WITH THE ARMY.
"Well! Well! Well! If it isn't Lieutenant Paine and Lieutenant Crawford!"
The speaker, none other than Field Marshal Sir John French,
commander-in-chief of the British forces sent to help France hurl back
the legions of the German invader, was greatly surprised by the
appearance of the two lads before him.
"I thought surely you had been killed," continued General French.
"We are not to be killed so easily, sir," replied Hal Paine.
"And where have you been?" demanded the General.
"In Russia, sir," replied Chester Crawford, "where we were attached to a
Cossack regiment, and where we saw considerable fighting."
General French uttered an exclamation of astonishment.
"How did you get there?" he asked. "And how did you return?"
"Airship," was Hal's brief response, and he related their adventures
since they had last seen their commander.
Hal then tendered the General a despatch he carried from the Grand Duke
Nicholas, commander-in-chief of all the Russian armies operating against
the Germans in the eastern theater of war.
"You shall serve on my staff," said General French finally.
He summoned another officer and ordered that quarters be prepared for the
two lads immediately.
And while the two boys are getting themselves comfortably fixed it will
be a good time to introduce the lads to such readers as have not made
their acquaintance before.
Hal Paine and Chester Crawford, two American lads, their ages being about
18 and 19, had seen considerable service in the great European war--the
greatest war of all time. They had been in Berlin when Germany had
declared war upon Russia and France and with Hal's mother had attempted
to make their way from that country. The mother had been successful; but
Hal and Chester got into trouble and had been left behind.
Fortunately, however, two young officers, Major Raoul Derevaux, a
Frenchman, and Captain Harry Anderson, an Englishman, had come to their
assistance--reciprocating a good turn done them by the two lads a day
before--and together, after some difficulties, they succeeded in
reaching Liège, Belgium, just in time to take part in its heroic defense
against the first German hordes that violated the neutrality of the
little buffer country.
Both had distinguished themselves by their coolness and bravery under
fire, and had found favor in the eyes of the Belgian commander, as
related in "The Boy Allies at Liège." Later they had rendered themselves
invaluable in carrying dispatches.
Following their adventures in this campaign they saw service with the
British forces on the continent, as told in "The Boy Allies on the Firing
Line." In this campaign they had been instrumental in foiling a
well-planned German coup, which would have resulted in a severe blow to
the British had it been put through.
Also, while scouting in the enemy's domain, Hal and Chester had unearthed
a conspiracy that threatened the destruction of a whole French army
corps. By prompt action the lads prevented this and won the
congratulations of General Joffre, the French commander-in-chief.
It was through information gleaned by the lads that the British army was
finally able to surprise the enemy and advance to the east shore of the
River Marne, after a struggle that had lasted for two weeks.
In a battle following this decisive engagement--while returning from a
successful raid--Captain Harry Anderson, who had accompanied them, was
critically wounded and, together with Hal and Chester, taken prisoner.
Hal and Chester, with a French army dog they had rescued from the wrath
of a German officer, were taken almost immediately to Berlin.
There, while strolling about the street one day in company with the
German officer in whose charge they had been placed, they were made, to
their surprise, the bearer of an important communication to the Russian
commander-in-chief. It happened in this wise:
An English prisoner, recognizing them, made a dash for liberty and
succeeded in passing the document to Chester. The lad secreted it.
Finally, through their resourcefulness, the lads managed to make their
escape from the German capital and reached the Russian lines by means of
an airship.
Here they put the document into the hands of Grand Duke Nicholas, who, at
their request, assigned them to a regiment of Cossacks.
The lads immediately made a good friend of a huge Cossack, Alexis
Verhoff, a man of immense prowess and great strength, and with him saw a
world of fighting. In a battle with the enemy, Marquis, the dog who had
accompanied them, was killed. Later, while they were making their way
back to England by airship, Alexis, who accompanied them, was wounded on
the coast of Sweden, where their machine, crippled by the fire of German
aviators, had fallen.
While Alexis stood off the foe the lads repaired the damage to the
machine, but when they finally succeeded in dragging the huge Cossack
aboard and once more headed toward home, they found that their friend was
wounded unto death. He died as the aeroplane sped over the North Sea.
In Russia both lads had been decorated with the Cross of St. George by
the Czar of Russia himself--this for their bravery and daring.
Hal and Chester were both exponents of the manly art of self-defense, and
more than once their skill in the fistic art had stood them to good
advantage. They were also proficient in the use of the revolver and
sword. They had returned from Russia with a dispatch for Sir John French
from the Russian Grand Duke, a message so important that the Russian
commander-in-chief would not flash it by wireless for fear that it might
be intercepted by the Germans, and the code deciphered.
Hal and Chester went at once to the quarters assigned them, where they
immediately threw themselves down to rest. They were tired out, as the
journey had occupied days, and they had scarcely closed their eyes during
that time. They had remained in England only long enough to have the body
of Alexis buried with fitting honors, and had then set out for France
immediately.
It was dark when the two lads were aroused by the sound of a bugle
blowing the call to arms. Both were quickly on their feet and dashed
through the darkness to where they could make out the form of their
commander, surrounded by other members of his staff.
"Something up!" cried Hal as they hurried forward.
"Probably a night attack," said Chester. "General French may be planning
to carry some of the enemy's trenches by assault."
"Guess you are right," replied Hal briefly.
They took their places among the others of the British leader's staff and
were received with nods of welcome and some expressions of astonishment.
They had friends among the British officers, many of whom, because of
their long absence, had mourned them as dead.
The lads let their eyes roam about. Troops, troops, troops! Nothing but
troops, as far as the eye could see. Cavalry, artillery and infantry in
solid masses on every side; officers darting hither and thither
delivering sharp orders. It was an impressive sight.
An officer on horseback dashed up to General French and the two held a
short conversation. As the rider turned and was about to make off again
the lads recognized him.
"Major Derevaux!" shouted Hal, taking a step forward.
The officer wheeled in his saddle. He recognized the two lads in an
instant, and reined in.
"Hello, boys," he called back. "I heard you were dead. Glad to see
you again."
Without further words, but with a wave of his hand, the French officer
put spurs to his horse and dashed out of sight in the darkness.
"Wonder what he is doing here?" said Hal. "He was attached to General
Joffre's staff when we left. Remember?"
"Yes," replied Chester. "Must be some momentous move under way."
Other officers now began to appear. They dashed up to the British
commander, made their reports and immediately dashed away again.
"Lieutenant Paine! Lieutenant Crawford!"
It was General French summoning them and the boys approached and came to
attention. Because of past experience, both lads realized instantly that
the General had some ticklish work cut out and that he had selected them
to carry it through.
"Take a troop of cavalry," came the command, "and make a reconnoissance
of the northeast!"
Quickly two officers nearby sprang from their horses and offered them to
the lads, for the latter had not yet had time to find steeds. The lads
sprang into the saddle, saluted their commander, and dashed away. To the
nearest cavalry force they hurried, where upon repeating General French's
order to the commander, they soon had a troop at their disposal.
A troop of cavalry is composed of one hundred men. It is usually
commanded by a captain.
Now it is very unusual for a commanding officer to have two lieutenants
on his staff, as had General French in the persons of Hal and Chester;
but the General had commissioned them as such on the spur of the moment,
and when they took command of the troop they consequently, for the time,
superseded the captain in command--for they were the personal
representatives of the General himself.
The two lads placed themselves at the head of the troop and rode forward
at a rapid trot. Past dense masses of infantry, battery after battery of
heavy artillery and troop upon troop of cavalry they rode toward the
northeast.
They were not yet at the front of the long battle line, for General
French had his headquarters well back, but still close enough to be in
constant danger from the enemy's artillery fire.
From a trot the troop broke into a gallop, and soon were beyond the
farthest trenches. Skirting this at the extreme north--close to the
sea--they progressed still further toward the enemy. It was the boys'
duty, if possible, to find out the position of the German forces at this
point and to determine their numbers; also the strategic positions that
could be used by either army.
Now an order was given for the troop to spread out, and, leaving the
road, the two lads led their men into the woods, where they could advance
with less danger of being seen. They had not been ordered forward to give
battle, and there would be no fighting unless it became necessary in
order that their mission might be successful.
But, as in most missions upon which the lads had been dispatched, there
was to be fighting; and these British were not the men to turn their
backs upon the enemy without giving them a warm reception.
From the shelter of the sand dunes there came suddenly a fusillade. Two
British troopers reeled in their saddles and tumbled to the ground.