FLYING
"You know I don't think much of these contraptions," said Stubbs.
With Hal and Chester he was flying aloft in a large army biplane. The
little war correspondent had climbed into the machine with the same
trepidation he always manifested when about to ascend into the air, but
he had not spoken until the machine was a full half mile aloft and Hal
had sent it moving swiftly toward the distant German lines.
"Just sit tight and you will be all right," Chester replied.
"Never fear, I'll sit tight," returned Stubbs and became silent.
It was very dark aloft. Because he feared he might encounter an air craft
of the enemy, Hal had not turned on the searchlight with which the
machine was equipped. He had taken his bearings before making a start and
was now trusting to his judgment of distances to guide him to the spot he
had selected to return to the ground.
This point, which Hal and Chester had decided upon after some
deliberation, was well behind the most advanced German lines. According
to Hal's calculations, it was possible that at the place selected there
would be few German troops. He had figured to descend between the German
lines. Under the cover of darkness he felt there was little to fear
should they avoid all enemy aircraft.
Accordingly, it was about an hour later when Hal reduced the speed of the
biplane and then shut off the motor altogether. A moment later the
machine began to glide slowly to earth.
Chester, peering over the side of the aeroplane, was the first to see the
ground below.
"Land below!" he called to Hal.
"Anything in sight?" asked Hal.
"Not a thing. Coast seems to be perfectly clear. Trees near, too; so we
can hide the plane, if you go almost straight down."
Hal followed directions and a moment later the biplane came to rest upon
the ground as lightly as a bird.
Hal, Chester and Stubbs climbed out quickly.
"Guess we had better run the machine back among the trees," said Hal.
"Lend me a hand here."
It was the work of but a few moments. Hal walked some distance away and
surveyed the spot where the machine had been rolled. He walked around it
on all sides.
"O.K.," he said. "You wouldn't know it was there unless you happened to
be looking for it."
"Well, what now?" asked Chester.
"Guess we had better don those German uniforms and prowl about a bit."
"Snoop, eh," said Stubbs.
"Now look here, Stubbs," said Hal, "you just keep quiet and get into this
uniform we brought along for you."
Mumbling to himself, Stubbs obeyed.
Arrayed in the German uniforms--the attire of lieutenants--the three
advanced toward where they felt sure the main German entrenchments must
be. Hal glanced at his watch in the moonlight.
"Ten o'clock," he said. "Within three hours we should have learned all we
need to. As soon as we reach the German lines we shall separate. We'll
meet here again at two o'clock. Is that satisfactory?"
"Suits me," said Chester.
"Want to lose me, do you?" grumbled Stubbs. "Never mind, though. I'll be
here by the time you are."
"Pick up every scrap of information possible," Hal enjoined his
companions. "Don't take the trouble to write it down. Just impress it on
your memory."
The others nodded their understanding.
The three came now upon a light in the distance.
"Germans ahead, I guess," Chester whispered. "Careful and let all further
conversation be in German."
The lad was right. Advancing two hundred yards farther, the three friends
came upon the outlying sections of the big German camp. Sentinels moved
about in the darkness, their forms lighted up now and then by the flare
of campfires--for the night was very cold.
Once they were challenged by a sentry, but when the man looked at their
uniforms in the moonlight, he lowered his rifle and passed on.
"I'll go straight ahead," said Chester in a low voice. "Hal, you go north
and let Stubbs go south."
And thus it was arranged without further talk. The three friends
separated.
Walking between the rows of German tents, Chester, after perhaps half an
hour, was arrested by the sound of voices in a tent that seemed, in the
darkness, to be much larger than the ones which surrounded it. He paused
and listened attentively.
"Then everything is in readiness," came a voice.
"Everything. When the French see that we have weakened our lines on the
left wing, they naturally will press forward in masses. The pressure on
the right wing probably will be lessened. Also in the center. General
Petain, in all probabilities, will seek to take advantage of what he will
believe is our carelessness."
"And then?" asked the first voice.
"Why, then we shall push forward in the center and on the right,
leaving enough men on the left to make a show of force. Taken at a
disadvantage, the French will be cut off on our left, and our center,
sweeping around, suddenly, will envelop them. As I estimate it, the
French wing, which will be thus enveloped, will be 100,000 strong. It
will be a telling blow."
Chester, while this conversation was in progress, had shrunk close up
against the tent. Now, thinking to gain a view of the occupants, he
drew his knife from his pocket and made a little slit in the canvas.
To this opening he applied his eye; and then gave an exclamation under
his breath.
In the center of the group of officers in the tent was none other than
the German Crown Prince, the directing head of the German attack on
Verdun, and son of the Emperor himself.
The conversation continued and the lad stored up mentally the knowledge
he gained by listening to the conversation.
The gathering within now seemed about to break up; but Chester delayed in
his precarious position, thinking to gather every possible iota of
information. And this almost proved his undoing.
Although Chester did not know it, one of the German officers had, for
some moments, been gazing at the little slit in the tent made by the
point of Chester's knife. Now, with a murmured apology to the other
officers, he strode from the tent. Chester still had his eyes glued to
the opening and did not hear soft footsteps behind him.
A harsh voice sounded in the lad's ear.
"Get up from there!"
Chester did not lose his nerve, although he realized immediately that he
was in a ticklish position, indeed. His hand reached for his pocket as he
rose slowly to his feet.
But one glance at the figure that confronted him told the lad that it
would be useless for him to attempt to draw his revolver; for the
German held a pistol in a steady hand and it was levelled straight at
Chester's head.
"What are you doing here?" was the officer's next question.
"Why, I heard voices," said Chester, "and I thought I would see what was
going on."
"Curiosity has got a man into trouble many a time," said the German
quietly. "March on ahead of me."
There was nothing for it but to obey. Under the muzzle of the German
officer's revolver, Chester was marched around to the front of the tent
and then inside.
"Hello!" It was the Crown Prince who spoke. "What have we here?"
"I caught this man eavesdropping outside the tent," replied the man who
had captured Chester.
"So!" said the Crown Prince in an angry tone. He whirled upon Chester.
"And what were you doing there, sir?" he asked.
"I--why, I--" Chester stammered.
The lad was thankful in that minute for his German uniform; though he
knew it probably would go hard with him anyhow, he believed that the fact
that he was, ostensibly, a German lieutenant would give him more time;
possibly it would give Hal enough time to find and rescue him. At least,
it would preclude a search for more possible French spies.
"To what regiment are you attached?" asked the Crown Prince.
Chester took a long chance.
"Fortieth Hussars, sir," he replied quietly.
"Then what are you doing here?" demanded the Crown Prince, but continued
without giving Chester time to reply: "Surely you know the penalty of
such actions?"
"All I can say, sir," the lad declared, "is that my curiosity
overcame me."
For a moment it seemed that the face of the Crown Prince softened. Then
it became stern again.
"I can see that you are little more than a boy," he said, "but that is no
excuse. You are a soldier and you know a soldier's duty. That is not
prying into the business of your superiors." He turned to the group of
officers. "What do you say, sirs," he said, "shall I have this man court
martialed, or shall I have him returned to his regiment with a warning?"
But there was no mercy on the faces of the others and Chester
realized it.
"He should be court martialed and shot," said one.
"I agree with you," said another.
"I'm not so sure," said the Crown Prince. "The lad is young. How do I
know what I would have done in his place? No; I am tempted to have him
returned to his regiment and placed under arrest indefinitely."
"Lieutenant Hollsein, I shall leave this man in your charge. See that he
is returned to his regiment immediately."
Chester breathed a sigh of relief. He realized that he was still in a
perilous situation, for when he should be taken to the commander of the
Fortieth Hussars, his deception must be learned. But at least it gave him
more time.
But Chester's sigh of relief came too soon.
"Hold on!" said one of the German officers. "This man is no German!"