THE OLD CASTLE.
Lieutenant Anderson raised a hand.
"We surrender," he said quietly.
The officer approached, a revolver held ready for instant use.
"Dismount!" he ordered shortly.
The four companions slid to the ground. A squad of soldiers
surrounded them.
"Search them for arms," was the next command, and they were relieved of
their weapons.
"To the castle!" ordered their captor. "Forward, march!"
With the four prisoners in the center, the soldiers moved away.
"Looks like we were into it pretty steep this time," said Hal, as they
were being led away.
"Silence!" came the sharp command of the German officer.
They moved along for several minutes without a word except for an
occasional command from the officer.
At length a grim, gray wall loomed before them in the darkness, and
without a stop the prisoners were hurried across a little bridge, led
across a courtyard and escorted within the structure.
A fear-inspiring place it was, but the four captives entered without a
tremor, their heads held high and their step firm. Any spirit of
foreboding they may have felt was not manifested in their carriage.
Down dark and dirty corridors they were led, and after many sharp turns,
their guards stopped before what appeared to be a hole in the side of the
wall. Into this opening the prisoners were thrust without ceremony, and a
door behind them was closed with a bang.
It was several minutes before the four companions could accustom their
eyes to the semi-darkness, but finally they were able to make out the few
objects that furnished the cell, for such it proved to be.
There were three broken chairs and two dirty-looking mattresses, one of
the latter at each end of the cell. Also there was a small table.
"Pretty dismal looking place, this," remarked the doughty French captain,
after a hasty glance about.
"Dismal and dirty it certainly is," said Hal.
"How long do you suppose we shall have to stay here?" asked Chester.
"Until they get ready to let us out," replied the young English
lieutenant dryly. "Which may not be a very satisfactory answer, but it's
the best I can do."
"What do you suppose they will do with us?" queried Hal.
"You've got me. If they don't take us out and shoot us as spies, we are
likely to lie here till we rot."
"Surely they would be afraid to do that."
"Don't fool yourself that they are afraid to do anything."
"But we can prove we are not spies."
"Can we? How? With the trouble we have made, they won't be able to kill
us off quick enough."
"Well," said Hal hopefully, "maybe something will turn up that will
enable us to convince them."
"I hope so. But if it doesn't turn up soon, we are gone goslings, just as
sure as you're a foot high," and Lieutenant Anderson threw himself down
on one of the evil-looking mattresses, remarking: "Might as well take a
little snooze, anyhow."
"This doesn't look to me like a time to sleep," remarked Hal to Chester,
although he almost envied the coolness with which the young Englishman
accepted his perilous situation.
"Looks to me more like the time to try and find a way out," agreed
Chester.
Captain Derevaux, however, also flung himself upon one of the mattresses
and he and the lieutenant soon were fast asleep.
In spite of the fact that they had been more than twenty-four hours
without sleep, the two boys were in no mood to close their eyes. As Hal
said, now seemed to be the proper time to expend whatever energies they
had in getting out of their prison.
The boys looked around. There were two small windows to their cell, but
it was plain they were too small to permit of a human body being squeezed
through. Besides, they were barred. Beyond, across a courtyard, could be
seen another wing of the castle. It appeared to be almost in ruins.
Looking from the other window, the boys could discern the bridge which
they had been led across. The bridge spanned a moat, which at one time
had been filled with water. Now it was a mass of growing weeds.
Hal shook the bars at the window through which he was peering, and one
came away in his hand. It had grown loose through age. Still, however,
it was impossible for a man to pass through the window. The opening was
too small.
"No chance of getting out here," remarked Hal, turning to Chester, who
stood at the other window.
"Nor here," was the answer. "I couldn't squeeze through to save my life."
"What are we to do, then? I certainly won't let them take me out and
shoot me without a fight."
"No more will I," declared Chester. "I would rather be killed fighting
than to be taken out and stood up against a wall."
"Then if it comes to the worst we will pitch into the guards when they
come to take us out and fight until the end," said Hal.
"We will," agreed Chester. "It would be a much more pleasant death. I
don't think much of walking out and standing over my own grave and
letting somebody shoot at me without a chance to fight back."
They continued their conversation well into the night.
As the first rays of sunlight filtered into their cell a key turned
gratingly in the rusty lock of the door. Captain Derevaux and Lieutenant
Anderson, who now appeared to have been sleeping with one eye open, were
on their feet immediately, and the four friends faced the door.
Slowly the huge door swung outward and a grinning apparition appeared in
the doorway, carrying a vessel of water and a loaf of bread. It was an
old, old negro, and he shuffled forward haltingly. Just outside the door
could be seen half a dozen German soldiers.
Hal and Chester stared at the old negro in speechless amazement. The
sight of the old darky carried them back across the sea to the home of
Hal's Virginia uncle. They forgot their danger for a moment, gazed at
each other and broke into a laugh.
The old negro looked at them in surprise, and with ruffled dignity. He
placed the water and bread upon the table, and drawing himself up,
pointed to them and then commanded:
"Essen!"
It was too much for the two lads and they broke into another loud guffaw.
"Well, what do you think of that!" exclaimed Chester. "Here's what looks
like an old plantation negro, and he speaks German."
"Funniest thing I ever heard," gasped Hal between bursts of laughter.
At their words, an expression of amazement passed over the old
negro's face.
"Lawdy! Lawdy!" he exclaimed, a wide grin spreading itself over his
features; "if dese two chilluns ain't 'Mericans," and advancing toward
them he demanded:
"What yo'al doin' hyah? Dey tol' me dey dun captured fo' spies!"
Hal explained briefly.
The old negro rolled his eyes in gaping wonder at the recital.
"Can't you help us, uncle?" asked Chester, as Hal completed his story.
Frightened, the old darky looked around; then began slowly to back toward
the door of the cell, just beyond which stood the line of soldiers.
"Yo'al jes' wait," he spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Ol' Uncle Billy'll see
what he c'n do."
He backed out of the cell as he finished and the door clanged behind him.
"It seems that we have at least one friend," remarked Hal, after Uncle
Billy had gone.
"But what can he do to help us?" demanded the young French captain.
"I don't know," replied Hal; "but you may be sure he will do anything he
can. He will not desert us. He is that kind, and I know the kind well."
"You can bet on that," Chester agreed. "He'll be back before long."
It was nearing the hour of noon when the cell door again swung open.
Believing that Uncle Billy had returned, the two boys jumped to their
feet. But they were disappointed. An officer, whose shoulder straps
proclaimed him a lieutenant, entered. Behind him stood the inevitable
line of soldiers.
He beckoned the prisoners. "Follow me!" he commanded.
"Where to?" demanded Lieutenant Anderson.
"General Steinberg desires your presence."
He stood aside as the captives filed from the cell. Outside the line of
soldiers fell in step behind them.
Our four friends were marched out of the castle and across the field to
the army camp. They were led to a hut rather larger than the rest, which
proclaimed it the headquarters of the commanding officer. They were
ushered inside and their military escort fell back.
General Steinberg sat at a table surrounded by several officers of his
staff. He looked up as the prisoners entered, and unconsciously Captain
Derevaux saluted.
General Steinberg jumped to his feet.
"So!" he exclaimed. "A soldier, eh? And an officer, besides. I thought
so! What rank, and to what command are you attached?"
Captain Derevaux drew himself up to his full height.
"Captain of French Rifles!" he said defiantly.
"And what are you doing within our lines in civilian clothes, may I ask?"
demanded the general, with a sneer. "Spying, eh?" he continued without
waiting for a reply. "I thought so. Are your companions also spies?"
"We are not spies," declared the captain vehemently. "I was stranded in
Berlin and was trying to make my way out of the country so as to join my
regiment."
"And why should we allow you to leave the country and join our foes? Did
you report yourself to the authorities in Berlin when war was declared?"
"No."
"And why, may I ask?"
"Because I had already received orders to join my regiment, and I did not
propose to be detained."
The general waved him aside and turned to Lieutenant Anderson.
"And you are also an officer, perhaps, eh?" he questioned.
"I am," replied the lieutenant boldly. "I hold his British majesty's
commission as a lieutenant of Dragoons."
"Another spy, eh?"
"No; I am no spy, and you do not dare treat me as one."
"I don't? You shall see. Stand aside!"
The general turned to Hal and Chester.
"And you," he said, "you both look over young to be taking the risk of
spies. How do you come to be mixed up in this business?"
Hal explained.
"Why did you not submit to arrest in Angermunde?"
"Because we feared we would be detained."
"And is that a sufficient cause for attacking a squad of German troops?"
"We considered it so," replied Hal.
"Enough!" exclaimed General Steinberg. "It is my belief you are all
spies. You shall be shot to-morrow at sunrise!"
Turning to the officer who had escorted them to his hut, he commanded:
"Return them to their cell and see that they are well guarded!"
"But, general," the young captain spoke up, "these boys are in no way to
blame. They are perfectly innocent!"
"Shoot us if you like, but spare them," pleaded the lieutenant.
"Bah!" exclaimed the general. "One is as guilty as the other!"
With a wave of his hand he signified that the interview was ended.
"Take them away!" he ordered.
"It's all my fault!" exclaimed Captain Derevaux when they were back
in the cell once more. "I should not have permitted you boys to
accompany us."
"It is not!" denied Hal and Chester together. "Whatever may befall us is
no discredit to you. Had we not come with you, we probably should have
tried to escape the country alone."
"But if you had not been captured in our company you would be in no
danger of being shot," declared Lieutenant Anderson. "I cannot forgive
myself that I consented to your coming."
"Never mind that," said Hal. "You tried to help us, and that we go to our
deaths to-morrow morning is not due to you."
"Fool that I was!" cried the Frenchman. "Had I kept my presence of mind
in Steinberg's hut our position would not be so desperate. It was my
salute that caused all this trouble."
"Come, come, never mind that," soothed Chester. "It couldn't be helped.
Besides, I am sure he had his mind made up to shoot us, anyhow. Let's not
think about it."
It was perhaps an hour later that the huge cell door once more swung
slowly open. Uncle Billy stepped quickly inside and closed the door
after him.
"Sh-h!" he whispered, holding up a warning finger and coming close.
Silently he went to the table and, one after another, produced from some
place about his person four revolvers.
"When I brung yo'al yo' dinnah t'night," he explained, "I'se gwine ter
leave de' door open. I'se gwine ter p'tend ter lock it, but it ain't
gwine ter be locked.
"At nine o'clock t'night de' watch am changed, an' fer five minutes there
ain't no guard in de' hall. That am when yo'al slip out an' sneak down
de' hall. When yo'al gits out o' de cas'le, jes' yo'al sneak roun' to de
right, an' dere'll be frien's dere."
Uncle Billy again put a warning finger to his lips.
Hal opened his mouth to ask a question, but with a soft "sh-h" Uncle
Billy silenced him.
Then, after several furtive glances about, the old negro stole quickly
from the cell, closing the door softly behind him.