“What happened?”
“How'd they get you?”
“Are you hurt?”
These were a few of the questions put to Tom and Jack as they were
surrounded by the rescuing party of their friends, led, it afterward
developed, by the very lieutenant with whom the two air service boys had
started in the patrol across No Man's Land.
The German captors had either all surrendered or been killed, and the
tables were most effectively switched around. At first Tom and Jack were
too surprised and overwhelmingly grateful to answer.
But they soon understood what had happened. And then they told the story
of their fight against odds until captured. They said nothing just then
of the unexpected information that had come to them about Harry Leroy's
presence in a German camp so comparatively near their own lines. But
they resolved, at the first opportunity, to make use of the information.
The shooting of the big guns gradually ceased when it was made manifest
that neither side was ready for a general engagement. The pop-pop of the
machine weapons, too, died away and the star shells ceased rising.
“Come on you Fritzies--what's left of you,” cried the lieutenant, when
he had made sure that there were no others of his party whom he could
rescue.
Then with Tom and Jack the center of a happy, tumultuous throng of their
own comrades, the trip back to the American lines was begun. It was
without incident save that on the way a wounded British soldier was
found lying in a shell hole and carried in, ultimately to recover.
Tom and Jack told what had happened to them, how they had been
surrounded and led away; and then, came the story of the lieutenant who
had led the patrol party which had turned defeat into victory with the
aid of reinforcements which were sent to him.
He had seen his hopes blasted when rushed by the big crowd of the Hun
patrol, and, though slightly wounded, he realized that absolute defeat
would come to him and his men unless he could get help. He sent a runner
back with word to send relief, and then, surrounding himself with what
few men remained alive and uncaptured, the fight went on.
It was bitter and sanguinary, and at last, with only two men left beside
him, the lieutenant heard the rush of the relief guard. He was placed
in charge, as he knew the lay of the land, and the party hurried to and
fro, wiping up little knots of Germans here and there, until the main
body encountered the squad having in charge the two air service boys.
“You began to think it was all up with you, didn't you?” asked the
lieutenant, when they were all once more safely in the dugout.
“We certainly did!” admitted Tom.
“We had visions of watery soup and wheatless bread for the rest of the
war,” observed Jack.
He and Tom were slightly wounded--mere scratches they dubbed the
hurts--but they were sent to the rear to be looked over and bandaged, as
were some of the others who were more severely hurt. There were some who
could not be sent back--who were left in No Man's Land silent figures
who would never take part in a battle again. They had paid their price
toward making the world a better place to live in, and their names were
on the Honor Roll.
“Well, what do you think about it?” asked Tom of Jack.
“I don't know what to think. It seems hardly possible that Harry can be
so near to us, and yet we can't do a thing to help him.”
“I'm not so sure about that,” returned Tom. “That's what I want to talk
about.”
It was a week after the patrol raid, and clear weather had succeeded the
rain and mist, so that it was possible for the aeroplanes to operate.
And their services were much needed.
There were preparations going on back of the German lines of which
General Pershing and the Allied commanders needed to be informed. And
only the “eyes” of the armies could see them and report--the eyes being
the aeroplanes.
So it came about that, having been relieved of their temporary transfer
to the infantry, Tom and Jack were once more with their comrades of the
air.
“Well, let's think it over, and talk about it when we come down,”
suggested Jack. “We've got to go upstairs for our usual tour of duty
now.”
This would last three hours. They were to do scout work--report any
unusual activity back of the German lines, or give warning of the
approach of any hostile aeroplanes. After their tour of duty was ended
they would have the rest of the day to themselves, provided there was
no general attack. Of course if, while they were up, they were attacked,
they must fight.
Each lad had a plane to himself, since the young “huns” had all pretty
well passed their novitiate, and were now in the regular flying squad.
Later some other new aviators would report for instruction on the battle
front.
Up and up climbed Tom and Jack, and eagerly they scanned the German
lines for any signs of activity. But though there were some Hun planes
in the air, they did not approach to give battle. Possibly some other
plans were afoot. Afterward Tom and Jack admitted to one another that
there was a great temptation to fly over the German trenches to try to
get a sight of the prison that had been spoken of--the camp where Harry
Leroy might be held.
But to do this would be in direct violation of their orders, and they
dared not take any risks. For to do so might involve not only themselves
in danger, but others as well. And that view of the matter determined
them. They would have to await their opportunity for rescuing their
chum--if it could be accomplished.
Their tour of duty aloft that day was without incident. This is not an
usual condition at times along the long battle front. Men can not go on
fighting without stop, and there come lulls in even the fiercest battle.
Flesh and blood can stand only a certain amount of torture, and then
even the soul rebels.
So Tom and Jack drifted peacefully down to their aerodrome, noting that
it was being newly camouflaged, for the recent rain had played havoc
with some of the concealments.
As far as possible both the Germans and the Allies tried to conceal the
location of their flying camps. The aeroplanes and balloons needed large
buildings to house them, and such structures made excellent and, of
course, fair war-marks for bombing parties in aeroplanes hovering aloft.
So it was the custom to put up trees and bushes or to stretch canvas
over the aerodromes and paint it to resemble woods and fields in an
effort to conceal, or camouflage, the depots where the airships were
stationed. But this work was done by a special detail of men, and with
it Tom and Jack had nothing to do.
They turned their machines over to the mechanics, who would go carefully
over them and have the craft in readiness for the next flight. Then,
being free for several hours, the two young airmen could do as they
pleased, within certain limits.
“Well, did anything occur to you?” asked Jack, as he and Tom, having
divested themselves of their heavy fur-lined garments, went to the mess
hall, which was in an old stable, from which the horses had long since
been removed.
“You mean a plan to rescue Harry?”
“That's it.”
“No, I'm sorry to say I can't think of a thing,” Tom answered. “I
thought I would, but I didn't. Have you anything to say?”
“Yes. Let's go to Paris.”
“You mean to see--er--?”
“Yes!” interrupted Jack with a smile. “This is their day off, and we
might as well have a little enjoyment when we can. From the easy time we
had to-day we'll have some hard fighting to-morrow. This was too good to
last. Heinie is up to some mischief, I think.”
“Same here.”
So, having received permission, they went to Paris, and soon found their
way to the lodgings of Mrs. Gleason, where the air service boys were
welcomed by Bessie and Nellie.
Of course the first question had to do with the captive Harry, and to
the delight of Nellie Tom was able to say:
“We have news of him, anyhow.”
“News? You mean he is all right?”
“Well, as all right as he ever can be while the Boches have him, I
suppose,” was the answer.
“But the news didn't come direct from him. He's in another camp. I'll
tell you about it.”
Tom and Jack, by turns, related what had happened on the night patrol,
and explained how they had overheard talk of Harry.
“Then he is nearer than he has been?” asked Nellie.
“Yes,” admitted Tom.
“Won't it be easier to rescue him then?” Bessie queried.
“Well, that doesn't follow,” said Jack. “Of course if we could rescue
him, we'd have a shorter distance to bring him, to get him inside our
lines. But it's just as difficult getting beyond the German lines now as
it was before. Tom and I thought we'd come and talk it over, and see if
you girls have anything to suggest. We'll do the rescue work if we only
get a chance, and can find some plan. Have you any?”
He asked that question, though he hardly expected an answer. And both he
and Tom, as well as Bessie and her mother, were greatly surprised when
Nellie exclaimed:
“Yes, I have!”
“You have?” cried Tom. “What is it? Tell us, quick!”
“I am going to save my brother by offering myself as a prisoner in his
place,” said Nellie with quiet resolve. “That's how I'll save him! I'll
exchange myself for him!”