The Colonel, however, did not stop beside them. He evidently had
letters to read, and wished to look them over in the seclusion of his
tent.
“We will be having breakfast before long,” he remarked to the two boys
on passing, “and I shall expect you to be my guests for the time being.
While we eat our scanty meal you can tell me all you wish me to know.”
Here and there the fires had been built up again, and preparations were
proceeding for the morning meal. This interested the boys. They had
their customary appetites with them; and, besides, were amused to see
how differently these men from the other side of the world went about
certain things in connection with cooking.
It was not long before enticing odors began to arrive that caused Amos
to express himself:
“They know how to cook, let me tell you, Jack, even if their way of
building a camp fireplace does look queer to us. I suppose different
people have different ways of doing things. The result is, after all,
the main thing, and if these splendid whiffs I’m getting mean anything
I’ve got something to learn still.”
It was broad daylight when the Colonel came out of his tent again. Jack
thought he looked as though he had had good news from home, for his
eyes sparkled, and a smile could be seen on his bronzed face.
“Now, if you young chaps will sit down with me here at my camp table,
we can talk while we eat,” he remarked as he joined them.
No one seemed to be at mess with the Colonel. Perhaps this was because
they had duties elsewhere; or else he had let it be understood that he
wished to be alone with the two American boys who had come from the
_Thunderer_, bent on some mysterious errand that was yet to be made
plain to him.
For a short time the conversation was on general topics. The officer
asked many questions, for he had not been in touch with the great
outside world for weeks, and was naturally deeply interested in what
might be going on across the Atlantic.
“I have been through your wonderful country years back,” he explained,
as if to let them know why he took such an interest in America; “and I
think it leads the whole world in many things. Most of us are hoping
and praying that in this terrible world war that means everything to
those who come after us, the Allies have the sympathy of the vast
majority of your mixed people. Of course we recognize that nearly all
who have Teuton blood in their veins would naturally side with our
enemies.”
The boys assured him that as far as they knew that was the way things
stood at the time they left home.
“And now,” continued the officer, kindly, “all I know about you is your
names, so if you feel disposed to tell me what the Vice-Admiral wishes
me to do for you I shall gladly take the matter up, and act upon it,
after today sees us through what we have laid out to perform.”
This was an invitation to begin at the start so as to tell him about
Frank Turner, and how it happened he came to be turned out of his home
some years back. Jack took it upon himself to be the spokesman, for
Amos had insisted on this arrangement. He knew that Jack could gain
more favors through his winning manner than he might ever expect to
have come to him.
Jack did not enter too deeply into particulars. There was no need for
them. When he spoke of Amos’ father having known Lord Kitchener long
ago, and then handed the Territorial officer that wonderful paper which
was now almost going to tatters through long handling, just as both
boys expected, the result was all they could have hoped for.
After that Jack told how they had made their way along through that
section of Belgium held by the Allies; and then, learning that Frank
had gone to Northern France, searched for him there also.
No doubt the Colonel was astute enough to realize that the chums must
have undergone many hardships, and encountered numerous perils while
trying to get on the track of the missing Frank. He did not ask for
incidents, however. If, later on, the boys cared to go deeper into
details he would be only too well pleased to listen; but just now the
rough outlines of the case satisfied him.
How his eyes sparkled when Jack modestly told of their latest
adventure. Like most others who were in the Dardanelles fight, the
Colonel had heard wonderful stories concerning the blockade-runner,
Captain Zenos; and it astonished him beyond measure to hear Jack tell
how he and his chum had trapped the cunning Greek, and finally turned
his cargo and powerboat over to the Allies.
Before the story had been barely finished he was insisting on shaking
hands with the two American lads, after his breezy fashion.
“I am more than proud to have met you, to shake hands with you!” he
declared. “You are boys after my own heart. I can conceive of nothing
finer than the trick you played on Zenos; and the only thing I regret
is that you didn’t see fit to hand him over to our people. That man has
carried a vast amount of shells to the enemy. Many of the Allies have
lost their lives just because of him; and he would never have run the
blockade again, you can rest assured.”
“That was what we feared,” said Jack, “and it bothered us to know
what we ought to do. Circumstances settled it for us. You see, he was
shut up below, with all that explosive stuff. If he believed we meant
to hand him over to the British the chances were that, in a fit of
desperation, he might have blown the boat up, and all of us would have
perished with her.”
“And you made a bargain with him, did you, promising to let him go free
on condition that he behaved himself? Well, my son, after all is said
and done that seems to have been a wise move on your part. Zenos is a
reckless scoundrel, and he knows what would happen to him if caught.”
The story had now been finished, and the boys eagerly waited to hear
what the Territorial officer would have to say. He seemed to be
considering matters, since he remained silent for quite some time.
“As I understand it, Amos,” he finally remarked, turning upon the other
as he spoke, “you have good reason to believe this dashing brother of
yours is now with our force out here at the Dardanelles?”
“We know he started this way, and the chances are ten to one Frank
has been doing some of his usual daring work here. We watched the
aeroplanes and seaplanes soaring over the Turkish forts and batteries
while the fleet was bombarding in the lower part of the straits
yesterday, and something seemed to tell me that the one who dropped
bombs into a fort, and blew up the magazine, _must_ have been my
brother.”
“Very possibly,” agreed the other, with a smile, “although we have some
gallant fliers of our own stock who would hesitate at nothing. Then
your plan is to try and find out as soon as possible if Frank is here?”
“We were given to understand that possibly one or more of the aviators
had found a convenient base on the peninsula, though the main body
had their headquarters on one of the Greek islands some twenty miles
or more away from here. What we planned to do was to first of all
learn whether Frank could be the one ashore, as that would just be
like his venturesome ways; if it turned out to be another flier, then
the Vice-Admiral told us to get back to the _Thunderer_ as soon as we
could, and he would send us to the island.”
The Colonel was rubbing his chin after the manner of a man who might
be trying to figure something out. Feeling sure that he would do
everything possible to further their cause, the boys waited patiently
to hear what he might have to say when his mind was made up.
“I have been given to understand,” he finally told them, “that there is
one of our aviators who has found some place where he can drop down
and rise again, on the shore of Gallipoli; but I am sorry to say I have
not myself seen him. I made inquiries only yesterday and one of my men,
who has been at the camp of the New Zealanders a mile or more above us,
told me he had seen and talked with the birdman. So I understand that
he is taking advantage of the protection they are able to give him. The
ground must differ radically from what we have here, because outside of
one little exposed plateau there is absolutely no place an aeroplane
could make a run to get a start when about to rise.”
Amos looked pleased.
“Oh! did he go so far as to describe the aviator, Colonel?” he asked.
“See, here is a picture of my brother taken some years ago; perhaps
he might be able to tell me from that, if we’re on the right track at
last.”
“I’ll put you in touch with the man as soon as we are done with
breakfast,” advised the obliging officer. “The chances are you will
learn the facts, one way or another.”
“And if he seems inclined to say it is the same person, how can we
manage to get up to the other camp, Colonel?” asked Amos.
“Well, it would be utterly out of the question to think of trying
such a game in broad daylight,” he was told. “We have no boats, you
understand, and when this private was sent off on a mission to our
fellows in the upper camp he was guided by a Greek named Arturus,
who knows every foot of the way. He is still with us, and might be
influenced to undertake to lead you there.”
“Oh! I’m not afraid in the least that he will refuse, after my cousin
has had a chance to talk with him,” said Amos, at which the officer
laughed.
“I believe your faith is not misplaced, for Jack certainly has a
winning way about him,” he assured Amos. “Even if my mind had not
already been made up to help you in every way possible, I think I would
have fallen a victim to his arguments. I have a boy at home who is
as much like Jack here as two peas in a pod--not in looks alone but
manners as well.”
That partly explained why the doughty Colonel of the Territorials
had looked so earnestly and often at Jack Maxfield. The sight of the
resolute face of the American boy had put him in mind of his own son
far away across the seas.
“When can we expect to take this venture, then, sir?” asked Jack,
partly to hide his confusion, for compliments of any kind always made
him turn red in the face, and feel uneasy.
“If tonight offers a fair chance you shall make the attempt,” he was
told. “In the meantime you can meet the soldier who saw this aviator in
the camp above, and also arrange with Arturus. I shall let the Greek
know that I am giving my full permission to the enterprise, and you can
make your own terms with him.”
“He is to be depended on, sir?” asked Jack, whose recent experience
with Greek treachery somehow did not make him feel kindly disposed
toward the inhabitants of the Hellenic islands.
“He is as true as steel, you can count on it. That slippery customer
of a Zenos is an exception to the rule. We look on the Greeks as our
allies-to-be sooner or later, when the proper time comes. And while you
are here today you will be given an opportunity to see something of the
vigorous kind of fighting we have to engage in.”
“Then you mean to tackle the Turks again I take it, sir?” asked Amos,
eagerly, for somehow he had become possessed of an ardent desire to see
how these Australians fought, knowing as he did that their ways were
radically different from those of the regular British troops; just as
their habits of dress seemed to be.
“Yes, but I want you to promise me that you will keep far in the rear,
and not run any unnecessary chances of getting hurt,” the Colonel
proceeded. “While as a rule these Turks are poor marksmen, there are
men among them, perhaps Germans it may be, who can hit the bullseye,
and we have learned this to our sorrow.”
“We promise you, sir, not to expose ourselves, for you know we are
neutral in this awful business,” Amos hastily remarked.