step forward,
lunged swiftly in the darkness from where came the sound of a muttered
imprecation. There was a stifled groan, and the second soldier dropped to
the floor.

Hal made his way back to the parlor, where the German officer still
stood, trying to bind up his injured hand with a handkerchief. He saw Hal
approach, and raised his sword, taking a step forward. At the same
moment, Edna, who had in the meantime dragged Chester's inert body out of
harm's way, stepped into the room.

His face red with fury, the German officer took another stride forward,
and thrust. The blade passed through Hal's guard and through the side of
his open coat, grazing his body.

As the sword went through the boy's coat, it looked to Edna as though the
lad must have met his death; and she screamed. The German officer laughed
gleefully, but, even as he did so, Hal, smiling, took a step forward.

With a quick stroke, he sent the German's sword flying from his grasp,
and the officer was at his mercy.

The German's rage burst like a bubble.

"Kill me!" he said quietly to Hal.

"No," replied the lad; "I cannot kill a man in cold blood. Pick up
your sword."

The officer obeyed, and Hal placed himself on guard. But, taking the
weapon by the blade, the German extended the hilt to Hal.

"I surrender," he said.

The lad took the extended sword, and then passed it back to the officer.

"Keep your sword, sir," he said.

The German glanced at him a moment in silence; then took the sword.

"You are a generous enemy, sir," he said. "You will have no occasion to
regret your confidence in me."

"I am sure of it, sir," was the lad's answer. "You are at liberty to
leave at any time you choose."

The officer scrutinized Hal closely.

"You are a gallant lad," he said finally. "There are few men who could
have done what you have. I hope that we may meet again."

Turning, with a polite bow, first to Edna and then to Hal, he made his
way from the house and was gone.

"How is Chester?" was Hal's first question, after the German had
departed.

"He has recovered consciousness," replied the girl. "He is badly wounded,
but I believe he will be all right in a few days. Bento, who has some
knowledge of medicine, is attending him."

Hal hurried to the room upstairs where Chester had been carried. Chester,
lying in bed, greeted him with a smile.

"You certainly have all the luck!" he exclaimed. "Here I was unable to
walk while you were doing all the fighting."

"Never mind that," replied Hal. "How do you feel? Are you in pain?"

"Not much, now," was the reply. "Bento is quite a surgeon. He has
fixed me up to the queen's taste. It appears the ball glanced off my
third rib."

"But you won't be able to travel!"

"I am afraid not. I am so weak I cannot stand. But you must go on just
the same."

"What! And leave you here?"

"Of course. I shall be perfectly safe here, more so than you will be on
the road. I wish I could go with you, but I am afraid it will be a day or
two before I can walk."

"Then I shall wait for you."

"What! Then how about the letter to General Givet, at Louvain?"

"It will have to wait."

Chester raised himself feebly on one elbow and looked at Hal in surprise.

"A fellow like you to say a thing like that?" he exclaimed. "That letter
must be delivered at once. You and I are of secondary importance. If you
had been wounded instead of me I should have gone on without you, much as
I should have hated to do so. The letter must be delivered immediately."

"You are right, as usual," replied Hal, after a pause. "The letter must
come first. But I hate to leave you here alone."

"Alone?" exclaimed Edna, who up to this time had remained silent. "Do not
I count for something?"

"I beg your pardon," said Hal. "I spoke thoughtlessly. I am sure he will
receive the best of attention at your hands."

"There is no question about that," replied Chester.

"Well, I must be going, then," said Hal. "I have delayed too long
already."

"You will stop by on your return, will you not?" asked the girl.

"Yes, if I come this way; and I see no reason why I should not."

"I shall be ready to travel when you return," said Chester.

"All right," replied Hal. "But, if I have not returned in three days, you
will know something has happened to me, and you will make your way back
to Liege alone."

Chester agreed to this, the two lads shook hands, and Hal left the house
and set out upon his journey to Louvain.




CHAPTER XVI.

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY.


Although it had been a trying morning for Hal, and he was very tired, the
lad continued on his way as swiftly as possible. From time to time, as he
hastened along, he heard the sound of distant firing, and he proceeded
with the greatest caution; but he encountered no more of the enemy.

It was late afternoon when he made out in the distance the town of
Louvain. He quickened his pace, and soon came upon the outposts.

"I have a communication for General Givet," he told the soldier who
stopped him.

The soldier lowered the weapon, with which he had barred the lad's
progress, and called a nearby officer. The latter led Hal to the
general's quarters.

Hal gave General Givet the letter, and stood at attention. The general
read in silence. Then he turned to Hal.

"All right," he said briefly, signifying that Hal might go.

"But, general," said the lad, "I was ordered to bring back your answer."

The general looked at him in surprise.

"Do you mean you intend to go back to-night?" he demanded.

"I thought I would start along about midnight," replied Hal. "I would
sleep until that time."

The general was silent for some moments, musing.

"You are a brave lad," he said, at last. "I had figured on sending my
answer by another courier; but perhaps your plan is better. You may
report to me at midnight, and I shall have the answer ready."

Hal saluted and turned to leave the hut.

"Wait a minute," commanded the general. "Tell me something of yourself.
How comes it that you, an American, I take it, have been selected for
such perilous work? Why, you cannot be more than eighteen years old."

"Seventeen, general," replied Hal, with a smile; and then he told the
Belgian officer of his experiences since leaving Berlin.

The old general was amazed.

"Remarkable! remarkable!" he repeated, time after time.

Finally he called an officer, and commanded that the latter find Hal a
place to sleep.

"Remember, midnight," called the general, as Hal was leaving the hut.

Hal saluted again.

"Yes, general," he replied, and followed the young officer.

Promptly at midnight Hal, greatly refreshed by a sound sleep and hearty
meal, once more entered the general's quarters and came to attention.

"The answer you are to carry back is simply: 'I shall act upon your
plan,'" said General Givet. "Good luck to you on your journey, and I have
only one command: Make all possible haste."

Hal saluted and set out on his return, journey to Liege.

It was early morning when he came once more to the farmhouse where he had
fought so nobly the day before. His fear for Chester's safety increased
as he approached, and it was not without some misgiving that he ascended
the porch steps and knocked softly at the door.

He heard a light footstep within, the door swung open, and Edna peered
forth at him.

"What! Back so soon?" she exclaimed gladly.

"Yes, I made pretty good time. How is Chester?"

Hal's doubts were soon set at rest.

"He is much better this morning than could have been expected," replied
the girl. "He ate a hearty breakfast, and says he is feeling fine."

Hal followed her up the steps to where Chester lay, impatiently
awaiting his coming. Edna went downstairs to see about getting him
something to eat.

"Will you be able to leave to-day?" asked Hal, of Chester.

"I am ready to go right now. I am still weak, but I am sure I can make it
all right. I'm bandaged up fine."

"You are sure you are feeling fit?"

"Certainly. Besides, I don't want to be left behind again. You are having
all the fun. I want to get in on a little of it myself."

And so it was arranged that the boys should leave immediately after
luncheon. They sought long and earnestly during the morning to prevail
upon Edna to accompany them, or to make her way to Louvain; but she
declared her intention of remaining where she was.

"I am much safer here than I should be on the road," she said. "No one
will harm me. Besides, I must take care of the house."

Unable to shake her determination, the boys gave up the attempt, and for
the rest of the morning the three chatted pleasantly.

Luncheon over, the boys immediately prepared to fare forth again. Edna
accompanied them to the bottom of the steps, where they said good-by.

"Come and see me again," she urged, as they shook hands with her. "You
are always welcome here."

"We certainly shall," cried both lads together, as they started upon
their way.

Chester was still weak, but he walked along wonderfully well, considering
the nature of his wound. Still, it was plain to Hal that every step cost
him an effort, and their progress was necessarily slow.

All afternoon they plodded onward without encountering the enemy, and
soon after nightfall came upon the place where the Belgian outposts
had been stationed the night before. The signs of a struggle were
plainly evident.

"There has been a battle here," remarked Hal, after inspecting the
ground.

"There is no doubt about that," returned Chester, "and the Belgians have
been driven back. We shall have to be careful."

They were proceeding on their way more cautiously than before, when from
ahead there suddenly came the sound of trampling hoofs.

"A Belgian reconnoitering party, I guess," said Hal. "We are safe
enough now."

Presently a body of horsemen came into view. The lads continued
toward them, and the horsemen were but a few yards away, when Chester
cried suddenly:

"They're Germans!"

It was true. It was a squadron of Uhlans, returning from a reconnaissance
of the Belgian position.

It was too late for the boys to run. The cavalry was upon them. The lads
stepped to the side of the road, and continued on their way apparently
unconcerned. A German officer stopped them.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"We are American boys," replied Hal, "and are making our way to Liege."

"Well, you won't get to Liege to-night. Turn about and march the
other way."

There was nothing to do but obey. With a sinking sensation in their
hearts the lads about-faced and headed toward the great German camp. For
a long time, it seemed to them, they were marched along slowly, and
finally the first huts of the German army came into view.

"I am afraid our mission is a failure," whispered Hal, as the two lads
were led to a hut and placed under heavy guard.

"It looks that way," Chester agreed; "but we must hope for the best. It
may be lucky for us that we have no papers on us."

"What are they going to do with us?" Hal asked one of their guards.

"Shoot you in the morning, I suppose," was the answer. "Persons found
between the two armies in civilian clothes cannot hope for mercy."

"But we are not spies!" cried Chester.

"Perhaps not; but I don't believe that will make any difference."

The guard would talk no more.

"Our only chance is that they believe we were trying to get to Liege
simply to get out of the country," whispered Chester. "If they knew we
were just returning from a mission, we would be bound to die."

"Looks to me as though we were bound to die, no matter what they know,"
was the reply.

The boys got little sleep that night. They realized just how near they
were to death, and, while their courage never faltered, they nevertheless
had practically given up all hope.

At the first streak of dawn they were led to the quarters of the
division commander, and their case was disposed of with remarkable
rapidity. Their protests availed nothing, and they were sentenced to be
taken out and shot.

With a firm step the two lads walked to the place of execution,
surrounded by their guards. But the hearts of both were heavy.

"I wish I could have seen mother once more," said Hal softly.

Chester gave his chum's hand a slight squeeze.

"Well, it can't be helped now," he replied, with an attempt to appear
cheerful. "But come, brace up; if we must die, we will die bravely."

"You are right," said Hal, brushing the tears from his eyes with a
rapid movement.

With heads erect, the two lads marched on.

At that moment a group of German officers approached on horseback. They
eyed the two captives, and suddenly one left his companions and rode over
to the firing squad. The officer in command of the squad halted his men
and saluted.

"What have we here?" demanded the newcomer.

"Two spies, sir," was the reply. "They were taken between the lines, and
have been ordered shot."

"These two boys are my business," declared the mounted officer, a note of
authority in his voice. "Their execution is stayed. Take them to my
headquarters."

"But, general--" began the officer in charge of the squad.

The general raised a hand imperiously.

"There are no 'buts,'" he said. "You have heard my command. Obey it."

Hal and Chester were dumfounded. As their guards turned and marched them
in the direction of the general's quarters, Hal asked of Chester:

"Do you remember him?"

Chester nodded in the affirmative.

For the German officer who had thus saved them from death before a firing
squad was none other than the officer whom they had encountered in the
station at Berlin, the man who had threatened to have Hal whipped for
accidentally bumping into him, and had pushed him from the train.




CHAPTER XVII.

A FRIEND IN NEED.


"What do you suppose is going to happen now?" asked Chester breathlessly.

"It's too deep for me," replied Hal. "I can't imagine what he
wants with us."

"But who is he? That's what I would like to know," demanded Chester.

"I haven't the faintest idea, but he must be someone of importance."

"Oh, he's important enough, all right. You noticed his command was
obeyed."

"Well, I guess we shall find out in good time who he is," returned Hal.

The lads were taken to a large hut in the center of a great camp. The hut
was luxuriously appointed, and it was plainly evident that the man who
had saved them was one of the foremost of the huge German host.

The general himself had not arrived yet. But, after a long wait, he came
in, alone. He motioned their guards away, and then turned on the boys
with a scowl.

"Do you remember me?" he demanded.

The two lads nodded affirmatively. They were, for the moment,
beyond speech.

"And I remember you," went on the general. "You," he continued, pointing
to Hal, "are the American upstart who almost knocked me over in the
station at Berlin. I said I would have you whipped. Well, my time has
come. Now, you just sit quiet," he said loudly, as Hal and Chester took a
step forward. "I will write out your sentence right now," and he turned
toward a table.

"I won't be whipped!" cried Hal to Chester. "They will have to kill
me first!"

The general paid no attention to this remark, but continued to write in
silence. Finally he arose, with a paper in his hand.

"Here is your sentence," he said, turning to Hal. "Read, and see what you
think of it."

Hal took the paper the general extended to him. As he read an expression
of amazement passed over his face.

Hal passed the paper to Chester without a word, and, as Chester read, he
also grew amazed. And no wonder.

For what the general had written was a safe-conduct for both lads to the
Belgian lines; and the signature at the bottom was that of General Count
Von Moltke, commander-in-chief of all the German armies!

Hal stepped forward.

"General," he stammered, "we--I--we don't know how to thank you."

The general raised a hand and said gruffly:

"Never mind that." The faint shadow of a smile flitted over his stern
countenance. "I suppose," he continued, "that you are wondering why I do
this, after what occurred in the station at Berlin. It is so, is it not?"

"It is very strange," muttered Chester, and Hal nodded his head in
assent.

"Well, I'll tell you," said the general. "You remember when I pushed you
away from the train?" he queried, turning to Hal.

Hal nodded.

"When I turned round after that, feeling greatly pleased with myself, I
noticed, for the first time, the presence of a lady in my compartment.
She looked at me in the greatest contempt. It confused me; and I am not
easily confused.

"Then she told me that she was your mother, and, you may believe, berated
me most wonderfully. She didn't cry, nor go into hysterics, which made a
great impression on me. Most mothers would. I felt decidedly
uncomfortable.

"I realized that I had acted like a boor. We had gone some distance, but
I had the train stopped and backed into the station. You were not there.
I telephoned your ambassador. You had been there and gone. We were unable
to find you.

"I prevailed upon your mother to continue her journey to Brussels. I
issued an order to all my generals to keep a lookout for you and give you
safe-conduct into Belgium. It seems, however, that none of them
recognized you, or that you kept out of sight.

"I promised your mother I would get you out of the country in some way,
and she was greatly relieved. She knew I would do it. That's all there is
to the story. Now, I don't know what you lads were doing when you were
captured, and I don't want to know. If you are mixed up in this war in
any way, I don't want to know anything about it; but, if you are, take my
advice and go home to America. As I say, I don't want to know what you
have been doing since you left Berlin. It might force me to change my
attitude. I promised your mother I would get you out of Germany, and I
shall do it."

Hal and Chester were greatly surprised by this recital, and both boys
thanked the general as well as they could.

The general stepped to the entrance of his hut, and raised his hand. An
officer entered and came to a salute.

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