THE AMBASSADOR AGAIN.
While Hal, Chester and Uncle John were having their troubles with members
of the Austrian diplomatic corps on Italian soil, the Italian army itself
already had taken the field against the enemy. War having been declared,
the Italian general staff had wasted no time.
Along the Austrian frontier, at the head of the Adriatic, clear north to
the Swiss border, the troops of King Emmanuel had intrenched themselves
against a possible attack of the foe; big guns even now were roaring and
raining the messengers of death upon the fortified positions of the
Austrians in their front.
Skirmishes between isolated forces of the two armies, some of which
reached the proportions of real battles, had taken place, and upon the
southern border some slight success already had crowned the efforts of
the Italian troops.
The Italian fleet had been set in motion; giant battleships and other
vessels of war had joined other craft of the quadruple entente in an
effective blockade of Austrian ports in the Adriatic; and the Austrians
were keeping well behind the shelter of their own mines.
In one or two cases they had ventured forth to give battle, but each
expedition of this nature had resulted disastrously--at the bottom of the
sea. Apparently, now, they had given up attempts to run the blockade and
were content to lie snug in their well-fortified harbors, even as their
German allies were doing in their ports.
Several Austrian aircraft had left their bases and flown over Genoa,
dropping bombs, killing and wounding a score of non-combatants, but
doing little damage to fortified positions or to munition plants and
provision camps, which were presumed to be their goal. Also several had
been brought to earth by the accurate fire from the anti-air craft guns
of the Italians.
Unlike England, France, Russia and Belgium, Italy entered the war
prepared. She was not taken by surprise, as had been her allies. She went
into the war with her eyes open and a full realization of her
responsibilities. Also mobilization had been completed before she had
finally decided to take the plunge into the maelstrom. Again, she was
better prepared than her allies for the reason that she had recently
emerged from a successful struggle against the Turks in Tripoli and her
army was an army of veterans.
There was no doubt that Italy would be the first to take the offensive.
The question was, where would she strike? It was an established fact that
she would not await the attacks of the Austrians, but where would she
deliver her first blow? Would it be by sea, hurling her fleet upon the
enemy's base across the Adriatic? Would it be across the southern
boundary of Austria, or would it be farther north--through the Alps?
There was little to choose between the latter methods; but the first was
given little thought. It was well known that the Austrians had mined the
Adriatic thoroughly near their ports, and to attempt an expedition there
threatened destruction for the attackers.
An advance through the Alps also presented its difficulties. In spite of
the fact that the weather was still warm, it was anything but warm in the
mountain fastnesses. True, a passage of the Alps had been forced before
now--one by the Carthaginian General Hannibal in the middle ages, and
again by Napoleon. But it was still a desperate undertaking.
The world waited to see.
Chester Crawford, still in the hands of his captors, took no thought of
these things now. His one absorbing thought at the moment was of hitting
upon some plan whereby he could elude his guards and make his escape. At
the same time, he realized that he had a hard problem before him; for now
that he had almost made his get-away twice, he knew he would be guarded
with more vigilance than before. Still, he determined to bide his time
and take advantage of the first opportunity that presented itself.
The two Austrians who had arrived in time to prevent his escape after his
tussle with Robard now stood guard over the lad, waiting for Robard to
return to consciousness. Presently the fallen man stirred, rolled over,
gasped a bit, and sat up. He gazed about and took in his surroundings. An
ugly look passed over his face as his eyes fell upon Chester.
"I'll get even with you for this," he said harshly, as he scrambled
to his feet.
"Oh, I don't know," returned Chester with a smile. "I might only increase
my indebtedness the next time we meet."
The Austrian took a threatening step forward. Chester did not flinch and
the man paused and dropped the arm he had raised.
"I'll wait till we get to Vienna, and then I'll guarantee to make you
whine for mercy," growled Robard.
"We shall see," said Chester.
Robard turned to his men.
"We'll go at once," he said.
"By the way," interrupted Chester, "what has happened to the ambassador?"
Robard gave a start, and looked quickly at his two men, who had turned at
Chester's words.
"You'll find him in the next room, I think," said Chester, pointing.
"Shut up!" commanded Robard, again taking a step forward.
Chester smiled and stepped back a bit.
"Where you shot him," he continued pleasantly.
With a cry Robard leaped upon him. Chester struck out quickly with both
fists, one after the other, and the Austrian staggered back. Chester
turned to the others.
"What I say is true," he said quietly, as he noted the look of
uncertainty on their faces. "You can easily tell by investigating."
"It's a lie!" shouted Robard.
The men hesitated.
"Look and see," said Chester.
"The boy is right," said one of them. "I'll look."
He stepped toward the door.
"Stand where you are!" cried Robard.
He moved upon the other and clenched his fists. The man gazed at him a
moment without a word; then, suddenly, he seized his superior by the arms
and held him as though he had been in a vise.
"You have a look, Fritz," he said to his companion. "I'll hold him
safe enough."
The latter wasted no time. He hurried from the room.
"You'll pay for this!" screamed Robard.
"Perhaps," said his subordinate, "but I believe the boy has told the
truth. I never did trust you, with your shifty eyes."
At that moment the third man came back into the room, dragging a heavy
body after him.
"The ambassador!" cried the other.
"You see, I was right," said Chester.
The ambassador was unconscious still, although it was hours after he had
been wounded.
"He's alive," said one of the Austrians, after an examination.
"Get some water," commanded the other.
At this moment Robard took a step forward, and seemed about to wrench
himself free from his captor's arms.
"If you gentlemen will allow me," said Chester, "I shall make a
suggestion that may save us all time and bother."
"Well?" demanded one of the men.
"If you'll give me the gun you deprived me of," said the boy, "I'll give
my word to hold our friend here safe until the ambassador is brought back
to consciousness. Also, I give my word not to attempt to escape."
The others eyed him closely for a brief moment.
"All right," said the man who had gone after the ambassador. "Here." He
passed over his automatic.
Chester took it and covered Robard.
"You can release him now," he said to the big Austrian's captor. "He'll
make no break while I have him covered. He knows me too well by this
time, don't you, Robard?"
The latter's reply was a low growl.
The other Austrian released his hold, and stood back. For an instant it
seemed that Robard would spring forward and give battle to all three,
but as Chester's revolver covered him steadily, he changed his mind and
stood still.
Immediately the others began the work of reviving the ambassador, and
five minutes later their efforts were rewarded. The ambassador moaned
feebly, and a few seconds later sat up. His eyes fell on Robard, and he
jumped quickly to his feet.
"So!" he exclaimed. "Guard him carefully, boy. He's a dangerous man."
"I'll guard him," replied Chester briefly.
Suddenly the Austrian smote himself on the breast.
"The plot!" he cried. "Robard's plot!"
"Has failed," interrupted Chester. Then noticing the look of surprise on
the ambassador's face, he explained.
"We overheard the conversation in the room where we were locked, sir. My
friends managed to escape and give the warning. The plot has failed.
Robard told me as much."
"I'm glad," said the ambassador simply. "And now, what am I to do
with you?"
"Let me go, sir," was the lad's reply.
The ambassador considered the matter.
"I'll tell you," he said at length, "I would like for you to go to Vienna
with me and substantiate my story to the emperor. You will say that my
story should need no proof, as I am the ambassador, but Robard has
influential friends there. He would easily discredit the stories of these
two men here. With you it would be different. Will you go?"
"I would rather not, sir," replied Chester quietly.
"I must insist," urged the ambassador.
For some reason that Chester was never afterwards able to explain to
himself, he suddenly grew terribly angry.
"No, I won't go!" he shouted, and waved a fist in the very face of the
ambassador.
The latter looked at him in amazement; then took his decision.
"You shall go anyhow," he said softly. "Seize him, men!"