NEW ARRIVALS
Hal gave a long whistle.
"Now, that's what I call hard luck," he said. "Do they know we're in
here?"
"I judge not," replied Chester. "They seem, to be waiting for
something."
"Maybe they're waiting for our friend, whom we have tied up here, said
Major Derevaux.
"By Jove! I hadn't thought of that," said Hal. "We may be able to
make use of him."
The lad stepped quickly across the room and lifted the German to his
feet.
"I'm going to remove your gag," he said quietly, "but I want you to
understand that if you make an outcry you'll never live to make a
second. Do you understand?"
The German signified that he did.
"All right, then," said Hal, "out comes the gag. Chester, keep your
gun in the middle of his back. We can afford to take no chances."
"Now," said Hal, "I want you to show yourself at the door and order
your men there away."
The German eyed the lad angrily.
"So you want me to help you escape, eh?" he said. "Well, I won't do
it."
"We're desperate," said Hal quietly. "If you don't I give you my word
you shall be shot."
"Pooh!" sneered the German. "One shot and you will all be killed."
"But you won't be here to see it done," returned Hal. "Now I am not
going to waste time with you. I shall count three, and if you have not
decided by that time to do as I order, you will die. Chester, do you
understand?"
"You bet I do," declared Chester.
"Very well," said Hal. "One! Two!" Still the German made no move.
"Three!" said Hal.
The hammer on Chester's revolver clicked.
"Hold on!" cried the German. "I give in!"
Chester drew a breath of relief. He couldn't have shot the man down in
cold blood and he knew it. He lowered his revolver a trifle, but still
kept the man covered.
"Go to the door and order your men away from here," Hal ordered the
prisoner.
The German strode toward the door.
"Careful," said Chester in a low voice. "One false move and it will be
your last."
Again he pressed his revolver against the German's back.
"Do you think I'm a fool?" exclaimed the prisoner. "I'm not going to
be killed if I can help it. Take that gun away."
"Not until you have done as commanded," returned Chester quietly.
The German opened the door and stepped outside. Chester, still feeling
perfectly safe in his German uniform, accompanied him.
"Men," said the German, addressing the soldiers, "I find that I shall
not have need of you tonight. You will a return to your quarters."
The soldiers, who had stood at attention as the officer addressed them,
at command from a minor officer, wheeled and marched away.
Chester marched his captive back inside.
"There," said the latter. "That's done; now what are you going to do
with me?"
"We'll have to tie and gag you again," said Chester. "You will be
found and released in the morning."
"And probably court-martialed and shot if this night's proceedings ever
leaks out," muttered the German. "However, there is no help for it."
He suffered himself to be bound and gagged without opposition, and Hal
then stretched him out on the floor again.
"Now," said the lad, "I guess our way is clear once more."
He moved toward the door, with the others following. Glancing out, he
raised a hand suddenly and motioned the others to silence.
Outside two figures approached the house cautiously.
Hal called Chester to his side and the two watched the approaching
figures. It was too dark outside to distinguish the features of the
men who approached, but there was no room for doubt that they were
enemies.
"Back inside and put out the light," whispered Hal. "They're coming
in." The light was extinguished promptly. Then Hal added: "Be ready
to grab them and stifle their cries the minute they are inside and I
have closed the door behind them."
Those in the house stood silent.
A moment later the door moved cautiously inward. Then two shadowy
forms stepped inside. Immediately Hal kicked shut the door behind them
and sprang forward to lend a hand to Chester and Major Derevaux, who
had pounced upon the strangers as they entered.
"Don't let them cry out and don't kill them if you can help it," the
lad cried.
The struggle raged furiously in the darkened room for some moments.
Then Hal and Chester found themselves sitting upon one of the
intruders, the latter with a revolver pressed to the man's forehead.
Gregory and Crean also had taken a hand in the struggle, and, with
Major Derevaux, now held the other man helpless.
"Strike a light, Antoinette," called the major.
The girl obeyed, and then for the first time the lads were able to get
a look at their prisoners.
"By the great Horn Spoon!" ejaculated Chester, after one look at his
prisoner. "I'll take my oath that this man is Stubbs."
At the same moment a cry of astonishment was wrung from Major
Derevaux.
"Anderson!" he cried.
Chester and Hal got to their feet. The former twisted his hand in the
collar of his prisoner and lifted him to his feet.
"Stubbs!" he said severely, "you should know better than sneak upon a
fellow in the dark. You are liable to get hurt."
"I wouldn't have sneaked up, if I had known you were here," growled
Stubbs. "I would have come up openly and with my gun shooting."
"My, my!" said Chester. "Little man's getting bloodthirsty. But
didn't I hear someone mention the name of Anderson."
"You did," replied a voice, and Chester found his hand gripped by none
other than his old friend, the British colonel. "By George! I'm glad
to see you again," continued Anderson, "though I must say that this is
rather a strenuous reception for a couple of old friends."
He also shook hands with Hal. Major Derevaux and Stubbs expressed
pleasure at seeing each other again. Then Hal demanded:
"Where did you get hold of Stubbs, Anderson?"
"I found him back in the British lines," said the colonel. "I was
detailed to come here to see a woman who lives in this house and to
bring a companion for the journey. I asked Stubbs to accompany me, and
he was glad of the chance."
"What!" exclaimed Hal. "You mean you brought Stubbs where there was
danger and he didn't protest."
"No, I didn't protest," declared the little war correspondent. "But I
protest now. I didn't sign up for any adventures in your party, and
neither will I; you can bet on that."
"If you didn't know him, you'd think he was afraid," laughed Colonel
Anderson.
"I am afraid," declared Stubbs. "I'm afraid to go fooling around with
these two," and he indicated Hal and Chester with a sweeping gesture.
"I'd rather fool around with dynamite."
"Well, we can't stay here any longer," said Major Derevaux, and in a
few words explained to Colonel Anderson what had happened. "What was
the nature of your business here?" he asked.
"About the same as yours," returned the colonel with a laugh. "But,
as you say, there is no need to linger now. You have learned what I
Came to find out. We may as well be moving."
"How'd you come, an airship?" asked the major. "Yes; and you?"
"Same way."
"Then we may as well get both machines back. I'll take half of your
party. My plane is only about a hundred yards from here."
"My plane is not much farther--in a little woods there."
"By Jove! So is mine. Wouldn't be surprised if they were near the
same spot. Well, let's be moving."
Colonel Anderson led the way from the house, and the others followed
him through the darkness.