A Mysterious Door.
"How do you do!" greeted Ned, pleased to recognize their friend. He
stepped forward and extended his hand, which the other grasped firmly.
"Your young friend?" queried the other. "Is he hurt badly?"
In a few words, Ned outlined the circumstances following the breakfast.
He told of Jimmie's fall from the low-flying monoplane, of his striking
a small tree which broke the force of his fall, and of his crashing
through the roofed-over trench. The rest of the story was supplied by
their captor, who seemed greatly interested in Jimmie's welfare.
"Bring him inside," commanded the officer. "We will provide comforts
for him without delay, although this is far from being a hospital."
"I can walk all right," protested Jimmie. "I'm only shaken up and tired
out! Ned's system of 'setting up' exercises has kept us as hard as
nails, and aside from being shaken to pieces, I'm all right!"
Smiling at the exhibition of grit, the officer helped Jimmie to his
feet and then guided him through a nearby door. The little party was
conducted to what had evidently been a luxurious bed chamber in the
rambling building, which was half chateau, half castle.
Here stood a giant four poster bed with a great canopy, and into this
Jimmie was tumbled after his shoes had been pulled off by his chums.
"Now, you may lie there and sleep if you like," announced the officer.
"I will have some food brought to you directly." Then, turning to Ned,
he continued: "It is necessary, under the circumstances, to detain your
party for a time. We are informed that you are acting as spies in the
interest of our enemy, and until we can investigate that report, we
shall be required to maintain a surveillance. You will make it easy?"
"Certainly, we will, sir!" replied Ned, grateful for the assistance to
his chum. "We are only anxious to make sure that the man about whom we
spoke this morning is not allowed to carry out his intention."
A meaning smile greeted this remark. The officer went on:
"Do not trouble your mind in that direction. I think I am safe in
saying that Germany does not desire war with your country, and
certainly does not care to make war upon young men of your standing."
"Thank you again!" Ned exclaimed. "You are very kind!"
"I will leave you now for a time," stated the officer. "Should you
need anything, you may communicate your wishes to the man just outside
the door. I have much work to do, and the time passes rapidly. It is
already well past noon. I will see you again presently."
As soon as the officer had departed Ned glanced out into the
passageway. A soldier in uniform stood not far away. At Ned's
appearance he first brought his rifle into position, then upon seeing
the lad he stepped forward inquiringly. Ned gave the Boy Scout salute,
shook his head and withdrew again into the apartment. Jimmie had
dropped asleep.
"Gritty little rascal," commented Jack, indicating with a nod the
sleeping figure. "He got an awful bump, but won't admit it."
"Jimmie's chock full of grit and good sense and loyalty and lots of
other fine qualities!" declared Ned, tenderly watching the sleeping lad.
"Don't know what we'd do without him!" Harry almost choked. "I wish
there were a lot more just like him, red hair and all," he ended with a
laugh that spoke eloquently of his affection for The Wolf.
Truth to tell, the boys had been far more alarmed at Jimmie's recent
danger than any of them were willing to admit.
"Here comes the dinner!" announced Francois in a tone of relief.
"Hurrah for the pieman!" cried Jack, advancing to meet a man bearing a
huge tray piled high with dishes. "I'm hungry enough to eat a bear!"
"What's that about a bear?" asked Jimmie, attempting to rise.
"Go to sleep, Jimmie!" ordered Harry. "Nothing is going on that you'd
be interested in at all. We're only going to have dinner!"
"All right, I'll go to sleep--after dinner!" declared the lad.
No time was lost by the five hungry boys in attacking the food, which,
though simple, was plentiful and well cooked. As they ate they
discussed the situation in general and their own position particularly.
"This looks like it had been a pretty fine place before----" said
Jimmie, glancing about the apartment. "But they've knocked it about
some!"
"Francois," asked Ned, "do you know the country hereabouts well enough
to tell us what place this is? It looks like an old establishment."
"No, I do not know the place," replied Francois. "It is in Flanders
and, therefore, I have not learned of it. I have not seen all in France
yet," the boy ended, with a smile. "To me this is just a castle."
"It belongs to the Duke de Swell Elegant Upper Crust!" answered Jimmie,
promptly. His disrespect for titles at least had suffered no harm from
his tumble out of the sky earlier in the day. "He's a half brother," he
continued, "to the Baron von Cheap Skate. They ran the livery stable
here!"
Laughingly the boys greeted this sally. Francois asked:
"And where are the Duke and Baron, now that the Germans are here?"
"They are down in the feather foundry shooing geese," declared Jimmie,
gravely. "They are working for Walker and Doolittle."
"Hark! I hear singing," said Francois. "I do not know the song."
"That's not strange," returned Jimmie. "That's 'Die Wacht Am Rhine,'
and you're not supposed to recognize that, you know!"
"How inspiring and yet how awful it is!" whispered Francois. "It makes
me feel as if I wanted to go out and do something real big."
"Let's go out and listen to it," suggested Harry. "They have some good
voices in that bunch. I like that singing."
Opening the door the boys stepped quietly out into the corridor. From
their right came the sounds of music and laughter. Stepping closer the
boys peered through hanging portieres and saw a great room full of
soldiers. Some were seated at small tables playing cards, others lay
stretched on the floor at full length in a row, while others walked
about watching the card playing. All seemed at ease after hard work,
for here and there one had removed the heavy hobnailed boots, while
helmets and service caps were deposited on a convenient rack. A stack
of rifles in one corner spoke grimly of the business which had been
temporarily laid aside while the soldiers rested. At a piano an officer
was seated.
While he played with no small degree of skill a group gathered about
him and sang with excellent voices. As the "Wacht Am Rhine" was
finished, a grand tenor voice started an encore, "Silent Night." Bursts
of applause greeted his song and urged him to continue. In the German
tongue, "Sing Me to Sleep" sounded strangely sweet to the listening
boys.
As the song ended, the pianist struck a few chords of a livelier tune,
and Jimmie unconsciously whistled "Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog
Gone?" So interested were his companions that they lifted their voices
and sang, unmindful of the roomful of soldiers. Quickly the man at the
piano accompanied them. One by one the soldiers joined in until the
entire roomful were roaring out the words.
Laughingly the boys were seized and thrust through the curtains.
Greeted by cheers and exclamations from the group, they became
embarrassed and begged to be excused, but the soldiers, having found
some new object of interest, would not let them go. They insisted on
having more songs.
"We can't sing, really we can't!" protested Ned.
"Ah, you speak English?" asked the pianist. "Sing us an English song,
if you please. We would like to hear one."
"We are from the United States," Ned said unconsciously squaring his
shoulders. "We do not know any real English songs at all."
"So?" inquiringly the officer commented, drawing out the word very
long. "Then perhaps you will sing us one of the songs of that country.
I have traveled in your country and have heard many songs there. Try
this!"
He struck a few chords of "Dixie" and at once the boys began. As the
four fresh young voices filled the room with the tune so familiar to
all Americans, their audience listened appreciatively, bursting into
applause at its conclusion. Others followed, but the boys were fairly
delighted when the player started "The Star Spangled Banner."
Many of the soldiers were familiar with the tune and while they did not
know the words, they listened eagerly as the boys sang.
"Thank you," the pianist said as the boys concluded. "We have enjoyed
your effort very much. Will you not remain here?"
"I believe we would be more model prisoners if we stayed in our room,
thank you," answered Ned. "We are under arrest, you know!"
Laughingly the officer agreed to excuse them under the circumstances
and again complimenting them on their vocal efforts and on their model
conduct as prisoners, he permitted them to return to their room.
Jimmie again sought the comfort of the great bed, declaring that he had
not slept in a real bed in ages and this was so good he was afraid it
would not last. The other boys began an inspection of the place.
"Hello!" cried Harry presently. "Here's a piece of wire. Now I wonder
what they were doing with such a thing in a place like this!"
"Let me have it, please," requested Jack. "I've found a hole in the
wall and I want to poke something into it. It looks inviting!"
Harry brought the piece of wire to Jack and watched him as he
investigated the interior of a curious hole.
"Well, what do you think of this?" he shouted in a moment. "Here's the
mate to your key-hole, Jack. It looks just like that one!"
"Maybe it is a key-hole," Jack responded. "Try to pick it!"
The two holes were a short three feet apart and the wire was more
than five feet long. Harry, therefore seized the free end and without
disturbing Jack began prodding about in the hole he had discovered.
Directly a low rumbling was heard coming as it seemed from the wall.
The boys looked up startled. As Jack withdrew the end of the wire he
noticed a flash of fire from the interior of the key-hole at which he
had worked.
"Hello, boys!" he cried. "I struck fire here just now!"
"What are you two boys trying to do?" inquired Ned approaching.
"Just getting some Fourth of July here, that's all," replied Jack.
"Try it again," Ned suggested. "Let me see, too."
"You do it just like this," directed Jack. "Harry had the end of the
wire in that hole over there and I had the other end in this hole. Just
as I pulled the wire out of this hole when we heard a noise, I saw fire
flash and heard a little snapping or crackling sound!"
"Try it again," urged Ned. "Keep the wire in both holes!"
In a moment the boys had followed out Ned's instructions and all were
startled to hear again the low rumbling, grinding noise.
"Keep your wires in place!" Ned whispered. "Something's coming off here
that isn't on the program! Oh, look there! Look! Look!"
As he spoke Ned pointed to a section of the wall. It was slowly
swinging outward from the room, revealing a doorway. A damp, musty odor
came from the opening. Beyond all was pitch blackness.
The swinging section traveled easily backward until the doorway stood
wide open. A snap was heard. For a moment the slight whirring noise
continued, then the door slowly swung into place again.
"Well, of all things!" gasped Jimmie, sitting up in bed.
"I see it!" cried Ned. "When the door is opened and that snap comes,
the wire should be taken away. The wire, you see, forms a circuit and
a concealed motor swings the door. I believe it will stay open if you
take the wire away when it snaps. Try it again, boys!" he urged.
Again the wire was inserted in the holes. Again the door swung open and
again the snap was heard. Quickly motioning to the boys to break the
circuit, Ned was delighted to notice the whirring noise stop.
"Where are your searchlights, boys?" he asked. "Jimmie, have you still
got your automatic handy? They didn't take it away, I hope."
"I dropped it when I fell from the Rat's aeroplane," confessed Jimmie.
"I couldn't hang onto it all the way. Why didn't you pick it up?"
"We were busy," replied Ned in suppressed excitement. "Anybody else got
a gun? I have mine and also have a searchlight."
"Here's mine," announced Jack, producing the weapon.
"And mine," echoed Harry, bringing forth his own automatic.
"Come on, then, boys," Ned invited, "but go slow and keep quiet!"