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[Illustration: _The Seraph Made a Quick Glide Below Its Adversary_]
THE BOY VOLUNTEERS
WITH THE
FRENCH AIRMEN
BY
KENNETH WARD
[Illustration: Logo]
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY
NEW YORK
Copyright, 1917, by
AMERICAN AUTHORS PUBLISHING CO.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I ANTWERP, AND THE FLIGHT THROUGH NORTHERN BELGIUM 13
II IN THE AVIATION CAMP 25
III THE WOUNDED AVIATORS 35
IV TRENCH WORK WITH THE BRITISH FORCES 48
V ON THE FIRING LINE 61
VI VIGOROUS RED CROSS WORK 72
VII BOUND FOR VERDUN 84
VIII AN AEROPLANE AMIDST THE LIGHTNINGS 94
IX A CHAPTER OF LESSONS ABOUT THE AEROPLANE 107
X A THRILLING EXPERIENCE IN THE AIR 117
XI A FIGHT AND A LANDING IN BELGIUM 125
XII EXCITING EXPLOITS ON LAND 143
XIII A DARING BOMB RAID TO THE RHINE 152
XIV A TERRIBLE FIGHT IN THE CLOUDS 160
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
_The Seraph Made a Quick Glide Below Its Adversary_ _Frontispiece_
PAGE
_Types of Allied Airplanes_ 29
_Airplanes of the Central Powers_ 31
_Allies' Distinguishing Mark_ 64
_Black Cross on German Flyers_ 65
_French and German Flags_ 75
_Instrument Board of Standard Airplane_ 111
_A Dangerous Position_ 129
_A Safety Manoeuver_ 133
FRENCH AIRMEN
THE BOY VOLUNTEERS
WITH THE FRENCH
AIRMEN
CHAPTER I
ANTWERP AND THE FLIGHT THROUGH NORTHERN BELGIUM
Antwerp was in a fever of excitement, as Ralph and Alfred marched up
from the quay with the Belgian troops, and rumors of an immediate attack
on the city were flying about.
"Look at the Zeppelin!" cried out a voice.
The boys turned to follow the gaze of the people who lined the streets.
There, almost directly west, they caught the first glimpse of one of the
monsters which appeared to be moving south, far beyond the reach of the
encircling forts, but plainly visible.
"Nothing would suit me better than a trip in a flying machine!"
exclaimed Alfred.
"Wouldn't that be fine?" replied Ralph.
The sight seemed to be an inspiration to the boys. Our story will tell
how the idea so impressed itself on their minds that they almost felt
it a duty to join a flying corps. That, however, seemed to be an
impossibility.
They had passed through Belgium, participated in the first battles of
the war, had been captured, and escaped from the Germans, and had now
reached Antwerp, with the retreating Belgian army, where Ralph had hoped
to meet his father, whom they had left in Germany almost four weeks
prior to that time.
As the father had not arrived, owing to the embargo which had been
placed on all travelers from Germany to the warring countries, the boys
found themselves stranded in a strange city. Fortunately, their
connection with the army, and the fact that they had rendered Belgium
some service, made it possible for them to get food and lodging.
"We have forgotten one thing," said Ralph.
"What is that?" inquired Alfred.
"Why, we never went to the Post Office," replied Ralph.
At the General Post Office they received a letter from Alfred's father,
only to learn that he had been detained, as was the case with thousands
of Americans, and that it would be impossible for him to reach Antwerp.
Instead, he would be permitted to go through Switzerland, and from that
country reach Paris where he hoped to meet them.
"But we have no money now, what shall we do?" asked Alfred.
"That's what worries me," answered Ralph. "Father supposes that Pierre
is still with us, and that we are supplied with money."
Three days after receiving the letter the boys heard the first definite
news of the great movement of German troops designed to attack the
forts. If they surrounded the city, and besieged it, the chances of
reaching Paris would be small, indeed.
"Something must be done, and that today," said Ralph. "I am going to
leave if I have to walk."
"Where to?" asked Alfred.
Ralph smiled, as he said: "We might walk to Holland."
Alfred almost shouted for joy, as he exclaimed: "That's a good idea. We
have about ten francs left; that ought to take us through."
A map was consulted. "Why, yes," said Alfred, "we can go north to
Eeckeren, and from that place to Capellen, close to the frontier. It's
only twelve miles."
After this decision they again visited the Post Office, and immediately
crossed through the city with a view of striking the main highway
leading to Holland. Reaching the outskirts of the city, they were
surprised to see great masses of Belgian troops encamped close to the
forts, which guarded the highway. They soon learned that a strong German
column had reached Brasscheat, three miles from Eeckeren.
They looked at each other in amazement. "Well, this beats everything,"
said Alfred, with a shade of bitterness. "The Germans seem to be in our
way whichever direction we turn. We'll have to take another route."
"Another route?" blurted out Ralph. "There isn't another way to go on
this side of the river. It would be a long tramp to cross the river."
They were now in a serious dilemma, and stood there undecided as to the
best course to follow, when they were startled by a voice: "Hello,
boys!"
"It's Pierre!" shouted Alfred, who was the first to spy their friend.
"And how did you get here?" asked Alfred. "We thought they had captured
you at Rouen."
"So they did, but we got away the same night. But where are you going?"
returned Pierre.
"Trying to get to Holland," he was informed.
"I am afraid you will have to go south of the Scheldt to get there,"
Pierre then informed them.
"But I received a letter from father, and he wants us to meet him in
Paris," said Alfred. "You know we don't want to be shut up in the city,
if the Germans are going to surround it."
"Of course not," answered Pierre. "But in the meantime we must find some
other way out. You know you are still in the army, in the messenger
service, and come to think of it, you haven't received any pay so far,
have you?"
The boys laughed, for that part of it had been entirely forgotten.
"Why, yes; the Germans paid us for work at the hospital," said Ralph.
"And you repaid them by skipping out the next day," said Pierre with a
smile.
"How much do you think there is due us now?" asked Alfred.
"I don't know what you are on the rolls for, but there must be a full
month's pay due, and that would be about thirty-five francs apiece,"
said Pierre.
"Thirty-five francs!" mused Ralph. "Twice thirty-five is seventy,--about
fourteen dollars. Good, that will take us through."
"I suggest that you come to headquarters and join us. We intend to cross
the river. It will be the safest place for you," said Pierre.
"That will suit me," said Ralph.
Together they marched to headquarters where they were again installed
and placed on the rolls. Late that night the regiment began its march,
reaching the dock below Antwerp at ten o'clock, where they had a long
wait before the crowded boats left the pier. On landing, the march was
resumed, and did not halt for two hours, so it was nearly three in the
morning before they were able to lie down for the much needed sleep.
It did not seem that they had slept a half hour when they were awakened
by the heavy booming notes of cannon, and the occasional rattle and
crash of small guns. The boys now knew the kind of music which the
different weapons ground out.
"That's a machine gun, see how regularly the shots come," said Alfred.
"Yes; and that's a salvo from infantry," replied Ralph. "The Mannlicher
guns have an awfully snappy way of talking. Do you hear it? There it is
again. They must be rushing some of the outer works."
The real fight, however, was between the forts and the heavy German
guns, which continued during the entire day, principally on the southern
and eastern sides of the city. The struggle was continuous for four
days. Suddenly Pierre burst in with the startling information:
"The Germans have silenced two of the forts, and Antwerp is doomed."
No time was lost by the defending troops, and before noon the camp was
dismantled, and the march begun.
"Do you know where we are going!" asked Alfred.
"Nothing more than that we are going to leave Antwerp, and try to reach
the sea," replied Pierre.
The Belgian army had begun its famous march across the northern end of
Belgium in order to reach the sea, and secure the protection of the
English fleet in the Channel.
"I heard some one say that we intended going through Bruges," said
Ralph.
"Yes; and from there the army may be able to reach France, after passing
through Ostend," said Pierre.
In an air line Bruges is fifty miles from Antwerp, and from Bruges to
the French frontier it is fully forty miles more. How the brave little
army finally reached its destination, avoiding the large German forces
sent out to intercept them, remains one of the most glorious exploits
in the history of the Belgian army.
"Next to Belgium I am glad to be in France," said Pierre. "Now you can
get to Paris without difficulty," he added.
It thus happened that six weeks after the boys entered Belgium southwest
of Liege, they reached Dunkirk on the French coast, and saw the immense
fleet of warships and transports, which the British had in the harbor.
It seemed that every spot around the city was taken up by tents, wagons,
mules, horses, and heavy guns, to say nothing of the soldiers on every
hand.
One regiment after the other entrained in cars, and were whirled to the
south. Box cars, flat cars, some new, others dilapidated, were in
service. It seemed that there were thousands of automobiles in line, and
every one was anxious to get away. They even saw thousands of men, with
full kits on their backs, march out to the east, as though they scorned
to wait for railway or auto accommodations.
Pierre was at the door of the boys' tent early in the morning of the
second day. "I am glad to tell you that the roll has been signed, and
you can get your pay," he said. "But I am awfully sorry to have you go."
"Of course, we've had some pretty hard times," said Ralph, "but it was a
great experience. Maybe we'll come back again."
"We're going to try to join the flying machines," said Alfred.
Pierre laughed, and Ralph smiled, for, while that idea was uppermost in
his mind, he had never discussed the subject with Alfred sufficiently to
enable them to call it a plan that they really intended to follow out.
It was more an enthusiastic feeling of something that they would like to
do, without knowing just how they would go about it.
"So you are really going to start for Paris this afternoon?" said
Pierre.
"Yes; we ought to be there now, for father will wonder what is the
matter with us. You see he hasn't heard from us for six weeks, and it
has been two weeks since we received his letter," said Ralph.
"Then why don't you wire the Continental Hotel, Paris, and tell him you
are on the way? It will relieve his anxiety. Tell him to answer you at
once, for it may take you several days to reach Paris," said Pierre.
"Several days?" queried Alfred.
"Yes, indeed. Troops occupy all the cars now," replied Pierre.
So the telegram was sent, and it was decided to remain where they were
until morning so as to receive the reply before starting. But no answer
came that night or the next day. In the meantime, the boys wandered from
place to place, for, as they still wore the trim Belgian suits, they
were privileged to visit many places barred from civilians.
In the afternoon they found themselves far down the road leading to
Ypres, when they were startled at the sound of an unusual buzzing, and
soon divined the cause as they saw a dozen or more airplanes flying
around over the broad fields to the east. Nothing more was needed to
give the boys an inspiration. They moved toward the great field, as
though a giant magnet pulled them. Long before they were near the
hangars they could see the flyers far above them, circling about. The
scene fascinated them.
Then something like a dull explosion startled them, and they looked at
each other and then glanced about.
"There it is; look at it; directly above us," shouted Alfred, in great
excitement.
"Something has happened; it's on fire," said Ralph.
In an incredibly short space of time, something struck and rattled along
the ground not far from them, but the machine, although falling, was
still some hundreds of feet from the earth. One of the operators could
be seen frantically drawing back the levers, and trying to hold the
badly damaged ship from overturning, but his efforts were unavailing.
The boys closed their eyes as the swiftly moving machine now actually
rolled down through space, tumbling over and over, until it finally
struck the ground with a crashing noise, not a hundred feet from where
they stood. Terrorized at the sight, they stood still for a few moments,
but this was no worse than the scenes they had witnessed in battle, so,
without a word, they made a rush for the mound of debris.
"They are both under the machine," said Alfred.
"Look at the smoke; it's afire," shouted Ralph.
"Use sand! use sand!" almost shrieked Alfred.
They had early learned that sand is more effectual as a fire
extinguisher of burning oil than water, if properly applied. Handsful of
sand were scooped up and applied. A groan from one of the men arrested
their movements.
Alfred jumped on the broken mass, and peered down. "There he is!" he
shouted. Ralph crawled over the broken body of the airplane, and reached
down.
"No; this man is lying still," he said. "Here he is; come on this side;
he is under the framework."
The scene was one which well might inspire heroic work.
The imprisoned man was quite young, with handsome features, and it
seemed cruel that such a fate should overtake him. The boys strained at
the wreck until it moved.
"Brace it up on that side," said Ralph.
The truss from the fuselage was removed from the aviator, the man
quickly drawn out from his perilous position, and carried clear of the
wreck.
"Now for the other one," said Alfred.
Blood was still flowing across the face of the other flyer, as they
crawled over the wreck to draw him out.
"This one is alive, I am sure," said Ralph.
"Why, yes; his heart is beating," replied Alfred, as the injured men
were laid side by side.
"I have heard that they have first aid packages in machines of this
kind," said Ralph, as he sprang toward the remains of the machine. "I
have it," he cried, as he leaped over the wrecked pieces. "Here
is--a--_Restorative_, whatever that is,--half a wineglass at a
time,--where's the wineglass?"
"Give each a good swallow of it," said Alfred, as he raised up the head
of the one first rescued.
The other man opened his eyes. "Lieutenant!" he said. Then, as he gazed
at the boys, he seemed to smile, and as Alfred held up the bottle he
feebly nodded.
It seemed to revive him in a few moments, and he struggled to raise
himself. "I feel better now, but something hurts my legs," he said.
The lieutenant opened his eyes, and quietly looked at the boys without
speaking.
"Can I do anything for you?" said Alfred.
"Is Jack hurt?" he asked.
"Yes; but he is all right," said Ralph.
"Here I am; still on top," said Jack, as he slightly turned, and moved
his hand toward the lieutenant.
"And what are you boys doing here?" asked the lieutenant.
"On our way to Paris," said Alfred.
"But where did you get the uniforms?" asked the officer.
"Why, we've been in the Belgian army, and were in several fights," said
Ralph proudly.
The lieutenant's face brightened into a smile, which quickly changed to
one of pain. An ambulance stopped alongside with startling suddenness,
for the boys had been too busy to notice that the watchers at the
hangars had signaled for assistance. The men were carefully carried to
the van, and as they were about to start the lieutenant motioned to the
doctor in charge, and said:
"I want the boys to come along with us."