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list-style-type: none } +</style> +<style type="text/css"> +/* +Project Gutenberg HTML docutils stylesheet. + +This stylesheet contains styles specific to HTML. +*/ + +/* FONTS */ + +/* em { font-style: normal } +strong { font-weight: normal } */ + +.small-caps { font-variant: small-caps } +.gesperrt { letter-spacing: 0.1em } + +/* ALIGN */ + +.align-left { clear: left; + float: left; + margin-right: 1em } + +.align-right { clear: right; + float: right; + margin-left: 1em } + +.align-center { margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto } + +div.shrinkwrap { display: table; } + +/* SECTIONS */ + +body { margin: 5% 10% 5% 10% } + +/* compact list items containing just one p */ +li p.pfirst { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } + +.first { margin-top: 0 !important; + text-indent: 0 !important } +.last { margin-bottom: 0 !important } + +span.dropcap { float: left; margin: 0 0.1em 0 0; line-height: 1 } +img.dropcap { float: left; margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; max-width: 25% } +span.dropspan { font-variant: small-caps } + +.no-page-break { page-break-before: avoid !important } + +/* PAGINATION */ + +@media screen { + .coverpage, .frontispiece, .titlepage, .verso, .dedication, .plainpage + { margin: 10% 0; } + + div.clearpage, div.cleardoublepage + { margin: 10% 0; border: none; border-top: 1px solid gray; } + + .vfill { margin: 5% 10% } +} + +@media print { + div.clearpage { page-break-before: always; padding-top: 10% } + div.cleardoublepage { page-break-before: right; padding-top: 10% } + + .vfill { margin-top: 20% } + h2.title { margin-top: 20% } +} + +</style> +<title>A HERO OF LIÉGE</title> +<meta name="PG.Rights" content="Public Domain" /> +<meta name="PG.Title" content="A Hero of Liége" /> +<meta name="PG.Producer" content="Al Haines" /> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/img-cover.jpg" /> +<meta name="DC.Creator" content="Herbert Strang" /> +<meta name="DC.Created" content="1914" /> +<meta name="MARCREL.ill" content="Cyrus Cuneo" /> +<meta name="PG.Id" content="39150" /> +<meta name="PG.Released" content="2012-03-14" /> +<meta name="DC.Language" content="en" /> +<meta name="DC.Title" content="A Hero of Liége" /> + +<link href="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" rel="schema.DCTERMS" /> +<link href="http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators" rel="schema.MARCREL" /> +<meta content="A Hero of Liége" name="DCTERMS.title" /> +<meta content="liege.rst" name="DCTERMS.source" /> +<meta content="en" scheme="DCTERMS.RFC4646" name="DCTERMS.language" /> +<meta content="2012-03-15T03:16:26.029467+00:00" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.modified" /> +<meta content="Project Gutenberg" name="DCTERMS.publisher" /> +<meta content="Public Domain in the USA." name="DCTERMS.rights" /> +<link href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39150" rel="DCTERMS.isFormatOf" /> +<meta content="Herbert Strang" name="DCTERMS.creator" /> +<meta content="Cyrus Cuneo" name="MARCREL.ill" /> +<meta content="2012-03-14" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.created" /> +<meta content="width=device-width" name="viewport" /> +<meta content="EpubMaker 0.3 by Marcello Perathoner <webmaster@gutenberg.org>" name="generator" /> +<style type="text/css"> +.pageno { position: absolute; right: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; text-indent: 0 } +.pageno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } +.lineno { position: absolute; left: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; text-indent: 0 } +.lineno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } +.toc-pageref { float: right } +pre { font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.9em; white-space: pre-wrap } +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 39150 ***</div> +<div class="document" id="a-hero-of-liege"> +<h1 class="document-title level-1 pfirst title">A HERO OF LIÉGE</h1> +<div class="noindent vspace" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p> +<div class="noindent vspace" style="height: 1em"> +</div> +<p class="noindent pfirst"><span></span></p> +</div> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 63%" id="figure-26"> +<img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-cover.jpg" /> +<div class="caption"> +Cover art</div> +</div> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 76%" id="figure-27"> +<span id="the-spy-unmasked"></span><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-front.jpg" /> +<div class="caption"> +THE SPY UNMASKED</div> +</div> +<div class="center large line-block noindent outermost"> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line">A HERO OF LIÉGE</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line"><em class="italics">A STORY OF THE GREAT WAR</em></div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line">BY</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">HERBERT STRANG</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"><em class="italics">ILLUSTRATED BY CYRUS CUNEO</em></div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line">LONDON</div> +<div class="line">HENRY FROWDE</div> +<div class="line">HODDER AND STOUGHTON</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"><em class="italics">First Printed in 1914</em></div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">HERBERT STRANG'S WAR STORIES</div> +</div> +<div class="left line-block medium outermost"> +<div class="line">SULTAN JIM: A STORY OF GERMAN AGGRESSION.</div> +<div class="line">THE AIR SCOUT: A STORY OF HOME DEFENCE.</div> +<div class="line">THE AIR PATROL: A STORY OF THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER.</div> +<div class="line">ROB THE RANGER: A STORY OF THE GREAT FIGHT FOR CANADA.</div> +<div class="line">ONE OF CLIVE'S HEROES: A STORY OF THE GREAT FIGHT FOR INDIA.</div> +<div class="line">BARCLAY OF THE GUIDES: A STORY OF THE INDIAN MUTINY.</div> +<div class="line">THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY ROCHESTER: A STORY OF MARLBOROUGH'S CAMPAIGNS.</div> +<div class="line">BOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE: A STORY OF THE PENINSULAR WAR.</div> +<div class="line">KOBO: A STORY OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.</div> +<div class="line">BROWN OF MOUKDEN: A STORY OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.</div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +</div> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<div class="level-2 section" id="id1"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title">CONTENTS</h2> +<div class="container contents"> +<ul class="compact simple toc-list"> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-i-the-opening-of-the-game" id="id2">CHAPTER I--THE OPENING OF THE GAME</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-ii-the-first-trick" id="id3">CHAPTER II--THE FIRST TRICK</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-iii-the-second-trick" id="id4">CHAPTER III--THE SECOND TRICK</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-iv-in-neutral-territory" id="id5">CHAPTER IV--IN NEUTRAL TERRITORY</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-v-a-close-call" id="id6">CHAPTER V--A CLOSE CALL</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-vi-the-old-mill" id="id7">CHAPTER VI--THE OLD MILL</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-vii-a-hornet-s-nest" id="id8">CHAPTER VII--A HORNET'S NEST</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-viii-a-fight-in-the-mill" id="id9">CHAPTER VIII--A FIGHT IN THE MILL</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-ix-in-the-trenches" id="id10">CHAPTER IX--IN THE TRENCHES</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-x-broken-threads" id="id11">CHAPTER X--BROKEN THREADS</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xi-the-centre-arch" id="id12">CHAPTER XI--THE CENTRE ARCH</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xii-a-fight-with-a-zeppelin" id="id13">CHAPTER XII--A FIGHT WITH A ZEPPELIN</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xiii-the-great-guns" id="id14">CHAPTER XIII--THE GREAT GUNS</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xiv-hunted" id="id15">CHAPTER XIV--HUNTED</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xv-huns-at-play" id="id16">CHAPTER XV--HUNS AT PLAY</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xvi-the-caretaker" id="id17">CHAPTER XVI--THE CARETAKER</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xvii-a-barmecide-feast" id="id18">CHAPTER XVII--A BARMECIDE FEAST</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xviii-running-the-gauntlet" id="id19">CHAPTER XVIII--RUNNING THE GAUNTLET</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xix-a-long-long-way" id="id20">CHAPTER XIX--'A LONG, LONG WAY----'</a></p> +</li> +</ul> +</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</div> +</div> +<div class="left line-block medium outermost"> +<div class="line"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-spy-unmasked">THE SPY UNMASKED</a></div> +<div class="line"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-peasants-scattered-out-of-its-path">THE PEASANTS SCATTERED OUT OF ITS PATH</a></div> +<div class="line"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-end-of-the-zeppelin">THE END OF THE ZEPPELIN</a></div> +<div class="line"><a class="reference internal" href="#clearing-the-road">CLEARING THE ROAD</a></div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-i-the-opening-of-the-game"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id2">CHAPTER I--THE OPENING OF THE GAME</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">At nine o'clock on Tuesday morning, August 4, Kenneth Amory walked into +the private office of the head of the well-known firm of Amory & +Finkelstein, gutta-percha manufacturers, of Cologne. Max Finkelstein, +the head of the firm, swung round on his revolving chair, moved his +hand backward over his brush-like crop of brownish hair, and looked up +through his spectacles at Kenneth, his stout florid countenance wearing +an expression of worry.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I sent for you to tell you to pack up and get away by the first +train," he said, in German. "Things are looking very black; the sooner +you are home, the better."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Our dear Max is jumpy," came in smooth tones from the third person in +the room, the ends of his well-brushed moustache rising stiffly as he +smiled. He was tall and slim--a contrast to his cousin Finkelstein, +who had reached that period of life when good food, a successful +business, and Germanic lack of exercise, tend to corpulence. "I tell +him he need not worry," the speaker went on. "It will be as in '70."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Provided that England----" Finkelstein was beginning, but Kurt Hellwig +broke in with a laugh.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, England! England will protest a little, and preach a little, and +take care not to get a scratch."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't you be too sure of that," said Kenneth, rather warmly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No? You think otherwise?" Hellwig was smiling still. "Well, we shall +see. Perhaps you have private information?"</p> +<p class="pnext">His mocking smile and ironical tone brought a flush to Kenneth's cheeks.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't want any private information to know what England will do," +cried the boy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"True, the public information is conclusive. England is helpless; she +suffers from an internal complaint; she is breaking up."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That will do, Kurt," said Finkelstein, anticipating an explosive word +from Kenneth, who was quick-tempered, and apt to fall out with Hellwig. +"Really, Ken, you will be safer at home, and if you don't go now you +will lose your chance; all the trains will be required for the troops."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'd rather wait a little longer," replied Kenneth. "It's all so +interesting. I've never seen a mobilisation before."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It will do him good to see how we manage things in Germany," said +Hellwig. "And since England will remain neutral, he will run no risk."</p> +<p class="pnext">Finkelstein, easygoing and indolent where business was not concerned, +yielded the point.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," he said. "Do as you please. But I recommend you to pack +up in readiness for a sudden departure. For my part, I hope Kurt is +right; I think of my business."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We all think of our business," said Hellwig, with a slight stress upon +the pronoun.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Our business--yes," said Finkelstein. "We shall all suffer, I fear. +But if it is as in '70----"</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth did not wait to hear further discussion on the chances of the +war. Remarking that he would see the others at lunch, he hurried away +into the street. Awakened very early that morning by the rumbling of +carts and the tramp of horses, he had got up and gone out, to watch the +continual passage of regiments of infantry and cavalry, batteries of +artillery, pontoon trains, commissariat and ammunition wagons, through +the streets and the railway station. Everything was swift and +systematic; the troops, though a little hazy as to their destination, +were in high spirits; the war would soon be over, they assured their +anxious friends.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was all very new and exciting to Kenneth Amory, who had only vague +memories of the English mobilisation for the South African war, when he +was a child of four. His father had founded, with Max Finkelstein, an +Anglo-German business which had attained great dimensions. Finkelstein +controlled the German headquarters at Cologne; Amory looked after +things in London. The latter died suddenly in the winter of 1912, +leaving his son Kenneth, then nearly seventeen years of age, to the +guardianship of Finkelstein, in whom he justly placed implicit +confidence.</p> +<p class="pnext">Since then Kenneth had spent much of his time in Germany, learning the +business under Finkelstein's direction. He had a great liking for his +father's partner, who was a keen man of business, scrupulously exact in +his duties as guardian, and a "good fellow." Finkelstein had announced +that Kenneth, as soon as he came of age, would be taken into +partnership. The firm would still be Amory & Finkelstein.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Kurt Hellwig spoke of "our business," his use of the first +personal pronoun must be taken to have implied a commendable feeling: +he had no actual share in the business. His connection with it was a +proof of his cousin Max's kindness of heart. Hellwig had brilliant +abilities; in particular, remarkable linguistic powers; but he had +never been able to turn them to account in the various careers which he +had successively attempted. Finkelstein had more than once lent him a +helping hand; since Mr. Amory's death he had employed him as occasional +representative in England. Needless to say, he did not entrust any +matter of importance to his erratic cousin; and the salary he paid him +was proportionate rather to relationship than to services.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth returned to Finkelstein's house for the midday lunch. Neither +Finkelstein nor Hellwig was present.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Father sent word that he was detained," said Frieda, Finkelstein's +daughter, a little younger than Kenneth. "We are not to wait for him."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He seemed very worried when I saw him this morning," said Kenneth. +"Of course business will be at a standstill, especially if we come into +the war."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It will be hateful if you do," said the girl. "But you won't, Kurt +says. We have done nothing to you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Kurt knows nothing about it. He thinks we are afraid to fight. He's +wrong. Of course we are not concerned with your quarrel with Russia; +but when it comes to your attacking France, quite unprovoked, and +bullying Belgium to let you take the easy way, you can hardly expect us +to look on quietly. But we won't talk about that, Frieda; you and I +mustn't quarrel."</p> +<p class="pnext">Frieda and Kenneth were very good friends. One bond of union between +them was a common dislike of Kurt Hellwig, whose sarcastic tongue was a +constant irritant. Kenneth related what had passed at the office that +morning.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why has he come back?" said Frieda. "He has been away for weeks; I +wish he would stay away altogether."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course I do. What do you mean?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I fancy Kurt thinks you admire him--because he wants you to, I +suppose."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Will you take me to Cousin Amalia's after lunch?" asked Frieda, with a +disconcerting change of subject. "I promised to spend the rest of the +day with her. And you'll fetch me this evening, won't you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">After escorting Frieda to her cousin's, Kenneth strolled about, +watching the war preparations, then turned homewards to pack his bag, +as he had promised Finkelstein to do. On the way he bought a copy of +the <em class="italics">Cologne Gazette</em> containing a mangled version of Sir Edward Grey's +speech in the House of Commons on the previous day. When he had +finished packing, he sat down with the paper at the open window of his +room. Having risen early, he was rather tired, and the heat of the +afternoon soon sent him to sleep.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was wakened by voices near at hand. There was no one but himself in +the room; after a moment's confusion of senses he realised that the +sounds came up from the balcony beneath his window. It was reached +from the drawing-room, and since it was shaded by a light awning, +someone had evidently gone there for the sake of fresh air.</p> +<p class="pnext">The awning concealed the speakers from Kenneth's view, but in a few +moments he recognised Hellwig's voice. The other speaker was a man and +a stranger. Kenneth at first paid no attention to them; Hellwig had +many acquaintances, and was fond of entertaining them. But presently +he caught a sentence that made him suddenly alert.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The bridge has been mined."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was the stranger speaking, in German. Kenneth rose silently from +his chair, and leant out of the window, so that he should not miss a +word.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The train can be fired at any moment, thanks to our forethought in +tunnelling between the mill-house and the bridge."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is well," said Hellwig, in the tone of a superior commending the +report brought him by a subordinate. "Get back as quickly as you can, +and tell them to be ready to act instantly on receipt of a marconigram."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The stations are closed to private messages," remarked the visitor.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes: but mine will get through. What news have you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"When I left yesterday the Belgians were becoming alive to their +danger. They are mobilising feverishly. The forts at Liége are fully +manned. But many people refuse to believe that we shall go to extremes +and invade their territory. They say that its inviolability is +guaranteed by treaty."</p> +<p class="pnext">Hellwig laughed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep in touch with London," he said. "In a few hours I shall be cut +off from London except through Amsterdam, and I shall have to move my +headquarters there. You remember the address?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"As before?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. Send there any information that comes through from London, and +keep me informed of your whereabouts."</p> +<p class="pnext">"There was talk, as I came through, of possible English intervention. +I learn that crowds clamoured for war in front of Buckingham Palace +last night."</p> +<p class="pnext">"A mistake: they were shouting against war. The British government +will not dare to strike: even if they do, they will be too late. We +are ready: they are not. Before they have made up their minds we shall +be across the Belgian frontier and into France."</p> +<p class="pnext">The conversation continued for a few minutes longer, then the visitor +rose to go. Acting on impulse, Kenneth ran out of his room, and was +nearing the foot of the staircase as the two men came from the +drawing-room. He had the <em class="italics">Cologne Gazette</em> in his hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have you read Sir Edward Grey's speech?" he asked Hellwig.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not yet. Is it worth the trouble?" replied Hellwig in his smooth +mocking tones.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I thought you hadn't, or you wouldn't be so cock-sure," Kenneth +returned. "I rather think the British government have already made up +their minds."</p> +<p class="pnext">"So you have been eavesdropping?" said Hellwig quickly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are a spy!" cried Kenneth--"you and your friend."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is that any concern of yours?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Only to this extent; that I'll have nothing more to do with you," said +Kenneth hotly, conscious at the moment that it was a foolish thing to +say, and feeling the more irritated.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That will kill me," sighed Hellwig.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And Max shall know it," Kenneth went on. "He doesn't know that you've +been up to this sort of thing, I'm sure."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly; Max shall know that I am doing something for my country. +You are, no doubt, doing wonders for yours."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wouldn't do such dirty work as yours," cried Kenneth, more and more +angry under Hellwig's calmness.</p> +<p class="pnext">At this moment the outer door opened, and Frieda came in from the +street.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is the matter?" she asked, looking from Kenneth's flushed face to +Hellwig's smiling one, upon which, however, there flickered now a shade +of embarrassment.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The fellow is a spy!" Kenneth burst out.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I was explaining, my dear cousin, that I am doing at least something +for my country," Hellwig said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We should have preferred that it were anything else," said Frieda +coldly. "Come, Ken, I've something to say to you."</p> +<p class="pnext">She hurried along the corridor, not heeding Hellwig's bow as she +passed. Kenneth followed her. Hellwig shrugged, and left the house +with his friend.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How did it come out?" asked Frieda, when Kenneth was alone with her in +the drawing-room.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They were talking under my window. He accused me of eavesdropping. I +couldn't help hearing them at first; and when I found out what they +were at, of course I listened. You have come back alone?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. I met Father. He says that your government has sent us an +ultimatum, and war is certain. You must go home at once. Father sent +me to tell you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right. He sneered about my doing wonders for my country. I'll do +something better than spying. I'll volunteer for the Flying Corps."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, don't do that! It's so dangerous."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No more dangerous than being in the firing line."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But why do anything at all--of that sort, I mean? War is +horrible--horrible!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is, for everyone. I'm sure none of our people wanted it. But if +we're in for it, every fellow who can do anything will be required, and +you wouldn't wish me to skulk at home while others fight?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'd rather you should fight than spy. You must make haste. Martial +law is proclaimed. Father called at the station, and found that there +will be a train at half-past nine to-night: it will probably be the +last. And the stationmaster said that anyone who wanted to secure a +seat must be early, for there's sure to be a great rush. Have you done +your packing?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; there's only one bag I need take. The less baggage the better. +I'll run down to the station and get my ticket now, to make sure of it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't be long. Father will be back to dinner, and he wants to say +goodbye to you, and to give you some messages for business friends in +London."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth hurried to the station. There were signs of new excitement in +the streets. Newsvendors were shouting that Belgium was invaded. +People thronged the beer-shops, eagerly discussing the situation. +Already there were cries of "Down with the English!" Tourists of all +nationalities were flocking to the station and to the landing-stage for +the Rhine steamers. Soldiers were everywhere.</p> +<p class="pnext">At the station ticket office there was a long queue of people waiting. +Kenneth saw little chance of obtaining a ticket for some time; but +being well acquainted with the stationmaster, he sought his assistance +and was provided with a written pass.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can't guarantee that you will get beyond Aix-la-Chapelle," said the +official. "You must take your chance."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth set off to return. Attracted by a crowd at the door of one of +the hotels, he went up to discover the cause of the assemblage. A +mountain of luggage was piled on the pavement, and the distracted +owners, turned out of the hotel, were vainly seeking porters to convey +it to the station. The riff-raff of the streets were jeering at them. +Kenneth turned away, feeling that the scene was ominous.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had walked only a short distance from the spot when a hand touched +his shoulder from behind.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are under arrest, sir," said a police sergeant, who was +accompanied by two constables.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nonsense," said Kenneth, good-humouredly. "You have mistaken your +man."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your name is Kenneth Amory?" said the sergeant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Something like that," said Kenneth, amused at the man's pronunciation.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There is no mistake, then. You are arrested."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Indeed! On what charge?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"As a suspect."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Suspected of what?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of spying."</p> +<p class="pnext">This took Kenneth's breath away. Mechanically he walked a few steps +beside the officer, the two constables following. Then realising the +nature of the charge against him, he stopped short.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is false!" he cried. "I am no spy. Where is your warrant? What +right have you to arrest me?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No warrant is needed," replied the sergeant, courteously enough. "You +will no doubt clear yourself if you are innocent."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course I am innocent. My friends will prove that. Oh! I won't +give you any trouble: the sooner I get to the police-station, the +better."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is reasonable," said the sergeant.</p> +<p class="pnext">They marched on. Kenneth looked eagerly at all the passers-by in the +hope of finding a friend who would vouch for him; but he recognised no +familiar face. On reaching the station he was searched, but deprived +of nothing except his pocket-book and the letters it contained.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are only private letters," he explained. "The whole matter is +ridiculous. You will let me write a note to a friend, who will speak +for me?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly," said the officer, "provided I see what you say."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth quickly scribbled a note to Max Finkelstein, and handed it to +the officer, who remarked that it had nothing suspicious about it, and +placed it in an envelope which Kenneth addressed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall be released as soon as Herr Finkelstein comes?" asked Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is doubtful," replied the officer. "It will probably be +necessary to bring you before the magistrate to-morrow."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I am going to England to-night."</p> +<p class="pnext">"To England! That is suspicious. Herr Finkelstein may have influence. +We shall see."</p> +<p class="pnext">A short conversation, carried on in low tones, ensued between the +sergeant and his superior officer. They were consulting as to where +the prisoner should be placed: the cells, it appeared, were full. +Ultimately Kenneth was taken to a room on the ground floor. The window +was barred and shuttered on the outside, and light entered only by two +small round apertures in the shutters.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A black hole, this," he said to the sergeant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It will not be for long, if you are innocent," replied the man.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then he shut and locked the door; Kenneth was left to himself.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ii-the-first-trick"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id3">CHAPTER II--THE FIRST TRICK</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">With the door shut, the room was almost wholly dark. It contained no +furniture but a plain deal table and a wooden chair. Kenneth sat down +and ruminated. His position was annoying, but also mildly exciting. +It would be something to tell his people when he got home, that he had +been arrested as a spy.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was now five o'clock. Dinner was at seven: his train left at +half-past nine, and the stationmaster had advised him to be at the +station at least an hour in advance. He had addressed his note to +Finkelstein at the office, and expected that his friend would arrive +within half an hour or so and procure his release. In the absence of +any evidence against him a prolonged detention would surely be +impossible.</p> +<p class="pnext">Perhaps half an hour had passed when he heard footsteps on the passage; +the key turned in the lock, and he started up, expecting to see +Finkelstein. But there entered a constable, bringing a mug of beer and +a piece of rye bread.</p> +<p class="pnext">"My friend Herr Finkelstein has not come?" Kenneth asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nobody has come for you," replied the man.</p> +<p class="pnext">"My note was taken to him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you wrote a note, I daresay it was."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Aren't you sure?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have only just come on duty, sir."</p> +<p class="pnext">The constable set the food on the table and went out, locking the door.</p> +<p class="pnext">Anticipating dinner, Kenneth was not tempted to eat the coarse fare +provided. He was still not seriously alarmed, though his annoyance +grew with the passing minutes. Finkelstein never left his office until +half-past six; there was plenty of time for him to have received the +note--unless there had been delay in delivering it. This possibility +was somewhat perturbing.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth began to wonder what had led to his arrest. He was quite +unknown to the police; nothing in his appearance was aggressively +English. So far as he knew he had no enemy in Cologne, so that it +seemed unlikely that anyone had put the police on his track out of +sheer malice.</p> +<p class="pnext">His thoughts reverted to the incident of the afternoon. The discovery +that Hellwig was in the German secret service, surprising as it was, +made clear certain things that had puzzled him. During his frequent +visits to London, Hellwig was accustomed to stay at the Amorys' house, +and had many callers who came to see him privately, on the firm's +business, as Kenneth had supposed. It seemed only too probable now +that they were agents in the work of espionage.</p> +<p class="pnext">A sudden suspicion flashed into Kenneth's mind. Was it possible that +his arrest was due to Hellwig? From what he had overheard it was clear +that Hellwig was a man of considerable authority in the secret service. +A word from him would no doubt suffice. But what could his motive be? +Kenneth was under no illusion as to the man's character. He had always +thoroughly disliked and distrusted him, and felt instinctively that the +dislike was mutual. Could it be that Hellwig, knowing himself +discovered, and fearing that Kenneth, on his return to London, would +inform the authorities, had taken this step to save himself? It seemed +an unnecessary precaution, for if war broke out between Britain and +Germany, Hellwig would make no more journeys to London for some time to +come.</p> +<p class="pnext">The more Kenneth thought over the matter, the more convinced he became +that Hellwig, whatever his motive might be, had caused his arrest. The +conviction destroyed his confidence in an early release. The man would +stick at nothing. He would have foreseen an application to +Finkelstein, and taken steps to forestall it. What if the note should +never reach Finkelstein?</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth was now thoroughly alarmed. The Germans had a short way with +spies, or those they regarded as spies, even during peace; it was +likely to be shorter and sharper than ever on the outbreak of war. The +prospect of being taken out and shot sent cold thrills through him.</p> +<p class="pnext">Contemplating this dark eventuality he heard heavy footsteps overhead. +He looked up, and for the first time saw a glint of light from the +ceiling in one corner of the room. The footsteps passed: all was +silent again.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth sat thinking. If his suspicions were well founded, he felt +that his doom was sealed. It would be easy for a man like Hellwig to +fabricate evidence against him. In default of Finkelstein's +assistance, which Hellwig would take care to prevent, his only means of +safety lay in flight. But what chance was there of escaping from this +locked and shuttered room? An examination of the window showed the +hopelessness of it.</p> +<p class="pnext">The faint streak of light above again attracted his notice. +Noiselessly drawing the table beneath it, he mounted to examine its +source. A portion of the plaster had fallen away from the ceiling, and +the light filtered through a narrow crack in the flooring above. This +discovery, under pressure of circumstances, gave him a gleam of hope. +Taking out his pocket knife, he began to scrape quietly at the plaster, +gradually enlarging the hole. What there might be above he could not +tell; judging by the passing in and out of the footsteps the room was +unoccupied.</p> +<p class="pnext">While he was engaged on this work he heard steps in the passage +without. Springing down, he swept on to the floor, and under the +table, the plaster he had scraped from the ceiling, then stood waiting +eagerly. Perhaps it was Finkelstein at last.</p> +<p class="pnext">The door opened. A man was thrust into the room, and the door again +locked. The newcomer swore.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're an Englishman?" cried Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do I find a companion in adversity?" said the man. "We can condole."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who are you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is your father? How many horses does he keep? Bless me, how +this reminds me of my innocent childhood! 'More light,' as Goethe +said. But I can see well enough to know that you are a youngster. +Sad, sad!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Peering at the stranger, Kenneth saw a man of about thirty-five, with +hair <em class="italics">en brosse</em>, Germanic moustache, and a German military uniform.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I should pass in a crowd, one would think," the man went on, smiling +under Kenneth's scrutiny. "But Fate is unkind."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are a spy?" said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And you, my friend?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. They say so, but I'm not."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They say so, and they will have their way. Ah, well! They say also, +that it is a sweet and comely thing to die for one's country. I always +thought I should die in my boots."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can they prove it against you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A scrap of paper! They can't read it, but what matters that? A note +in cipher is evidence enough. But I shall not die unavenged: they are +crying in the streets that war is declared, and I fancy that Emperor +William has bitten a little more than he can chew. What brings you to +this deplorable extremity?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't know: a private enemy, I think."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, the rain falls on the just and the unjust. I'm sorry for you. +Haven't you any friend, though, who can get this door unlocked?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth explained briefly what had happened. Then, feeling a strange +liking for his companion, he added:</p> +<p class="pnext">"When you came in, I was wondering about the chances of escape."</p> +<p class="pnext">"A waste of brain tissue, unless you have some talisman. But tell me, +you have some definite idea?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You see that hole in the ceiling? I was enlarging it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ha! A man of action! Nil desperandum, eh? Let me have a look at it."</p> +<p class="pnext">He mounted on the table, and thrust his hand into the opening.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I say, youngster," he said, a note of eagerness in his voice, "there +is a chance, on my life there is. The boards above are not over firm. +We may be skipping out of the frying-pan into the fire, but one can +only die once. Continue with your work; I'll mount guard and warn you +of anyone approaching."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth scraped away with his penknife, until the hole was large enough +to admit his head and shoulders. The light, coming through a single +crack, did not increase, so that the enlargement of the hole might +easily escape notice if a constable entered. The stranger put the +chair on the table.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mount on that," he said; "put your back against the boards, and +shove--gently."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth did as he was instructed. The pressure of his back started the +nails, and a plank rose, with an alarming creak.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That won't be heard through the rumble of traffic outside," said the +man. "Wait a little. You don't know anything of the room above?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nothing. I heard somebody go in and out a while ago; I think it is +empty."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well now: let us keep cool. We can get into the room: that is +certain. Can we get out of it? We shall have to descend the stairs. +Our chance of life depends on one half-minute. 'Can a man die better +than facing fearful odds?' Look here: we'll toss. Heads: we'll go up; +tails--why, hang it, we'll still go up! Fortuna fortibus! Wait till +we hear the rumble of the next artillery wagon; then! ..."</p> +<p class="pnext">They had not long to wait. Heavy traffic passed at short intervals.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now!" said the stranger.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth gave a heave. In a moment two planks were removed. Resting +his arms on the edges of those on either side of the gap, he hoisted +himself up. His companion quickly followed. They stood in the room.</p> +<p class="pnext">The next half minute was filled to breathlessness. It was a bedroom. +A street lamp outside threw a little light into it. Hanging from a peg +on the door was a policeman's tunic and helmet.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fortune's our friend," murmured the stranger.</p> +<p class="pnext">In ten seconds he had helped Kenneth to don the uniform. They crept +out of the room, and peeped over the stair rail. The way was clear. +All sounds within were smothered by the noise in the street. They +stole downstairs, past the closed door of the guardroom, through the +outer door, and into the open. "War with England!" shouted a newsman +at the corner.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We win the first trick!" chuckled the stranger, as they hurried along.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iii-the-second-trick"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id4">CHAPTER III--THE SECOND TRICK</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"The first trick--yes: but what are trumps?" said Kenneth, in reply to +his companion's remark.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Toujours l'audace!" the stranger answered. "But my life isn't worth a +moment's purchase. I owe you a few minutes; 'for this relief much +thanks.' Leave me now, and make for your friends. They will look +after you. I have none."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a bit of it," replied Kenneth instantly. "We stick together. I +know a quiet place where we can consult. Step out briskly, as if we +have important business on hand."</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's nothing hypothetical about that," murmured the other. "On, +then!"</p> +<p class="pnext">They hurried along the street, which was crowded with persons of all +ages, some talking excitedly, others cheering and singing patriotic +songs. Now and then there was a cry of "Down with England!" The two +fugitives walked quickly, dodging among the crowd to avoid the wearers +of military or police uniforms, their own uniforms clearing a way for +them. As they passed a beershop, the outside tables of which were +thronged, the drinkers cheered them and broke lustily into the song of +Deutschland über Alles.</p> +<p class="pnext">As soon as possible they turned into a side street, less populous; and +Kenneth, who knew the city well, directed his course towards the river, +to a little secluded nook, where he hoped it would be possible to hold +a quiet consultation. In the hurry of escape and the anxious transit +of the streets he had been unable to devote a moment's thought to their +future action. It was clear that their safety hung by a thread; their +only chance was to lay their plans calmly, taking due account of the +present circumstances and future contingencies.</p> +<p class="pnext">They reached their destination. There was nobody about.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We may have a few minutes to ourselves," said Kenneth. He took out +his watch. "It is nearly ten o'clock. My train has gone, so that's +out of the question."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You were leaving?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; my friends thought I had better go; that was before war with +England was certain. I suppose it is true?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The time limit has not expired, certainly; but there can't be any +doubt about it. Germany can't afford to yield about Belgium, and we +can't afford to let her have a walk over. We may be quite sure that no +Englishman of fighting age will get away now without trouble. But your +friends will protect you; again I say, don't consider me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's all right. In any case I don't want to get Max Finkelstein +into a row."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of Amory & Finkelstein?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; I'm Kenneth Amory. Do you speak German, by the way?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Like a native. I was at school at Heidelberg."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's a help. But for the life of me I can't think of a way of +getting out. When they discover our escape they'll watch the stations, +the piers, and the roads. Our uniforms won't be a bit of use."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh! for the wings of a dove!--or an eagle would be more to the +purpose."</p> +<p class="pnext">"By Jove! that gives me an idea. I've done some flying; I was going to +try for a place in our Flying Corps. If we could only bag an +aeroplane!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A sheer impossibility, I should say."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth stood silent in the attitude of one deep in thought. Every now +and again his right eyelid twitched--a little involuntary mannerism +which came into play at such times. His companion watched him +curiously. At last a look of resolution chased the doubt from his face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's the only way," he said; "we must have a try. There are plenty in +Cologne. They've been using a new aviation ground lately; the regular +aerodrome was too small for them. They don't fly at night. All the +machines will be in their hangars. Of course they'll be under guard; +but we might get hold of one by a trick. Give me another minute or two +to think it out: I know the place well."</p> +<p class="pnext">After a few minutes' silence there ensued an earnest conversation +between the two. The upshot of it was that they hurried by +unfrequented roads to the new aviation ground. It was a large +enclosure defended by a wooden fence about eight feet high, with barbed +wire along the top. A sentry stood at the gate near the sheds. The +whole place was in darkness, but a little beyond it, on the far side of +the road, shone the lights of a beershop.</p> +<p class="pnext">Leaving his companion in a dark corner, Kenneth hastened alone to the +beershop. At the tables outside sat several men, mechanics in +appearance. Kenneth slackened his pace to a policeman's walk, and +passed by, throwing a keen glance at the men, who gave him a +perfunctory salute. On reaching the remotest table he whispered a word +or two to the man drinking alone there. The man left his bock, and +rising, joined Kenneth, who had drawn back into the darkness.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can be discreet?" he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is it, Herr Policeman?" the man replied, doubtfully.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is a question of a spy. One of the mechanics is suspected. Do you +know a short dark man who has recently come in?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The question was a bait cast at a venture; Kenneth was elated at the +man's reply.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, to be sure; there is a new fellow, mechanic to Herr Lieutenant +Breul. None of us liked the look of him. If he is a spy! ... Not that +he is particularly short."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, not so very short."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nor more than common dark."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a gipsy, perhaps; but still, rather dark and certainly not tall."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's the fellow to a hair. He's a boor: why, he called me a stupid +pig only this morning. That's suspicious in itself; for I'm not a +stupid pig; I can prove it by my school certificates."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course; you wouldn't be employed here if you were a stupid pig. +Well now, Herr Lieutenant Breul ought to be warned."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's true. The Herr Lieutenant is not here now; he has gone for the +night with the other officers. But it would be better to arrest the +man at once. A spy! We'll do for him, me and my mates."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not so fast. We must make sure of the man. I ought to hold him under +observation. But it is important to keep the matter quiet. The +question is, can you manage to let me have a sight of the man without +attracting attention?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The man scratched his head.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You don't want to enter by the gate, Herr Policeman?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. It would never do to let it get about that a spy was found here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, it's not an easy matter, but I'll go to the sheds and see what +can be done."</p> +<p class="pnext">The man went away, Kenneth hastened to the spot where he had left his +companion.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Things look possible," he said. "But your uniform is a difficulty. A +German officer mustn't enter the enclosure like a thief, and without +the password you can't go in by the gate."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I must simply bluff it out. I'm a friend of Lieutenant Breul. I've +played many parts in my time--not without success."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come along then. There's no time to lose."</p> +<p class="pnext">They hurried back to the dark corner in which Kenneth had interviewed +the mechanic. In a few minutes he returned.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This is a friend of the Herr Lieutenant's," said Kenneth. "I met him +just beyond the gate, and he agrees with me that this disgraceful +matter must be kept secret. Have you had any success?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The fellow is overhauling the Herr Lieutenant's engine in preparation +for a start to-morrow. He is the only man at work."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's very suspicious," said Kenneth. "Don't you think, Herr +Captain, that we had better climb the fence and keep a watch on the +man? Who knows what mischief he may be doing?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll go back to the gate and meet you inside," replied his companion.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think you had better come with me, Herr Captain," said Kenneth, +"Your presence would guarantee me if any soldier within chanced to +suppose that I was intruding."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," returned the other, with seeming reluctance. "But you +also must guarantee me against damage to my clothes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is easily done. This man will throw his coat over the wire."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly, Herr Policeman," said the mechanic, whom the presence of an +officer had quite reassured.</p> +<p class="pnext">They moved off to a spot beyond the sheds. The mechanic laid his coat +upon the wire, and assisted the fugitives to mount. Then he hurried +back to the gate, entered the enclosure, and met them near the furthest +shed. The whirring of a propeller was audible.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's the shed," he said, pointing to the half-open door through +which a bright light was streaming. "He's at work there, running the +engine."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," said Kenneth. "You had better get your coat and make +yourself scarce. You won't want to appear in this."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not I," said the man.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Herr Lieutenant will reward you," said Kenneth's companion. He +knew German officers too well to tip the man in the English way.</p> +<p class="pnext">The mechanic slipped away into the darkness. The Englishmen went to +the shed. They opened the door and entered boldly. A man was bending +over the engine, spanner in hand, adjusting a nut on the carburetter. +He had not noticed the opening of the door or the entrance of the +strangers. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looking up, +was amazed to hear an officer say, through the noise of the propeller:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Villain, you are under arrest."</p> +<p class="pnext">Dumbfounded, he stared stupidly at the officer, and feebly protesting, +stood back from the machine. Meanwhile Kenneth had taken a tin of +petrol from a cupboard in the corner of the shed, and was filling up +the tank. When this was done, he ran his eye rapidly over the +monoplane, tested the stays, and finding all in good order, said in +English:</p> +<p class="pnext">"We'll lock this fellow in the cupboard. Then you throw the door open, +come back quickly, and get into the seat beside me. The engine is +running well, and it will only take a few seconds to get off."</p> +<p class="pnext">At the first words of English the mechanic shouted with alarm; but his +cry was drowned by the whirring of the propeller, and before he could +repeat it he was locked into the cupboard. Then the Englishman carried +out Kenneth's instructions. As soon as he was in his place, Kenneth +threw the engine into gear, and the machine glided forward out of the +shed into the dimly lit open space beyond. In a few yards it began to +rise. There were shouts of surprise from the few men about the grounds +and the mechanics in the beershop outside, scarcely heard by the airmen.</p> +<p class="pnext">The monoplane soared up and up, unnoticed by the noisy multitudes in +the crowded streets below. It was soon out of sight. Suddenly a beam +of blinding light flashed upon it from some point high above the ground.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The searchlight on the cathedral steeple," shouted Kenneth to his +companion. "But there's no danger; they'll recognise it as a Taube."</p> +<p class="pnext">The searchlight followed its course for a few minutes; then was shut +off.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The second trick is to us!" cried the passenger.</p> +<p class="pnext">But Kenneth did not hear him. His whole attention was given to the +machine.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iv-in-neutral-territory"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id5">CHAPTER IV--IN NEUTRAL TERRITORY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The sky was clear; there was very little wind; and Kenneth realised +that the conditions could hardly have been more propitious. For some +minutes he was too closely occupied with the mechanism to consider +direction. The monoplane was strange to him. His experience of flying +had been almost wholly gained in the machines of his friend Remi +Pariset, son of the manager of the Antwerp branch of Amory & +Finkelstein. Pariset was a lieutenant in the Belgian flying corps, and +Kenneth had frequently accompanied him in flights, at first as +passenger only, afterwards being allowed to try his hand in the pilot's +seat. It had long been his aim to gain the pilot's certificate in +England, and, as he had told Frieda Finkelstein, he hoped on the +outbreak of war to get a commission in the Royal Flying Corps.</p> +<p class="pnext">Though he had never before managed a monoplane of the type of that +which he had appropriated, he had often watched the German airmen, and +after a little uncertainty in his manipulation of the controls, he +"felt" the machine, and recognised that it would give him no trouble. +Then he had leisure to determine his course.</p> +<p class="pnext">His first idea had been to make all speed to the Belgian coast, and +take ship for England. But recollection of the conversation overheard +between Hellwig and his visitor suggested that he might possibly do +some preliminary service to the Belgians. A bridge was to be blown up. +There could be no doubt that this operation was part of the German plan +of campaign, and if it could be frustrated, this would represent so +much gain to the defending force. The river spanned by the bridge had +not been named, but there was a clue in the fact that the bridge was +near a mill. His intention now, therefore, was to alight somewhere in +Belgium and communicate his discovery to the military authorities.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the hurry of departure he was quite oblivious of the direction of +his flight. Now that he had time to consider it, he saw by the compass +that he was flying towards the north-east. Bringing the monoplane +round, he set his course for the south-west, hoping to pick up in half +an hour or so the lights of Aix-la-Chapelle. He failed to locate the +railway line from Cologne to Aix, and the few scattered points of light +in the black expanse below gave him no landmarks.</p> +<p class="pnext">After a while it occurred to him to switch on the electric light that +illuminated the dial of a small clock. It was a quarter to eleven. He +must have been flying for nearly half an hour, but neither to right or +left nor straight ahead was there any sign of the expected lights of +Aix. The country over which he was passing seemed to be hilly; it was +possible that the lights of the city were hidden by the shoulder of a +hill.</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently his companion shouted that he heard the sound of big guns +away to the left. Kenneth listened, but could hear nothing through the +droning whirr of the propeller.</p> +<p class="pnext">Every now and then he glanced at the clock, the only indication of the +distance he had covered. When midnight was past, he felt sure that +unless he had completely miscalculated his direction he must by this +time have crossed the German frontier. He was thinking of landing and +trying to discover where he was, when he caught sight in the starlight +of a broad river flowing immediately beneath him from south-west to +north-east. This, he had no doubt, was the Meuse, but he knew nothing +of the course of the river, and could not determine whether he was in +Belgium or Holland. At any rate he was out of Germany.</p> +<p class="pnext">Dropping a few hundred feet, and seeing below him a broad expanse of +fields, apparently flat, he thought it safe to risk a descent. No +lights were visible. A rapid swoop brought the machine into a meadow +of long grass ripe for hay, and he came lightly to the ground.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I make you my compliments," said his companion, as they climbed out of +their seats. "It is my first aerial voyage, and I am pretty sure that +no one has ever tempted the empyrean under such exciting circumstances. +But why did you come down? I hoped we should find ourselves at Ostend."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll tell you my reason. I don't know where I am, but we had better +camp here till morning, and then explore. Keep a look-out while I +glance over the engine; we must be ready to get off again at a moment's +notice."</p> +<p class="pnext">He switched on the light and made a careful examination of the engine; +then, rubbing his dirty hands on the grass, he threw himself down +beside his companion.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We've had uncommon luck," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You under-estimate the personal equation," returned the other. "I +consider myself supremely lucky in having met you. Your daring is as +great as your ingenuity, Amory. By the way, I have the advantage of +you. I have as many names as the chameleon has colours, but the names +given me in baptism were Lewis Granger. Now we're quits on that score."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thanks. You are a spy, I suppose?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, that rather opprobrious term would cover me, I presume. A +sensitive person might prefer to call himself a secret agent. What's +in a name?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's pretty dangerous work, anyhow, and I'm jolly glad you're out of +the Germans' clutches. You asked why I came down. It's because I'm a +sort of secret agent too."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You don't say so!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, it's quite involuntary. I happened to overhear a conversation a +few hours before I was nabbed. I'll tell you about it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wait. I have no credentials. Do you think it wise to confide in a +stranger?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's all right," said Kenneth, who had taken an instant liking to +the man. "We're in the same boat. What I overheard was a scheme for +blowing up a bridge somewhere in Belgium, and I thought that before +going on to England I might put the Belgians up to it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's worth a few hours' delay. What you say confirms my own +knowledge of the extraordinary minuteness of the German plans. +'Somewhere in Belgium,' you say. You don't know where?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. The name of the river was not mentioned either by Hellwig or----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hellwig! Does his Christian name happen to be Kurt?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. Do you know him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have crossed swords with him--not literally, you understand, though +nothing would please me better than a bout with him with the buttons +off. I have one or two scores to settle with him. His Christian name +would be more truly descriptive with the loss of a T. But how in the +world did you come across him? He's not the kind of man I should +expect to meet in your company."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's the cousin of my poor father's partner, Max Finkelstein. Max +gives him a salary; he doesn't earn a penny of it, but Max is a +kind-hearted beggar. He wouldn't do it if he knew that Hellwig was +a--secret agent."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't mind my feelings, my dear fellow," said Granger, with a laugh. +"We're a very mixed lot, I assure you. Do you mind repeating what you +overheard, as nearly as you can remember it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">When the story was told, Granger acknowledged that ignorance of the +position of the bridge was an obstacle to forewarning the Belgian +authorities.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Still, they ought to know every inch of the probable theatre of war," +he said, "and may spot the place at once."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We'll see in the morning," said Kenneth. "Meanwhile we had better +take watch and watch about during the rest of the night. I don't +suppose any one will come by while it's dark, but it's as well to be on +the safe side. I'll take first watch."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well. It will be light in less than five hours. I'll snooze for +a couple of hours; wake me then."</p> +<p class="pnext">The night was warm, and Kenneth, in his policeman's coat, suffered no +discomfort. His watch passed undisturbed, and he was very sleepy when +he roused Granger.</p> +<p class="pnext">About five o'clock he was wakened from a sound sleep by a nudge from +his companion.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sorry to disturb you," said Granger, "but there's a group of peasants +approaching with scythes. Evidently they are going to mow the meadow."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth started up.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Belgians?" he asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Or Dutch," replied Granger. "We shall soon know."</p> +<p class="pnext">The peasants, more than a dozen in number, came straight towards the +aeroplane. Recognising the German uniforms, as the two men rose from +the ground, they halted, consulted for a moment or two, then advanced, +holding their scythes threateningly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I fancy they're Dutch," said Granger. "My good friends," he called in +Dutch, "will you tell us where we are?"</p> +<p class="pnext">On hearing their own tongue the men consulted again. Then one of them +left the party, and hurried back by the way he had come. The rest +advanced slowly, keeping close together, not replying to the question, +and wearing an air of suspicion and hostility.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They have sent a man back to his village to warn the authorities," +said Granger. "We must find out where we are."</p> +<p class="pnext">The peasants halted at a little distance, and stood in an attitude of +watchfulness.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are not Germans, in spite of our dress," Granger continued. "As a +matter of fact, we are Englishmen who have lost our way."</p> +<p class="pnext">The stolid Dutchmen looked round upon one another with a knowing air as +much as to say "We have heard that story before." Granger tried again.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come, come, it is the truth, I assure you. All we want is to know +where we are; then we will pursue our journey."</p> +<p class="pnext">There was again a consultation among the group. Then one of them said, +pugnaciously:</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are near Weert, as you know very well."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Weert is some few miles north-east of Maestricht," Granger remarked to +Kenneth. "We don't want to know any more. I think we had better be +off. They don't believe we are not Germans, and as neutrals they will +hold us up if we wait until the village authorities arrive. I hope +they won't show fight, for we are absolutely unarmed, and those scythes +are rather formidable implements."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We're in an awkward hole, certainly," said Kenneth. "By the look of +them they'll set on to us as soon as they see us making ready to go."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The police took my revolver when they searched me," said Granger; +"otherwise we might intimidate them."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wonder--" began Kenneth, thrusting his hand into the inner pocket of +his coat. "By Jove! What luck! Here's the policeman's revolver. +Keep them back with that while I start the engine. I shall only be a +minute or two."</p> +<p class="pnext">Granger took the revolver unobtrusively. Kenneth went to the front of +the aeroplane and swung the propeller round, the peasants watching him +at first without understanding. When the engine began to fire, +however, they realised the meaning of the movements, and came on +brandishing their scythes. Granger, standing close by the seat, lifted +the revolver.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now, my good men," he said amiably, "we are going to leave you, as you +appear not to relish our company. If any of you come within a dozen +yards of us I shall fire."</p> +<p class="pnext">The men came to a halt, scowling at the little weapon pointed at them +by a steady arm. Kenneth got into his seat.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm ready," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">Granger slowly backed and handed him the revolver, with which Kenneth +covered the peasants as his companion clambered up beside him. Even +before Granger was seated the aeroplane began to move. The peasants +scattered out of its path, cursing the German pigs. It rose into the +air; Kenneth swung it round to the south-west, and in half a minute it +was sailing away out of danger. Glancing round, Granger smiled as he +caught sight of a half squadron of Dutch cavalry galloping into the +meadow behind them.</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 76%" id="figure-28"> +<span id="the-peasants-scattered-out-of-its-path"></span><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-054.jpg" /> +<div class="caption"> +"THE PEASANTS SCATTERED OUT OF ITS PATH"</div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-v-a-close-call"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id6">CHAPTER V--A CLOSE CALL</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Remembering that they had crossed the Meuse the night before, Kenneth +steered to the left until he sighted the river, then deflected +southward, and followed its course, keeping on the side of the left +bank.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was no means of telling at what point he would cross the northern +frontier of Belgium. Ascending to a great height, in order to escape +shots from either Belgian or Dutch frontier guards, he soon discovered +a town of some size extended on both banks of the river. This could +only be Maestricht. Within twenty minutes of passing this he came in +sight of a much more considerable town through which the river flowed +spanned by several bridges.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Better land now," shouted Granger, "or they'll be taking shots at us +from the forts. This is Liége."</p> +<p class="pnext">Almost before he had finished speaking the monoplane began to rock like +a ship at sea, and Kenneth had to exert his utmost skill to preserve +its equilibrium. A shell had burst a few hundred yards below them. +Some seconds later they heard the dull thunder of the gun's discharge. +Clearly it was no longer safe to continue the southward course. +Kenneth swerved to the right, and making a steep vol plane, swooped +into the cornfield of a farmhouse close by the high road.</p> +<p class="pnext">The people of the farm, at the sight of the German uniforms, fled +precipitately for shelter. Already "the terror of the German name" had +become a by-word in the countryside.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are in hot water, I'm afraid," said Granger. "Strip off your coat; +you're all right underneath."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth had hardly taken off his coat and helmet when there was a sound +of galloping horses. A dozen Belgian mounted infantrymen dashed up the +road, leapt the low wall of the farm steading, and shouted to them to +surrender. Granger whipped out his pocket handkerchief and waved it in +the air. The Belgians dismounted, and part of them advanced, the +lieutenant at their head with revolver pointed, the men covering the +fugitives with their rifles.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are our prisoners," said the officer in bad German.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Charmed, my dear sir," replied Granger in excellent French. "Contrary +to appearances, we are not Germans, but Englishmen."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah bah!" snorted the lieutenant. "You wear German uniforms."</p> +<p class="pnext">"L'habit ne fait pas le moine," said Granger with a smile. "The fact +is as I state it: we are Englishmen who have escaped from Cologne."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The aeroplane is German," the officer persisted.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We commandeered it, there being no English machine available. +Unluckily we have no papers on us to prove our nationality; they were +taken from us by the Germans who arrested us as spies."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bah!" said the lieutenant again. That two Englishmen arrested as +spies should have been able to escape on a German monoplane laid too +great a strain upon his imagination. "You are my prisoners. Hand over +your arms."</p> +<p class="pnext">Granger at once gave up the revolver, and Kenneth allowed himself to be +searched. The officer rummaged the aeroplane for plans and other +incriminating documents, then ordered two of his men to mount guard +over it, and marched the prisoners through the farmyard to the road, +under the gratified glances of the farm people at their windows. +Kenneth carried his policeman's uniform.</p> +<p class="pnext">After walking about a mile, they came to a regiment encamped in a field +beside the road. The lieutenant led his prisoners to the commanding +officer, and explained the circumstances of their capture.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You say you are English?" he said, scanning the two men.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I assure you that is the truth," replied Granger. "We were both +arrested as spies in Cologne, but by an ingenious stratagem of my +friend here we obtained possession of a German aeroplane, and are +delighted to find ourselves in Belgian territory, among a friendly +people."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You speak very good French."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Which is not to our discredit, I hope," said Granger with a smile.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Colonel was plainly even more incredulous than his subordinate. A +man who spoke such good French must be a German spy! He took up the +receiver of a field telephone. Ascertaining that an aide de camp was +at the other end of the wire he said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Two men, one in police, the other in military uniform, German, have +landed from a Taube monoplane west of Liers. They say they are +English, but they are clearly German spies. I await orders."</p> +<p class="pnext">The prisoners, who had heard all, watched his face grimly set as he +held the receiver to his ear.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's extraordinary, the persistence of a fixed idea," said Granger in +a low tone to Kenneth. "If he heard us speaking English I suppose he +would take it as a clinching proof that we are Germans! The uniforms, +our salvation in Cologne, are here our damnation."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They'll send us to the General, won't they? He won't be such an ass."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We shall see."</p> +<p class="pnext">A few minutes passed. Then the look of blank expectancy on the +Colonel's face gave way to a look of satisfaction. He laid down the +receiver.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Shoot them!" he said laconically, turning to the lieutenant.</p> +<p class="pnext">Granger smiled at Kenneth, whose cheeks had gone red with indignation +rather than pale from fear.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What rot!" said the boy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I said I should die in my boots," remarked Granger. "My fate has been +hanging over me these ten years. But there's a chance for you. Why +not tell them about the bridge?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"They'd only think I was funking, and wouldn't believe me. I won't do +it."</p> +<p class="pnext">They were led away towards a clump of trees on the outskirts of the +camp. The lieutenant was selecting his firing party. A crowd of +troopers, some in uniform, others in their shirt sleeves, came flocking +around. One or two officers moved more leisurely towards the scene. +Suddenly one of these started, and hurried forward with an exclamation +of surprise.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mon Dieu, it's you, Ken!" he cried, seizing Kenneth's hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hullo, Remi," said Kenneth, his face lighting up. "Just tell your +colonel I'm not a German, will you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course I will. And your friend?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"As English as I am. This is my pal, Remi Pariset," he said to Granger.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am delighted to meet you," said Granger, bowing, "even though our +acquaintance should prove of the shortest."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset, asking his fellow lieutenant to delay, ran to the Colonel, and +returned immediately with him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I beg a thousand pardons, gentlemen," said the Colonel. "I am +desolated at the injustice I have unwittingly done you. Pray accept my +apologies."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not at all, Colonel," said Granger. "Appearances were against us. +You were quite justified in your suspicions; it was our misfortune that +we couldn't change our dress on the way.... I've had many a close +shave," he added in an undertone to Kenneth, "but was never quite so +near my quietus."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I was feeling rather rummy," Kenneth confessed: "a queer feeling, not +exactly fear; a sort of emptiness."</p> +<p class="pnext">When the troopers learnt the truth, they broke into cries of "Vivent +les Anglais! Vive l'Angleterre!" and the prisoners found themselves +the idols of the camp. They were invited to join the officers at +lunch, and ate with good appetites, having had no food but rye bread +and beer since the previous midday. The officers drank their health +with hilarity when Granger had related the trick by means of which they +had escaped from Cologne, and Kenneth was toasted with embarrassing +fervour.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The bridge! That will be a clincher," whispered Granger in his ear.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth's French was not so good as his German, but he managed, even +though haltingly, to convey to his interested auditors the gist of the +scheme he had overheard. The officers were much concerned. None of +them was able to identify the place from the bare description which was +all that Kenneth could give them. The bridge was clearly not in the +line of the Germans' probable advance; its destruction could only be +meant to assist them. But the clues, slight though they were, must be +followed up, and the Colonel declared that he would communicate with +headquarters about the matter.</p> +<p class="pnext">After lunch he took Kenneth aside.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I gather that you have not known your companion long?" he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is true," replied Kenneth. "I met him for the first time +yesterday."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You will pardon me, I am sure. Lieutenant Pariset's voucher for you +is sufficient; but in such times as these I should not be doing my duty +if I allowed Mr. Granger to be at large without enquiry. Will you +explain that to him, and ask him to give me a reference to a British +authority?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly. I am sure you will find things all right."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The dear man!" laughed Granger when Kenneth told him this. "He +needn't have been so careful of my feelings as to ask you to break it +to me. I've no doubt I can satisfy him."</p> +<p class="pnext">He mentioned the name of an official high in the British Foreign Office.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A telegram to that address will bring me a character," he said. +"Meanwhile I am out of work, and a sort of prisoner on parole. I am +sorry, because I fear it means that we shall be separated for a time. +You, I suppose, will want to be up and doing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. I've talked things over with Pariset, and he wants me to go with +him in his aeroplane in search of that bridge. But we'll meet again +before long. I'm jolly glad we came across each other."</p> +<p class="pnext">They shook hands cordially and parted.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meanwhile Lieutenant Pariset had been in consultation with the +commander of the Belgian Flying Corps. It had been decided that +Pariset, accompanied by Kenneth, should make a reconnaissance in his +aeroplane along the railway lines with a view to discover the bridge +that was threatened. The German monoplane, though faster than his own, +was discarded: it would certainly have been fired upon as it crossed +the Belgian lines. There was no clue as to the direction in which the +bridge lay, whether north, east, south or west of Liége. But it seemed +certain that the Germans would not wish to blow up any bridges on the +east. They would rather preserve them, in order to facilitate their +advance. It was more probable that the bridge in question was on a +section of the railway by which reinforcements, either French or +Belgian, might be despatched to Liége. It was therefore decided to +scout to the west and south.</p> +<p class="pnext">Early in the afternoon Pariset and Kenneth started, working towards +Brussels by way of Tirlemont and Louvain. Kenneth had been provided +with field-glasses, through which he closely scanned every bridge and +culvert, while Pariset piloted the machine. Flying low, they were able +to examine the line thoroughly. All that Kenneth had to guide him was +the knowledge that the bridge was near a mill. There was a tunnel +between them. It was therefore pretty clear that the bridge and the +mill could not be far apart.</p> +<p class="pnext">They flew over the main line as far as Brussels without discovering any +bridge that fulfilled the conditions. Then they retraced their course +and scouted along the branch lines running south from Louvain, +Tirlemont and Landen respectively. Within a few hours they had +examined the whole triangular district that had Brussels, Liége, and +Namur at its angles. At Namur they descended for a short rest, then +set off again, to try their luck on the lines running from the French +frontier.</p> +<p class="pnext">Both felt somewhat discouraged. To trace the many hundreds of miles of +railway that crossed the country between the Meuse and the Somme +promised to be work for a week. Indeed, it was getting dark by the +time they had run through the coal-mining and manufacturing district +between Mons and Valenciennes. Alighting at the latter place, they +heard that great numbers of German troops had already crossed the +Belgian frontier, and the forts of Liége were being attacked. There +was much excitement in the town, and Pariset had some difficulty in +getting petrol to replenish his tanks.</p> +<p class="pnext">Next morning they set off early along the line running eastward through +Maubeuge to Charleroi. It seemed unlikely that they would find the +spot they sought in the midst of a manufacturing district, but if they +were to succeed, nothing must be left untried.</p> +<p class="pnext">Towards ten o'clock they were crossing a stream to the south-east of +Charleroi when Kenneth suddenly gave a shout. He had noticed on the +stream a water-mill, between which and a larger river, apparently the +Sambre, the railway crossed the stream on a brick bridge of four +arches. The mill was at least two hundred yards from the bridge, a +distance that seemed too great to have been tunnelled; but it was the +first spot he had seen that in any way conformed to the particulars he +had overheard, and it appeared worth while to examine the place more +closely.</p> +<p class="pnext">The importance of the bridge was obvious. Its destruction would +seriously delay the transport of any French troops that might be sent +northwards to support Namur or Liége, and correspondingly assist the +Germans in an attempt to take either of those towns by a coup de main.</p> +<p class="pnext">At Kenneth's shout Pariset turned his head, understood that some +discovery had been made, and nodded. He did not at once prepare to +alight. If Germans were in possession of the mill they would notice +the sudden cessation of the noise of the propeller, which they must +have heard, and might take warning from the descent of the aeroplane in +their neighbourhood. Luckily he had been flying low, so that the +course of the machine could not be followed for any considerable +distance. Having run out of sight beyond a wood, he selected an open +field for his descent, and alighted a few hundred yards from a +farmhouse.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have you found it?" asked Pariset eagerly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I saw a mill and a railway bridge," replied Kenneth; "but we were +going too fast for me to be sure it's the right place."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, we shall have to find that out. We'll get the farmer to help us +run the machine into his yard, and then reconnoitre."</p> +<p class="pnext">The farmer and a group of his men were already hurrying towards them. +In a few words Pariset enlisted their help. The aeroplane was run into +the yard, and placed behind a row of ricks that concealed it from the +outside.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We should like some bread and cheese and beer," Pariset said to the +farmer. "May we come in?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Surely, monsieur," was the reply. "Come in and welcome. Ah! these +are terrible times. I don't know how long I shall have a roof over my +head. But they say the English are coming to help us. Is that true?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quite true. My friend here is an Englishman."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank God! Oh! les braves Anglais! All will be well now. Come in, +messieurs; you shall have the best I can give you."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vi-the-old-mill"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id7">CHAPTER VI--THE OLD MILL</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Sitting in the farm-kitchen, and eating the farmer's homely fare, +Pariset talked a little about the war, and led the way discreetly to +the questions he was eager to ask.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The mill, monsieur? 'Tis twenty years since it was used. I used to +send my corn to it, but nowadays I send it to Charleroi, where a +steam-mill grinds it more cheaply. The old miller is a good friend of +mine, but he retired twenty years ago; he's a warm man, to be sure. +That's his house yonder:" he pointed to a cottage half a mile away +across the fields. "We often have a gossip over a mug of beer."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's just as well he made his money before steam-mills became so +common," said Pariset. "I suppose it wasn't worth any one's while to +keep the water-mill going?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No; there's no money in milling of the old sort now. But it goes to +my heart to see the old mill idle. Such a loss, too. But the miller +can stand it; he's a warm man, as I told you. And after all, he has +made a little out of it lately. But it's a come-down, that's what I +say."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is idle, you said."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, to be sure, and always will be. But the miller has let it for +two years past. He makes a little out of it, and so do I, not so much +as I should like, for the gentleman is only there now and then. He's a +Swiss gentleman that keeps a hotel in Namur. A great fisherman, he is; +he'll fish for hours in the millpond, and I wonder he has the patience +for it, for there's not much to be caught there since the grinding +stopped. Still, I don't complain; he buys my eggs and butter when he +comes there, two or three times a year perhaps. He's there now, with a +few friends of his."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I should like to have a chat with your friend the miller," said +Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'd like it too, monsieur. He doesn't have much company, and he'd +like to hear about things from an officer; you can't believe what you +read in the papers. I'll take you across the fields."</p> +<p class="pnext">In a few minutes they were seated in a cosy little parlour, opposite a +sturdy countryman, hale and hearty in spite of his seventy odd years. +He asked shrewd questions about the war, foresaw great trouble for his +country, but, like the farmer, was cheered by the news that "les braves +Anglais" were coming once more to her rescue. When Pariset led up to +the subject of his mill he became animated.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah! the old mill is a rare old place," he said with a chuckle. "The +things I could tell you! There was more than milling in the old days. +Times are changed. We're all for law now. But in my grandfather's +time--why, monsieur, he's dead and gone this forty years, so it will do +him no harm if I tell you he was a smuggler. Many and many a barrel of +good brandy used to get across the border without paying duty. Why, +underneath the old mill there are cellars and passages where he used to +store contraband worth thousands of francs. I used to steal down there +when I was a boy, and ma foi! it made my skin creep, though there was +nothing to be afraid of. But 'tis fifty years since my old grandfather +closed them down, and they've never been opened up since."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your present tenant is a hotel-keeper, I hear. He would be interested +to know about the smuggling."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That he was, to be sure. He laughed when I told him about it. 'We +can't get rich that way nowadays,' said he. He seems to have plenty of +money, though; pays me a good rent. 'Tis strange what whims gentlemen +have. A month's fishing in the pond wouldn't feed him for a week. He +calls it sport; well, in my young days I liked something more lively. +But the fishing is just an excuse; he comes there now and then for a +change and quiet, though he's not a solitary, like some fishermen. He +has a party of friends sometimes; all Swiss like himself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"French Swiss?" asked Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, German Swiss. For my part, I've no great liking for German Swiss. +They're only one remove from Germans. But his money is good, and it's +something to make a little money out of the old mill after all these +years."</p> +<p class="pnext">The old man spoke quite frankly, and evidently had no suspicions about +his tenant. Pariset thought it safe to disillusion him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Would you be surprised to learn that your fisherman is actually a +German?" he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But that is impossible," said the miller. "He would have gone back to +Germany, because of the war."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Unless he is a spy! We have reason to believe that he is, and that he +is using your mill for the benefit of the enemy. That is what has +brought us here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sacre nom de nom!" the old man ejaculated, and the farmer thumped the +table and swore. "Is that the truth, monsieur?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We suspect him of intending to blow up the railway bridge at a given +signal."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah! the villain! And he will use the underground passages. That is +why he pays me a high rent, parbleu! But he has come to the end of his +tether. You are here to arrest him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. We have no men with us. We came to learn whether our suspicions +were justified. We are not sure of our man yet."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bah!" shouted the old man, red with fury. "It is certain. He has +fooled me. I will raise the countryside. We will fall on these +Germans. Before night they shall lie in the dungeons of Charleroi."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you think that is the way to go to work?" Pariset asked tactfully. +"They would hardly allow themselves to be caught napping; at the first +alarm they would no doubt blow up the bridge, and I take it that to +prevent that is even more important than to seize the men +themselves--though our aim should be to do both."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is true, monsieur. I am an old man. This is the day of young men. +Oh that I were forty years younger and able to serve my country! But +you will not let them go? You will bring some of our brave soldiers +here and capture the villains?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"There may not be time for that. We must meet craft with craft. If we +could only reconnoitre the mill we might be able to hit upon a plan. +My uniform would give me away, if I approached the place as I am; you +could no doubt lend me some clothes to disguise myself?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Surely, monsieur; but----"</p> +<p class="pnext">He broke off, eyeing Pariset's face, with its small military moustache, +doubtfully.</p> +<p class="pnext">At this moment they heard the rumble of a heavy vehicle on the road.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is the beer, compère," said the farmer, glancing out of the window.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah! the beer!" repeated the miller. "I might have known they were +Germans! Every week they have a barrel delivered from Charleroi, and +it is not the local brew, but the Lion brew from Munich."</p> +<p class="pnext">He had moved to the window, followed by his visitors. A heavy dray +laden with beer was lumbering down the road. As it came opposite to +the house the drayman hailed the miller, pulling up his horses.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Germans are shelling Liége," he said. "Maybe 'tis the last time I +shall come this way. Your good tenants had better clear out."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good tenants!" cried the old man explosively.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quiet!" said Pariset, touching him on the sleeve. "Don't tell him +they are Germans."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah! You are right, monsieur. But my blood boils. You are going to +the mill?" he asked the drayman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. 'Tis only a small barrel to-day--not the big one they usually +have. There aren't so many of them, seemingly. I was just loading up +the usual nine gallons when the order came from the office to take a +four-and-a-half instead."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset glanced quickly at Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They're going to clear out soon," he said in a low tone. "It looks as +though we're only just in time."</p> +<p class="pnext">They drew aside from the others while the miller gossiped with the +drayman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I say, you talked of disguising yourself," said Kenneth. "Why +shouldn't you take the drayman's place and deliver the beer? You could +then take stock of the place and the people."</p> +<p class="pnext">"A capital notion! I must take the drayman into my confidence. Wait a +minute," he called out of the window, as the man was about to drive on. +In a few words he explained the plan to the miller.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Parbleu, monsieur, but look at his size!" said the old man.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, that's a difficulty, I admit," said Pariset ruefully. "He would +make three of me. The Germans aren't fools, and if they saw me with +his smock flapping about me they would smell a rat."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And your face and hands, monsieur--no, decidedly you could not pass +for a drayman."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset bit his nails in perplexity. Kenneth stared musingly at the +dray.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've an idea!" he said. "Pretend that the drayman has been called up. +The brewer is short-handed, and has to send clerks out of the office to +deliver the beer: two clerks equal one drayman. Besides, if I go with +you, I may catch sight of that fellow I saw with Hellwig, and make sure +he's our man."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The very thing! Your clothes are all right; I must borrow a suit from +the miller. But wait: won't Hellwig's man recognise you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll guard against that--smear my face with rust off the cask-hoops, +and borrow a slouch hat which I'll keep well down over my eyes. It's +worth trying."</p> +<p class="pnext">Delighted with the plan, the miller furnished them with the necessary +garments. In a few minutes Pariset, got up passably as a clerk, went +out to the drayman, who was becoming impatient. The man swore when he +learnt that his customers were suspected to be spies, and readily +agreed to remain in the miller's house and await the issue of the +stratagem. Meanwhile Kenneth had rubbed his cheeks and hands with +rust, and in the low flopping hat lent him by the miller would hardly +have been recognised by his friends, much less, he hoped, by a man who +had seen him for only a few minutes.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I had better drive," said Kenneth; "then I can keep in the background +while you are delivering the cask, if you can tackle it alone."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That will be easy enough. I see there's a ladder or inclined plane or +whatever they call it on the dray. I've only to roll the cask down and +trundle it to the door. I don't suppose they'll let me carry it +inside."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth took the reins, and drove off, Pariset, who also had smeared +face and hands, dangling his legs over the tail of the dray. They +jogged down the road, passed under the railway bridge, and came in due +course to the mill.</p> +<p class="pnext">The premises were surrounded by an old and dilapidated wall, but they +noticed that along its top ran a row of formidable spikes, apparently +of recent date. The front door of the mill-house faced the road. It +was stoutly built of oak studded with nails, and was flanked on both +sides by barred windows. The smuggling miller who built the place had +evidently made himself secure against surprise.</p> +<p class="pnext">When the dray drew up before the door, Pariset sprang down and jerked +the iron bell-pull. From the driver's seat Kenneth saw a face appear +for an instant at one of the windows. After a short interval the bolts +were withdrawn, the door opened, and a man stood on the threshold. +Kenneth tingled; he had recognised him instantly as the man who had +been in conversation with Hellwig. He turned his head so as not to +show his full face, pulled his hat lower over his eyes, and hoped that +the recognition had not been mutual. And he listened anxiously, +wondering how Pariset would acquit himself in his novel part, and +wishing for the moment that Granger was in his place.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset, however, was cool and collected. He took the bull by the +horns.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am sorry I am late, monsieur," he said, "but the fact is that all +our carters are called up for transport purposes. Being anxious not to +disappoint a valued customer, my master has sent us out of the office. +We shan't be able to come again, for we're called up ourselves--all +through those pigs of Germans, who are said to be across the frontier. +We shan't be able to deliver any more beer, I'm afraid. It's a wonder +we've any horses left."</p> +<p class="pnext">The German merely grunted in answer to this.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We're in for a very bad time," Pariset went on, as he hoisted the end +of the cask on to the doorstep. "Hadn't you better go back to +Switzerland, monsieur? Pardon the suggestion, but we don't know what +may happen. If these German pigs come south----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just roll it into the lobby," interrupted the German. "Here's the +money. By the way, have you seen an aeroplane in the neighbourhood?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, we saw one an hour or so ago. It was flying north-east. I +shouldn't be surprised if it was German. The pigs are capable of +anything. But they'll get a reception that will surprise them. Our +little army--but there! You know what your own army would do, and your +turn may come in Switzerland sooner than you think. Thank you: I am +sorry we shan't be able to serve you again, by the look of things."</p> +<p class="pnext">He laid the cask in the lobby, pocketed the money, and returned to the +dray.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meanwhile Kenneth had seized the opportunity to take a careful look +around. It was clear that it would not be easy to take the place by a +rush without giving the inmates sufficient time to fire the mine +beneath the bridge. The fact that the German had come to the door +himself, instead of the deaf old countryman whom he was said to employ +as a man-of-all-work, showed that he was on the alert. Nothing would +be easier than to overpower the man himself; but if any noise were made +in so doing his companions would instantly come to his assistance, and +at the first sign that the plot had been discovered the bridge would be +blown up. It seemed that the ruse would prove fruitless after all.</p> +<p class="pnext">In turning the horses for the journey back, Kenneth contrived to bring +the dray close against the wall, so that from his high seat he was able +to look over. Through the open window of a room giving on the yard he +saw a party of four men playing cards at a table. Close to the right +hand of each stood a tall beer glass.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That explains why they are such good customers of the brewery," he +thought.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset, sitting at the back of the dray with his face to the door, +began to hum a tune, and Kenneth caught the words "En avant!" He +whipped up the horses, big Flemish beasts that were evidently +unaccustomed to go above a walking pace, and the heavy vehicle lumbered +away.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why did you want me to hurry?" asked Kenneth, when they were some +distance along the road.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because that fellow was standing at the door watching us," Pariset +replied. "I wonder if he is suspicious?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shouldn't think so. You played your part quite naturally. But we +are right, Remi: that's the fellow I saw with Hellwig."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah!" was all that Pariset said then.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vii-a-hornet-s-nest"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id8">CHAPTER VII--A HORNET'S NEST</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"I am not at all happy about this," said Pariset, after a brief silence.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We haven't learnt very much, certainly," said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't mean that. We have learnt enough if that is your man. But I +see no means of preventing the destruction of the bridge."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We might fly to Charleroi and send a squadron of lancers back. There +are only five men to deal with, apparently."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's not the difficulty. The point is that at the first sign of +molestation they would fire the mine. You may depend upon it that they +are picked men, with resolution enough to do their job, even at the +cost of their lives. It would not be much use to capture them after +the mischief was already done."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The mine is to be fired on receipt of a marconigram."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You didn't tell me that. It may happen at any minute, then. They +must have wireless rigged up in the mill-house. We might have cut a +wire, but with wireless we are helpless."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Unless we could get into the mill," Kenneth suggested.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah, if we could! But there's no chance of it. The fellow is on the +qui vive: I don't like the way he looked after us."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wouldn't the old miller, as the landlord, have a right to go in?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I daresay, but the old man couldn't do anything. Even if he knew +anything about wireless or mines, he would only get flustered; he +certainly would quite fail to do any damage."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Perhaps he could tell us of another way into the mill, so that we +could do it ourselves."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That could only be in the darkness, and they may fire the mine before +night. I see nothing for it, after all, but to bring some cavalry from +Charleroi and take care the men don't escape. We can do that, if we +can't save the bridge."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why not wait a little? If the order to fire the mine comes suddenly, +any time before night, we can't prevent it. But if it doesn't come +before night, we still have a chance. In any case we ought to get some +lancers over, to be in the neighbourhood at nightfall. It won't take +long for one of us to get into Charleroi and back."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That would be risky after that fellow's question about the aeroplane. +The best course will be to send in a message by the drayman. I'll +write a note as soon as we get back."</p> +<p class="pnext">The drayman readily agreed to carry Pariset's note to the commandant of +the Charleroi garrison. When he had departed, the miller was taken +into consultation.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is there any other entrance to the millhouse besides the front door?" +asked Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There is a door to the stables, but that has long been nailed up," the +old man replied.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Describe the interior as well as you can."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, monsieur, I lived there fifty years, so I ought to know +something about it. You go in by the door; well, first there's the +lobby; beyond that, straight ahead, is the kitchen, and beyond that +again, looking on the stream, is the storeroom with the mill above. To +the left of that is the hoist; and this side of it, overlooking the +yard, is the big room, dining-room and parlour in one. There you have +the ground-floor; the bedrooms are upstairs."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And the wall goes all round?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, right down to the stream on each side, and along the bank, except +where the wheel juts out into the waterway. The old wheel is dropping +to pieces; it hasn't been used these twenty years."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Couldn't we get in that way?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ma foi! That's an idea, now. Many's the time I got in that way as a +boy, when the wheel was stopped--just a boy's devilry, you understand. +You could get in that way yet, if the woodwork isn't too rotten to bear +your weight. You would have to wade the stream, but that isn't deep or +swift except in winter. Old as I be I'll show you the way myself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We could get in without being heard?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"To be sure, if the woodwork doesn't crack and give way. The kitchen +is the nearest room; old Jules, the handy man, is as deaf as a post, +and his wife, who does the cooking, isn't much better."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And where is the entrance to the underground passages?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"To the left of the kitchen, in the floor of the hoist."</p> +<p class="pnext">As the miller answered his questions, Pariset sketched a rough plan of +the building.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is that something like it?" he asked, handing the paper over.</p> +<p class="pnext">The old man put on his spectacles deliberately, and examined the sketch.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Near enough," he said. "Ma foi! But I couldn't have done that +myself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now the question is, when shall we try to get in?" asked Pariset. +"The best time would be when the men are having a meal. The Germans +take their meals seriously; if they are ever to be caught off their +guard it is when they are feeding."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's true," said the miller. "They have their supper somewhere +about seven o'clock. I know that because one evening I met old Jules +coming back from the village all puffing and blowing. I asked him why +he was in such a hurry for an old man; had to ask three times before he +heard me; and he told me he'd forgotten the vinegar, and the gentlemen +were very angry."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, it's dusk at seven; the lancers will be here by half-past. +We'll make our attempt then."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Better go a little earlier, while it's light enough to see our way," +suggested the miller. "I'm not so young as I was, and I doubt whether +I could find my way in the dark."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well. It's now nearly five; we have nearly two hours to wait. +You'll give us a meal, miller?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"To be sure; the best I have. I'd feed a regiment to capture a German +spy."</p> +<p class="pnext">Just before seven Pariset and Kenneth left the house with the miller. +Pariset had given the farmer a note addressed to the officer of the +expected lancers, asking him to leave the horses at the farm, and post +his men behind the hedge lining the road in the neighbourhood of the +mill, ready to break in if they were called upon, or to intercept the +Germans if they tried to escape.</p> +<p class="pnext">The miller led the way across the fields, by a route which did not +expose them to view from the mill-house until they arrived within a few +yards of the bank of the stream opposite the wheel. The last part of +the journey lay through a cornfield, the wheat growing so high that by +stooping they completely hid themselves.</p> +<p class="pnext">All was silent in the mill-house. Dusk was just falling. A lamp had +already been lit in the kitchen, sending a ray of light across the yard +to the left. The rear of the building, facing the stream, was dark.</p> +<p class="pnext">Following the miller, the two young fellows stepped into the stream, +and waded across knee deep till they stood below the wheel. It was an +undershot wheel. The chains confining it were deeply rusted. Some of +the floats had fallen away; others were broken; all were more or less +decayed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've done my part," the miller whispered. "You must squeeze through +into the wheel and slide along the axle. Where it is let into the +brickwork you'll find a hole big enough to crawl through. Climb up, +and you'll find yourselves in a little room that used to be the +tool-shop. Take care you don't stumble over the tools on the floor. +At the further side there's a door into the storeroom. I can do no +more. Que le bon Dieu vous protège!"</p> +<p class="pnext">He shook hands with them in turn, recrossed the stream, and disappeared +among the wheat stalks.</p> +<p class="pnext">With some difficulty Pariset squeezed his body between two of the +floats, hoisted himself up, and stood in the interior of the wheel. +The rotten woodwork creaked, and the wheel itself groaned slightly as +it moved an inch or two; but the movement was checked by the rusty +chains. Kenneth followed more easily. They swung themselves on to the +axle, jerked their way along it, came to the hole of which the miller +had spoken, and clambering up through it, stood on the floor of the +toolroom. Hands and clothes were coated with red rust.</p> +<p class="pnext">The room was lit by a small window overlooking the stream. To their +surprise, it was not empty except for a few rusty implements, as they +had expected from the miller's description. A new deal bench stood +against the wall, flanked by a turning lathe, and an elaborate +engineering equipment.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Electrical!" Pariset whispered.</p> +<p class="pnext">Treading very carefully, they gently opened the door, took a look +round, and passed into the capacious storeroom. Here they found the +plant of a wireless telegraphy installation. The antennae passed +through holes in the ceiling, emerging, as they guessed, under cover of +the parapet, on the flat roof of the mill.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the fast-fading light they were just able to see a doorway on the +right, leading, as they knew from the miller's description, to the +hoist and shoot. In front of them was another door, now open, giving +access to a passage between the kitchen and the dining-room. Pariset +slipped off his wet boots.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wait here," he whispered.</p> +<p class="pnext">Stealing along the passage, he came to a door on the right. He put his +ear against it, and heard the clink of knives and forks mingled with +guttural conversation. Creeping back again, he whispered:</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are feeding. Come along!"</p> +<p class="pnext">They passed from the storeroom into the chamber which had formerly +contained the hoist. Here they noticed a tall heap of earth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They dug that out when continuing the underground passage to the +bridge," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here's the trap-door," returned Kenneth. "Look! There's a wire +running through it, connecting with the room behind."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's all very thorough, confound them!" said Pariset. "I hope the +trap-door won't creak."</p> +<p class="pnext">They lifted it gently, and found that it moved on a central axis, well +oiled. Peering into the dark depths, Kenneth discovered a wooden +ladder. They crept down this, into a large underground chamber flagged +with stone, and ventilated by narrow gratings in the brick walls, above +the level of the stream.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We had better not both go on," said Pariset. "I'll go up and keep +watch. You proceed, and cut the wires at the further end of the +passage."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why not here?" said Kenneth. "It would save time."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But if the word should come to fire the mine, and they find the +apparatus doesn't work, they'd soon discover the cut here and repair +it. Much better do the damage at the other end."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well. You'll use your revolver if they come before I get back?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. I'll take my chance. They probably won't guess that there's any +one below, if I shut down the trap-door. You know what to do: cut the +wire, or disconnect the terminals."</p> +<p class="pnext">With the trap-door closed, it was pitch dark in the chamber. Kenneth +struck a match, and making his way carefully over the flagstones found +himself in a narrow passage, which led into another large chamber like +the first. This again was connected with a third by a short passage. +The floor of the third was heaped with newly excavated earth, and the +sole outlet from it was a low tunnel, which a man could enter only by +bending low.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth crept into it, breathing with difficulty in the stuffy +atmosphere impregnated with the smell of earth. It seemed endless, and +must have cost prodigious labour. On and on he went, his back and legs +aching, his breathing more and more oppressed. The thought came to +him, what if the tunnel were obstructed at the further end? When the +wire had once been laid, the Germans would have no interest in keeping +the passage clear. What if the roof fell upon him? What if--direst +possibility of all!--the mine were fired while he was still in the +tunnel? At this thought he felt a momentary "sinking," and dropped his +match-box. Taking a grip upon himself he waited a few moments until +his nerves were steadied, groped for the match-box, struck another +match, and went on.</p> +<p class="pnext">A few yards more brought him to an enlargement of the tunnel, where he +could stand upright. And here he found that the wire, laid along the +floor, ended in a metal case, which he guessed to contain a detonating +apparatus, like the floating mines employed at sea. It was the work of +a moment to sever the wire. Then, turning his back on this terrible +agent of destruction, Kenneth hurried along as fast as possible towards +the open end of the tunnel.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-viii-a-fight-in-the-mill"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id9">CHAPTER VIII--A FIGHT IN THE MILL</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Kenneth returned more quickly than he had gone. He was consumed with a +feverish impatience to assure himself of Pariset's safety. Pariset had +been very confident; but it was at least within the bounds of +possibility that, if discovered by the Germans, he might be overpowered +before he had time to fire a warning shot.</p> +<p class="pnext">When he reached the trap-door he tapped lightly on it. It was raised +at once.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good!" whispered Pariset. "Is it done?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, the wire is cut."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Capital! You have only been twenty minutes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Has anything happened?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A minute or two ago there was a ring at the bell, and I heard someone +go to the door. I was afraid that some friend of these fellows had +discovered the lancers and come to give warning; but it can't be that, +because all is quiet."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Still, he may be a friend, and that will mean that we have six men to +deal with instead of five."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It doesn't matter, now the wire is cut. We had better creep out +again, go round by the field, cross the bridge, and join the lancers in +an attack on the house."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Suppose the lancers haven't come!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We have to reckon with that possibility, of course; but it's not +probable. I'll just reconnoitre again; then we'll get back. If the +lancers have not arrived, we must get the assistance of some stout +fellows from the farm. I'm determined that these Germans shall not +escape."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Let me go," said Kenneth. "You don't know German; I do; and I might +overhear something worth making a note of."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's a good notion. We may get on the track of other operations of +theirs. Take off your boots; I'll tie them to mine."</p> +<p class="pnext">A minute later Kenneth tiptoed in his stocking feet along the dark +passage. Through the closed door of the kitchen on the left came the +sounds of some one moving about. On the other side he heard the voices +of the men in the dining-room, the door of which was ajar. Grasping +his revolver, he bent his ear towards the opening. At the first words +he caught he started. The voice was only too familiar to him. It was +the voice of Kurt Hellwig.</p> +<p class="pnext">Was he there before, Kenneth wondered, or was he the newcomer whose +ring Pariset had heard? In a few seconds the point was cleared up.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," Hellwig was saying, "I had intended to give you the word by +wireless myself. But the chief wanted me to come through and see that +all was ready. The wire is fixed?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I guarantee that," was his friend's reply. "You don't want to go +along the tunnel yourself?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, I'll take your word for it. I'm very tired; thought I should +never get through. Our friend Spiegel was caught in Liége before my +eyes, and taken away to be shot. The soldiers could hardly save him +from lynching, the mob was so furious."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Belgians are going to be troublesome, then?" said another voice.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It appears so. We opened the attack on the forts yesterday, and the +fools had the audacity to reply. They did some damage, too, worse +luck. Von Emmich is attacking again to-day in full force, and with his +numbers he'll sweep the idiots away. There'll not be a man left. The +orders are to spare nothing and nobody."</p> +<p class="pnext">"When are we likely to get the word?" asked his friend.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Probably not at all. If our men are already in Liége, as I expect is +the case, we shall leave the bridge intact: the railway will be useful. +It is only to be blown up in case of a check, to prevent the Belgians +from being reinforced from France. But that's not at all likely."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I suppose it is true that England has declared war?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Hellwig's ironical laugh made Kenneth's blood boil.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, it's true," he said. "It's the chance we've been waiting for for +years. They've next to no army; they're never ready; and within a week +there'll be a rebellion in Ireland which will keep the whole of their +forces busy. Within a month we shall have France under our heel; then +we'll turn back and crush the Russians, who've no organization. Then +with the Channel ports in our possession the rest will be easy. By +this time next year the Kaiser will be dictating peace in London."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you ought to know the English; you've lived among them. How +they got their empire I can't understand.... Then we shall be leaving +here soon? It's quite time."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you mean?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It may be all right, but thinking it over I can't help feeling a +little suspicious. The beer delivered to-day was brought by two +clerks. They said the draymen had been called up, and they were doing +duty in their place. It didn't occur to me till they were driving off +that the clerks, well-set-up young fellows, were likely to have been +called up before the draymen. The man who usually comes is a big fat +fellow who couldn't march a mile without collapsing. But nothing has +happened, so I suppose I was suspicious for nothing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They didn't come into the house?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No; the fellow who brought the cask into the lobby didn't seem at all +curious. Ah!"</p> +<p class="pnext">He was interrupted by the ticking of an instrument on a table at the +far end of the room. There was silence for a moment as he read the +message.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The bridge is to be blown up," said the man, returning. "At last!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give me a few minutes to finish my meal," said Hellwig. "I've had +nothing to eat for twelve hours. A quarter of an hour, say; that won't +make any difference. I wish your cook would hurry up."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth turned to go back, anticipating a possible visit to the +kitchen. At the same moment the kitchen door opened, and an old woman +bearing a tray came into the passage. The light from the lamp behind +her fell on an unfamiliar figure at the door of the dining-room--a +bootless man with a revolver in his hand. The woman screamed; the tray +fell from her hand, and a pool of soup spread over the floor. There +was an outcry in the dining-room; the man nearest the door flung it +fully open, to find the muzzle of a revolver within a few inches of his +head.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the moment allowed him for thought, Kenneth had realised that he +could not escape if he dashed past the old woman with armed men at his +back. With an inward tremor he made up his mind to the bold course.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hands up!" he cried, as the startled man recoiled.</p> +<p class="pnext">The German instantly flung up his hands. But his companions realised +the position. One of them sprang across the room to an electric push +in the wall. Another, covered by the man who had flinched, whipped out +his revolver, and took a snapshot at Kenneth. But a slight movement of +the man between them brought him in the line of fire, and he fell with +a bullet through his head.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was no time for half measures. Kenneth covered his assailant, +fired, and brought him down. Through the shrieks of the old woman in +the passage there came to his ears a shout of encouragement, and +immediately after he had fired his shot Pariset rushed up to the +doorway, reaching over Kenneth's shoulder to point his revolver. At +the sight of this the three remaining men dashed to the open window and +leapt out; the last of them, pausing to close the window, was winged by +Pariset's flying shot. Kenneth and his friend sprang across the room, +threw the window open, and jumped into the yard. But the brief delay +at the window had given the fugitives time to make their escape in the +darkness. They were not to be seen.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The lancers will get them!" Kenneth panted.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If they've come!" replied Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">He blew his whistle. There was no response. They dashed across the +yard, wondering how the Germans could have escaped, for there was no +outlet on this side of the house, and the wall was high and spiked. +But after a minute or two they discovered a gap in the base of the +wall, large enough to admit a man crawling. On the outside it was +concealed by long grass and weeds. Wriggling through this they +sprinted along by the wall to the road. And then they heard the +distant galloping of a troop of horsemen. Pariset blew his whistle +again, and in a few seconds a half squadron of Belgian lancers reined +up.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Three men have escaped," cried Pariset. "Round them up!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The horsemen galloped off, some along the road, some along the grassy +bank of the stream, the rest into the field beyond the hedge.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A pity they were late," said Pariset, walking slowly with Kenneth back +to the house. "When I heard your shot I expected that they'd force the +door and rush in."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hope they will catch the Germans," said Kenneth. "One of them--it +was the last comer, the man whose ring at the bell you heard--was +Hellwig. I shall be particularly disgusted if he gets off."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What led to the row? You weren't rash enough to attack them?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No; but I wasn't so careful as I ought to have been, I'm afraid. You +see, hearing no knives and forks going, I thought they had finished +their meal, and everything was cleared away, and didn't expect any +danger from the kitchen. As soon as I knew there was something +preparing for Hellwig I backed, straight into the old woman with a +tray. It was all up then, of course."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You've had a lucky escape. But we have saved the bridge."</p> +<p class="pnext">"One of the fellows dashed to an electric push," said Kenneth, smiling. +"I was too busy to notice how he looked when the explosion he expected +didn't happen, but I've no doubt it was the surprise of his life."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We'll have a look round. I'll give the old woman a soothing +explanation, and borrow a lamp."</p> +<p class="pnext">Their investigation added little to their knowledge. The luggage of +the spies contained no papers bearing on espionage. But the wireless +installation, carried up inside the chimney, was very powerful. The +electrical apparatus for firing the mine was in perfect order.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There is nothing amateurish about it," said Pariset. "This is spying +reduced to a science."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was some time before the lancers returned. They brought with them +the man who had been wounded as he sprang through the window. The +others had got away. The man who had fired at Kenneth was dead; his +comrade, to whom he owed his death, Kenneth had wounded.</p> +<p class="pnext">After consultation with the captain of lancers, it was decided to leave +a dozen men to occupy the mill, pending the receipt of instructions +from headquarters. Kenneth and Pariset begged a lodging for the night +from the old miller, who was delighted at the success of their scheme, +and lavishly hospitable.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ix-in-the-trenches"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id10">CHAPTER IX--IN THE TRENCHES</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Next morning the two friends flew into Charleroi. The town was +seething with excitement. People were laughing and singing, cheering +every soldier who passed along the street, congratulating each other on +the good news. It had become known that the fierce German assaults of +the previous day on Liége had been beaten back by the guns of the forts +and the steady rifle fire of the men in the trenches, and that the +Germans had asked for an armistice.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Splendid!" said Pariset, when he learnt the news from a brother +officer: "though we mustn't crow too soon. The cessation of the attack +gives us the chance I wanted, then. We can take advantage of it to get +into Liége. I should like to report our little coup in person."</p> +<p class="pnext">"There will be no difficulty in my getting away, I suppose?" asked +Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you wish to do?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get to England and join the Flying Corps."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They would take you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, my chest measures thirty-six inches, my teeth are sound, and +I've no varicose veins. The only doubt is about my sight: my right eye +is a trifle astigmatic. But I think I should pass the doctor."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wish you could stay with us. But I understand your wish to serve +with your own army. As soon as we get back I'll ask the commandant if +I can be spared to carry you to Ostend."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth agreed to this, and they started eastward. It was nearing +midday when they swooped down from a great height on to an open space +some three miles west of Liége. Pariset had pointed out the positions +of the forts as they descended; but Kenneth had been able barely to +distinguish them while in the air, and when he came to the ground they +were quite out of sight.</p> +<p class="pnext">But the intervening space had been carefully prepared for infantry. +Trenches had been dug, barbed wire entanglements stretched from point +to point, every natural feature adapted to the purposes of defence. At +the present moment the trenches were not manned. Pariset learnt from a +comrade in the flying corps that though the armistice had been refused, +the Germans had not as yet renewed the attack. Their losses on the +previous day had been very heavy, and the garrison were confident of +their ability to repulse any further assaults if the Germans persisted +in attacking in the same dense masses, and were not supported by +heavier artillery than that which they had employed hitherto.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth listened eagerly to the conversation between the two airmen. +He learnt how the German infantry, covered by artillery, had advanced +again and again in close formation, only to be hurled back by the fire +from the forts and the trenches, followed up with the bayonet. The +Belgians were amazed at the doggedness with which their enemy had +pressed on, careless of cover, though great gaps were torn in their +packed columns. Such a wastage of men pointed to a vast confidence in +the ultimate superiority of numbers, the crushing of the defence by +sheer weight rather than skill.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset explained, when Kenneth questioned him, the importance to the +enemy of the capture of Liége. Encircled by its twelve forts, +constructed by the engineering genius of General Brialmont, the town +stood as a formidable obstacle to the advance of the Germans through +the valley of the Meuse, the easiest way into France. Every day it +could be held was a day's delay in the prosecution of the enemy's plan +of campaign, which, as everybody knew, was to crush France before +Russia had time to threaten Germany on her eastern border.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Germans have, they think, a very perfect military machine," +Pariset continued; "I daresay they have, though perhaps they are a +little too cocksure about it. They've had no experience of war for +forty years, and their easy victory in 1870 has possibly produced what +you call swelled head. Anyhow, the most perfect machine may be +dislocated by a little grit, and Liége, we hope, will be the little +grit for the occasion. Now we had better get some lunch; then we'll +fly north. I'll report myself to my commandant, and ask for leave to +carry you to Ostend."</p> +<p class="pnext">They walked away to the rear of the lines, towards a cottage on which +the canteen flag was flying. Before they reached it they met a general +officer on horseback, cantering along accompanied by an aide-de-camp. +Pariset saluted, the officers touched their hats and passed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"General Leman, commanding the forts," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He looked just like an Englishman," Kenneth replied.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset smiled, and was beginning a chaffing remark when he was hailed +from behind. Turning, he saw that the officers had reined up, and +turned their horses' flanks towards him. He hurried back, Kenneth +taking a step or two in the same direction.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Lieutenant Pariset, I understand?" he heard the general say. "I +compliment you on your little exploit. You did very well; thank you!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset murmured something, saluted again, and the officers rode off.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He didn't give me time to tell him about you," said Pariset, rejoining +his friend. "He is evidently in a hurry to get back to Fort Loncin."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It doesn't matter about me," said Kenneth. "How did he know about it +at all?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He must have got the news by telegram or wireless from Charleroi. But +really it was your doing, you know. I must make that clear."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't talk rubbish! I only gave you the information. I liked the +look of him. What keen eyes he has!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's a splendid fellow. But come along! Our men are a hungry lot, +and I don't want to find the board cleared."</p> +<p class="pnext">They were sitting at lunch among a group of cheery young officers when +a bugle rang out. The officers sprang up, seized their arms, and +rushed out of the cottage.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Germans are coming on again," cried Pariset. "Come and see."</p> +<p class="pnext">They ran back towards the trenches, which were already filling with +riflemen. A deep boom sounded from some distant spot.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A German gun!" said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't see the shell," said Kenneth, looking round.</p> +<p class="pnext">"My dear fellow, it had fallen somewhere before we heard the sound. +Ah! the forts are replying."</p> +<p class="pnext">In a few minutes the silence of the summer noon was shattered by the +continuous thunder of artillery. With the deep slow booms of the big +guns was mingled the quicker, sharper bang of machine guns somewhere +out of sight.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get down, you asses!" cried an officer, as they drew near to the +trenches. "Do you want to be marked?"</p> +<p class="pnext">They took cover behind a hedge. Kenneth tingled from top to toe as he +heard the crash of the guns, and felt the earth and the very air shake +with the concussion. Presently a shrill whistle sounded; it was +followed almost instantaneously by a prolonged crackle, which had +hardly died away when from above them came a zip, zip, zip, like the +notes of some tuneless bird.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Germans are firing anyhow," said Pariset in an involuntary whisper.</p> +<p class="pnext">Round the hedge came swiftly two men in blue coats with the red cross +on their sleeves, carrying an ambulance. A groan rose from it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can't stand this," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">He dashed along the hedge and into the open. Kenneth instinctively +followed him, not doubting for a moment what it was that Pariset could +not stand. Pariset, with Kenneth close at his heels, made straight for +the nearest trench, heedless of the shot and shell whistling, singing, +crashing around them. They flung themselves into the trench, and +Kenneth, without understanding how it had happened, found himself +leaning forward, rifle in hand, listening to a droning monotone from +Pariset a yard to the left of him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mark your man.... Don't be in a hurry.... Keep your head as low as +possible.... You'll soon get used to the noise."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was a minute or two before Kenneth realised that the rifle had been +thrust into his hand for use. Looking over the parapet of the trench +he was still confused and bewildered. Pariset expected him to fire, +but where was the enemy? He saw the long grass waving in the breeze, a +few scattered trees in the field beyond, wisps and cloudlets of +smoke--and then, as the range of his vision increased, in the far +distance a bluish-grey mass rolling like a billow towards him.</p> +<p class="pnext">At last he understood. That bluish-grey mass was the enemy. It +represented brute force, broken faith, merciless tyranny. It was the +devastating flood which these brave soldiers about him were giving +their lives to check.</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently he distinguished individuals in the mass.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mark your man!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The words, coolly spoken by Pariset on his left, set his imagination on +fire. It was his privilege to have a share in their fight for freedom. +He laid the rifle to his shoulder, marked his man along the sight, and +a touch of his finger sped a bullet on its way.</p> +<p class="pnext">For the next half-hour Kenneth lost account of everything but the task +so suddenly thrust upon him. The deafening din of bursting shells and +rifle fire, the quick silent activity of the ambulance bearers, the +shouts and groans of men, were unnoticed by him in his constant +preoccupation. He learnt afterwards how the Germans had pressed on +with marvellous passive courage under the hail of lead and shell from +the forts and trenches; how the gaps cleft in their close-packed ranks +had been instantly filled up, as if men had sprung out of the earth. +He fired until the chamber was empty, refilled and fired again, every +now and again hearing Pariset's monotonous cry, "Mark your man!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently there was a shrill whistle. Instantly, in the trench on +either side of him, the men who had been lying flat sprang to their +feet and dashed forward with a joyous shout. He was up and after them, +running across the field, with bayonet out-thrust, towards the stalwart +men in blue-grey, who had hitherto come nearer and nearer like the +irresistible tide. But now he became suddenly conscious that the tide +was receding. These stout warriors whom shot and shell had failed to +daunt had turned tail at the sight of gleaming steel. Their ranks +broke; they wavered, spun round, and fled in panic disorder across the +field.</p> +<p class="pnext">As Kenneth, with parched lips and trembling limbs, returned with +Pariset from that victorious charge, an officer of the general's staff +met them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This will never do, lieutenant," he said to Pariset; "we have plenty +of brave fellows to man the trenches, but we haven't too many airmen, +and we can't afford to risk them in field operations. You have no +business here, you know."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But wasn't it glorious, colonel?" said Pariset, glowing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are men to be proud of. But I am quite serious; get back to your +corps; there will be plenty of work for you. Has this man no uniform, +by the way?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"They have run short, colonel," said Pariset instantly. "We will rig +him up in a day or two."</p> +<p class="pnext">"See to it. If the Germans capture a man in civilian dress they will +shoot him at sight. Now, get back at once."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I thought it better not to go into particulars," Pariset remarked to +Kenneth as they went on. "There might have been a row."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's just as well," said Kenneth. "But, I say, I think I'll go into +the infantry after all."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-x-broken-threads"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id11">CHAPTER X--BROKEN THREADS</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">On returning to his headquarters, some eight miles west of the town, +Pariset asked permission of his commandant to convey Kenneth to Ostend. +He met with a peremptory refusal; he could not be spared.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll have to go by train," he said to Kenneth. "It will take you a +long time, the railway is so congested with troops and refugees. Must +you go?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What else can I do?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, we're short of men. I'd like to keep you. If I get you a sort +of appointment, will you stay?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rather! It might be months before I got a job at home."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then I'll see the commandant again and try to arrange it."</p> +<p class="pnext">When he returned half-an-hour later, Kenneth knew by his expression +that he had been successful.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It was easier than I expected," he said. "He was good enough to say +that you're just the man we want. He told me, too, that we have +already accepted the services of two English airmen who have +volunteered, so everything is quite in order. We'll go into Liége and +get you a suit of overalls. I am delighted."</p> +<p class="pnext">After the necessary purchases had been made, they went into the Hôtel +de l'Europe for dinner. The dining-room was crowded, and Kenneth, as +he entered, glanced somewhat confusedly around the tables. Suddenly he +heard his name, uttered in a low tone, and turning round in surprise, +saw Granger beckoning him to a small table at which he sat alone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's room here for you both, at a squeeze," he said. "I'm glad to +see you again."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's all right, then?" asked Kenneth as they sat down.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh yes! They got a reassuring telegram from my chief this morning. +What's more, I am to stay in Liége for the present; I am lent to the +Belgians."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's capital. I have lent myself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"'Loan oft loses both itself and friend.' I hope it won't be so in our +case! Well, what have you been doing?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth plunged into an account of the affair at the mill. Granger +interrupted him when the waiter came for orders, and again when the man +returned with the dishes. At the conclusion of the story, which +Kenneth gave only in outline, Granger said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hellwig is in Liége. My own stay here is not unconnected with him. +He is one of the most resourceful, ingenious and dangerous of the +thousands of spies in the German service.... They were all County +Kerry men, and when they stood at attention you might have heard a pin +drop."</p> +<p class="pnext">His companions stared at him in amazement. His last sentence, +apparently unconnected with what had gone before, had been spoken +without change of voice or expression, and he imperturbably sucked his +lemon squash through a straw before he went on:</p> +<p class="pnext">"He has a marvellous command of languages; is Protean in his disguises; +and in nimbleness of wit outdoes any other German I have ever come +across.... They mixed the salad with engine oil, and when Lady Barbara +took a mouthful of it, she swallowed it without blinking, and remarked +to me, 'The chef is a perfect marvel in inventing new flavours.' ... +Waiter!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Monsieur?" said the waiter, smiling and bowing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Another lemon squash."</p> +<p class="pnext">When the waiter had gone, Granger said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"I must have that fellow arrested."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What on earth for?" asked Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And what are you driving at, with your County Kerries and your Lady +Barbaras?" said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The waiter has been hovering round a little more closely than the most +officious garçon need do. You didn't notice him, perhaps? He speaks +pretty good French, with a strong Belgian accent. Did you see what +happened when I called him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What was it?" asked Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I put something of the parade ground tone into my voice, and the +fellow brought his heels together in the correct German style. One +could almost hear the click. Well greased as his hair is, you can see +it trying to rise <em class="italics">en brosse</em>, and I caught him just now twirling an +invisible moustache."</p> +<p class="pnext">"A spy?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Unless my instinct and my judgment are equally at fault. But here he +comes; don't be surprised if I break off into irrelevancies; answer in +kind."</p> +<p class="pnext">The waiter placed the glass on the table, and withdrew, to attend to a +man at the next table.</p> +<p class="pnext">"As I was saying," Granger went on, "Hellwig is here, in what shape I +don't know, but I hope to catch him yet. Your friend Finkelstein, by +the way, has been arrested in Cologne and thrown into prison."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good heavens! Not through me, I hope," said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"On a charge of espionage, at any rate. I have no doubt he owes that +to ... Yes, it was a very dark night, and he didn't recognise me until +I was as near to him as I am to you. Then ... he owes it to Hellwig."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But what can his motive be? He's his cousin."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The nearer the bone ... Finkelstein has a daughter, I believe?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, what more natural than that Hellwig should be appointed trustee +to his cousin's daughter and manager of the business?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I did suspect that he wants to marry Frieda."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah! Motive enough! ... Waiter!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The others watched the man. His manner was a strange compound of two +servilities--the waiter's and the German private's.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Monsieur?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bring coffee."</p> +<p class="pnext">The waiter departed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I must certainly have him arrested," said Granger. "So you see, my +dear fellow, that if I manage to lay Hellwig by the heels I shall +perhaps be able to make you some return for what I owe you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But that won't release Max Finkelstein."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I confess I was at that moment thinking of the daughter," said Granger +with a whimsical look at Kenneth. Pariset glanced at his friend and +smiled.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The idea of her marrying that cur!" said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It won't bear thinking of, will it?" said Granger. "That fellow is +rather long with the coffee."</p> +<p class="pnext">They waited, discussing the probable course of the war. After a while +Granger summoned the head waiter.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Our waiter has been over long fetching our coffee," he said. "Will +you stir him up?"</p> +<p class="pnext">In a minute or two the head waiter returned, carrying the coffee +himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pardon, messieurs," he said. "Gustave was suddenly taken sick, and is +not able to serve at present."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have lost this trick," said Granger ruefully, when they were again +alone. "While I had my eye on the German, he evidently had his eye on +me. And for once the German was the quicker to act. Well, we all have +our ups and downs--I might have said our exits and our entrances: exit +spy, enter staff-officer, who is looking for you, Monsieur Pariset, if +I am not mistaken."</p> +<p class="pnext">A Belgian captain was threading his way across the room, looking +quickly from table to table, here and there acknowledging or returning +a greeting, but briefly, in the manner of one preoccupied. His glance +suddenly falling on Pariset, he smiled, and came directly towards him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I heard that you were here," he said. "Have you finished?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then give me a minute privately."</p> +<p class="pnext">His eyes rested for a moment on Kenneth and Granger, whom he did not +know.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly," said Pariset. "Let me introduce my friends."</p> +<p class="pnext">The introduction made, the officer's manner changed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Let us all go into the smoking-room together," he said. "The matter +I've to speak about need be no secret among us four."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll excuse me," said Granger, whose tact never failed. "I have one +or two things to attend to; I hope I may have the pleasure some other +time."</p> +<p class="pnext">He left the others, and they made their way to the smoking-room.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xi-the-centre-arch"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id12">CHAPTER XI--THE CENTRE ARCH</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"You know the railway bridge over the Ourthe, at Sy, just south of +Hamoir?" the captain began, lighting a cigarette.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A section of our sappers were told off to blow it up this morning. +Their work was only half done when they were surprised and cut up by a +patrol of Uhlans. The Germans very quickly repaired the damage, and +are now using the line to bring up troops and material against the +Boncelles and Embourg forts."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well?" said Pariset, as the officer paused.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It occurred to the Chief that you who had saved one bridge might +perhaps destroy another. It is a mere suggestion, not a command. The +work would be very risky; it is not your job, and all that part of the +country is in German hands. But when the matter was mentioned I said I +thought you would at least make a reconnaissance and learn what +prospect there is of a successful attempt."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course," said Pariset at once. "You don't know exactly how much +damage was done?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. Perhaps a bomb or two would complete it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is rather doubtful," said Pariset musingly. "The chances of +hitting the bridge at the right spot from an aeroplane flying very high +at speed are slight, and we should have to fly high to escape the +German shot."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Unless we flew in the Taube," suggested Kenneth. "In that we might +get low enough to smash the bridge before they suspected us."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The objection to that is that you would be in almost as great danger +from our own guns as from the German," said the captain. "The forts +would certainly fire on you. But stay: if you decide on that, I will +'phone the southern forts to pass a Taube showing the Russian flag. +That would protect you until you are clear of our lines."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," said Pariset. "We will start early in the morning. Do +you mind getting us a Russian flag while I talk over things with my +friend?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not at all. I will bring it to you here."</p> +<p class="pnext">He left them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is frightfully risky," said Pariset, "but we must make the attempt. +We must wear German uniforms. Your friend Granger's will come in +handy."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You have practised bomb-dropping, of course," said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, but, as I said, it's a most uncertain thing. Besides the +difficulty of hitting the vulnerable spot, the bombs sometimes do +little damage. We might drop a dozen, and yet fail to destroy the +bridge. It's essentially a job to be done on terra firma."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's not likely we should be able to land. Even if there is at the +moment no considerable force in the neighbourhood the bridge is sure to +be guarded."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's certain. Still, it's just as well to be provided for the off +chance, so I'll take, along with the ordinary bombs, a small case of +gelignite and a little electric battery--a pick-axe, too: that may be +useful."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How far is it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"About twenty miles. The bridge is at a narrow gorge by the village of +Simon's Inn. There's a tunnel beyond, and the banks of the river are +steep. The railway crosses the river several times, but I'm pretty +sure of the particular bridge they have tried to destroy."</p> +<p class="pnext">They waited nearly an hour before the captain returned.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have had the greatest difficulty in getting the flag," he said, +placing a parcel in Pariset's hands. "I tried several shops in vain, +then it occurred to me to apply at the Russian consulate, and they +happened to have a spare one. I wish you luck. Report to me at +head-quarters."</p> +<p class="pnext">At seven o'clock next morning, equipped with the needful apparatus, +they ascended from their headquarters in the Taube monoplane, took an +easterly course, then swung southward and passed between the Flemelle +and Boncelles forts. It was a beautiful summer morning. The country +was bathed in sunlight, and no warlike sounds disturbed the still air. +But south of the town clouds of dust hung over every road, and they +caught sight of masses of men moving northward, the sun glinting on +weapons and the spikes of helmets. Pariset, in the observer's seat, +felt sick at heart. How was it possible for the little Belgian army to +resist these immense hordes?</p> +<p class="pnext">The well-known shape of the aeroplane (they no longer showed the +Russian flag) purchased immunity. They flew over the railway, then +over the Meuse north of Huy, then sweeping to the east soon came in +sight of the Ourthe winding between meadows and precipitous cliffs, and +the railway to Neufchâteau. The valley broadened out. Instructed by +Pariset, Kenneth steered the monoplane over the village of Hamoir on +the left bank. Almost immediately afterwards they came above the +cluster of houses at Sy, and the bridge crossing the gorge, beyond +which the railway entered the tunnel.</p> +<p class="pnext">On the north side of the bridge stood a long goods train, apparently +waiting the signal to proceed. On the south side, part in, part out of +the tunnel, was a train of passenger coaches, gaily bedecked with leafy +branches of trees. A few soldiers had got out of the train, and were +sitting smoking in the meadow. At each end of the bridge four guards +were posted.</p> +<p class="pnext">The aeroplane passed over the cliff through which the tunnel ran, then +bore to the left in the direction of Werbomont and was soon out of +sight from the bridge. Choosing a lonely field sheltered by a wood, +Kenneth brought the machine to the ground.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We can't destroy the bridge with bombs," said Pariset, "but it's just +possible to do it with the gelignite if you are game."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's your idea?" asked Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's clearly a block on the line somewhere to the north. It may be +a long time before it is cleared, giving us just the opportunity we +want. There's a path through the fields on the left bank, leading to +the bridge. It seems fairly covered. My idea is that you should go +down to the bridge with the gelignite."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But it is guarded," Kenneth interrupted.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't be impatient. I was going on to say that I will fly over the +bridge and stampede the guards. That will give you a chance to creep +up. Your uniform will protect you long enough for the purpose, I hope. +The Germans won't suspect you until the explosion occurs. Then it will +be a ticklish moment. The fellows who have got out of the train may +fire at you; but they are a good distance away, and you ought to have +time to rush back under cover before they can do any damage. I'll be +ready to pick you up. Or, if you like, I'll take the gelignite and you +drop the bombs."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. I've had no practice at that. I'll take my chance. But we're +about two miles from the bridge, I fancy. It will take me at least +half an hour to get there, not knowing the way. Anything may happen in +that time."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll come with you until we find a guide. There will be plenty of +time for me to come back to the aeroplane and still reach the bridge +before you. I will give you half an hour from now before I fly off."</p> +<p class="pnext">They set off together, walking rapidly over the fields. Turning into a +lane, they came suddenly face to face with a farm boy of about sixteen +years. His jaw dropped, and a look of terror showed in his eyes when +he saw the German uniforms. Pariset spoke to him rapidly in Walloon, +and gave him money. Thus reassured, he agreed to conduct Kenneth +across the hill to the path which Pariset had mentioned.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good luck!" said Pariset, as they parted. "Don't risk too much. If +the stratagem fails, make your way back to the same spot."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth carried the gelignite and the battery. He gave the pick-axe to +the boy. Pariset had learnt from him that no Germans had been seen on +the lanes and roads, but they walked across the fields under cover of +the hedgerows in case patrols or foraging parties should appear.</p> +<p class="pnext">Their course brought them within half an hour to a field some little +distance above the bridge. Kenneth dismissed the boy, and keeping +under cover to avoid observation from the trains, which were stationary +in the places where he had seen them forty minutes before, he crept as +near to the bridge as he dared, and waited. He heard the water lapping +the piers, the voices of the guards at the nearer end, the distant hiss +of the locomotive of the troop train blowing off steam--and then a +faint deep <em class="italics">burr</em>, growing louder moment by moment.</p> +<p class="pnext">The guards raised their voices.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Another Taube," said one.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's flying very high," said another. "Thinks we are Belgians, +perhaps."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But he's coming down," said the third. "Look at that swoop! It +fairly makes me sick to see him."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth, posted under cover, was not yet able to see the aeroplane, but +from the silence that fell upon the guards he guessed that Pariset was +executing one of those steep dives which make the onlooker hold his +breath.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hope he won't come too low," he thought.</p> +<p class="pnext">And then, in pursuance of the plan arranged, he began to steal along +the bank of the river towards the bridge, confident that the attention +of the guards was riveted on the aeroplane. He saw it now, sweeping +round in a huge circle, still at a great height.</p> +<p class="pnext">When the expected signal came, it was startling in its suddenness. +Kenneth had not seen an object fall from the aeroplane, but there was a +sharp explosion just beyond the bridge, a cloud of dust, and cries of +amazement and fear from the guards. He moved nearer to the bridge. +From the direction of the troop train he heard the crackle of rifles. +The eyes of the guards were still turned upwards upon the monoplane, +which was circling round at a height of three or four thousand feet +above the bridge, within range, indeed, but a difficult target.</p> +<p class="pnext">Taking advantage of the excitement of the men, Kenneth had crept +through the scrub on the river bank and come beneath the end of the +bridge. He had already perceived that the stone arch at each end had +been destroyed, but the centre arch was intact, and the gaps had been +covered with stout balks of timber on which the railway track was laid. +His aim must be to destroy the central arch. With that broken down, to +repair the bridge a second time would be a much more difficult matter.</p> +<p class="pnext">Covered now by the bridge, he waded out to the central arch, carrying +his apparatus. He had supposed that it would be necessary to hack out +with the pick-axe a hole in the masonry large enough to hold the case +of gelignite, and the risk of being heard strung his nerves to a high +tension. It was with great relief that he discovered a hole already +made. Apparently a charge had been laid there by the Belgian +engineers, but it had failed to explode, and probably had been removed +by the Germans.</p> +<p class="pnext">He lost no time in wedging the case of gelignite into the cavity, +attached the detonator, and waded back to the bank. There was now +almost continuous rifle fire from the troops, who had alighted from the +train and lined up on the track. The incessant noise smothered the +whirr of the propeller, but it was clear that Pariset was still +absorbing the attention of the Germans. Kenneth crept along up stream, +paying out the wire as he went, until he reached the shelter of a dense +thicket. Then he made the connection with the battery. +Instantaneously there was a deafening roar, the arch collapsed, and the +whole bridge fell with a crash into the river.</p> +<p class="pnext">Somewhat breathless, Kenneth remained hidden for a minute. The rifle +shots had ceased; there was a confused shouting from the troops; and +through it he heard again the hum of the aeroplane. A bomb burst on +the ground near the end of the bridge. The fusillade recommenced. +Seizing the opportunity, Kenneth quitted his hiding-place, and made the +best of his way back across the field, observing that Pariset was still +circling round in order to distract the enemy, but rising ever higher.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Kenneth reached the rendezvous Pariset was awaiting him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hullo! You're wounded!" cried Kenneth, noticing that Pariset was +grasping his right wrist.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bruised by a splinter, that's all," said Pariset. "It's painful, but +not dangerous. The planes are riddled; I'm very lucky to have fared, +no worse. You managed that splendidly, Ken. I was surprised you did +it so quickly."</p> +<p class="pnext">"There was already a cavity in the arch, which saved labour."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We have both earned our dinner. You will pilot the machine back?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course. Are you sure you are not seriously hurt?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quite. I only hope I get nothing worse before the war is over."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xii-a-fight-with-a-zeppelin"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id13">CHAPTER XII--A FIGHT WITH A ZEPPELIN</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Nearing Liége on their return journey, the airmen became aware of a +momentous change from the peaceful scene of the morning. A pall of +smoke hung over the country for miles. Wherever there were rifts in +it, they caught glimpses of immense grey masses that appeared to be +crawling towards the city from every side except the west. It was +evident that the Germans were attacking in stupendous force.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth steered to the west, doubtful whether he should find the +headquarters of the Flying Corps in the spot where he had left it. The +monoplane escaped the Germans' attentions, and when it came within +range of the Belgians' rifles, Pariset hung out the Russian flag, which +was his surety.</p> +<p class="pnext">Locating the aeroplane park with some difficulty, considerably to the +westward of its former position, Kenneth at length brought the machine +to the ground. The air quivered with the shock of artillery fire; the +noise was incessant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is the news?" asked Pariset of a comrade who had come up to greet +him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are shelling us with heavy guns, and devoting particular +attention to Fort Loncin, where General Leman is," was the reply. "And +it is said that they have got into the town. The people are making off +in crowds.... You have had a knock!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A slight bruise. We managed it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What?" asked his friend, who was unaware of his errand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Blew up the bridge above Sy, and held back a troop train, for the rest +of the day, I hope. I must go and report to the chief; tell you all +about it later."</p> +<p class="pnext">In giving in his report Pariset did not fail to emphasise the hazardous +part that Kenneth had had in the operation. The commandant +complimented them both, and made an entry against Kenneth's name in his +notebook. Then he said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"We have had our first encounter with a Zeppelin, and unluckily had the +worst of it. The Zeppelin was reconnoitring, and Boissel went in +pursuit. The crew opened fire with their machine guns when he was +manoeuvring for position, and a shot smashed his arm. He managed to +land, and then collapsed. The machine was slightly buckled up in +coming to ground, and will be useless for a day or two."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm sorry for Boissel," said Pariset. "He will be cut up at being +knocked out so soon. Has the Zeppelin been seen since?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. The forts opened fire upon it, apparently without success, for it +sailed away to the north-east."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Shall we tackle it if it comes back?" Pariset asked eagerly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hadn't you better rest? You have done a good day's work already, and +I don't want to lose you as well as Boissel."</p> +<p class="pnext">"To tell the truth, our job at the bridge has whetted my appetite, and +I am sure Amory is ready for another go."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Whenever you please," said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," said the commandant. "But I beg that you won't be rash. +Boissel was a little too eager--a pardonable fault; but prudence is a +positive merit."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We will be discretion itself," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth smiled; he did not know Boissel, but he could not imagine any +airman more likely to show reckless daring than his friend.</p> +<p class="pnext">They snatched a meal, then set about their preparations. The Zeppelin +being manned with a numerous crew armed with rifles and machine guns, +and equipped for bomb-throwing, it was axiomatic that the aeroplane +must try to accomplish by superior speed, climbing power, and +manageability what it could not hope to achieve by force. If it were a +mere question of manoeuvring the advantage would lie with the +aeroplane. The Zeppelin would be at a disadvantage in that it +presented a bulkier target.</p> +<p class="pnext">After a hurried discussion--for the Zeppelin might return at any +moment--the two airmen decided to get a number of bombs with time +fuses, and to fix in front of the pilot's seat a small petrol lamp, +sheltering it from the wind by a zinc screen that would almost enclose +it; the fuse could be lit from this.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It won't be wise to trust to bombs exploding by contact," he +explained. "They might miss the mark, big as it is; and the envelope +of the airship is so fragile that it is quite possible for a bomb to +pass through it without exploding."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But wouldn't the gas escape through the rent, and the thing collapse?" +Kenneth asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The envelope consists of several compartments, and one might be +injured without affecting the others."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You won't try rifle shots?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very little use, my son. We should only bore a few holes in it. +Their Mausers would be much more dangerous to us. We shouldn't have +the slightest chance against them, any more than a torpedo boat would +have against a Dreadnought, so far as armament is concerned. But I am +simply panting for the chance to match the aeroplane against the +airship. I hope they'll come back."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I dare say they will, having got off scot free before. We must be +ready to fly off at a moment's notice. The Zeppelin is very fast, I've +heard."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But no match for my machine. We'll use that instead of the Taube. +I'm more used to it; it is faster and better for bomb-dropping."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You won't pilot it, surely!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Indeed I shall! My arm doesn't bother me much, and you know I have +had much more experience than you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've had absolutely no experience of bomb-throwing," Kenneth protested.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you play golf, don't you? Do you remember the first time you +went round?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. Why?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Simply that, like everybody else, you probably got round in fewer +strokes than you did for months afterwards."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's true; and very sickening it is. I'll do my best, then."</p> +<p class="pnext">When everything was ready, they sat on the grass beside the aeroplane, +scanning the sky for the Zeppelin. Kenneth, it must be confessed, was +less impatient than Pariset, whose mercurial temperament ill-brooked a +waiting game. He was constantly up and down, snatching up his +field-glasses every few seconds, "fidgeting about," as Kenneth said to +himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was drawing towards evening when, just as Pariset had dropped his +field-glasses with a gesture of annoyance, a messenger came running +from the commandant to say that the Zeppelin had been sighted.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How does he know?" asked Pariset, incredulously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He had word by field telephone," was the answer. "The airship is +coming from the north-east."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset instantly started his engine. But before the aeroplane was +aloft, the airship appeared in the distant sky, like a torpedo of the +air. There was a certain fascination in its swift and steady approach, +growing bigger and bigger to the sight. Its course would bring it +within half a mile of the portable sheds; perhaps its object was to +destroy the Belgian aeroplanes.</p> +<p class="pnext">Having a reasonable respect for the Zeppelin's machine guns, Pariset at +first kept well away from its course. He bore to the east, so as to +avoid a direct meeting with it, and to get between it and its base. +That the aeroplane had already been seen from the airship, high above +it, was proved by the smack of several bullets upon parts of its +structure; but they had not heard the crackle of the rifles, what with +the whirr of their engine and the incessant thunder of artillery.</p> +<p class="pnext">Comparing notes afterwards, they agreed that their first impression was +wonder at the speed and accuracy with which the Germans had got their +range. Pariset at once flew off at a wider angle, trusting to his +superior speed to carry him out of danger until he had had time to rise +above the Zeppelin. He could climb only gradually, if he was to take +full advantage of his speed. It was nearly ten minutes before Kenneth +reported that they were about equal with it in height. The airship was +now at least two miles astern, and had slightly altered its direction. +Pariset now swung round. He guessed that the Zeppelin was making for +Fort Loncin, probably to reconnoitre, for its bombs would have little +or no effect on the armoured cupola of the fort. Flying back, he +steered so as to approach the airship on its flank, and succeeded in +his aim of showing the enemy that the aeroplane was to be reckoned +with. It again altered its course; Pariset shifted his rudder also; +and the Zeppelin gave chase.</p> +<p class="pnext">Bullets whistled around the aeroplane, which by this time had risen +several hundred feet higher than the enemy. Adjusting his planes to +secure the maximum lift, Pariset began to climb steeply, and for some +minutes the Zeppelin gained on him in horizontal direction. But the +rapidity of his ascent rendered the task of its marksmen very +difficult; and they seemed to realise that they were themselves in +danger, for they altered their course, bearing to the east, as if they +had abandoned the chase.</p> +<p class="pnext">The parts were now reversed. The aeroplane became the hunter, the +airship the hunted. Still rising, Pariset gradually reduced the +horizontal distance between them, gaining assistance from the +manoeuvres of the Zeppelin, which yawed now and again in order to bring +its guns to bear more effectively, thus losing pace. The aeroplane +began to close in with it, and Pariset suddenly became aware that he +was closing in too rapidly, for the airship either stopped her engines +or reduced their speed. Before he had time to meet the manoeuvre he +had come within effective range. Bullets pattered around like hail, +and only by a swift wheeling movement did he escape destruction.</p> +<p class="pnext">Learning caution, he rose still higher, until he estimated that he was +at least 3000 feet above the enemy. At this elevation the swelling +bulk of the envelope rendered the machine guns useless, and there was +indeed little chance of the aeroplane's being hit even by the rifles.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset's object was now to get as nearly as possible vertically above +the Zeppelin, which the Zeppelin could only prevent by constantly +changing its course and its speed. But Pariset was an adept in the +handling of his machine. He watched every twist and turn of the enemy, +and seemed to Kenneth to anticipate them, as a skilful boxer +anticipates the feints and rallies of his opponent.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get ready!" he shouted to Kenneth at last. "A twenty-second fuse!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth grasped the bomb, leaning over his seat ready to drop it at the +word. He had lost all sense that this was warfare, and throbbed with +the same excitement as stirs the batsman or the three-quarter.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now!" cried Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">The bomb fell plumb, but at the same instant the Zeppelin checked, and +the bomb burst many yards ahead, though whether above or below the +airship he could not tell. Pariset at once wheeled round, and within a +few seconds brought his machine once more above the enemy. At the +critical moment Kenneth dropped a second bomb. There was a flash and a +burst of smoke and metal between the two vessels, momentarily hiding +the lower from view. But that no harm had been done was proved by the +Zeppelin shooting ahead on another tack.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A little too far away," cried Pariset. "No time to descend. Throw +the next, don't drop it."</p> +<p class="pnext">In its efforts to escape the fate which threatened it the Zeppelin was +now keeping a straight course. Its skipper evidently realised that in +moving from side to side it enlarged the area of possible disaster. A +third time the aeroplane soared over it, and though its engines were +instantly stopped, its length was fatal. Kenneth threw the bomb with +all his force. The result evoked from Pariset a shout of exultation. +The bomb burst a few yards to the right of the airship. For a second +or two the effect of the explosion was, as it were, in suspense. Then +there was a burst of flame; the body of the enormous vessel beneath +them slowly crumpled up; with incredible rapidity it lost all shape; +the formless mass became smaller to their sight; and in a few seconds a +cloud of dust at an incalculable distance below showed the now +horrified airmen where the wreck had struck the earth.</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 75%" id="figure-29"> +<span id="the-end-of-the-zeppelin"></span><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-143.jpg" /> +<div class="caption"> +THE END OF THE ZEPPELIN</div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xiii-the-great-guns"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id14">CHAPTER XIII--THE GREAT GUNS</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">After the fight Pariset steered over the town at a great altitude, and +Kenneth employed his field-glasses in the hope of picking up some +information.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I say," he called, "it looks very much as if the Germans are really in +the town. Firing has stopped."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They can't have taken the forts already," cried Pariset. "We'll get +back."</p> +<p class="pnext">On coming to the ground miles to the west, they learnt that Kenneth was +right: the Germans had entered the town, lined all the bridges with +sentries, taken possession of the railway station, and begun to billet +themselves. It was rumoured also that Fort Loncin had fallen, that +General Leman was a prisoner, and that the Belgian field army was +concentrated about Fort Lantin, north of the town.</p> +<p class="pnext">The officers of the Flying Corps were deeply dejected. All the efforts +of their gallant men seemed to have been thrown away. Their thoughts +being centred on Liége alone, they did not as yet realise that the +strenuous resistance to the passage of the German army had dislocated +the imperial plans, and caused a delay in the march on Paris which was +destined to save Europe.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth and his friend were taking their evening meal in a village inn, +the owner of which had announced that next day he intended to pack up +and start for Ostend. Only a few peasants were on the premises; all +the more well-to-do of the villagers had already joined the stream of +refugees.</p> +<p class="pnext">Suddenly there was a shot outside. The innkeeper dived into his +cellar; his guests jumped up, grasping their revolvers. The door +opened, and a man in the coarse soiled clothes of a farm labourer +entered. On his head was a wide-brimmed slouch hat, and the lower part +of his face was concealed by a tangled brown moustache and beard.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What was that shot?" asked Pariset, in Walloon, and gasped with +amazement when the stranger, taking off his hat, said in perfect +English:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here is a part of its track."</p> +<p class="pnext">He pointed to two bullet-holes, one on each side of the crown of the +hat.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Granger!" exclaimed Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A very good disguise, isn't it?" said Granger. "But there is little +time to spare. The bullet is in an amiable Teuton who popped round the +corner at an unfortunate moment--for him. No doubt he was shadowing +me: I must make another change in my outward favour, that is clear. +His confederate missed me and winged the accomplice. I couldn't catch +the fellow. Probably he has gone back to the town to get assistance, +and I must be moving. I've a few minutes, however, and you can help +me. I was on my way to headquarters. I have just heard that the +Germans are bringing up some heavy siege guns to demolish the forts. +They are coming by road: were last heard of at Crefeld--huge things, +drawn by innumerable traction engines from the estimable millionaire's +works at Essen. Will you carry the news to headquarters for me? You +will save time--and probably my skin."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly," said Pariset at once. "This explains the cessation of the +bombardment."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No doubt. They did not expect that poor little Belgium would turn +into a Jack-the-Giant-Killer, or they would have brought up these +monsters of theirs before. They represent the last word in +Culture--according to the gospel of Krupp. I will leave you, then."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ware spies!" said Kenneth, as they shook hands.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We set a thief to catch a thief, don't we?" said Granger with a smile.</p> +<p class="pnext">He put on his hat and was gone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We had better get away at once," said Pariset, biting the end off a +Dutch cigar. "But I don't care about reporting by hearsay. What do +you say to taking a look at them?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"At what?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"At these new apostles of culture."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The big guns!--why not?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We shall have to cross into German territory--a risky game. If caught +we shall be instantly shot."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We've risked a good deal already without damage. Let us try it. I +know the country; I've often cycled from Cologne to Crefeld."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's to the good. Very well, then; I'll get leave to go first thing +in the morning. We'll use the Taube and wear German uniforms. And in +case any one comes hunting for Granger, let us pay our bill and go."</p> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<p class="pfirst">At six o'clock next morning the inhabitants of an old farmhouse at +Erkelenz, not far from the Dutch frontier, were seated at breakfast. +There was an old man of some sixty years, his wife and daughter, boys +and girls, and two women servants. The farmer himself and his male +hands were all on service.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wonder where Daddy is now?" said one of the boys.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And Fritz and Hans?" said a girl.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Somewhere on the way to Paris, little ones," said the grandfather. +"He will bring you back some fine playthings. Granny is wearing the +brooch I brought from Paris forty years ago."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mother says Daddy may be killed," piped another boy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nonsense!" said the old man. "Was I killed? Not even wounded. Why +should your father be?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"How long will he be away?" asked another.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not long. How long was I away in '70, Granny?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Six months," said the old woman. "Du lieber Himmel! but it seemed +like six years. Wilhelm was in long clothes when you went, and when +you came back he was running about. Ah! may God bring him back safe +and sound!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Listen! What is that?" cried the children's mother.</p> +<p class="pnext">A humming sound, like the buzzing of a monster bee, floated in through +the open window. The children ran to the door.</p> +<p class="pnext">"An aeroplane! An aeroplane!" they shouted. "See! it is coming down +in the meadow."</p> +<p class="pnext">The household flocked to the door and window.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A Taube!" said the old man. "Run and see what the airmen want, Karl."</p> +<p class="pnext">A boy of twelve ran across the farmyard into the meadow. The monoplane +had alighted, and a tall man in the uniform of a German captain was +hastening towards the house.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have you any petrol, boy?" asked the airman.</p> +<p class="pnext">The country boy looked up with awe, and said nothing. The sight of a +German officer afflicted him with shyness. He ran back to his +grandfather.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Herr Captain needs petrol," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is unlucky, Herr Captain," said the old man, saluting the +officer. "We have no petrol; I doubt whether you will get any in +Erkelenz; it has all been bought for the army."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, give me something to eat and drink."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth tried, without great success, to adopt the German officer's +peremptory manner.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, I won't come in," he added. "Bring it to me here; I've no time to +spare."</p> +<p class="pnext">The women hastened to bring him of their best.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And the Herr Captain's companion--shall we take something to him?" one +of them asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He cannot eat or drink with his face bandaged like that," said +Kenneth, glancing back at the aeroplane.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset, who could not speak German, had swathed his jaw in a linen +bandage.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ach, lieber Gott! he is wounded," said the old man.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We have had an exciting trip," replied Kenneth laconically. "I +suppose I shall have to go on to Crefeld. Is anything happening here? +I notice that transport is being diverted from the main road to a +by-way. Why is that?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"An accident, Herr Captain," said the man. "A traction engine, drawing +a very heavy load, slipped over the edge of the causeway three miles +yonder. Something broke; it was late last night, and I heard they had +to send to Crefeld for a steam crane to lift it. Maybe it is done by +now."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It was drawing an ammunition wagon, I suppose?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It did not look like that, Herr Captain. I walked over to see. But I +could not guess what it was, for it was covered all over with +tarpaulin."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Lend me a horse; I'll ride over. Perhaps there's some petrol in the +baggage train."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am sorry, Herr Captain; all the horses are taken."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I must walk then. This boy can come and show me the way, and carry +back the petrol."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Surely, mein Herr."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep a look-out, will you? If you see any one approaching, warn the +Herr Lieutenant. There may be spies about."</p> +<p class="pnext">He set off behind the boy. The causeway, he remembered, ran beside the +little river Roer, that fell into the Meuse farther west at Roermond. +He needed no guide, and indeed did not intend to go right up to the +scene of the breakdown; but the boy was useful as a cloak to his real +design.</p> +<p class="pnext">Half an hour's walk across the fields brought him to a hayrick +something less than a mile from the spot.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I ought to be able to get a view from the top of that," he thought.</p> +<p class="pnext">Bidding the boy wait below, he climbed a ladder set against the side of +the rick, raised his field-glasses to his eyes, and adjusted the focus. +Meanwhile two old farm labourers had slouched across the field and +asked a question of the boy, which he answered in a word.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth had reason to congratulate himself on having gone no farther. +Between him and the causeway a half-troop of cavalry had off saddled, +and were smoking near the broken traction engine, which had apparently +swerved over the edge, and completely blocked the road. Behind it were +two huge lorries, carrying between them a large mass of indefinite +shape covered with tarpaulin. At the further end of the causeway was +another traction engine with a similar load. Besides the spick and +span cavalry there were a number of men in dirty clothes, some of whom +appeared to be engaged in tinkering at the engine.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Those are the heavy guns, without a doubt," thought Kenneth. "I wish +I could have a good look at them, but I'm afraid it's too risky. I +might have guessed there would be a cavalry escort."</p> +<p class="pnext">Obviously it was dangerous to attempt to carry off his imposture with +the German officers. It would have been another matter if only the +motor men had been concerned. He was disappointed.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he continued to gaze, however, an idea flashed into his mind. It +was pretty clear that the road would remain blocked until some +contrivance had been rigged up for lifting the engine. Would Pariset +venture a bold stroke? It would be a feather in his cap if he could +destroy one, perhaps two, of these monster siege guns.</p> +<p class="pnext">Shutting up his glasses, he climbed down the ladder, ignored the +labourers and their humble salute, and began to hurry back in the +direction of the farm. Surprised, the boy stood watching him for a few +moments. Then he ran after him, and, plucking up courage, said--</p> +<p class="pnext">"Will not the Herr Captain go on and get the petrol?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I will come in the aeroplane, boy; we have enough to bring us here."</p> +<p class="pnext">The boy, rather crestfallen, had to trot to keep pace with Kenneth's +long strides. He had hoped to receive a few pfennigs for carrying the +petrol. Kenneth, busy with his thoughts, forgot the youngster until he +was paying the civil farm people for his food. Then, catching sight of +the boy's woebegone face, he handed him a silver coin that drove the +clouds away. It was lucky, he reflected, that he still had some German +money in his possession. A Belgian coin would have given him away.</p> +<p class="pnext">After five minutes' talk with Pariset, out of earshot of the people, +who had gathered about at a little distance, they once more took the +air. They had managed to compress a good deal into that brief +conversation. Pariset had accepted Kenneth's suggestion with delight. +The problem, they agreed, was twofold: they had first to deal with the +escort, then with the guns--if they were guns. When they soared away +over the meadow they had formed a clear idea of the means by which they +would attempt to solve it.</p> +<p class="pnext">Making a wide sweep, east, north, and west, they approached the +causeway south of the spot where the breakdown had occurred. The sight +of a Taube monoplane flying obliquely over the road aroused curiosity +but no suspicion in the minds of the Germans. But suddenly one of them +gave a shout. Next moment a small bomb fell close beside one of the +lorries, throwing up a shower of dust and stones. The engineers +scuttled away; the troopers rushed to their horses, which, startled by +the noise of the explosion, were threatening to stampede.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset banked the aeroplane steeply and wheeled round. As it passed +again over the causeway, Kenneth dropped another bomb, which fell close +to the first. The men on foot were rushing wildly up the road; on the +open fields there was no cover. Most of the troopers had mounted; some +had seized their rifles and were firing. But the sight of the +aeroplane wheeling again struck them with panic, and with a shout they +dashed after their comrades, galloping across the fields.</p> +<p class="pnext">The aeroplane followed up the fugitives. Owing to its speed, Pariset +had to steer a zigzag course in order not to overtake them. Each time +it wheeled he contrived to bring it close behind the rearmost horseman, +like a sheep dog driving a flock, and Kenneth dropped a bomb to hurry +the pace.</p> +<p class="pnext">They kept up the chase for some minutes; then, there being no sign of +rallying, they darted back to the causeway, where the traction engines +and lorries now stood deserted. The level field on one side afforded a +good alighting place. They came to the ground, sprang from their +seats, and as they ran to the causeway noticed one or two men lying +wounded.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We simply haven't time to attend to them," panted Pariset. "The +fellows will be riding back in a minute."</p> +<p class="pnext">They reached the unwieldy vehicles. The impressions of the moment came +back to them afterwards--the huge wheels with their grooved rims, the +deep ruts they had carved in the road. There were plenty of tools +lying about. Kenneth cut the lashings of one of the tarpaulin covers, +stripped off the cover, and found, as he had expected, that beneath it +lay a portion of a huge weapon, half gun, half mortar, with a bore +seventeen inches in diameter.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's not the breech block; try the next lorry," urged Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll deal with this; you go on to the next," said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">Each had carried from the aeroplane a cylindrical parcel wrapped in +cotton wool. From the end of this a short length of wire protruded. +Climbing into the lorries they pushed these parcels into the breech end +of the bore of the guns. Then each began to connect the wires with a +small battery furnished with a clock-work timing mechanism.</p> +<p class="pnext">While still engaged in this operation, they heard the clatter of hoofs, +and looking up, saw a squadron of cavalry galloping down the road +little more than half a mile away.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How long?" shouted Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sixty seconds," Pariset replied. "Say when you are ready."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset, the more experienced of the two, was ready first.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quick!" he cried, running towards the aeroplane.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Right!" shouted Kenneth, scrambling down and sprinting after him.</p> +<p class="pnext">By the time he had vaulted into his seat the engine had been started. +Pariset jumped in, threw the engine into gear, and the machine started +forward. At the same moment bullets began to fly around. Pariset paid +no heed to them. He had less than half a minute to get beyond the +range of explosion.</p> +<p class="pnext">The machine had barely risen from the ground when there was a deafening +report, that seemed to be immediately beneath him. A few moments later +there was a second crashing roar. The aeroplane was tossed about like +a feather in a gale. It dipped, and for an instant Pariset feared that +it would dash to the earth. During the few seconds this miniature +tornado continued the airmen's hearts were in their mouths. +Involuntarily they bent low to avoid the bullets which the horsemen, +now come to a halt, were volleying at them. Keeping a firm grip of the +controls, Pariset flew straight onward, rising as rapidly as possible.</p> +<p class="pnext">Not until he had gained an altitude which seemed to promise immunity +from rifle fire did either of them think of turning to see the effect +of the explosions. Then Pariset wheeled round, and flew back, Kenneth +examining the causeway far below through his field-glasses.</p> +<p class="pnext">The lorries, as complete vehicles, had disappeared. The remains of one +gun lay scattered on the field; those of the other were +indistinguishably mixed up with earth, stones, and the debris of the +lorries on the causeway.</p> +<p class="pnext">The leading files of the troopers appeared to have come within a +hundred yards of the scene at the moment of the first explosion. A few +lay on the ground; some were galloping on their affrighted steeds over +the field; only the rear ranks had been able to rein up, and fire their +ineffectual shots at the aeroplane hopelessly beyond range.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xiv-hunted"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id15">CHAPTER XIV--HUNTED</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">It occurred to Pariset that, so perfect was the German organisation, +the army besieging Liége might be informed within a few minutes of this +audacious raid upon one of their transport trains. He therefore swept +round in a wide circle southward, in order to approach the city from +the south-west.</p> +<p class="pnext">Both he and Kenneth were deeply impressed with the enormous westward +movement of troops and transport which they saw in their flight. The +country beneath them seemed to be alive, like an anthill; with this +difference, however, that although there were cross currents the +general movement was all in one direction. Such might have been, in +days long past, the migrations of the Huns or of the Kalmuck Tartars.</p> +<p class="pnext">Over the Meuse, which wound like a silver streak four thousand feet +beneath them, there appeared to be a number of pontoon bridges. Every +road was a continuous stream of moving objects. Far away to the right +they heard at times, above the whirr and hum of the engine, the dull +boom of heavy guns; and now and then patches of white and yellow +appeared in the air as from nowhere, spread into fantastic shapes, and +finally thinned away.</p> +<p class="pnext">They had just passed over the little town of Verviers, and were bearing +away to the west-south-west, so as to pass round Forts Embourg and +Boncelles, when the engine suddenly stopped. It had behaved well in +their previous excursions, and had been thoroughly overhauled before +they started. There was only one thing to be done: to make a vol plane +and land as best they could. The aeroplane was very high, and there +was plenty of room, but little choice of a landing place. Pariset +worked the controls for a long spiral descent, and came down in a field +between a wood and a highroad, which he believed to be the main road +between Liége and Luxemburg.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was no traffic at this spot, and they at once began to examine +the engine.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The plugs are choked," said Pariset after a few moments. "Luckily +it's only a five minutes' job."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hadn't we better wheel the machine round the corner of the wood?" +suggested Kenneth. "We don't know but that some Germans may come up at +any moment."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come along then," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">But they had hardly moved the machine three yards when they heard the +clatter of hoofs, and a patrol of Uhlans came dashing round a bend in +the road. Neither hedge nor dyke bordered the field, and the Uhlans +rode straight across it towards the aeroplane.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are in for it!" said Pariset, hastily adjusting his bandage. "For +goodness' sake try to bluff it out."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth went hot and cold; his brain seemed paralysed; and when the +Uhlans reined up a few yards away he had cudgelled his wits in vain for +something to say. A lead was given him by the lieutenant in command.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you want any help, Herr Captain?" he said. "I saw you come down +suddenly, and guessed there was something wrong."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thanks; it is a mere trifle," replied Kenneth somewhat breathlessly. +"Two of the sparking plugs need cleaning. In five minutes we shall be +up again."</p> +<p class="pnext">He bent down to assist Pariset, who had turned his back and was +unscrewing the plugs.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have you been hit?" asked the lieutenant, noticing the bandage.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, luckily; he ought to have gone to the dentist long ago, but +couldn't bear the idea of losing a moment at a time like this. A +swollen jaw is very painful; you can't eat with any comfort. The only +thing to do is to bandage it tightly. But he'll have to go to the +dentist."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're not attached to the 4th army corps, are you? I haven't noticed +you among our airmen."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are on special service," said Kenneth, feeling that matters were +getting warm in spite of the officer's apparent freedom from suspicion. +"You'll excuse me, won't you? we are anxious to get to Liége."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly."</p> +<p class="pnext">He watched the two men at their work, remarking that it was a very +dirty job.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meanwhile one of the troopers had been edging his horse close to the +aeroplane. Pariset, out of the corner of his eye, noticed him looking +at it critically. He bent down to examine one of the planes, gave a +grunt of satisfaction, and glanced at his officer, as if wondering +whether he might venture to address him directly. Concluding that this +might be a breach of discipline, he backed gently towards the +Wachtmeister--the sergeant-major through whom he might communicate with +the lieutenant without being snubbed.</p> +<p class="pnext">This by-play escaped the notice of Kenneth, who was half-turned towards +the lieutenant. That officer, having satisfied his curiosity about the +nature of sparking plugs, bade him good-bye, saluted, and gave the +order to ride on. The patrol moved away before the trooper had +finished his communication to the Wachtmeister.</p> +<p class="pnext">As soon as they were out of earshot, Pariset whispered:</p> +<p class="pnext">"One of those fellows suspects something. If they ride back before we +have got these plugs in place we must bolt into the wood."</p> +<p class="pnext">While speaking he kept his eye on the Uhlans without rising from his +stooping posture. They were only a hundred yards away when the +Wachtmeister rode alongside the lieutenant and spoke to him. The +officer gave the order to halt, reined up, and wheeled his horse.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get your revolver ready," whispered Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">He reached for one of the smallest bombs, and fitting a short fuse +prepared to light it from the petrol lamp.</p> +<p class="pnext">The lieutenant was not yet riding back. He had taken out a +pocket-book, and was consulting one of its pages. Pretending to be +still busy with the engine, the airmen watched him anxiously. The +Wachtmeister called up the trooper, who, sitting his horse stiffly, +saluted, and spoke in answer to a question from the lieutenant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's got a description of the aeroplane," whispered Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes--probably circulated to every patrol," said Pariset. "Run for +dear life if he comes this way."</p> +<p class="pnext">As he spoke the lieutenant shut up his pocket-book, and began to canter +back.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now!" said Pariset, lighting the fuse, and laying the bomb swiftly but +gently behind the engine. Then, taking care to keep the aeroplane +between them and the Uhlans, the two dashed towards the wood, about a +hundred and twenty yards away.</p> +<p class="pnext">The majority of the patrol, having received no order, had not turned +their horses, nor even ventured to glance round. Only the lieutenant, +the Wachtmeister, and the suspicious trooper had seen the flight of the +airmen during the first few seconds. But now the lieutenant shouted an +order, the men wheeled round, and galloped after their officer, who dug +his spurs into his horse and dashed after the fugitives, followed +closely by his two troopers.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had plucked out his revolver, but the aeroplane stood between him +and the airmen, running like sprinters towards the wood. Swerving to +the left to get a clear field of fire, the lieutenant discharged all +its chambers one after another on the chance of a lucky shot. But the +fugitives, having made the most of their start, were out of range. +They gained the outer fringe of trees and plunged in, the lieutenant +being then about thirty yards behind them. He had drawn his sword. +His men were strung out at short intervals in his rear.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was not much cover at the edge of the wood, and the airmen dashed +on towards the spot where the trees grew more densely, Pariset leading +by a few yards. By the time he reached it, Kenneth heard the +lieutenant's horse pounding the turf almost at his heels. It seemed +that in a second or two he must be ridden down. With instant decision +he dived to the right behind a large tree. The lieutenant, unable to +check his horse in time, galloped past, shouting to his men to catch +the spy. Kenneth took a flying shot at him, missed, and rushed after +Pariset, who at the sound of the shot turned and fired at the +Wachtmeister, now only a few yards behind his leader. There was a +howl. Neither of the airmen stayed to see the effect of the shot. +They plunged into the brushwood, which grew more and more densely as +they proceeded, and was more closely set with trees.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They can't ride through this," Kenneth panted as he overtook Pariset. +"They would be swept from their saddles."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; we're as good as they on foot; we are safe for a while. Did you +hear the bomb?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rather: it went off all right; the Taube must be blown to atoms."</p> +<p class="pnext">The pursuing horsemen, on finding themselves checked by the undergrowth +and the trees, flung themselves from their saddles. They lost a few +minutes in tethering their horses, so that when they pushed on on foot, +the fugitives had been enabled to penetrate deeper into the wood.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hope they'll give it up soon," said Pariset, hearing the troopers' +movements in the rustling and crackling undergrowth. "To rout us out +they must beat the wood thoroughly."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's lucky they're only a patrol and not a whole squadron, or they +might encircle the wood," responded Kenneth in the same low tone.</p> +<p class="pnext">They went still farther among the trees, moving as quietly as they +could. It was soon evident that they were being followed up. Every +now and then they heard the same sounds of movement, and shouts in +different directions behind them. Apparently the Uhlans were +scattering to beat the wood systematically.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Our uniforms account for their perseverance," Pariset remarked. "The +Germans don't scruple to wear Belgian uniform, or to dress as +civilians; nothing makes them more angry than that we should do the +same."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And they know it was their own Taube, purloined at Cologne," said +Kenneth. "You may be sure they are particularly incensed at that."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are outstripping them," said Pariset a few moments later. "The +sounds are fainter."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The question is, what shall we find at the other side of the wood? If +open fields, we shan't stand a dog's chance against their rifles. +Perhaps we had better dodge about among the trees."</p> +<p class="pnext">"With the risk of tumbling up against one! No, we had better go +straight on."</p> +<p class="pnext">Again they pressed forward in silence. The sounds behind them grew +still fainter, but they became aware in a few minutes that the number +of their pursuers had increased. There were more voices, distributed +over a wider area.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The regiment has come up, I fancy," said Kenneth. "Very likely some +of them will ride round the wood. We're in a tight corner, Remi."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hurry on, man. Our one chance is to be first out."</p> +<p class="pnext">From the continual diminution of the sounds it was plain that the +Uhlans were moving with great caution. No doubt they feared an enemy +in every bush. The fugitives, on the other hand, pressed on as fast as +they could, guarding against a circular course by means of the small +compass which Pariset wore in a strap on his wrist.</p> +<p class="pnext">After a quarter of an hour's hot exertion they came suddenly to the +farther edge of the wood. The country immediately in front was open +and level, dotted about with single trees and small clumps. In the +distance they saw a farmhouse, and still farther away, a picturesque +chateau on the side of a hill.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Shall we make a run for it?" said Kenneth, as they paused a moment +before leaving the shelter of the trees.</p> +<p class="pnext">For answer, Pariset caught him by the sleeve, and drew him back.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Cut off?" asked Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; a troop of Uhlans are galloping along the edge of the wood away +there to the left; nearly a mile away, thank goodness!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairly trapped!" said Kenneth, with nervous twitching of his eyebrow.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the excitement of the last half hour their thoughts had been too +busy to give them time for apprehension. But now, with Uhlans on foot +spread out in the wood behind them, a troop on horseback approaching on +their left, possibly another on their right, they began to realise what +it was like to be hunted. They felt as if inexorable walls were +closing upon them to crush them. It would be madness to take to the +open. The impulse to turn to the right in the wood, away from the +galloping Uhlans, was dulled by the fear that a second troop had been +sent to head them off in that direction. They adopted the wisest +course in such a situation: remained where they were, some few yards +from the outer fringe of trees, and tried to think out their problem +calmly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It will be safer to let them pass us," said Pariset presently. "They +will expect to see us emerge; let us go to meet them. Can you hear the +fellows behind us in the wood?"</p> +<p class="pnext">They stood listening.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No," said Kenneth. "I daresay they are stealing up quietly."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We must keep our ears open. Now, as quickly as possible."</p> +<p class="pnext">They threaded their way cautiously through the wood towards the +oncoming Uhlans. Very soon they heard the thuds of the horses' hoofs +to their right. Among the trees they could neither see nor be seen. +The sound ceased suddenly. Then came the muffled murmur of voices. +Apparently the Uhlans had drawn rein almost at the spot where the +fugitives had intended to break cover.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A clever lot!" whispered Pariset. "They calculated to a yard or two +where we should be likely to come out. A good thing we turned this +way."</p> +<p class="pnext">The Uhlans, in fact, only about two hundred yards away, had dismounted, +and leaving their horses tethered in the charge of two of their number, +had entered the wood, spread out, and begun to beat the coverts in the +direction of their comrades advancing from the farther side.</p> +<p class="pnext">The fugitives pressed on rapidly, parallel with the edge of the wood, +hoping that they would not meet the men at the extremity of the +far-extended line. There was no sound to guide them or give warning. +Presently they ventured to draw a little nearer to the edge, where the +trees were sparser and they could move more quickly. Pariset +constantly consulted his compass. Their course was northward, in the +direction of Liége.</p> +<p class="pnext">For twenty minutes or more they jogged on, careful not to lose their +wind. Then they discovered that the wood was narrowing, and a few more +minutes brought them within sight of its end, the apex of a triangle. +Peering out cautiously through the trees, they saw a little way ahead +the fork of two roads. That to the left was evidently the main road +near which the aeroplane had landed. That to the right must be the +byroad along which the Uhlans had ridden to cut them off. Beyond, on +either side, were open fields.</p> +<p class="pnext">They halted in perplexity, anxious though they were to lose no time. A +false move, an unfortunate decision, and they were lost.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If we dash across country we may be seen," said Pariset. "If we take +to the road we may meet more troops. But we can't stay in the wood. +The Uhlans will beat it thoroughly."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Could we climb a tree and hide in the foliage?" suggested Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We mightn't be as lucky as your Merry Monarch," said Pariset. "The +fellows are capable of burning down the whole wood if they can't find +us. And in a very short time they are sure to draw a cordon round it. +We must get out, somehow or other. If only the roads were hedged, like +your English country roads, we should stand a chance."</p> +<p class="pnext">They were still discussing their quandary when they heard the rumble of +an approaching cart. Looking eagerly ahead, they saw a large wagon +piled with loose hay. The driver appeared to be a Belgian peasant. +Beside him sat an armed soldier in the bluish grey German uniform. +They seemed only half awake. The two horses were plodding slowly, with +drooping heads. The appearance of men and beasts suggested that they +had been travelling all night.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was a gleam in Kenneth's eyes as he turned to Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Into the hay?" he whispered.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The wagon will pass the Uhlans," Pariset replied.</p> +<p class="pnext">"So much the better."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But the hay may be for their horses."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not very likely. It must have been definitely requisitioned, and they +wouldn't dare to touch it."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset pondered. A faint sound came from the depths of the wood.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's our only chance," he said, "but in ten minutes we may have lances +or bullets through us. A la bonne heure!"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xv-huns-at-play"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id16">CHAPTER XV--HUNS AT PLAY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The wagon rumbled heavily along the road. The two men stood just +within the wood, watching the driver and the soldier, looking up and +down the road with a half-formed fear that more troops would come in +sight. They allowed the wagon to pass them; then, running behind it on +tiptoe, they leapt up, and plunged into the hay, which was loosely +piled, just as it had been pitched down from a looted rick.</p> +<p class="pnext">They burrowed their way through the scented mass, drawing it closely +behind them to cover their tracks. The creaking of the cart wheels, +the loud tramp of the big Flemish horses, the sleepiness of the men in +front were all in their favour. They reached the forepart of the wagon +without having attracted attention. Kenneth's nostrils itched. It was +lucky, he thought, that the hay was dry and the season far advanced, or +a fit of sneezing would have betrayed him.</p> +<p class="pnext">To get air, and to enable them to see down the road, they made little +gaps in the hay, scarcely broader than two fingers. Then they lay +still, happy in their escape from the Uhlans, but desperately anxious +about what might come.</p> +<p class="pnext">The wagon was travelling towards Luxemburg. Presently, muffled by the +hay, the sound of men's voices reached their ears. These continued for +some minutes; no doubt they proceeded from the Uhlans in the wood. +After about twenty minutes they heard a louder voice, close at hand. +The wagon stopped.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have you seen two officers?" asked a man in German. "Dressed as +Germans. One a lean ugly fellow, the other a round moon-faced baby. +They are spies."</p> +<p class="pnext">The soldier, pulling himself together, answered briskly "No!" +Conscious of having been dozing on duty he went further.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We have seen nobody for the last three miles," he said. "The whole +country is deserted. What is doing about here?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The spies came down in that aeroplane yonder, and escaped into the +wood."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Teufel! I see no aeroplane."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is in ruins; the fellows blew it up. It was one of ours, too, a +Taube. They stole it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"There will be fine shooting when they are caught. These Belgians are +the very deuce. Half my regiment are down. My horse was shot. I'm +going to take one of these cart horses when we get to Spa. They are +rather heavy, but one must take what one can get. Horses are scarce."</p> +<p class="pnext">The Uhlan who had spoken came round to the back of the wagon, and +pulled out an armful of hay for his horse. The fugitives shivered. If +others of the troop did the same thing, their screen would be removed, +detection was inevitable.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not too much," called the trooper in front, standing up and peering +round the corner of the load. "Don't get me into trouble. I was +ordered to bring back a full load, and the Herr Major is a terrible man +in his anger."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where did you get it from?" asked the Uhlan, now joined by several of +his comrades who had been left in charge of the horses of those +searching the wood.</p> +<p class="pnext">"From a farm about two hours' journey back, somewhere about Theux, I +think they call it. It's an out-of-the-way place, but we got the tip +from a Hussar who lodged with the farmer for a year or two; there +wasn't much he didn't find out; and he knew exactly how much fodder he +had."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Did you leave any?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Two good ricks. Are you short?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, our supplies haven't come up. Plenty of beer on the farm?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not so much as there was," replied the man with a laugh. "But enough +to get properly drunk on if they give you time."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's the place for us. How do you get there?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Up the road about five miles, turn down a by-road on the right; +there's a row of poplars on one side; you can't miss it. We must move +on. I hope you'll catch the spies. Good luck!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The wagon jogged on.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Whip up your horses," cried the soldier to the driver. "We have been +too long on the road."</p> +<p class="pnext">The fugitives, on tenterhooks all this time, breathed more freely when +they had passed the spot where the Uhlans were grouped on the grass, +guarding the horses and the ruins of the aeroplane. But they realised +that they were escaping one danger only to fall into another. The +destination of the wagon was Spa, no doubt filled with Germans. They +must leave the wagon before it reached that town.</p> +<p class="pnext">They were thinking of slipping out at a quiet stretch of the road, and +taking their chance of bolting across the fields, when the wagon was +met by another Uhlan patrol, who after questioning the trooper, wheeled +their horses and rode alongside.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are just in time, Schmidt," said one of the newcomers.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What for?" asked the trooper, who evidently belonged to the same +regiment.</p> +<p class="pnext">"To see how we reduce the population. There's a big farm in a hamlet a +quarter-mile up the road. Rumpelmeyer was shot near there, so we +routed out all the men in the place except the farmer, who escaped. As +soon as he is rounded up we are going to shoot the lot."</p> +<p class="pnext">They rumbled on into the hamlet, and pulled up at the gate of the farm. +The terrified villagers were penned up like cattle in the farmyard, +guarded by a dozen Uhlans. A few women at the wall, imploring the +Germans to have mercy, were answered with brutal jeers.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A dirty herd!" said the trooper on the wagon. "Why don't you shoot +them at once?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Wachtmeister thinks that would be too good for them. First +dinner, and then sport, says he. He is a humorist, our Wachtmeister. +Here he is."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank goodness I needn't go any further on this lumbering wagon," said +the trooper. "Is the whole regiment coming up from Spa?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"In the course of the day. Fifteen of us came in advance. Two are +hunting for the farmer."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well done, Schmidt," said the sergeant, coming up to the wagon. +"You've a good load there."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Shall I unload, and give the horses a feed?" asked the trooper.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They can wait. There's a hot dinner ready, prepared by our kind +friends the Belgians. They entertain us; afterwards we shall entertain +them. Poor Rumpelmeyer has gone. But a dozen Belgians are waiting +yonder to join him. A dozen Belgians are not worth one good German, +but it's something to go on with. We shall find others; it would be a +pity to leave too many to bother us when the country is ours."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth, under the hay, was squirming. Pariset, knowing no German, was +not aware of what was coming, but his apprehension was all the greater +for his ignorance. Kenneth whispered that the wagon was not to be +unloaded yet; he dared not say more at the moment, with so many enemies +within hearing.</p> +<p class="pnext">The sky was becoming overclouded. The wagoner took the horses out, and +led them to loose boxes in the stables. The trooper Schmidt had sprung +down and entered the house, where all the Uhlans except three left on +guard over the prisoners had assembled for the good dinner prepared by +the women of the farm under the eye of their truculent visitors.</p> +<p class="pnext">The wagon having been left standing at the gate, Kenneth ventured to +repeat to Pariset the gist of the conversation he had heard. The +Belgian swore under his breath.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We must get out while they are at dinner," Kenneth whispered.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Those three brutes would see us," said Pariset, eyeing the three +Uhlans savagely through his peephole.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm afraid they would," Kenneth agreed. "But we are bound to be +discovered when they unload."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, we'll get away if we see half a chance. We must wait. I wish +we could do something for those poor wretches in the yard. These +Germans have much to answer for, Ken; and they shall pay--they shall +pay!"</p> +<p class="pnext">They lay in their stuffy shelter, listening to the sounds of +merriment--heavy-hoofed merriment--from within the house, the grumbles +of the Uhlans who had been left outside and were losing the fun, the +sobs of the women at the wall. The sky grew blacker and blacker, rain +began to fall. The Uhlans on guard turned up their collars and swore.</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently there was a diversion. The two Uhlans who had been out +rounding up the missing farmer had caught him and a second man, and +were bringing them along at a trot, prodding them with their lances to +make them keep up with the horses. There were cries of dismay from the +herded prisoners, and of pity from the women. The attention of the +Uhlans on guard was somewhat diverted from the prisoners to the +newcomers, as these were marched through the gate and across the +farmyard to the hurdles within which their fellow villagers were +confined.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now's the time!" whispered Kenneth. "Creep behind the cart and round +by the stables. There's just a chance."</p> +<p class="pnext">They slid out of the wagon, slipped into the yard, and ran to the +stables, being screened from the guards' observation by the horses of +the Uhlans who had just returned. Behind the stables there was a barn, +with a ladder reaching to its high loft.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Up there!" whispered Pariset. "We should be seen if we ran across the +fields."</p> +<p class="pnext">They clambered up, and panting with excitement and haste threw +themselves on the floor of the loft.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Perhaps we can remain here until night," said Pariset. "The place is +empty; they've no reason for visiting it again."</p> +<p class="pnext">They heard the newly-arrived troopers lead their horses to the stables +and address some one there in loud peremptory tones. Then their +spurred boots were heard clanking over the cobbles, and they went into +the house. Shouts of applause followed their entrance; no doubt they +had reported their capture.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wish we could do something!" murmured Pariset restlessly. "But we +can't tackle twelve or fifteen."</p> +<p class="pnext">A few minutes later, when the tremors of excitement had ceased, Kenneth +got up.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We can at least go and see who is in the stables," he said. "Perhaps +we could make off with a couple of horses."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Anything rather than lie here idle," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">They crept down the ladder, and stole round the outbuilding towards +where they knew by the sounds the door of the stable was. It was on +the side remote from the corner where the prisoners were herded. +Peeping in at the door, Kenneth saw the driver of the wagon sitting +disconsolately on an upturned pail, and beckoned to Pariset to precede +him. They slipped into the stable. The wagoner jumped up with a start +when he saw two Germans, as he supposed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hist! I am a Belgian," whispered Pariset hurriedly in Flemish. "My +friend is an Englishman."</p> +<p class="pnext">The man looked at them narrowly, only half believing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is true," said Pariset. "We want to save the prisoners. Do you +know the place? Will you help?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Convinced by their appearance and by Pariset's Flemish the man said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"My word! will I help! One of them is my brother; two are my cousins. +Only tell me what I can do, mijnheer. But not here; it is not safe; +come to the back."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wait!" said Pariset, pointing to a door at the further end of the +stable. "Where does that lead to?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Into the harness room."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And beyond that?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The kitchen."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who are in the kitchen?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I do not know; maybe the mistress and the women servants. They cook +the meals for those hogs."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is the door unlocked?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Most likely; it is never locked during the day."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then creep into the kitchen and tell the women we are here. Quickly! +We will hide in the harness room. And find out where the Germans have +stacked their rifles, and how many there are."</p> +<p class="pnext">The man passed through the door, followed by Pariset and Kenneth, who +remained among the harness while the wagoner went on to the kitchen.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's a frightful risk, Remi," whispered Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset set his teeth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm a Belgian," he said. "It's not your job. Go back to----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rubbish!" Kenneth interrupted. "We sink or swim together.... Here he +comes!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I saw the mistress," said the man. "They have caught the master; she +is frantic. There are ten Uhlans in the big room; the sergeant is +alone in the parlour beyond. The maids are serving them."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The rifles?" said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are not stacked, mijnheer. There is no room between the wall and +the big table. They are laid anyhow in the corner near the kitchen +door."</p> +<p class="pnext">For a minute or two Pariset and Kenneth conversed in rapid whispers. +While they were speaking the farmer's wife, a large capable Flamande, +came to the door, an expression of mingled agitation and hope on her +broad red face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We try it?" said Pariset to Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">The three men entered the kitchen.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you can save my husband and my son--" began the good woman +imploringly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset cut her short. She had the appearance of abundant energy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We want your help, meffrouw," he said. "Courage! Can you smuggle +some of the rifles out of the room? Not all."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I will try, mijnheer," she said quietly, with the firm look of the +Flemish housewife.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was much noise from the room beyond. The troopers were eating +and drinking hard. Pariset and Kenneth stepped behind a large Dutch +clock when the women pushed open the door, carrying a dish of steaming +stew. They saw her recoil a little when the Germans hailed her +appearance with boisterous shouts. She beckoned to her two maids, +stout Flamandes like herself, then disappeared towards the right.</p> +<p class="pnext">The two airmen waited anxiously. Would the housewife's nerve fail? +Would the Germans detect her? They had fallen gluttonously on the new +dish, praising Belgian viands after the short commons of the days +preceding.</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently the woman reappeared at the door. Her face was pale; she was +grimly pressing her lips together, and when she had entered the kitchen +and closed the door she took from the folds of her gown a rifle.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The maids stood in front of me," she murmured.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Take the rifle into the harness room," said Pariset to the wagoner. +"Another, meffrouw."</p> +<p class="pnext">The poor woman trembled, but summoning her courage she passed again +into the room. The door at the further end was now open, and the +sergeant stood in it. He had consulted his dignity by dining alone in +the parlour.</p> +<p class="pnext">"More wine!" he shouted. "It's poor stuff, mother, but I must make the +best of it till we get to Champagne. Then we'll break a few necks--of +bottles and Frenchmen."</p> +<p class="pnext">Roars of laughter from the men greeted this sally. One of the maids +carried a fresh bottle into the parlour. Meanwhile the housewife had +taken advantage of the diversion caused by the sergeant's pleasantry to +remove another rifle. Three more she brought out at intervals; then +Pariset said it was enough; to abstract more might lead the men to +notice the diminution of the pile. Pariset examined each of the five; +there were cartridges in all.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do your maids know German?" he asked the woman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Katrinka knows a little," she replied.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ask her to take some wine to the men on guard outside--it is by the +sergeant's orders. You and the other maid each take a bottle too. +Supply the Uhlans in there with plenty of food first, to keep them +occupied. They will gorge themselves so long as you please."</p> +<p class="pnext">While the women carried into the room dishes loaded with cakes and +patties, Pariset and the two others held a whispered conversation in +the harness room. On the return of the women, Pariset asked the +mistress to give the carrier a bottle of wine. The man took it in his +left hand; his right held a knife.</p> +<p class="pnext">The inner door of the kitchen was closed. They moved quietly to a side +door opening directly on the farmyard. Rain and mist threw a murky +gloom over the scene. The women, carrying bottles, moved quickly +towards the discontented Uhlans, who uttered guttural exclamations of +pleasure when the girl Katrinka gave the message with which Pariset had +primed her. Behind them slouched the wagoner, lifting his bottle to +his lips with ostentatious enjoyment. Within the shadow of the door +Pariset and Kenneth stood with levelled rifles, their eyes fixed on the +scene in front, their ears alert for sounds in the rear.</p> +<p class="pnext">The women had given the Uhlans a bottle each. The good wife had a +second in reserve. Turning their backs upon the prisoners, the guard +broke the necks of the bottles, and drank with great gulps. Unnoticed, +the wagoner slipped round behind them, cut the cords that bound the +nearest prisoner, handed him the knife, and edged towards the Uhlans, +still taking pulls at his bottle.</p> +<p class="pnext">Five of the prisoners had been released by their companion before one +of the guards, half-turning, noticed a commotion within the pens, and +at a second glance saw with amazement what was happening. Dropping his +bottle with a furious oath, he seized his rifle, but before it reached +his shoulder the wagoner swung his uncorked bottle with all his force +and broke it on the Uhlan's head, stretching him on the ground in a +crimson pool of wine. He caught the man's rifle as it fell, and +bayoneted the second German, who had turned at his comrade's cry. The +third, evading a blow aimed at him with her bottle by the sturdy +housewife, shouted for help, and was lifting his rifle when it was +wrenched from his hands by the villager who had been first released, +and he fell beside the others, stunned by a blow from the butt end.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth and Pariset, who had followed every movement with breathless +anxiety, felt that the party outside would give no trouble for a time, +at any rate. They turned sharply round on hearing a commotion from the +inner room, where the guzzling Uhlans had heard, through their own +noise, the shout from the farmyard. Jumping to their feet, they +crowded towards the rifles in the corner, and had just discovered that +the weapons would not go round, when the door was thrown open, and they +saw standing in the doorway two German officers.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Achtung!" cried Kenneth, in the short sharp tone he had many a time +heard in a German drill yard.</p> +<p class="pnext">The men sprang to attention, clicked their heels, and saluted. They +had no time to think; they acted with mechanical obedience. Standing +thus rigid they were amazed to see the officers cover them with their +rifles, and to hear a peremptory summons to surrender. Fuddled, +astounded, they threw up their hands.</p> +<p class="pnext">At this moment the door of the parlour was flung open, and the +sergeant, red with wine and rage, before he had taken in the scene, +demanded what the noise was about. His voice dropped at the end of the +sentence, when he saw, as he thought, a captain and a lieutenant before +him. A sound of rushing feet behind him caused him to swing round +hastily. With a startled cry he raised his revolver, and fired; but he +was immediately hurled backward to the floor by a dozen sturdy +peasants, the foremost of whom held a knife.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was a great silence in the farm.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xvi-the-caretaker"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id17">CHAPTER XVI--THE CARETAKER</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"We shall have to clear everybody out of this double quick," said +Pariset. "If the regiment comes up every soul will be massacred."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You mean that we must all trek?" said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. You and I must rig ourselves up as Uhlans, and pretend that we +are convoying prisoners. The villagers had better gather what +valuables they want to save, and migrate, it doesn't much matter where +to, so long as it is as far as possible from the line of the German +advance."</p> +<p class="pnext">He explained his plan to the farmer and the other Belgian peasants. +They suggested that a short and easy way of securing safety was to +shoot all the Uhlans and bury them, but Pariset would not agree to +that. The men having surrendered, their lives at least must be spared.</p> +<p class="pnext">Without delay preparations were made. The body of the dead sergeant +was hastily buried. The Uhlan prisoners were stripped of their +uniforms, clad in coarse garments provided by the villagers, and roped +together. The wagon was emptied of its hay and loaded up with such +little treasures as the villagers possessed, among them an +extraordinary number of birdcages. Then it rumbled off, followed by +the whole population of the hamlet, men, women, and children, setting +off through the rain to some sequestered village off the main route, +where they might hope to be left untouched by the German tide.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset and Kenneth exchanged their uniforms for those of two of the +Uhlans, provided themselves with civilian clothes, selected two of the +best horses, and after a few minutes' puzzled consideration what to do +with the rest, removed their trappings and let them loose in the fields.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was now getting late in the afternoon. Rain was still falling +heavily, which was at once an inconvenience and an advantage. For +safety's sake Pariset bandaged his head again; then they started, +Kenneth riding ahead, the captive Uhlans between him and Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">They were under no illusion as to the danger they were incurring. If +they should meet any considerable body of Germans, a word from one of +the prisoners would be their undoing. But what with the rain and the +approach of darkness they hoped to avoid any such contretemps. The +direction of their march was westward, their intention being to +approach Liége from the south-west. So far as they knew the Germans +had not pushed their way in force farther west than Stoumont, so that +they were unlikely to encounter anything more serious than patrols and +outposts. Such were formidable enough.</p> +<p class="pnext">Marching across fields, by by-ways, through woods, they arrived by +nightfall in the neighbourhood of the river Ourthe. Some few miles +beyond that river they believed that the French army was in line. As +they were passing a cluster of cottages a voice in German called upon +them to halt. Pariset moved up to the front of the prisoners, and +pointing his revolver threatened to shoot if any man spoke a word. +Kenneth meanwhile, answering in German, had ridden a few paces ahead, +and explained to the sentry who had challenged that he was escorting +some Belgian civilians as prisoners to Erézée, and asked in his turn +for news. To his surprise and alarm he learnt that the Germans were in +force a few miles to the south, and expected next day to force the +passage of the Ourthe. At the hamlet at which he had arrived a small +infantry outpost had quartered itself that afternoon.</p> +<p class="pnext">Getting from the sentry the direction of Erézée, he rode back and led +the party away from the hamlet to the south-west.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That was a near thing, Remi," he said. "We shall never be able to get +these fellows to our own lines."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pity we didn't let the farmer's men shoot them," returned Pariset. +"They'll be our ruin."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I vote we leave them at the next village we come to. They'll be +discovered by the Germans in their advance to-morrow."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a man of them! The villagers would have put them out of sight by +to-morrow. We must leave them on the road if you want to keep them +alive."</p> +<p class="pnext">They had still not determined what to do with their troublesome charges +when they caught sight of lights twinkling mistily through the +rain-laden darkness ahead. Kenneth slipped down from his saddle, and +went forward on foot to reconnoitre, the rest halting. In a few +minutes he returned.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The place is evidently full of Germans," he said. "I heard the +eternal 'Deutschland über Alles'; the bosches certainly sing well! We +must make up our minds once for all what to do."</p> +<p class="pnext">After a brief discussion they retreated some distance up the road, out +of earshot from the village. On one side was an extensive plantation, +probably the covert of some Belgian nobleman. Here they decided to +leave their prisoners. The trees would give the men a certain +protection from the rain. They could make themselves heard when their +troops passed along the road in the morning. There accordingly the two +young fellows placed the Uhlans, eking out the rope to bind their legs +as well as their arms. Then they struck down a bridlepath that ran +westward, the direction of the Ourthe.</p> +<p class="pnext">The night was so dark that though the rain ceased towards midnight they +made but slow progress. In changing clothes neither had provided +himself with matches, so that Pariset's compass was useless. Groping +from bridlepath to lane, from lane to high road, which they quitted as +soon as possible, stealing past the few cottages they came upon, they +wandered for an hour or two until both felt that they must wait for +daylight, if they were to secure themselves against the risk of falling +unawares among the enemy. They tethered their horses in a copse, and, +being wet through, paced up and down to maintain their circulation +until the dawn stole through the trees. Then, weary, hungry, and +bedraggled, they remounted, and pursued their way along a narrow sunken +road. Ignorant of their whereabouts, they could only trust to chance +and the compass, unless they should presently come upon Belgians whom +they might ask to direct them.</p> +<p class="pnext">But the country appeared to be deserted. When they cautiously +approached the first wayside cottage they came to, they found no one +there. Everything was in order; the Germans had not yet visited it; +clearly the inhabitants had fled at the mere rumour of their advance.</p> +<p class="pnext">About eight o'clock they came in sight of a large country-house, lying +back from the road in extensive grounds. The aspect of it, and an +armoured motor-car standing at the gates, caused them to draw up within +the cover of the trees bordering the road. The gates were broken, +there were gaps in the wall, and one side of the house was damaged by +shells.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We had better go back a little, and cut across the fields," said +Pariset. "That car is probably German; there may be Germans inside. +It would be risky to pass the house."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Perhaps it's a Belgian car," Kenneth suggested. "I'm inclined to wait +until we know. We have hopelessly lost our way."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Look out!" said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two men in German uniform had descended on the far side of the car, and +begun to walk up and down in front of the gates, in the manner of men +stretching their legs after long waiting. Pariset and Kenneth drew +farther back, behind a clump of trees, dismounted, and watched.</p> +<p class="pnext">In a few minutes they heard the characteristic clatter of a motor +bicycle. From beyond the house a cyclist in uniform dashed up at full +speed; he halted at the gates, dismounted, and exchanging a word with +the waiting men walked up the drive and entered the house. Soon he +reappeared, with a German officer and a civilian. These entered the +motor-car with the two men, and drove away in the direction from which +the cyclist had come. He remounted and rode after them. An old man +had tottered after the Germans; he closed the gates, or what remained +of them; then, after watching the vehicles out of sight, he returned to +the house, stepping much more briskly than when he came from it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's glad to see the backs of them; a Belgian, without doubt," said +Kenneth. "Let us go and ask him the way."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll go; you remain with the horses," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">Looking along the road to make sure that no enemy was in sight, Pariset +hurried to the gates, walked up the drive, and rang the bell at the +front door. It was only after ringing twice that his summons was +answered. The door opened; the bent old man, white of hair and beard, +rubbed his hands nervously together as he stood on the threshold.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good morning!" said Pariset in French. "You don't speak German?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Alas, we Belgians are backward in many things," replied the man in +French with a provincial accent and in quavering tones. "What can I do +for you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"First, tell me where I am, where does the road lead to?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"By Hamoir to Liége."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who were the party who left just now?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Officers of your own army": he glanced at the Uhlan uniform.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And the cyclist?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A despatch rider, I think." Then, in the same trembling uncertain +voice of an old man, he went on in English: "He was a glue merchant in +the Minories six months ago--Ernst Lilienthal & Co., 2nd floor: mind +the lift! And if I were you, Herr Pariset, I should wear that tureen" +(pointing to the Uhlan helmet) "a trifle more upright, and your +shoulder strap a little more aslant, when you meet more Germans than +you care to tackle single-handed."</p> +<p class="pnext">At the first words of English Pariset stared; then he smiled; before +the seeming old man had concluded Pariset grasped his hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Granger! Your disguise is complete, wonderful."</p> +<p class="pnext">"My dear sir!" said Granger deprecatingly. "But come inside. I want +news of our friend Amory."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He is only a few yards away. I'll fetch him; he is in Uhlan uniform, +like me. Is it safe?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A little more than safe, I hope," said Granger with a smile. "We have +some few hours to spare; not too many, perhaps. You have horses?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tether them behind that shrubbery yonder. I don't recommend the +stables. Bring Amory straight into the house."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset hastened back to the spot where he had left Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come along!" he said. "I have discovered a friend."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's capital!" said Kenneth. "Is he an old friend?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not exactly an old friend. It is that old man you saw come to the +gate. I have only known him a few days--since I met you, in fact."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's odd," said Kenneth, puzzled. "We have been together +practically every minute since we met, and I wasn't aware you had made +a new acquaintance of any old man except that farmer and his friend the +miller."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is odder is that he asked after you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Really! Who is he?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come and see. You'll be glad to meet him."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hang your mystifications!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not mine. But there he is at the door. Those fellows, by the way, +who went off in the automobile were Germans, but the old man assured me +it is quite safe to accept his invitation."</p> +<p class="pnext">While speaking they had led their horses to the house. They tied them +up in a thick shrubbery behind the lawn, and went up the steps to the +front door.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How do you do, Amory?" said Granger in his natural voice, holding out +his hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"By George!" gasped Kenneth. "A splendid get-up; I shouldn't have +known you. What a Proteus you are!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Without his prophetic gifts, or I should have expected you. Come in: +I have some interesting news for you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But what----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What am I?" Granger interposed. "I am an old family servant who, like +the domestic cat, stuck to the old place after the family had left. I +am caretaker, <em class="italics">pro tem.</em>--and the time will be very short, I fancy. We +will bar the door; I am very vigilant. Now I am at your service."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xvii-a-barmecide-feast"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id18">CHAPTER XVII--A BARMECIDE FEAST</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Granger laughed when Kenneth related the incidents of the past +twenty-four hours.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are uncommonly lucky young daredevils," he said. "To the best of +my knowledge Proteus, for all his quick changes, had only one life; you +seem to have several apiece. The only pity is that you couldn't enjoy +the triumph that would have attended your marching of the prisoners +into camp."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, I should have liked that," said Kenneth. "But what are you doing +here? What is your game? Your disguise is perfect, upon my word!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I will tell you--in confidence," he replied with a sly look. "From +information received I arrived here yesterday afternoon. As you see, +the amiable Teutons have left their mark on the house. My informant +had led me to expect that it would be visited by certain German +gentlemen. Sure enough, late last night an armoured car honked at the +door, and when I lifted the bar with my fumbling fingers, there entered +an officer and a civilian. A sergeant and three privates remained +outside until the major ordered them in to search the house. The +civilian was clearly a man of some importance, judging by the +deference--somewhat strange among Germans--paid to him by the soldier +occupants of the car. He went by the name of Brinckmann, but as an +ornament of society in Cologne, and occasionally I believe in London +also, he was known as Kurt Hellwig."</p> +<p class="pnext">"By George!" exclaimed Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I thought I should interest you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The cur!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hush, my dear fellow! Hellwig enjoys imperial favour. He boasted of +a particularly cordial interview with the War Lord, who appears to take +a close personal interest in underground operations. Well, the major +and Hellwig dined together--if the scratch meal that my trembling hands +prepared for them could be called a dinner. They had to be content +with inferior wine: thirsty compatriots of theirs had consumed the +best. I waited at table: in our--profession, we play many parts. They +were expecting a visit from a high-placed officer this morning; that +was the item in my original information that led me to impersonate the +aged servitor, sans teeth, sans eyes--you know the quotation. As a +Belgian peasant, speaking French only villainously, I could not be +expected to understand the language of these lords of the world. They +conversed quite freely, and confirmed my informant in every particular. +I hoped to hear more this morning, but unluckily Fate has robbed me of +the opportunity. A despatch rider came up a little while ago on one of +those noisy mechanical monstrosities that have ousted the thoroughbred +of former days."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, come now! The motor cycle is much more useful than the horse," +Kenneth interrupted.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Especially when a tyre bursts, a nut falls off, or the gearing goes +wrong! However, it appeared that the appointment was cancelled. The +high officer would not come here, but summoned my gentlemen to meet him +at Marche, some fifteen miles west."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They have advanced as far as that, then?" said Pariset ruefully.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are on the way to Paris, my dear sir," said Granger. "They have, +I understand, given rendezvous there for the 26th of this month. Their +confidence is, perhaps, a little ahead of their capacity. But your +unexpected arrival--we cannot know everything!--is very welcome. I +seem to see that by this happy chance my time may not be wholly wasted. +You will make very good Uhlans when I have touched you up a little."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you mean?" asked Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hellwig said, on leaving, that he and his friends would return about +midday. In his pleasant way he threatened to burn the house over my +head if I did not prepare a better dejeuner than the dinner he suffered +last night. Imagine my agitation! What a calamity! How should I meet +my master when he returns? My hands shook so violently that I began to +be afraid of overdoing my part! ... But now, gentlemen, for Herr +Hellwig's dejeuner. I can count on your assistance. He will need a +good digestion!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You mean to tackle them?" asked Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't want to be unfair to either party--to take you at the Germans' +valuation, or to rate them too low. Suppose I stand aside; there will +then be two against two."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But there are four others," said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who being of inferior clay are not allowed to contaminate the air for +their betters. They remain outside. Last night they took turns at +sentry-go in the rain in front of the house, and when not on duty dozed +in the car."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They may bring others back with them," suggested Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They will not, if I know my Hellwig," answered Granger. "Of course we +are wofully outnumbered if they all take a hand, to say nothing of the +machine gun. The sound of that would probably bring down upon us a +swarm of gentle Germans."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Are they so near?" asked Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I tottered through a large camp of them a couple of miles to the +north, and this morning I saw from the upper windows troops moving +along a road within a mile and a half to the west."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then we should have tumbled right into the camp if we had gone on," +said Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think better of you than that! But you see that we must keep the +machine gun quiet at all costs. A revolver shot would be safe, +perhaps; but if we can avoid that, too, so much the better. Now I +really must go and make my perquisitions. Last night I cooked some +new-killed beef they brought with them; to-day they expect something +more choice. I must scour the neighbourhood. There will be plenty of +time, I think; if they should return before I do, I must leave you to +exercise the same resourcefulness as has defied the superman hitherto. +They may search the house as they did last night. As a precaution, I +suggest that you take refuge in the garden during my absence. The +shrubberies are excellent."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can you give us something to eat?" said Kenneth. "We are famished."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Unhappily they cleared the board this morning, leaving me nothing but +the crumbs. But I will be as quick as possible. You shall breakfast +royally."</p> +<p class="pnext">He left them. Instead of adopting his suggestion they went to the top +of the house and watched the long defile of German troops on the +western road. They would hear or see the returning car in good time to +make their escape by the back door.</p> +<p class="pnext">Within an hour Granger returned, with a couple of fowls, a duck, and +other comestibles purchased at high prices from the few peasants in the +neighbouring village whom the approach of the Germans had not scared +away. Among his many accomplishments was a considerable skill in +cooking. He roasted the duck and one of the fowls, prepared bread +sauce and apple, boiled potatoes to a nice point of flouriness, turned +out Brussels sprouts dry and crisp.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now we will make a start," he said. "I can always work better if I am +well fed, and you, I am sure, are very sharpset."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are indeed," said Kenneth. "But what about the Germans?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"There will be at least a smell of cooking when they arrive. The +pleasures of hope are keener than the pleasures of memory, I believe. +While you eat, I will talk. What I say may aid your digestion; but you +must exercise your own united judgment. When you have finished, I +suggest that you rest until they come; they are not soft-tongued, and +if you fall asleep their entrance will waken you. There are excellent +divans in the smoking-room on the other side of that curtain."</p> +<p class="pnext">During the meal Granger outlined the plan which their arrival had +suggested. It was audacious enough, but, as he remarked with a smile, +they had had some training for important parts. When there was nothing +left of the poultry but the bones, they went into the smoking-room and +threw themselves on two luxurious divans upholstered in saddle bags. +Granger cleared away, and placed clean plates and cutlery on the table.</p> +<p class="pnext">Fatigued though they were, excitement kept them awake. Soon after one +they heard the car approaching. It drew up at the gates, which were +closed, and the soldier-chauffeur sounded his horn, while two of his +comrades alighted and pushed the gates open. Granger, after glancing +into the smoking-room, hastened to the front door, which he opened, +once more a frail old servingman, as Hellwig and the major, followed by +the sergeant, with two bottles of wine, came up the steps.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Poultry--or game!" exclaimed Hellwig, sniffing appreciatively as he +entered.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is well; I am ravenous," said the officer. "At any rate we shall +not be poisoned to-day by the old man's vinegar.... Lay those bottles +down," he added, addressing the sergeant, "then go out. You and the +men shall have what is left from our meal."</p> +<p class="pnext">The sergeant saluted and went out. Hellwig and the officer drew chairs +to the table and seated themselves.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Make haste!" Hellwig called in French through the open door towards +the kitchen. "Stir your stumps, old man."</p> +<p class="pnext">Granger came shuffling into the room, bent of back, nervously clasping +his hands.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where is the dejeuner?" cried Hellwig. "Why have you come +empty-handed? What do you mean by keeping us waiting?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pardon, monsieur," faltered Granger. "I must beg messieurs to excuse +me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Excuses! What do you mean, old fool?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Granger's hands trembled more violently than ever. In his thin +quavering voice he stammered:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pardon, monsieur; I am an old bird. Just before messieurs returned, +parbleu! there came two cavalrymen, Uhlans, it seems, with a hunger of +wolves. I explained as well as I could that the dejeuner was being +prepared for two noble officers, but----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well?" cried Hellwig, as the speaker paused.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pardon, monsieur; but they--they have eaten it all up."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sapperment! Where are those Uhlans?" roared Hellwig, half rising.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are here, monsieur. Hola!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth and Pariset drew the curtain aside, and stepped into the room. +Each held a revolver behind his back.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What kind of behaviour is this?" growled the major. "Salute, pigs!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Instead of the expected salute, the Germans saw two steady right hands +pointing revolvers at their heads.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Merely a little joke, major," said Kenneth quietly: "a little +play-acting. You and your friend shall be in the cast. You shall +pretend to be prisoners."</p> +<p class="pnext">The major swelled with astonishment and rage. Hellwig, who had fixed +his eyes on Kenneth, changed colour, and made a sudden grab for his +revolver. But a peremptory voice from behind his chair caused him to +sink back and slowly turn his amazed eyes.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hands up!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The old servingman had suddenly become straight. His hands no longer +trembled, his voice had lost its quaver. Covered by two revolvers, +taken aback by the suddenness of surprise, the Germans were paralysed +for a few moments. The major recovered himself first, and was opening +his mouth to shout when Granger deftly slipped a table napkin between +his teeth, drew it tight, and knotted it behind. From under the table +he lifted several short pieces of cord, and in two minutes the +infuriated officer was firmly bound to his chair.</p> +<p class="pnext">Hellwig, meanwhile, whose face was the colour of the soldier's uniform, +had sat limply watching Granger's quick and dexterous movements. He +was dealt with in his turn.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Call the sergeant in," said Granger to Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">The man came at the summons, found himself looking down the muzzles of +two revolvers as he entered at the door, and was soon sitting between +the others, the third guest at an empty board.</p> +<p class="pnext">The distant sound of trotting horses drew the captors hurriedly to the +window, and brought a gleam of hope into the captives' eyes.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Cavalry, by all the powers!" Granger ejaculated, glancing up the road. +"They are sure to visit the house. We have three men still to deal +with, and three minutes for the job. The bold simple course, Amory! +You must tackle them. Saunter out, don't hurry."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth, followed by Pariset, walked slowly towards the waiting car. +The three men in it stared in surprise.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We arrived this morning," said Kenneth in an easy tone to the +chauffeur, "and ate the Herr Major's lunch--by mistake."</p> +<p class="pnext">The men guffawed; the German soldier does not love his officers. This +was a good joke.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's a nice little toy you have there," Kenneth went on, pointing to +the machine gun. He stepped quickly into the car to look at it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is forbidden," said the chauffeur, with an uneasy glance at the +window. "Only the crew are allowed in the car."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, yes, one understands. Just a minute!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Before the men could make up their minds to turn him out he had swung +round the machine gun to cover them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hands up!" he cried.</p> +<p class="pnext">They laughed, thinking it a practical joke, until they saw Pariset +covering them with his revolver.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hands up!" he repeated, imitating Kenneth's accent as well as he could.</p> +<p class="pnext">But they recognised now that he was a foreigner, and seeing at this +moment Granger dragging the helpless form of the important Herr +Brinckmann down the steps they surrendered.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get down, and don't stir a step for your lives," Kenneth commanded. +"Drop your arms."</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset kept guard over them while Granger bundled Hellwig into the car +and Kenneth started the engine.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I didn't like to leave Brinckmann behind," explained Granger smoothly +as he squeezed himself into the seat beside Hellwig. "We are just in +time."</p> +<p class="pnext">Just as the helmets of the approaching troopers showed above the park +wall a furlong away, Kenneth sprang after Pariset into the car, and let +in the clutch. The car moved forward, swung round into the drive, +shaved the gatepost, and sped northward down the road.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xviii-running-the-gauntlet"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id19">CHAPTER XVIII--RUNNING THE GAUNTLET</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The sound of the starting car brought two of the troopers up at a +gallop. The sight of the Uhlan helmets did not at first inspire them +with distrust, but merely with curiosity that Uhlans should have been +employed in unusual work. The three men left in front of the house, +however, came running to the gates, shouting somewhat incoherently. +The words "Spionen!" and "Belgen!" were distinguishable. Their cries +were taken up by the troopers, and vociferated to their comrades riding +leisurely along. At the prospect of a spy hunt they pricked their +horses to a gallop, and set off in chase of the car, now almost out of +sight.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The German camp is in this direction, you told us?" said Kenneth to +Granger.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; there is a by-road just before we reach it. The enemy are not +likely to be coming towards us."</p> +<p class="pnext">The road was heavy and deeply rutted from the recent passage of +cumbrous transport wagons and artillery. Kenneth found the +acceleration of the car slow, and in any case the weight of the armour +with which its vital parts were protected would have rendered it +incapable of high speed. For a time the horsemen appeared to gain on +it, and Pariset, who had taken charge of the machine gun, swung it +round to cover the rear, ready to open fire if they drew too near.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't fire if you can help it," Granger said. "It would be a pity to +disturb the camp ahead."</p> +<p class="pnext">After a few minutes the car began to draw away. Pariset saw one of the +troopers rein up, and expected him to fire over the holster of his +saddle. But the man dismounted, and just as the car swung out of sight +at a bend of the road, he was clambering up a telegraph pole. Pariset +hurriedly informed his friends.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We must stop and cut the wires," said Kenneth, jamming on the brakes.</p> +<p class="pnext">Lifting the lid of the tool box, he seized a pair of nippers.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Evidently meant for the job," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give them to me," cried Granger. "You stick to the car."</p> +<p class="pnext">He sprang out, and swarmed up the nearest pole with an agility +surprising in a man of his venerable aspect. Before he was half way +up, however, the head of the column rounded the corner.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's no help for it," said Pariset. "Here goes!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Next moment there was a sharp metallic crack. The car trembled.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Three horses down!" cried Pariset. "The rest are swinging in to the +side of the road. If Granger is quick--ah! he has done it. They are +not coming on again yet."</p> +<p class="pnext">Granger slid down the pole, jumped into the car, and again they were +off.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We shall have to cut it again in another mile or so," said Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If we don't meet the enemy before then," rejoined Granger. "Or we can +pretend we are chased by Belgians and dash through."</p> +<p class="pnext">But in less than a mile they found that the wires left the road and ran +across country.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We can't navigate fields of stubble," said Kenneth. "The only thing +to be done is to go ahead at full speed, and trust to luck. Let's hope +that before any message they send can take effect we shall have reached +that by-road. Where does it lead to?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"To Durbuy, I think," said Granger. "There's a bridge across the +Ourthe. The Germans may be there; they move so confoundedly fast; but +that's our only chance of reaching the Belgian lines."</p> +<p class="pnext">In a few minutes they reached the by-road to the left. It was narrow, +but, to Kenneth's joy, not so deeply rutted as the main road. He was +getting the utmost out of the car, which thundered along at forty miles +an hour, the engine knocking furiously whenever it was called upon to +breast an incline.</p> +<p class="pnext">For some distance they neither met nor passed any traffic. When at +last they overtook an empty farm cart, the driver had barely time or +space to draw into the side to avoid them. A few yards further on in +rounding a curve Kenneth saw a heavy motor transport wagon ahead, going +in the same direction. At the sound of the horn the driver looked +round, and seeing the armoured car manned apparently by Uhlans he drew +in hastily to the bank, no doubt supposing that it was engaged in +urgent work. Kenneth slowed down slightly to avoid a collision, +scraped past, then raced on as before.</p> +<p class="pnext">In less than half a minute afterwards he gave a cry of dismay. At the +foot of a short hill two heavily laden carts were drawn full across the +road. Kenneth jammed on the brakes, foot and hand; Granger, rendered +suspicious by the position of the carts and the absence of horses, +stood up and in a moment shouted to Pariset, his voice rising above the +groaning and shrieking of the mechanism.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Germans in bushes!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset had seen them almost as soon as Granger. Before the car had +come to a standstill within a dozen yards of the obstruction, the +machine gun began to spit bullets in reply to the fusillade that +rattled on the armoured sides of the car and the shield of the gun. A +few seconds of brisk firing; then the deadly hail from the machine gun +crashing through the foliage into the ranks of the ambuscaders made +their position hopelessly untenable, and a remnant of the Horse +Grenadiers who had lain in hiding there fled helter skelter over the +adjacent fields.</p> +<p class="pnext">The three men sprang out of the car, and tried to drag the carts out of +the way. They failed to move them, and Granger discovered that they +were chained together.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A hammer!" he cried.</p> +<p class="pnext">But the hammer snatched from the toolbox proved useless. The links of +the chain had been flattened by some heavy instrument. After repeated +blows it was evident that the chain was unbreakable.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What on earth is to be done?" cried Kenneth, looking helplessly at the +carts, while Pariset and Granger kept on the watch for any sign of the +enemy returning. A shot from the machine gun would probably be +ineffective, even at short range; the bullet would hardly dent the +chain, much less shatter it and release the carts.</p> +<p class="pnext">At this critical moment the transport wagon which they had passed some +way back appeared on the crest of the hill behind them, and sounded its +horn. Kenneth had a flash of inspiration.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Look out for the Grenadiers, Remi," he cried. "There's no sign of +them, but they may come back. If they do, turn the gun on to them."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What are you going to do?" shouted Pariset, as Kenneth ran up the +incline towards the halted wagon.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Commandeer the wagon for a battering ram. There's apparently no +escort. Back the car well away to the right."</p> +<p class="pnext">Reaching the wagon, he said to the driver:</p> +<p class="pnext">"The rascally enemy has blocked the road, as you see. The carts there +are chained together. Get out, quickly!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The three infantrymen in the wagon were obviously amazed, not so much +at being ordered about by a Uhlan, as at the apparent purposelessness +of the command. They got out, however, and were still more astonished +when the masterful Uhlan mounted into their place, and after a glance +at the car below, released the brakes, let in the clutch, and sent the +wagon lumbering down the hill. For a few seconds, while the vehicle +was gathering speed, Kenneth steered straight; then, turning the wheel +so as to give a slight tendency to the left, he sprang off, fell +sprawling, jumped up and ran after the wagon, watching its course +eagerly.</p> +<p class="pnext">On it thundered, every moment faster. Would it reach the foot of the +hill, or swerve into the bank on the left? On, and on--and then, at a +speed of twenty miles an hour, it struck the left-hand cart with a +terrific crash, and threw both cart and itself in a pile of wreckage up +the bank and into the field beyond. The chain connecting the carts had +snapped like rotten cord.</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 75%" id="figure-30"> +<span id="clearing-the-road"></span><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-221.jpg" /> +<div class="caption"> +CLEARING THE ROAD</div> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">"Bravo!" shouted the two men waiting beside the motor-car.</p> +<p class="pnext">Rushing forward, they helped Kenneth to draw the released cart to one +side, leaving a clear space between it and the wreckage. Then they +leapt into the car, waved their hands to the astonished motormen above, +and started forward towards Durbuy and safety.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are all right now--unless the Germans are in greater force than I +believe," said Granger, taking a map from his pocket. "If we can cross +the river at Durbuy, we can run due west to Dinant, where we shall +probably find the Belgian, or maybe the French lines. Then we can +swing northwards, and get to headquarters somewhere between Tirlemont +and Brussels."</p> +<p class="pnext">A run of a few miles brought them within sight of the river winding +away to the east, and the little town--a mere village in point of +size--of Durbuy. But here they perceived with dismay that the course +they had planned was not feasible. Along the road between Barvaux and +Durbuy a large German force was on the march. Their leading companies +were already crossing the quaint old bridge, covered by troops of +Hussars on both banks.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pull up," said Granger. "We shall have to go back and make a round. +News of us has no doubt been flashed by this time to every German force +in the neighbourhood."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth was backing the car when Granger noticed signs of movement +among the cavalry on the near bank. A squadron formed up, faced +towards the slight hill, and started at a canter in the direction of +the car.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's no time to lose," cried Granger. "Reverse and turn round."</p> +<p class="pnext">But at that moment Kenneth observed, just ahead, a narrow road running +east for a few yards, then curving to the north.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Better try and cut across them," he said. "If we go back we may run +into another lot and be caught between two fires."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well. The road isn't marked on my map, but we'll chance it."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth had already brought the gear lever from reverse to first. He +let in the clutch; the car started forward again, and before the +advancing horsemen were half way up the hill the fugitives swung round +into the by-road. When the Hussars reached the turning the car was two +or three hundred yards ahead and rounding the curve.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm afraid we've done for ourselves," said Kenneth ruefully. "The +road is awful."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was indeed scarred with deep ruts, almost like the furrows in a +ploughed field, and thick with mud from the recent rain. The car +swayed violently, jumping in and out of the ruts. In spite of its +powerful build, Kenneth doubted whether the axles and springs would +stand the strain. The wheels, moreover, sank so deep into the mud that +the speed of the car fell away to what seemed to the occupants little +more than a crawl.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Hussars were galloping hotly after them. Some were deploying +across the open fields on both sides of the road, to gain time at the +windings of the latter. The distance between car and horsemen was +steadily lessening; it seemed that for once muscle was about to conquer +mechanism.</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth was wholly occupied with the steering of the car. Pariset kept +his eyes fixed on the pursuers. They were about fifty in number, at a +distance no match for the machine gun, but if they were allowed to +close up, especially if they got ahead, the occupants of the car would +be at their mercy in the event of any sudden check. He watched for a +favourable moment for bringing the gun into play.</p> +<p class="pnext">After innumerable short windings the road ran straight for a +considerable distance. The leading horsemen, now within a hundred +yards of the car, began to fire as they rode. Pariset instantly +replied, working the gun in a long arc from left to right. It was not +for nothing that the German staff had made the machine gun one of the +predominant features of their armament. Under the pitiless hail of +bullets horses and men went down like grass under the scythe. The +Hussars behind slowed down, allowing the car to increase its lead, but +still keeping it in view, hoping no doubt that an accident, an +obstacle, a piece of clumsy steering, would bring its career to an end. +They might then close upon it and surround it without having to face +that terrible machine gun again. Pariset, for his part, anxious not to +attract the attention of any enemies who might be ahead, ceased fire as +soon as the pursuit slackened.</p> +<p class="pnext">Their direction was towards Liége. Now and then they caught sight of +the Ourthe, winding below them on their left, but there was no sign of +a bridge. Mile after mile passed. The road was a continual up and +down; on each side was a variegated landscape of meadows, richly wooded +slopes and frowning cliffs. The sight of the railway crossing the +river reminded Kenneth that they were approaching the scene of their +exploit; but Pariset had no eyes for anything but the helmets of the +Uhlans bobbing up and down on the road far behind.</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently they dashed past a battalion of infantry marching in the same +direction. The men all looked dead tired, and took little or no notice +of the car as it passed at increased speed. A few minutes later they +skirted the chateau of Hamoir, then ascended a steep hill, the engine +knocking alarmingly, and rushing through the village of Louveigne +suddenly came in sight of an immense military encampment. Far to left +and right of the road stretched the lines of the Germans encircling +Liége. Tents, carts, caissons, batteries of artillery, men on horse +and on foot extended as far as the eye could reach.</p> +<p class="pnext">But there was no sign of active operations. Troops were drilling on +open spaces, practising the ridiculous goose-step; men off duty were +strolling about. Smoke ascended from innumerable travelling kitchens. +Horsemen were riding this way and that: a motor cyclist was dashing +away to the east.</p> +<p class="pnext">When this spectacle flashed upon the view, Kenneth slowed down. His +face was pale.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Push through and trust to luck?" he said to Granger at his side.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's nothing else for it, with pursuers hot on our track," replied +Granger. "Speed about ten miles, but be ready to let her out."</p> +<p class="pnext">They went on. Curious glances were thrown at them by troops of cavalry +off-saddled by the roadside. Uhlans in an armoured car! They must be +on special service. With his heart in his mouth Kenneth followed the +road for a full mile through the lines. The country became clearer of +men as they proceeded, but as Kenneth was again increasing speed he +noticed a strong force of infantry posted ahead of them at some +distance to the right of the road.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They are supports," said Pariset. "We shall find a battery ahead."</p> +<p class="pnext">In less than two miles they came to a number of ammunition and +transport wagons, parked in the rear of a battery of six guns. A +patrol on the road signalled to them to halt. Kenneth pulled up, but +before the sergeant could address him, he asked urgently:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where is the commandant? Quick! I haven't a minute to lose."</p> +<p class="pnext">The man pointed to a spot about half a mile in front. Kenneth, without +waiting for more, opened out, and the car quickly gained speed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's touch and go now," he said, almost in a whisper.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The guns are unlimbered for action," said Pariset. "If we pass +they'll know we are enemies."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nothing else for it," replied Kenneth, setting his teeth. "We must +trust to our speed. Keep a look-out, Granger."</p> +<p class="pnext">Thenceforth he concentrated all his attention upon the car. It sped +on, crossed a small bridge over a rivulet, and swept up a short hill on +the near side of which six guns were emplaced.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eight inchers," murmured Granger. He had his eye fixed on the officer +who had been pointed out as the commandant, and who, at this moment, +was listening at the receiver of a field telephone. As the car +approached he dropped the receiver and gave an order. The soldier next +him ran towards the guns, shouting to the artillerymen, who appeared to +be laying their weapons.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The game is up!" said Granger. "He's had word of us. Press her, +Amory."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth opened the throttle to the utmost, and the car leapt forward +like a living thing. It dashed past the commandant, past the group of +gunners, topped the rise, and thundered down the slope beyond. A few +revolver shots rattled on the armour.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We're safe for a little, while they alter the range," said Granger, +assuring himself at a glance that no one had been hit.</p> +<p class="pnext">The car was now running at a furious pace, the road having recently +been repaired, no doubt for the easier passage of the guns. Kenneth +knew that he was directly in the line of fire of the battery. On his +left wound the Ourthe, with the railway almost parallel with it beyond; +and as the car rushed between two clumps of woodland Pariset called +over his shoulder that he had just caught sight of Fort de Boncelles, +two or three miles to the west, and Fort d'Embourg a little nearer to +the east.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Which shall we make for?" gasped Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Boncelles," replied Granger. "It is nearer the French lines. We can +cross by the iron bridge just below Tilff."</p> +<p class="pnext">On they went. Second after second passed; a minute, two minutes. They +swept round to the left towards the bridge. There was still no shot +from the guns.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They were trained on Boncelles," said Granger. "We are too near them +still."</p> +<p class="pnext">He had scarcely spoken when there was a moaning in the air, followed +instantly by a roar and crash, and a thick cloud of black smoke sprang +up some four hundred yards to the right. They all crouched low in the +car, which dashed across the throbbing bridge at forty miles an hour. +Another shell plunged into the river, a third struck the road a few +yards behind them, as they entered the railway arch, bespattering them +with earth. No sooner had they emerged on the other side than still +another shell burst ahead of them, in the field beside the road. They +all caught their breath: if it had fallen a few yards to the right, it +would have dug a hole large enough to engulf the car.</p> +<p class="pnext">Shells now began to explode, as it seemed, all around them. The sky +was darkened by the smoke, poisonous fumes almost choked them. Only +the great speed of the car and the slight changes in its direction due +to the windings of the road preserved them from annihilation. The +thought that flashed through Pariset's mind was that if the Germans had +used shrapnel instead of shell they must almost certainly have been +destroyed, for he could not doubt that the whole battery was now +playing upon them.</p> +<p class="pnext">With shells hurtling around at intervals of a few seconds Kenneth, so +intent upon his work as to be scarcely conscious of them, steered the +car up the road, taking the curves at a pace that would have made his +hair stand on end at less critical times. It almost seemed that he and +his companions had charmed lives. At moments, as the road wound, the +fort came in sight beyond the ruined village--burnt by the Belgians to +clear their line of fire. Would they reach it in safety? The nearer +they approached it, the greater their danger. The gunners had the +range of the fort; a shell falling short even by a few yards might +strike the car at the very moment when escape seemed sure.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Only half a mile more!" Pariset said, in a hoarse whisper from his +parched lips.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two seconds afterwards there was a stunning report and a blinding +flash, apparently from beneath the car. It spun round and round like a +teetotum, then fell over to one side with a crash.</p> +<p class="pnext">For a few moments the three men were too much shaken to move. In the +consciousness of them all those moments were a blank. They lay on the +roadside where they had been thrown, like dead men. Then they realised +with a shock of surprise that they were alive. Pariset was up first. +Before he had time to stagger to the others, Kenneth sprang to his +feet. Granger moved more slowly, and when he too stood erect, it was +seen that his false beard was gone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I feel cold," he said, touching his chin, and smiling, though he was +pale as death.</p> +<p class="pnext">They glanced at the car. The off front wheel had disappeared; the off +hind wheel was buckled; the bonnet and radiator were a mass of twisted +iron. It was a complete wreck.</p> +<p class="pnext">A shell bursting little more than a hundred yards away warned them to +be gone, and they started to run towards the fort.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hellwig!" exclaimed Kenneth suddenly.</p> +<p class="pnext">They ran back. The spy, the man whom the Kaiser delighted to honour, +lay huddled in the bottom of the car, under the machine gun. It had +broken his neck.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Poor devil!" murmured Granger.</p> +<p class="pnext">They turned hastily, and ran on silently, each thinking his own +thoughts. Pariset was the least concerned at Hellwig's fate. To him +Hellwig was merely a German and a spy, who had met with his deserts. +Granger, whatever his private animus against Hellwig, could not but +remember that they were members of one profession, who faced the same +perils and might suffer the same end. Kenneth was the most deeply +affected. He had disliked Hellwig, and had the average Englishman's +contempt and hatred of spying. It was the one thing that alloyed his +liking for Granger. But, as he said to Pariset afterwards:</p> +<p class="pnext">"If there must be spying, and I suppose there must, it is something to +spy like a gentleman, and that I am sure Granger does."</p> +<p class="pnext">The three men came to the glacis. A roar startled them and made them +duck instinctively. The fort had opened fire on the German battery. +They raced up, past empty trenches, still followed by shell; but they +now presented an inconspicuous mark to the gunners more than three +miles distant. It was a long uphill climb, but they panted on towards +the door of safety.</p> +<p class="pnext">Was it safety? Their way across the moat was barred by a group of +Belgian engineers with rifles, amazed at the appearance of two men in +Uhlan uniform. Pariset held up his hands.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Lieutenant Montoisy!" he shouted. "Is he here?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The men lowered their rifles and advanced. Pariset hastened to meet +them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are friends," he said. "Tell Lieutenant Montoisy that Lieutenant +Pariset is here."</p> +<p class="pnext">One of the men ran back. A shell burst on the wall some distance to +the right.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come inside, messieurs," said another of the men.</p> +<p class="pnext">And as they entered, Lieutenant Montoisy, the second in command, a +begrimed haggard figure, met them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pariset!" he exclaimed. "You were in the car? Mon Dieu! You have +had an escape! Come in: what is the meaning of it?"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xix-a-long-long-way"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id20">CHAPTER XIX--'A LONG, LONG WAY----'</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">No sooner had the fugitives entered the fort than Kenneth collapsed. +The tension of the last two days, the terrific strain of controlling +the armoured car, and the concussion of the final shock, had been too +heavy a tax upon his nervous system. Pariset was in little better +condition. Granger, an older man, of settled constitution, was less +affected than the others, and he was able to assist the surgeon of the +fort in tending upon his friends.</p> +<p class="pnext">Much to their surprise, the interior of the fort was quiet and +peaceful. The German batteries had ceased fire, the fort guns were +silent. Lieutenant Montoisy explained that during the past few days +there had been no attack. The enemy's infantry, shattered by fire from +the trenches in their frontal assaults, had retired. The bombardment +had been feeble.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We can hold out for weeks," said the lieutenant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't buoy yourself with false hopes," said Granger. "The Germans are +only waiting until they bring up their great guns. There are several +monsters of 42 centimetre calibre on their way. They will bring them +through Liége; as soon as they can place them the fort will be shivered +to atoms."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bah! Our cupolas will stand anything. Besides, no one has ever heard +of these great guns. They are probably a myth, invented to frighten +us."</p> +<p class="pnext">"These gentlemen know better than that," Granger returned. "You had +better tell what you saw, Amory."</p> +<p class="pnext">Kenneth related the incident near Erkelenz.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Unluckily we only destroyed the parts of one gun," he concluded. "The +block on the road had evidently caused them to send on the others by +another route."</p> +<p class="pnext">Lieutenant Montoisy was still sceptical of the effect these guns could +produce. He led the three men round the fort. It was triangular in +shape, with guns in disappearing turrets at each corner. In the centre +was a steel turret armed with two 6-inch howitzers, enclosed in a +square with four similar turrets carrying 5-inch quick-firing guns. +The turrets were embedded in a solid block of concrete, and here and +there were machine guns and searchlight apparatus. The heaviest guns +were mounted on a steel cupola, capable of being raised and lowered. +Impressed by the immense strength of the defences, the Englishmen began +to share Montoisy's confidence in their power to withstand bombardment +even by the heaviest artillery.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why aren't our men in the trenches?" asked Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They were ordered to withdraw several days ago," replied Montoisy. +"You see, we had only 40,000 men to defend a circuit of thirty-three +miles--impossible against a quarter of a million Germans. But we have +taught them a lesson. We have cut whole regiments to pieces. Our +gallant Garde Civique made a bayonet charge the other day that sent +them helter-skelter just beyond Boncelles yonder. No one will ever +again regard the bosches as invincible."</p> +<p class="pnext">Bit by bit he drew from Pariset the story of his adventures, and when +it spread among the garrison, the two young men found themselves +regarded as heroes by all, from the commandant downwards.</p> +<p class="pnext">Their future movements were discussed. It was decided that they should +remain in the fort for a few days until they had recovered their +strength, and then make their way westward if possible to the Belgian +lines. Granger determined to leave at once. Expert in disguises, he +transformed himself into a Belgian peasant, and waited for nightfall to +steal away towards Liége.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We may meet again; we may not," he said, as he shook hands. "I hope +we may. It will be a long war. We shall win. And if we three lose +our lives--well, who was it said that death is the portal to the life +Elysian? But I won't moralise. We'll stick it out. Good-bye!" and +smiling serenely he went out into the night.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset was eager to know what was happening in other parts of the vast +battlefield, and in particular whether anything had been heard of +General Leman. Montoisy explained that, the telephone communications +having recently been smashed, the fort was cut off as completely as if +it were a desolate island in the midst of an ocean.</p> +<p class="pnext">Next evening, about six o'clock, two shrapnel shells burst harmlessly +over the fort. A few minutes later an acute buzzing was heard in the +air, then there was a thunderous roar, the whole place trembled, and +the outer slope of the fort was smothered in a cloud of stones, dust, +and black smoke. Montoisy looked grave, and hurried to the arcade +under which the commandant was sheltering. As he stood talking with +him, a shell which, judging from its size, weighed nearly a ton burst +near by, bringing down a shower of shattered masonry, and wounding the +commandant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Close the cupola," he signalled. "Every man take shelter."</p> +<p class="pnext">Montoisy tried in vain to locate the enormous guns which had started on +their fell work. They could not be seen. To fire at them was +impossible. That they had so soon been got into position seemed to +show that their concrete emplacements had been prepared long before.</p> +<p class="pnext">For two hours the helpless garrison crouched in their shelters, hearing +the roar of the guns, the crashing of masonry and the splintering of +steel, almost choked by the noisome gases emitted by the bursting +shells. The smashing of the dynamo plunged them into pitch darkness; +and all the while, outside, the western sky glowed with the rich hues +of a peaceful sunset.</p> +<p class="pnext">At eight o'clock the bombardment ceased, and the Belgians, venturing +forth from their subterranean lairs, looked out upon a scene of +devastation. The slopes and counterslopes were a chaos of rubbish: it +was as if an earthquake had shaken the foundations of the globe. Great +chasms yawned; tongues of flame shot up from where one of the cupolas +had been; shapeless shreds of armour plate lay amid jagged masses of +masonry and heaps of stones. No trace of the guns was to be seen.</p> +<p class="pnext">Far down the slope two German officers were advancing under a white +flag. Coming within hailing distance they called on the garrison to +surrender.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You have seen what our guns can do," said one of them in French. "You +have been struck by 278 shells; you cannot reply; and we have still +more colossal guns in reserve. Surrender, or you will be annihilated."</p> +<p class="pnext">The commandant, wounded as he was, half choked by the foul gases that +still clung about the place, stepped forward and gave his answer.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Honour forbids us to surrender: we shall resist to the end."</p> +<p class="pnext">The garrison waved their caps and cheered. A nation whose stricken +soldiers showed such a spirit could never be quelled, thought Kenneth. +The Germans laughed and withdrew. In half an hour the bombardment +recommenced, this time from two directions. The men in their galleries +listened helplessly to the destruction of their world.</p> +<p class="pnext">Darkness fell, and except for an occasional shot the bombardment +ceased. The commandant sent for Pariset.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is useless," he said wearily. "Their shells will pierce the +galleries to-morrow. One of my men has already had his hand blown off; +others are seriously wounded. To-night I shall flood the magazines and +break all the rifles and guns; in the morning I must surrender. But +you and your friend are not of my garrison: there is work for you +outside; why should you be carried prisoners to Germany? Slip out in +the darkness. There are no infantry around the fort. I can provide +you with civilian dress. It will be dangerous to attempt to get into +Liége. Make for Seraing, cross the river there, and slip between the +Flemalle and Hollogne forts towards Brussels. And tell General Wonters +that we held out until resistance was hopeless."</p> +<p class="pnext">Towards midnight the two friends in peasant costume slipped out of the +rear of the fort, and taking the stars as their guide trudged through +the fields and woods and up the hill into the deserted streets of +Seraing. The great iron-foundries were silent; no glare from the +furnaces lit the sky.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Belgium is paying a heavy price," thought Kenneth.</p> +<p class="pnext">They crossed the silent bridge in the moonlight, crossed the Namur road +and the railway beyond, and had just reached the road leading through +Waremme and Louvain to Brussels when the sound of voices on their right +caused them to shrink back behind a hedge. Peering out they saw a +patrol of some twenty-five Uhlans riding past at a foot pace.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We shall have to go across the fields," whispered Pariset, when the +horsemen had gone by. "We dare not pass them. This means a general +advance to-morrow. The bosches lose no time."</p> +<p class="pnext">They struck across the fields to the south of their true course, and +plodded on, more or less at a venture. Turning by and by into a lane, +they almost collided with a cyclist, who, swerving to avoid them, +skidded on the wet track, and fell to the ground. The sinking moon +shed just enough light for them to distinguish a French uniform, and +they ran forward to assist the fallen man, Pariset speaking to him in +French.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah! You are French?" said the cyclist, springing to his feet and +raising his bicycle.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Belgian and English, monsieur," Pariset answered. "You are a scout?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; a troop of Chasseurs are a mile or two south. Have you seen +anything of the enemy?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A number of Uhlans are riding up the Waremme road."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How many?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Twenty-five or so."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Are they riding fast?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No; at a walking pace."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then we will capture them. I will ride on to the road and keep my eye +on them. You hurry along the lane and tell our men to hurry. There is +no time to be lost."</p> +<p class="pnext">Willing enough to do something, even at this last moment, for the +common cause, Kenneth and Pariset hurried along the lane. In the +course of a quarter of an hour they met the Chasseurs. Pariset gave +the message, and on explaining that he was a Belgian officer and knew +the country well was invited to mount behind the captain and act as +guide. Kenneth sprang up behind a trooper, and they set off at a trot, +riding across the fields in order not to be heard.</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently they heard, in the distance, a revolver shot. Immediately +afterwards came the crack of carbines. Quickening their pace, they +galloped in the direction of the sounds, expecting to find that the +scout had been killed.</p> +<p class="pnext">At Pariset's instructions, they rode in a north-westerly direction, so +as to strike the Waremme road some miles west of the spot where he and +Kenneth had seen the Uhlans. The firing continued; the sound of the +single revolver was clearly distinguishable from the reports of the +carbines. Wondering what was happening, they came suddenly upon a +remarkable scene.</p> +<p class="pnext">Dawn was stealing over the country. At a turn of the road, the cyclist +was standing behind a tree, resting his revolver against the trunk. No +one was in sight at the moment, but just as the Chasseurs, who had now +reduced their pace to a walk, came up behind the cyclist, he fired his +revolver at a Uhlan who had edged round the corner.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Chasseur captain took in the situation at a glance. Whispering to +Pariset and Kenneth to get down, he gave his men the order to charge. +With a wild cry they dashed forward, swept round the bend, and fell +upon the Uhlans, grouped indecisively at the side of the road. There +was a brisk fight, lasting half a minute. Ten of the Uhlans were +killed or wounded, the rest flung down their arms and surrendered.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Many thanks, messieurs," the cyclist was saying to Pariset and +Kenneth. "I was afraid they would not be up in time. But they are a +timid lot, these bosches."</p> +<p class="pnext">It appeared that, not content with merely watching the Uhlans, he had +conceived the bold notion of holding them up until the Chasseurs +arrived.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Chasseurs returned with their prisoners towards their own lines. +The captain had invited Pariset to accompany them, but Pariset decided, +tired though he was, to continue his course towards Brussels. With +Kenneth, he plodded along the road, and an hour later they were +challenged by Belgian outposts at Waremme. They were too fatigued to +enter into explanations at once, and sought shelter in a cottage, where +they slept until the sun was high. And when they awoke and went into +the village street, they found the people streaming westward, in carts, +on foot, carrying what they could of their household gear. Fort +Boncelles had surrendered.</p> +<p class="pnext">Seeking the colonel of the nearest regiment, they told him what they +had seen in the fort. He had just heard by telephone that Fort Loncin +also had surrendered that morning, and General Leman was a prisoner.</p> +<p class="pnext">They begged a lift in a farmer's cart, and in the evening reached +Brussels, where they found an asylum with a friend of Pariset's. There +they remained for a few days, recuperating after the strain which, +scarcely noticed while they were in action, had told heavily upon them +both. Every day they heard of fresh advances of the Teuton hordes, of +gallant deeds by the sorely tried little army of Belgium. Every day +they saw pallid, nerve-shaken, wounded refugees flocking in from +Tirlemont and other places desolated by German shot and shell.</p> +<p class="pnext">Pariset was much depressed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We shall cease to exist," he said one day. "The brutes will destroy +us all. They are ruthless. They are fiends. What have we done that +we should suffer so?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Cheer up, old man," said Kenneth. "Look here! 'Gallant little +Belgium!'" He pointed to the headline of an article in an English +newspaper. "You might have chosen the easy course; you didn't, and the +whole world admires you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But that won't save us."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, but you've saved France. You've thrown the German war machine out +of gear, and I bet you you've smashed their chances. Lord Kitchener is +raising a great army. The Kaiser scoffs at our men; he'll sing a +different tune some day. I'm going home, Remi, going to join +Kitchener's army. Sorry to leave you, old man, but we'll meet again, +never fear, perhaps soon, perhaps not until British, French and +Belgians meet the Russians in Berlin. And when the war is over, you +may be sure that gallant little Belgium will rise like the phoenix, and +grow stronger and more prosperous than ever."</p> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<p class="pfirst">Four days later Kenneth was in London. He found awaiting him at home a +bulky envelope addressed in a strange hand, the postmark Amsterdam. +Opening it, he took out two letters, dated a week back, and posted in +Königsborn. One was in the handwriting of Max Finkelstein, the other +in the large round hand of Frieda.</p> +<blockquote> +<div> +<p class="pfirst">"I hope this will reach you," the former wrote. "I am sending it +through my friend Vandermond. After a few days' detention as a spy, I +was released for want of evidence, and as business is absolutely dead, +we have come to Königsborn, where we shall rusticate and pinch until +this dreadful war is over. We hear all sorts of tales, and the +credence paid them by otherwise intelligent people makes me think that +we as a nation have a good deal to learn. One extraordinary story, by +the way, will amuse you. It was rumoured in Cologne that a French +airman had run off with one of our Taubes, a feat which you, knowing +Cologne, will recognise as impossible. I believe it as little as I +believe that the Irish are in revolt.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am glad for our sake that recruiting is a failure in England. +People here are very bitter against the English, but I explain that you +have been hoodwinked by those awful Russians. Your statesmen are so +easily taken in. After the war your people will admit it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep the London business together as well as you can. Next year I +dare say I shall settle in London myself, and nothing shall interfere +with our plans for a partnership. Write to me if you can."</p> +</div> +</blockquote> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<p class="pfirst">"Poor old Max!" thought Kenneth. "Of course, like all Germans, he +thinks they will win: professors and the General Staff have drummed +that into their foolish heads. He'll have a shock when I tell him I +have joined the army. Now for Frieda."</p> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<p class="pfirst">"Was it you?" he read. "I daren't suggest it to Father; he scoffs at +the mere idea that any one could do so audacious a thing. But when you +didn't come back for your luggage I was anxious and went down to the +station, and the stationmaster told me that you had gone away with your +ticket and hadn't come for your seat that he had engaged for you, and +when I heard the rumour about the French airman I couldn't help +thinking it was just the mad sort of thing you would delight in. Do +tell me if I am right.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This is a terrible war, isn't it? What is the good of you English +fighting? Father says your army is too small to do anything, and you +can't get recruits because all your young men want to play football. I +am so sorry for you. Father says you will give it up when we take +Paris, and then you will have to give us some of your colonies. You +have so many that I am sure you can spare some.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We shall very likely come to London next year, Father says. We shall +always be friends, you and I, shan't we?</p> +<p class="pnext">"We haven't seen anything of Kurt Hellwig lately. You don't think I +grieve?"</p> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<p class="pfirst">"It's amazing!" said Kenneth to himself. "I thought Frieda would have +known better. She would laugh, I suppose, if I told her that I am +likely to be in Berlin before she comes to London."</p> +<p class="pnext">But Kenneth Amory was to go through many adventures, before he met Remi +Pariset in Berlin.</p> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line">PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED,</div> +<div class="line">BRUNSWICK ST., STAMFORD ST., S.E., AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.</div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +<div class="line"> </div> +</div> +<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- --> +<div class="backmatter"> +</div> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 39150 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |