STUBBS IS CRESTFALLEN
Inside, Stubbs struck a match.
"I say! Hold up, there!" Hal exclaimed, and grasped the hand that held
the match and extinguished the flame. "We don't want any light in
here," he added.
In vain Stubbs tried to pierce the darkness with his eyes to make out
the lad's features.
"Humph!" muttered the little man. "What have you been up to now?"
"Stubbs," said Hal, "the whole of Germany will be scouring the city for
us before long. We've got to get away from here."
"Well," said Stubbs, "the whole of Germany is already looking for me,
but they haven't found me yet."
"What are they hunting you for?" demanded Hal. "Surely, you haven't
harmed anyone."
"Maybe not; but they've discovered who I am."
"That you're an American war correspondent, eh?"
"Why, no," said Stubbs quietly, "they've discovered that I'm here at
command of the American state department searching for a certain list
of names."
It was Hal's turn to be surprised and he started back.
"What's that?" he cried, believing that he could not have heard
aright.
Stubbs repeated his statement.
"But I thought--" began Hal.
"And what business have you to think!" demanded Stubbs with sudden
anger. "Haven't I the same, right as you to do something for my
country?"
"Of course, Mr. Stubbs, and I think all more of you for it, but at the
same time I never dreamed--"
"Of course you didn't. Neither did anyone else, which is the reason my
services were accepted. That is, no one knew it outside of Germany,
but they seem to have spotted me here soon enough."
"I see," said Hal. "Then you must have made an effort to get the list
of German agents in the United States."
Stubbs gave an exclamation of amazement.
"Who said anything about spies?" he asked.
"Well, you didn't, to be sure," said Hal, "But as I happened to have
the list in my hands a few moments ago, I didn't need to be told."
"You had it?" cried Stubbs, unconsciously raising his voice.
"Yes."
"'Where is it now?" demanded Stubbs eagerly.
"Safe, I hope," replied Hal quietly, "but don't talk so loud, Stubbs.
I sent the list to Chester by a trusted aide, and I have no doubt he is
on his way out of the country with it now."
"How'd you get it?" inquired Stubbs.
Hal explained.
"By George!" said Stubbs. "You fellows have all the luck. I tried and
failed."
"Maybe you didn't know where it was," said Hal.
"Didn't, eh? Say, let me ask you something. Didn't you think it was
rather strange when you approached General Rentzel's place that there
was no one around, eh?"
"Well, such a thought had occurred to me," Hal admitted, "but I
supposed no one was on guard through overconfidence."
"Do you want me to tell you where the guards were?"
"Why, yes, if you know."
"Well, I know all right. They were chasing me around the highways and
byways, if you want to know," Stubbs exploded. "They discovered me
trying to get into the house and I ran for my life. Well, this beats
the Dutch! I cleared the road for you and you grabbed the list!"
Stubbs became silent.
"At all events," said Hal, "we got the list--and that is what counts,
after all."
"True," said Stubbs, and extended a hand in the darkness, which Hal
grasped warmly. "Well," he said, "we're all tarred with the same
brush, and it will give these Huns great delight to stand us all up
before a wall or with ropes around our necks in a bunch. The sooner we
get back to our lines the better for all our families."
"But the question is, how?" said Hal quietly.
"I've got a big automobile waiting for me about a mile from here," said
Stubbs. "If we can get into it we can go a long ways without
interruption."
"They'll wire ahead," said Hal
"So they will," Stubbs agreed, "but I've also got a pocket full of the
prettiest passports and other credentials you ever saw. I didn't chop
down my bridges behind me, as you seem to have done. Once in my car,
as I say, and we'll move away from here."
"Then we may as well be moving," said McKenzie, who had not spoken
until that moment.
"Right," Hal agreed. "But we must be careful. No telling how many
Germans are nearby, scouring the streets for us. Lead the way,
Stubbs."
"That's right," said Stubbs, "pick me for the easy work."
"I'll lead the way if the little man is afraid," growled McKenzie.
Stubbs whirled on him in the darkness.
"Look here!" he exclaimed, "I allow no man to talk to me like that.
Understand?"
McKenzie was somewhat taken aback, but he growled again:
"Then lead on and don't talk so much."
Stubbs would have made another angry retort, but Hal nudged him to
move.
Muttering to himself, Stubbs led the way to the street again.
There was no one in sight as they emerged from the darkened house, and
they moved off down the street with rapid strides. Occasionally they
saw passing civilians, with now and then an officer or trooper or so,
but Berlin seemed to be sleeping securely in the knowledge that the
enemy was far from its door.
Hal gazed at his watch by the glare of a street light. It was almost 4
o'clock.
"Two hours to daylight," he muttered. "We shall have to hurry."
Fifteen minutes later Stubbs slowed down.
"My automobile is in a small garage around the next corner," he said,
and added significantly, "if nothing has happened to it."
"Let's get it then," said Hal. "We don't want to stand here."
Stubbs moved on again and Hal and McKenzie followed him closely.
There was no sign of a living person near the little garage. Stubbs
approached and attempted to throw back the closed door. It would not
budge.
"Let me try, Stubbs," said Hal, pushing forward.
He took from his pocket a short but well tempered piece of steel. He
found that the door was held by a padlock. He inserted the piece of
steel in the top, and, putting forth all his strength, broke the lock.
There was a sharp report as the lock fell to pieces.
"Quick, Stubbs!" Hal cried. "That noise will have aroused every sleepy
policeman within a mile."
McKenzie lent a hand and the door was thrown back. Stubbs gave a gasp
of relief. The automobile was there.
"You do the driving, Hal," cried Stubbs. "Pile in here, man," this to
McKenzie. "She's all ready to start. Come on."
The others wasted no time in words. McKenzie scrambled in the back
seat alongside Stubbs, while Hal sprang to the wheel. A moment later
the automobile moved slowly from the garage.
As the big machine came clear into the street, a bright light suddenly
flashed around the next comer and headed toward them. Hal knew in a
moment what it was. It was a motorcycle, bearing a policeman. There
was but one course to pursue, and Hal acted without hesitation. He
threw the machine into high and it dashed directly toward the
motorcycle.
The man saved his life by swerving swiftly to one side. His machine
bumped the curb and threw the rider off. When he picked himself up the
automobile bearing the three friends was turning a corner, apparently
on one wheel for Hal had scarcely diminished the speed.
The German drew his revolver and fired a shot ill the air. He was
sounding the alarm and summoning assistance at the same time.
Quickly he righted his motorcycle, mounted, and made off in pursuit of
the high-powered automobile.
At the sound of the German's shot, Hal increased the speed of the
automobile.
"McKenzie!" he cried.
McKenzie leaned forward so as to catch the words the lad shouted back
to him.
"Get your guns ready!" cried Hal. "Don't let anyone come at us from
the rear."
McKenzie understood. He repeated Hal's words to Stubbs, shouting to
make himself heard.
"Can't anyone catch us from behind," Stubbs shouted back. "This car
will outrun anything in Germany."
McKenzie made no reply, but looked to his guns. He knew that it was
not pursuing automobiles that Hal was afraid of; but high-powered
motorcycles in use in Germany would probably be able to overtake the
car no matter what its speed.
So far, however, the road behind was clear.