A STRANGE PROCEEDING
"Lieutenant," said the Canadian named Gregory, "before I joined the
army I was considered somewhat of a detective in Montreal. I've had
some experience with pickpockets. It's a pleasure to see you work."
"That sounds like rather a left-handed compliment," said Chester with a
smile, while Hal and the others laughed.
"Nevertheless, it was very neatly done," said Gregory.
"Well, Hal," said Chester, "you've got one gun, what are you going to
do with it?"
"Hold your horses, old man," returned Hal. "Nothing was ever gained by
too great haste. Something will turn up."
Something did a moment later in the form of the German officer who so
recently had left the tent. He came in quickly, looked around, and
stood undecided.
"Why, I thought you'd gone, captain," said Chester, though his heart
sank.
The lad realized the import of the other's return.
"I've lost something," said the German.
"What was it?" asked Hal.
"Well, it's my revolver," said the German. "I thought maybe I had
dropped it here."
"Hope you didn't expect to find it if you had?" said Hal.
The German laughed good-naturedly.
"Maybe not," he said. "However, I'm going to ask you if any of you
have it."
"If we had," said Hal quietly, "I'll guarantee we wouldn't stay here
half an hour."
The German looked at Hal keenly. Apparently he took the lad's answer
for a denial, for he said:
"Well, all right. I just thought I'd make sure. I know you wouldn't
lie about it."
He bowed again and was gone.
"Well, by George!" exclaimed Hal. "I didn't tell him I didn't have his
gun, did I?"
"You did not," said Chester, "but you seem to have convinced him that
you didn't have it."
"It's just as well," said Smith.
Five minutes later a German soldier entered, bearing a tray on which
was water and dry bread.
"Well, well," said Hal. "What a feast for the hungry, eh?"
He took the tray from the man's bands, while Chester edged closer to
him. When the man left the tent, Chester produced an object which he
held aloft.
"Something for you, Gregory," he said.
Gregory eyed the object in surprise. It was a long-handled knife.
"I just happened to see it sticking in his belt," said Chester.
"I believe that you two fellows have been fooling us," said Gregory
with evident sincerity. "Come, now. What was your occupation before
you joined the army?"
"Well, it wasn't picking pockets, if that's what you mean," said
Chester with a laugh.
"If this thing keeps up," said Crean, "we'll soon have weapons enough
to equip a first-class arsenal."
"And that's no joke," said the man called Jackson.
"We can't hope for any more such luck," said Hal quietly. "We'll have
to create what opportunities come to us now."
"You take this knife, Gregory," said Chester. "I wouldn't know what to
do with it."
Hal approached the canvas door to their prison and poked his head out.
"Get back there!" came a guttural command in German.
Hal spied a sentry standing before the tent.
"Hello," he said pleasantly. "Didn't know you were there. All by
yourself, too, eh?"
"Not much," was the reply. "There's a man in the rear, too."
"I just wondered," murmured Hal.
"Get back inside," commanded the guard.
"Oh, all right," said Hal, "if you are going to be nasty about it.
But, say, do you have a pack of cards you can lend us?"
"No, I don't," said the guard.
"Well, all right," and Hal would have withdrawn but the German halted
him.
"I didn't say I didn't have a pack," he said.
"But I heard--"
"No, you didn't. I said I didn't have a pack to lend."
"Well, what's--?"'
"I've a pack to sell," said the guard.
"Oh, I see," said Hal. "Rather hard up, are you."
"If you mean I have no money, yes."
"I've a few German coins, I believe," said Hal, and explored his
pockets. "I'll give you these for the pack of cards."
He held forth two coins.
The German grunted.
"All right," he said.
He produced a pack of cards, and took the money Hal extended.
"Times must be getting hard in Germany," said Hal suggestively.
Again the German granted.
"We don't have any bread, and we don't have any meat," he declared. "I
haven't had a good meat for a year, it seems."
"It'll be worse before the war's over," said Hal pleasantly.
The German grounded his rifle with a thump. "Don't you think I know
it?" he demanded with some heat.
"Well, don't get angry," said Hal, struck with a sudden idea.
"You've got some money," he said.
"Not very much."
"Well, I'll tell you something. We're going to have a little card game
inside. I don't have any too much money, either, and I'd be glad to
win some. What's the matter with you sneaking in and getting in the
game? Your money's as good to me as anyone else's."
"And an officer'll come along, and I'll face a firing squad," grumbled
the German.
"Pshaw!" said Hal. "Nothing risked nothing gained, you know. Besides,
we're in an out of the way place here. When will you be relieved?"
"Not before 10 o'clock."
"And it's only a little after six now. However, if you won't, you
won't. You know your own business best."
The German smiled an evil smile.
"Have you any objection to my inviting another in the game?" he asked.
"Not a bit. Who?"
"The man who is guarding the tent in the rear. He will come in handy,
too. If you should try to escape, we'd do for you. We will be armed,
and you won't."
"Who said anything about trying to escape?" demanded Hal. "This is to
be a little friendly game of poker."
"Poker?" exclaimed the German.
Again his eyes gleamed.
"You go back in the tent," said the guard. "I'll probably be along
later with my friend. I need the money, and will take a chance."
"Good!" said Hal, and disappeared within.
Hal explained the situation to the others, and added:
"Of course, the man's idea is that he and his friend, by playing
together, will win by cheating. Well, that doesn't make any difference
to us. Let them have the money. All we want is to get out of here. I
don't know much about playing cards, anyhow. But let no man make a
move until I give the word."
The others nodded their understanding of this to him.
"We may as well get started, so it won't look bad," said Chester.
The six seated themselves on the ground, and Gregory dealt out the
cards.
"I can't understand how a man will take a chance like this guard," said
Chester.
"He says he needs money," declared Hal.
"But even so," said Chester, "he should have sense enough--?"
"You haven't forgotten he is German, have you?" demanded Jackson. "I
was brought up among them to some extent. One idea is all a true
German's head will hold at one time. That's the truth. And if he gets
an idea in his head, you can't get it out.
"Shh-h!" said Hal. "Here comes someone."
A moment later the guard with whom the lad had conversed entered the
tent. A second man followed him.
"Quiet!" whispered the first guard.
The two men sat down among the others. Each laid his rifle within easy
reach of his hand, and each loosened a revolver in his belt.
"Go on with the game," said the first German in a low voice.
Gregory dealt out the cards.