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diff --git a/old/60660-0.txt b/old/60660-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9efc1d5..0000000 --- a/old/60660-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6735 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Two American Boys with the Allied Armies, by -Sherman Crockett - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Two American Boys with the Allied Armies - -Author: Sherman Crockett - -Illustrator: Charles L. Wrenn - -Release Date: November 9, 2019 [EBook #60660] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO AMERICAN BOYS WITH ALLIED ARMIES *** - - - - -Produced by Demian Katz, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images -courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - - - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - -Starting in Chapter 3, the missing brother’s first name changes from -Tom to Frank. - -Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end. - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: “There goes one poor chap!” cried the Western -boy.--_Page 149._] - - - - -TWO AMERICAN BOYS WITH THE ALLIED ARMIES - - - BY - MAJOR SHERMAN CROCKETT - - _ILLUSTRATED BY - CHARLES L. WRENN_ - - NEW YORK - HURST & COMPANY - PUBLISHERS - - * * * * * - -Copyright, 1915, BY HURST & COMPANY - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. THE STORY OF THE OLD WINDMILL 5 - - II. A MOMENT OF PERIL 17 - - III. THE BATTLE IN THE AIR 30 - - IV. THE TELL-TALE CHART 42 - - V. STRIKING A CLUE 55 - - VI. BEHIND THE TRENCHES 67 - - VII. THE RED LANTERNS IN THE SKY 83 - - VIII. THE AWAKENING 92 - - IX. WHEN THE DRIVE WAS ON 105 - - X. THE CHECK LINE 116 - - XI. WATCHING THE BATTLE EBB AND FLOW 127 - - XII. FROM THE CUPOLA LOOKOUT 138 - - XIII. THE TRAPPED UHLANS 147 - - XIV. MET ON THE ROAD 156 - - XV. WHAT CAME OF A GOOD ACT 171 - - XVI. FIGURING IT ALL OUT 184 - - XVII. SHELTER FROM THE STORM 194 - - XVIII. THROUGH A CRACK IN THE FLOOR 211 - - XIX. JACK DEMANDS THE TRUTH 221 - - XX. AROUSING A COWARD 231 - - XXI. BOMBARDED BY A ZEPPELIN 243 - - XXII. AT HEADQUARTERS IN YPRES 256 - - XXIII. A RIDE ON A GUN CAISSON 269 - - XXIV. WHAT LITTLE JACQUES DID 281 - - XXV. NEARING THE GOAL 296 - - * * * * * - -Two American Boys with the Allied Armies. - - - - -CHAPTER I. THE STORY OF THE OLD WINDMILL. - - -“Why not climb up into this battered old windmill, Amos, and take an -observation?” - -“Now, that’s a good idea, Jack, only we’d better be mighty careful -about showing ourselves too recklessly, you know.” - -“You mean that there might be German raiding parties skirmishing around -this section of country, don’t you, Amos?” - -“Well, we’ve had to hide twice today when we glimpsed suspicious -squadrons galloping across the fields, or covering some far-off road. -And you remember that one of them bore the stamp of Uhlans in their -lances with the fluttering pennons, their dirt-colored uniforms, and -the spiked helmets.” - -“Oh! we’ll try and not show ourselves, Amos; but since we’re a little -mixed up in our bearings this seems too good a chance to lose.” - -“These Dutch-style windmills we’ve run across in this strip of Belgium -do make mighty good lookouts and observation towers. I warrant you some -of them have figured heavily in the ebb and flow of the war.” - -“This one has for a fact, Amos,” remarked the young fellow called Jack, -as he pointed at numerous jagged holes in the concrete foundation, -where evidently a storm of bullets had struck. “You can see how it’s -been bombarded on all sides; and that top corner on the left was -torn off by a passing shell. Here inside is a pile of empty brass -cartridge-cases that tells the story as plain as print.” - -“Made in Germany they were as sure as you live, and used in a -rapid-fire gun at that, Jack. Yes, it’s all written out before us. Here -in this concrete base of the windmill tower, some daring gun squad of -the Kaiser’s men took up their stand with their outfit, and held the -Allies off as long as their ammunition lasted. I wonder what happened -then, Jack?” - -“I’ve got a hunch we’ll find out something after we get up where we can -look around a bit. But come on, let’s climb this ladder to the upper -part of the windmill. Have a care how you trust your whole weight on -anything, because they’ve riddled the place for keeps.” - -While the two boys climb upwards with the intention of taking a -look around and getting their bearings, we might as well become -better acquainted with them, and learn what sort of mission it was -that brought two American lads over to the battle-scarred fields of -Southwestern Belgium at such a perilous time. - -Jack Maxfield and Amos Turner were first cousins, and the latter -lived in one of the best-known suburbs of Chicago; while Jack, being -an orphan, was in the habit of saying that “his home was wherever he -happened to hang his hat.” - -Both boys were passionately fond of outdoor life, but fortune had -allowed Jack to spend several years on a Western ranch, where he -accumulated a fund of knowledge through actual experience; while -Amos had to be content with what he could pick up through reading, -theorizing, and association with a Boy Scout troop. - -Jack had been left with independent means, and chanced to be visiting -at the home of Colonel Turner, his uncle, at the time a strange event -took place which resulted in the dispatch of the two boys across the -ocean, bent upon an errand of mercy. Just what that mission was the -reader will learn by listening to the conversation between the two boys -after they reached the top of the windmill tower. Day and night it -bore heavily on the mind of Amos, so that he frequently found himself -sighing, and seeking consolation in the reassuring words his cousin was -so ready to pour out. - -After some little effort they managed to pull themselves up and land on -the top of the windmill base. Roughly treated under the bombardment to -which, as a fortress, it had been subjected, the material was crumbling -in numerous places. The boys, however, had no trouble in finding room -on the top. Overhead arose one of the gaunt arms with its tattered -sail; another had been shattered by the same shell that had torn the -corner away, and lay in a heap close by. - -Taking a hasty look all around, the two boys quickly discovered several -things that held their interest. - -“Amos,” said Jack, gravely, “you were wondering what had become of the -Germans who defended this place against all opposition. If you will -look down there where that willow tree grows alongside the brook you’ll -understand.” - -“Fresh-made graves, sure enough, Jack!” exclaimed the other, with a -quick intake of his breath. “Like as not they held out till the last -man went under. And some of their comrades passing this way stopped -long enough to cover the brave fellows with two feet of earth. That’s -about all a soldier can expect these days.” - -“I can guess what’s in your mind when you sigh that way, Amos. You’re -wondering whether your brother Tom is still alive, or has found a -grave like hundreds of thousands of others in this terrible war.” - -“We’ve reason to believe he changed his name and joined the British -forces, not caring much whether he survived or perished,” said Amos, -with a look of pain on his young face. “You know he always was a -reckless fellow. He is nearly ten years older than I. Father was -very strict, and couldn’t understand that high-spirited Tom was one -of those who could be led, but never driven. Then came that awful -accusation--oh! it makes me shiver to think of that time.” - -“Your father accused Tom of taking his pocketbook from a drawer of his -desk, and everything seemed to point to him as the thief. You say Tom -denied being guilty but was too proud to say anything more. And so he -was driven from home, and has never been seen since that time--is that -it, Amos?” - -“Yes, though I’ve had a few lines from him about once in six months,” -replied the other boy, slowly. “First he went to California; then I -heard from him in Japan; and the last time it was in England, where he -said he had enlisted under another name, and meant to fight for the -Allies, not caring much what happened.” - -“Did your father ever know you had heard from him?” asked Jack, as he -continued to use his eyes to advantage, and examine the surrounding -country from the elevated lookout. - -“I didn’t dare show him the postcards that came to me,” replied Amos. -“He is such a stern martinet, you know, or rather was up to a month -ago, when that queer thing happened. Father made a name for himself as -a soldier during the Spanish war. He had told me to consider that my -brother was dead, and so I was afraid to tell him about those cards. If -our mother had only lived all this terrible trouble would never have -happened, for she knew how to handle high-spirited Tom.” - -“Tell me again about that day the discovery was made, Amos; of course -I’ve heard the story, but I’d like to get it all fresh in my mind.” - -“It happened in this way,” replied the other, who had come to lean on -his cousin more or less since they had grown to be chums, “one of the -drawers of father’s desk seemed to stick with the pile of papers in it, -and he asked me to get it out. I can see him now, sitting there and -watching me work at it, with that set look on his face that has been -there ever since he sent poor Tom away.” - -“One of the papers was missing, you told me, and you thrust your hand -in where the drawer had come from so as to get hold of it?” remarked -Jack, eagerly, as though in imagination he could picture the intensely -thrilling scene. - -“Yes, and when I hastily drew my hand out and held up what I had found -there in the cavity where the drawer had been I thought my father would -fall back dead in his chair, he was so stunned. His face turned as -white as chalk, and he held his breath ever so long.” - -“It was the lost pocketbook, of course?” continued Jack. - -“Nothing less,” said Amos, tragically; “you see, it must have been -lying on top of all those papers and was dragged off when the drawer -was opened long ago. Every cent was in it untouched. Father swooned -away with the shock, and has never been himself since. He can’t sleep -nights, and keeps muttering all the while about his cruel injustice to -poor Tom.” - -“Of course you showed him the cards from your brother, Amos?” - -“Yes, as soon as he was in a condition to understand,” replied the -other. “From that hour he has had only one thing in his mind, which was -that some one must find Tom and fetch him home. Father says he can’t -live much longer, and that he is praying every day that he might ask -his boy to forgive him before he goes.” - -“And so we’ve come across to try and find Tom,” Jack went on to say, -“though since he’s changed his name it’s like looking for a needle in -a haystack; but we’ve managed to pick up a clue, and there’s a faint -chance of our running across him before a great while.” - -“Oh! I hope so, I hope so, Jack,” said the other, fervently. “Every -time I shut my eyes I seem to see poor father’s face before me. The -look of pain on it haunts me. I would give almost anything if only I -could find Tom and take him back home with me. I believe it would give -father new life. But what a small chance we’ve got to run across my -brother in an army of half a million men, when we’re not even sure of -the name he’s known by. He may have fallen long ago in one of those -fierce drives the Germans made on the British lines.” - -“Keep hoping for the best, Amos,” the Western boy told him, cheerily, -for Jack was always seeing the silver lining in the cloud. “Something -whispers to me that sooner or later we’re bound to succeed, and that -when we start back across the Atlantic we’ll have your brother Tom in -tow. But there’s one thing we’ve got to make sure of, and that is to -keep clear of the Germans. Once we fall into their hands they’d send -us into Germany as prisoners of war, no matter how we proved we were -American boys. And that would ruin our game.” - -“So far we’ve been helped in a lot of ways by the Allied officers,” -remarked Amos, trying to pluck up fresh courage and hope. “My father -happened to have good friends among the military people over in -England, and they gave me a paper that has been worth a heap to us -here. Only for that we’d never have been allowed to get as far as we -have toward the firing line. But what are you staring so hard at, Jack?” - -The other for answer drew his companion still further down as though -he had made an unpleasant discovery that promised them fresh trouble. -Accustomed to the great distances of the Western prairies, Jack’s eyes -were like those of the eagle, and he could see objects that might have -passed unheeded by others. - -“There’s something moving over yonder where that low hill rises,” he -hastened to inform Amos. “If you look close you can see a whole string -of objects bobbing up and down as if on galloping horses. I think, -Amos, they are the little pennons at the tip-end of Uhlan lances; and -that a detachment of the rough-riding corps must be coming this way!” - -“Then they’ll be pretty sure to head for this windmill as soon as they -round the base of the hill,” exclaimed Amos, hurriedly, looking much -concerned. - -“It’s apt to draw them as the needle is attracted to the pole,” -ventured the second boy. “In this country every place that affords a -lookout is taken advantage of by friend and foe alike. Which means -that since it’s too late now for us to skip out without being seen and -chased, we’ll have to hide ourselves here and wait for the coast to -clear. Come, there’s no time to lose, Amos!” - - - - -CHAPTER II. A MOMENT OF PERIL. - - -Both boys seemed as active as cats; and evidently Jack must have looked -around him with an eye to a possible hiding-place for he immediately -led his companion to a cavity into which they could crawl and remain -unseen. - -They only waited long enough to make sure it was a band of horsemen -turning the hill, that they were beyond doubt Uhlans, and that they -were now heading in a direct line for the windmill. - -“That settles it,” observed Jack, decisively. “They mean to make use of -this observation post; so let’s dodge out of sight, Amos.” - -A minute later and both boys were huddling under cover at a place where -some of the wreckage of the arm of the sail together with other debris -had been thrown. - -“Let’s hope none of them think it worth while to stick a sword in here -to see what’s under all this stuff,” ventured Amos. - -“I hardly think they’ll go to any bother,” his companion observed. -“You see, when these Uhlans are riding over hostile territory they are -always in a big hurry to cover as much ground as they can. They stir up -a hornets’ nest wherever they go, and the quicker they change base the -better for them. I reckon a couple of the officers will climb up here -with their field-glasses so as to take an observation. Then they’ll be -off again, and only hit the high places as they ride away.” - -“They can tell easily enough that there’ve been warm times around this -windmill a short time back,” suggested Amos. “Let’s hope their powerful -glasses show them a bunch of the British forces moving this way. That -would help hurry them along, according to my notion.” - -“’Sh! keep still now, because they’re getting close up. Use your ears -all you want to, but say nothing even in a whisper.” - -Thrilled by the fact that danger was hovering over them, the boys -crouched there in their place of concealment and waited to ascertain -what would happen. Although Amos did not claim to possess such acute -hearing as his chum, he too could by now catch the thud of many horses’ -hoofs beating on the earth. The sound grew in volume constantly, -showing that the Uhlan party must be heading directly toward the site -of the Dutch windmill, just as Jack had figured would be the case. - -Suddenly the heavy beat of many hoofs ceased, and the concealed boys -could hear a clanking of accoutrements, accompanied by snorts of horses -brought to a standstill. - -Jack nudged his comrade to signify that the crisis had arrived. Then -they caught the sound of heavy voices, and the guttural nature of the -utterance, so different from French or even English, told them it was -German, though as yet no word came distinctly to their ears. - -Some one was undoubtedly climbing the ladder that led to the top of -the concrete and stone foundation of the windmill; Jack could tell -this from the slight quivering sensation that he felt. As he had -anticipated, the Uhlan meant to utilize the windmill as a lookout. He -only hoped that a short confinement in their uncomfortable quarters -might be the whole extent of the experience to which he and Amos would -be subjected. - -Louder came the voices. The speakers were now close at hand, and had -evidently succeeded in gaining the flat top of the structure without -any accident on account of the shaky ladder giving way under their -weight. - -It happened that both boys had a smattering of the German language. -On the way over they had spent many hours on deck brushing up their -knowledge from books secured with that very idea in view. Hence -they could make out fairly well what was said, though at times the -translation might seem a little hazy, and subject to doubt. - -The party with the rasping voice seemed to be the leading officer, -for he presently ordered some one else to climb further up, using -the perpendicular arm of the windmill for the purpose, so as to get a -better view of the surrounding country from its apex. - -The hidden boys could hear the shaky arm groan under the weight of the -climber, while the ragged remnant of the sail flapped in the breeze. -Every second they anticipated a crash that would tell of disaster, but -it did not come; and Jack realized that nothing was too venturesome for -those recklessly hard riders. - -Evidently the officer with the glasses must have reached the point -which he had been aiming for, since presently he started making his -report, the man below interrupting occasionally to ask pertinent -questions. - -From his lofty eyrie the one on the lookout must have been able to scan -considerable territory, for he reported that only in one direction was -there any sign of the enemy in force. Off toward the east he could -see artillery in motion, accompanied by a regiment or two of British -territorials, and evidently heading for the front to take their place -in the battle line. - -Further questioning revealed the fact that an aeroplane was in sight, -apparently belonging to the Allies, and evidently scouting in the -interests of the new field battery that was seeking a position where it -could do the most damage to the trenches of the invaders. - -The presence of this speedy air-craft seemed to make the commander of -the Uhlans somewhat uneasy. He knew how easily the birdman could swoop -down toward them and drop a few bombs with the intention of doing fell -execution in their midst. If the air scout had manifested any interest -in their presence there, and headed toward the spot, undoubtedly a -hoarse command would have caused a hurried scattering of the rough -riders, just as wild ducks separate when the eagle darts down for his -dinner. - -Now the observer was going down again to join his chief, who possibly -would want to ask a few more questions before definitely deciding on -the course they must take after leaving the windmill. - -Amos was almost holding his breath because of the suspense. The Uhlan -captain had seated himself on the pile of rubbish and was now within -two feet of where the boys lay in concealment. It seemed to the anxious -Amos that the very beating of his heart would betray them, so wildly -was it pounding against his ribs. - -Once again did the captain fling his queries at the other. Surrounded -as they were with hostile forces it meant considerable to the Uhlans -that they pick out the line of least resistance. It was also of -importance to them that they appear in places where German soldiers -were least expected. In this way, by the very boldness of their dash, -they might help strike terror to the hearts of the villagers, wherever -a collection of houses had still escaped the general destruction that -had visited that sadly harassed section of country. - -Amos was undoubtedly a better German scholar than his Western cousin, -and could therefore understand what was passing between the two men. -Jack felt him give a violent start once or twice, from which he guessed -the other had caught something said which had seemed to have escaped -his ears. It was no time to indulge in a whisper, however, and so -he had to possess his soul in patience, and wait for a more fitting -opportunity to learn what had upset his chum. - -Once the Uhlan captain spoke of the fierce fight that must have taken -place at the battered windmill, showing that he had read all the signs -aright, even to the freshly turned earth over under the willow tree on -the bank of the little brooklet near by. - -There was a note of pride in his raspy voice when he spoke of the -apparent fact that those who had used the buttress of the windmill for -a fort must have held out until every man of them had been slain. In -the eyes of a German such devotion to the dearly beloved Fatherland was -only what might be expected. - -When the captain rose from his hard seat, Amos for one terrible moment -feared that the catastrophe he had dreaded was about to descend upon -them, for he heard the second man make a remark that brought things -directly home. - -“Do you think our brave comrades could have found and buried all those -who fell here, Captain, after first accounting for scores of the -detested British?” was what he said. - -Even as he spoke he bent down and tried to see under the pile of -wreckage; and certainly both boys held their breath. But Fortune was -kind to them, for it happened that the sun was under a cloud, and the -man’s eyes could not penetrate the gloom that lay around them. - -“Even if they did not, what does it matter?” remarked the commander. -“A soldier needs no tomb. It is enough that he has done his duty -toward his country and his emperor. If there should by chance be a -body uncared for it will soon be buried just the same. Come, let us be -going, Lieutenant Krueger. The horses will be all the fresher for this -short halt. Twenty miles we should cover before sunset, and strike -terror to thousands of French hearts with our passage through the land!” - -Yes, thank fortune they were going now. The eyes of the lieutenant had -been unequal to the task of seeing what lay under all that piled-up -rubbish; and he did not think it worth while to thrust in with his -sword. Amos was breathing freely again, though far from easy in his -mind. - -Now they knew the men were climbing down from the elevation. The horses -had become restive, as though eager to be once more on the mad gallop -to which they were so accustomed. Amos had reached out his hand and -found that of his chum, to which he was clinging, squeezing Jack’s -fingers convulsively as though he might be laboring under a tremendous -strain. - -“In luck again, you see, Amos,” whispered Jack, managing to get his -lips close to the ear of his companion. “They’re going off in a hurry, -and without finding us. Why, you’re quivering like a leaf, I do -believe. What ails you, old chap?” - -“Oh! then you didn’t hear what he said, or you wouldn’t be taking it so -cool,” replied Amos, in a guarded tone, and trying at the same time to -control his voice, which trembled in spite of him. - -“Well, I own up I did miss some of his growl, but what of that?” -confessed Jack. “Was there anything in particular he said that meant -trouble for you and me?” - -“Yes, yes,” answered the other, in a gasp. “He told the lieutenant they -wouldn’t want to leave such a splendid lookout to be used by the enemy, -and that it must be destroyed!” - -“What, this windmill, do you mean?” demanded Jack, himself thrilled by -the news. - -“He said they ought to leave a bomb with a short fuse behind them, and -the last man away would put a match to it!” Amos volunteered. - -The Western boy may have been startled by what he heard, but it was -Jack’s way never to show the white feather. He even whistled softly -half under his breath; for the trampling of many hoofs down below -served to make it impossible for ordinary sounds to be heard, so there -seemed no possible danger of the chums being betrayed by their low -conversation. - -“That’s a nice outlook I must say,” chuckled Jack, pretending to make -light of the threatening peril. “For one, I’m not hankering to climb -the golden stairs in such a hurry. I tell you what we’ve got to do, -Amos.” - -“Wish you would, Jack, and be quick about it,” urged the other. “There, -some of them are riding off right now, and the rest will follow on -their heels. Then that last man is to touch a match to the fuse and -hurry away. They expect to see the mill go shooting skyward in pieces -before they get far off.” - -“What d’ye reckon we’ll be doing along about that time, I’d like to -know?” chuckled Jack. “Let’s crawl out of this in a hurry, so as to be -ready to act. Then when we glimpse that last rider whooping it up in a -hurry you’ll see how fast I’ll drop down the old ladder and jump on -that burning fuse.” - -“Then you don’t think we’d better run for it, Jack? You reckon they -might see us and give chase? I guess you’re right about that, too. But -listen, isn’t that the clatter of a single horse starting off with a -rush?” - -“Yes, there goes the man who fired the fuse; it’s time we were on the -move if we want to stamp out that slow match,” and Jack as he spoke -jumped for the ladder. - - - - -CHAPTER III. THE BATTLE IN THE AIR. - - -“Let me go first, won’t you, Jack, please?” - -There was no time for argument, so the other stepped aside and -permitted his chum to pass down the ladder that led from the lower part -of the structure. Since haste was a prime object with the boys just -then it can be understood that they made record time, and were at the -bottom almost “between breaths,” as Jack put it. - -“I hear it sputtering somewhere!” exclaimed Amos, excitedly, as he -turned this way and that without apparently being able to make any sort -of discovery. - -“And I can smell burnt powder plainly!” echoed Jack, not content to -stand still and look around, but beginning a hasty search. - -It was a moment of intense anxiety to both lads. They could not tell -how long a fuse had been left by the trooper who was the last to ride -away. He had seemed to be in something of a hurry, though this might -spring from a desire to catch up with his comrades before they had gone -very far on their way. - -Jack used common-sense in his search. He noted first of all which way -the air current was setting, and this told him the fumes of the burning -powder must be coming toward him from a certain quarter. - -When the other boy, actually shivering with suspense, saw Jack give a -sudden leap forward and strike downward with his foot he judged that -the other must have made an important discovery of some sort. - -“Did you find it?” he asked, eagerly. - -“Yes, come here and see,” Jack told him. - -Upon looking, Amos discovered the bomb, which was only a small -affair, though no doubt of tremendous power, for those Germans were -master-hands at manufacturing terrible weapons of destruction, -chemistry being one of their strongest holds. - -“Oh! you got it just in time, seems like, Jack,” observed Amos, as he -noted the short fuse remaining after his cousin had extinguished the -fire. - -“It might have lasted half a minute longer, I reckon,” said Jack, -coolly. “Plenty of time for us to get clear, if only we hadn’t been -afraid of being seen by the cavalrymen.” - -“What next?” demanded Amos, who many times felt willing to put the -responsibility of affairs on the broad shoulders of his chum. - -“We must get out of this, that’s sure,” replied Jack. “The only thing I -don’t like is that when there isn’t an explosion that trooper may think -it his duty to gallop back here again so as to start things afresh.” - -“But we ought to be somewhere among the bushes by that time, hadn’t -we?” suggested Amos, uneasily. - -“I have a better plan than that,” he was informed. “By now the man who -fired the fuse is out of sight. I imagine he has drawn in his horse, -and is waiting to hear the explosion. Amos, get outside where you can -skip along when I come rushing out in a big hurry.” - -“Are you meaning to put a match to the fuse again?” asked Amos. - -“Yes, there is no danger of it’s going off before we get away; but -don’t stop to argue about it, please. It’s the best thing we can do.” - -Accordingly Amos bustled off, and as soon as he had left the interior -of the old windmill structure, Jack scratched a match. He joined his -chum a few seconds later. - -“Now streak it like fun!” he exclaimed, and the pair started off as -fast as they could run. - -Jack had figured it all out, and made certain that they were headed -in the right direction. He did not fancy running slap up against that -trooper returning to see why the bomb failed to explode. - -Having used up about all the time he had figured on, Jack suddenly drew -his companion down to the ground. - -“We’re safe enough here,” he gasped. “Now watch and see what happens!” - -He had hardly spoken when there came a tremendous shock, such as both -of them had felt when a violent burst of thunder followed close on the -heels of a flash of lightning during an electrical storm. - -“Whee!” ejaculated Amos as, looking backward, he saw the windmill being -hurled skyward in many fragments. - -[Illustration: Saw the windmill being hurled skyward in many -fragments.--_Page 34._] - -They heard the patter of the scattered parts falling back to earth. -Then came a heavy thud of horse’s hoofs from a point not far distant. - -“There, you see he was riding back to make sure of his work,” said -Jack, meaning, of course, the trooper to whom had been assigned the -task of rendering the windmill useless as a conning tower for the -Allies. “When those Germans get an order they believe in carrying it -out, no matter the cost.” - -“I hope he’s satisfied now,” remarked the second boy. “It seems that he -didn’t glimpse us running either, which I count a lucky thing.” - -“Yes, because he might have chased after us, and thought it fun to jab -us with the sharp tip of that lance he carries,” chuckled Jack. -“These Uhlans make me think of certain Western Indians I used to meet -up with when on the ranch. For the life of me I can’t understand what -use they make of such an old-fashioned weapon as a lance in these days -of Maxims and modern firearms. Still, they know what they’re doing.” - -“Nothing to keep us from skipping out now, is there, Jack?” - -“Surely not, and we’ll write down the adventure of the windmill as a -stirring memory of this war business. Come on, Amos.” - -“I see you’re heading toward the east, and I take it you mean to strike -that bunch of British making for the front? Everywhere we go we keep -on asking for information concerning one Frank Bradford; but so far we -don’t seem to have met with any great good luck. Still, I’m hoping for -the best. With such a chum as you at my right hand, a fellow would be -silly to despair.” - -“It’s a long lane that has no turning, remember,” remarked Jack, as -they commenced to walk along at a smart pace. - -“My brother simply told me in one of his short letters that he had -taken that name because it belonged to our mother, who was a Bradford. -I’m certain it was under it he must have enlisted. Just how he could -get a berth in the British army, being by birth an American, puzzles -me; but then he may have hoodwinked them about that; and they were in -such need of likely fellows as Frank, they shut their eyes and took him -on.” - -So they conversed as they walked along. Half a mile was soon covered. -Jack had learned to keep his eyes about him constantly. It was the -education of the ranch that caused him to do this more than any -suspicion of threatening peril. So it came about he again made a -discovery that Amos failed to note. - -“Look up, Amos!” he exclaimed, suddenly. - -“Why, there’s another aeroplane!” cried the other, as he obeyed; “two -of them in fact, making three in all. The air is full of the big -dragon-flies, seems like; and Jack, wouldn’t you say two of them are -manœuvring around the other one that’s built along different lines?” - -“Unless I miss my guess,” said Jack, soberly, “that’s a German machine. -They use the Taube model almost exclusively, as it seems to answer -their purposes. Now, I’ve got a notion that Taube pilot must have been -doing some scouting, and was trying to make his own lines when he was -cut off by these aeroplanes of the Allies. Look how they block his -efforts to get past, will you? He rises and falls, but every time one -of the other machines is in the way.” - -“There, did you see that puff of smoke from the German craft?” cried -Amos. “Yes, and both of the others are shooting, too. Why, Jack, just -to think of it; we’re watching a regular battle in the air between -rival monoplanes! Doesn’t it make your blood tingle to see them -manœuvre?” - -“The Taube man is getting in hot quarters, I should say,” observed the -ranch boy, as they stood and stared. “There goes a gun from over where -the British force is advancing; yes, and listen to the bombardment, -would you? They are firing shrapnel. You can see the white puffs of -smoke where the shells burst.” - -“He’s doing his best to get clear, for a fact, Jack. That pilot is -daring enough, and so far seems to have held his own. Somehow I can’t -help but admire him, even if our sympathies are with the Allies.” - -“A brave man is worth admiring, no matter on which side he fights,” was -the comment of the second boy; “but there isn’t much chance he’ll be -able to slip by his enemies. They’re too swift for the Taube man, it -seems like. And when he drops down, those gunners are going to fairly -pelt him with shrapnel.” - -“Oh! there he goes with a swoop!” gasped Amos; “but no, he seems to -recover, and holds his own still. He’s a sure-enough jim-dandy pilot, -let me tell you, Jack! Few bird men could have done that dip and come -up smiling again.” - -“Well, there’s no need of our standing here any longer,” observed -the other boy. “We can watch while we walk along. I’d hate to miss -connections with that troop, for somehow or other I keep hoping we may -run across a clue worth while.” - -This seemed to suit Amos very well, and they continued their tramp, -keeping up a watch of the strange fight that was going on far up toward -the fleecy clouds. If either of them stumbled occasionally on account -of the deep interest they were taking in the wonderful exhibition of -skill and daring being paraded before their eyes it was not to be -wondered at under the circumstances. - -The almost incessant roar of the guns, together with the crash of -bursting shrapnel shells far above them had effectually drowned that -dull, distant sound which from time to time had come to their ears, -being caused by heavy ordnance battering some fortified place near the -coast. Jack had even suggested that it might be the British battleships -bombarding Zeebrugge, in order to damage the submarine base the Kaiser -had instituted there. - -Twice again did Amos have occasion to declare he believed the Taube had -certainly received its finishing stroke, for it acted in an eccentric -manner, and seemed to flutter like a wounded eagle of the skies. When -on both occasions he saw that it recovered in time to elude the swoop -of the Allies’ machines his praise grew louder than ever. - -“I’m almost ready to wish that fellow gets away scot-free, Jack; he -certainly deserves to win out!” he declared, enthusiastically. - -“I reckon he’s got something with him he considers worth fighting for -to the last gasp,” remarked the other; “but every minute this thing -keeps up his chances decrease. He makes me think of a winded steer -tottering along, and so exhausted that it seems a shame to rope him. -There, that time he must have been badly battered when the shrapnel -burst close alongside!” - -“He’s winging down again, all right!” exclaimed Amos, “and this time it -means he’s got to the end of his rope. His engine has been put out of -commission most likely; and, Jack, see, he’s heading right at us!” - -“That’s right!” echoed the other; “and p’raps we’ll be in at the death, -after all!” - -The Taube was falling very fast, despite every effort of the expert -pilot to volplane earthward without the use of his engine. Apparently -the machine must have been badly crippled by the shower of shrapnel to -which it was lately exposed, and in addition the daring aviator may -have received wounds that prevented him from properly fulfilling his -duties. - -As the two boys stood there staring, they saw the aeroplane sailing -lower and lower until it seemed to be almost skimming the surface of -the earth. - -“There! he’s jumped out into that patch of bushes over yonder!” -exclaimed Amos in renewed excitement, “and the machine has pitched down -further on. He did his level best, Jack, but the game was too one-sided -for him. Wonder is he living or dead?” - - - - -CHAPTER IV. THE TELL-TALE CHART. - - -Jack noticed that the other two aeroplanes had withdrawn as though the -pilots felt satisfied with having hurled the Taube to the ground. That -particular section of country was so rough that they evidently had -no intention of trying to effect a landing. Amos even suggested that -possibly they had not come out of the encounter unscathed, and that the -aviators were glad of a chance to retire from the battle in the air. - -“We must see how badly he is hurt, Amos,” said the Western boy, as he -started toward the spot where the venturesome birdman had plunged from -his falling machine into the scrub bushes. - -“Yes, I wouldn’t feel right unless we did that,” agreed Amos, who -possessed a tender heart, and had once upon a time subscribed to the -rules governing the conduct of the Boy Scouts of America. - -They were quickly on the spot, and looking to the right and the left in -the endeavor to locate the stricken aviator. - -“There he is, Jack!” said Amos, suddenly, gripping the arm of his chum -as he spoke. “Down on his hands and knees, too, as if he might be -searching for something he had lost. Shall we go closer and see if he’s -badly hurt? I think we ought to do what little we can for the plucky -chap.” - -Evidently this was what Jack had in mind, for he immediately started -forward. The Taube pilot heard them coming and looked up. His face was -streaked with blood and dirt, and altogether he presented a sad picture. - -At sight of two boys approaching him instead of grown men garbed in the -khaki of British soldiers, he seemed astonished. If he had intended -to draw a weapon and sell his life dearly he changed his mind, for -now he was holding up both hands. To the ranch boy that was an old -and familiar sign of surrender. He had seen it used on many occasions -during his experience in the West. - -“Do you understand English?” was the first thing Jack asked as he and -Amos drew near the wounded airman, still kneeling there. - -The other nodded his head in the affirmative. He was eying them -suspiciously, as though he could not understand who and what they were, -for English boys were not supposed to form a part of the army sent -across the Channel. - -“I haf knowledge of the language if I cannot speak same much,” he told -them. - -“Well, first of all, we’re American boys, not English, you understand. -We’re wanting to look after your wounds, if you care to let us,” Jack -went on to say, at the same time smiling pleasantly. - -“Is it to be a prisoner you mean?” demanded the birdman, suspiciously. - -“Not as far as we’re concerned,” Jack hastened to assure him. “After -we’ve fixed you up you can go your way for all of us; though you would -do well to hide until night comes along, before trying to make your own -lines. Now, we’re in something of a hurry, so let’s look you over.” - -He went about doing so with a business-like air that was convincing. -The wrecked air-pilot may have been loth at first to let mere boys try -to attend to his hurts, but he soon realized his mistake, and submitted -willingly. - -There were numerous scratches and small contusions, but these amounted -to little, and, after being washed with some water Jack carried in a -canteen, could be left to time to heal. The worst thing was a fractured -left arm, which must have been very painful, though the man never -uttered a groan when Jack dexterously set the bones and bound it up as -best he could. - -“That’s all we can do for you just now,” he told the aviator, after -completing the job. “As one of those other machines might sail over -this way at any minute to see what has become of you, if you’re wise, -you’ll hurry and hide somewhere so they won’t see you.” - -“I thank you very much,” said the man, evidently impressed with the -kindness shown by the two American boys. - -“Oh, don’t mention it,” remarked Amos, lightly. “We’re supposed to be -friends of all parties to this scrap. I’ve got a German chum at home I -think heaps of, and his name is Herman Lange. Good-bye, and I want to -say you put up a rattling good fight as long as it lasted.” - -Perhaps the other did not wholly understand all of Amos’ remarks, but -he knew the boy was saying nice things about his recent performance, so -he smiled, and insisted on shaking hands with them both. - -The last they saw of him he was making for a heavy growth of brush -as though intending to profit by the advice given by the long-headed -Western boy, by lying low until the day was spent, when it would be -safe for him to be abroad. - -“For one I’m not sorry I helped ease up that pain a bit,” remarked -Amos, as he and Jack walked away, once more heading toward the quarter -where they knew the British column would be found. - -“Same here,” echoed the other. “He was a nervy chap, all right. You -noticed that he never let out a single peep when I shoved those broken -bones together, though I warrant you it must have hurt like fun.” - -“I saw you pick up something and ram it in your pocket when we were -coming away--must have been worth your trouble, Jack.” - -“It was what the poor chap was hunting for, I reckon,” replied the -second boy, as he thrust a hand inside his coat, and brought out a -roughly folded paper. - -“Why, would you believe it, he’s been making a regular chart from away -up there in the clouds!” exclaimed Amos, the instant this paper was -unfolded. - -“And besides being a bold air-pilot that German must be a regular -topographical engineer if there is such a thing. I never saw a map -made hurriedly but showing everything so plainly. Here’s marks to show -the positions of the British trenches around Ypres, every big gun -marked with a cross, and even the supply stations and the hangars of -the aeroplanes plainly located. Why, with a chart like this, distances -plotted out and all that, German gunners could shell any position they -chose from a distance of eight or ten miles.” - -“A valuable map to fall into the hands of the Kaiser’s men, eh, Jack?” - -“I should say yes, Amos; and that was why he hated to lose the same -after going to all the trouble he had to make it.” - -“Still, it wouldn’t have been just fair for you to have turned it -over to him, because we went as far as we ought in looking after his -wounds,” suggested Amos. - -“Well, we’re supposed to be neutral, though favoring the Allies, -because their aims correspond with what Americans believe in--as -little military government as possible. I’m only wondering whether I -had better tear the chart up, or keep it so as to gain favor with the -commander of the forces over yonder.” - -“Keep it, Jack; it may open their hearts to us; you never can tell,” -was the way Amos looked at the matter. So, acting on this advice, the -other boy concluded not to destroy the work of the chart-maker of the -skies. - -“There’s one of those other monoplanes starting up again,” said Amos, -pointing. - -“I wouldn’t be surprised if the pilot has been given orders to drop -down and take a look around where the Taube fell,” Jack continued. - -“Little we care,” chuckled Amos, “so long as he lets us alone. I -wouldn’t like to have a shower of bombs dropped down on me from -overhead. Then didn’t we hear that the Allies were using some sort of -steel arrow with a sharp point that would go through a German helmet, -and do terrible work? Excuse me from making the acquaintance of any -such contraption at close quarters.” - -They pushed along, now and then casting a curious glance upward to -note what the man in the aeroplane might be doing. He had not landed, -but made several swoops downward, evidently trying to see what had -happened to the Taube pilot when his machine had smashed to the ground. - -Presently Amos sang out that he could hear horses neighing, and there -were also other signs of their being close upon a body of troops -resting while on the way to the front. Evidently there was some sort of -fairly decent road near by, which the artillery and foot soldiers were -utilizing in order to get closer to the trenches where the British, -flanked by the little Belgian army, held their own against the furious -drives of the desperate Germans. - -As they came out from the undergrowth they discovered before them for a -distance of half a mile or more numerous clumps of men in khaki. They -had started fires and were evidently trying to heat up something so as -to take away their hunger, as well as warm themselves up, for the day -was a raw and chilly one. - -Jack quickly picked out the officers’ mess. There was no display of -swords, no gaudy trimmings as in the old days when men fought hand to -hand. Bitter experience had shown the British leaders that in these -days of Maxims and sharpshooters the object of the enemy was always -to mark down those in command, so as to leave the brigades without -officers, and render them less dangerous in a charge. - -“That’s where we want to head,” he told Amos, as he changed his course -slightly. “Unless I’m away off my base these must be what they call -territorials over in England. They are trained all right, but have yet -to smell their first burnt powder. If you find your brother at all, -it’s going to be among this class of recruits.” - -“They see us and are pointing this way,” remarked Amos. “I guess they -wonder who and what we are. I’ve fastened that little American flag to -my hat, Jack; it ought to do the business for us, I should think.” - -“Yes, actions speak louder than words they say, and Old Glory generally -carries the respect of all nations. But between you and me, Amos, I -don’t seem to fancy that commanding officer any too well. He looks too -puffed up with a sense of his own importance. Before he’s been in the -trenches three days he’s apt to get a lot of that conceit knocked out -of him, or perhaps be punctured by a German bullet.” - -“I hope he’ll wear better than he looks,” muttered Amos, who was -feeling very much the same as his companion did about the appearance of -the stout commanding officer. “There are a whole lot of questions I’d -like to get answered; a man of so much consequence wouldn’t condescend -to accommodate me, I’m afraid.” - -They soon arrived at a point where they were met by a detail of -khaki-clad soldiers. To the non-commissioned officer in charge of -these, Jack addressed himself. - -“We want to speak with the colonel in charge of the column,” he said, -simply. - -“I have orders to bring you before him, so keep going right along,” the -sergeant told him in reply, being apparently a brusque man, and, as -Amos said, “without any frills.” - -There were fully a dozen officers about the fire where a hot luncheon -was being prepared. Amos secretly admitted to himself that closer -inspection did not seem to impress him any more favorably with the -colonel. He looked as though he suspected them from the start of being -clever German spies. - -“Well, who are you, and what have you been doing here so close to the -trenches?” he asked in a disagreeable and harsh voice, frowning at Jack -and Amos, who, however, succeeded in giving him back look for look, -although trying not to show any signs of impudence, for they knew it -would not profit them any to try and “twist the lion’s tail.” - -“We are both American boys, Colonel,” said Jack. “If you can spare a -few minutes of your valuable time we will be only too glad to explain -why we are here.” - -Those suspicious eyes looked them both over. Apparently the colonel was -not yet convinced that they were harmless. - -“Search them!” he ordered, and the sergeant who had led them to the -spot immediately started to obey. - -Of course, as luck would have it, almost the first article he drew -forth and handed over to the waiting colonel was the wonderfully -accurate chart made by the German Taube man; and loud exclamations told -how the British officers appreciated the gravity of the find. - - - - -CHAPTER V. STRIKING A CLUB. - - -“Whew! that’s a tough deal, I should say, Jack!” muttered Amos, -evidently somewhat staggered by this new and alarming situation that -had arisen in their fortunes. - -“Keep still,” Jack told him. “Leave it to me. I will fix it all up in -good shape when they give me half a chance to explain.” - -Meanwhile the colonel and some of his officers were discovering new -features in connection with the hastily made map. They could be heard -expressing their wonder at its accuracy. Loudly did they declare that -its possession by the enemy would be of incalculable injury to the -cause of the Allies, particularly the British forces in Belgium, and -along the French sea coast near Dunkirk and Calais. - -The colonel turned upon the two boys. His frown had become heavier -than ever, and that eagle eye of his seemed to be trying to see all the -way down into their very hearts. - -“You claim to be Americans,” he thundered, shaking his fat forefinger -at them; “then how is it we find this map covering the disposition of -our concealed batteries, supply stations, reserves, and everything else -upon your person? Can you explain how it comes?” - -“Certainly we can, sir,” said Jack promptly. “I was intending to hand -you that chart; indeed, it was partly to do this we headed directly -this way instead of trying to pass around.” - -“It looks very suspicious, you must admit, boy!” continued the other, -shaking the paper until it rattled. “Which one of you made it? A clever -piece of work, but one that may cost you dearly.” - -“That paper, sir, was dropped by the man in the Taube when his machine -came to the ground, and he jumped out. We helped bind up his hurts -because he was suffering. Unknown to him I picked this chart up nearby, -where he had been hunting for it as we came up. I suppose he made the -map while hovering over the lines of the Allies. As you say, it is a -smart piece of work, so we decided that rather than destroy it we ought -to place it in your hands.” - -The officer looked at him keenly. He was not yet wholly convinced, -though the air of candor with which Jack spoke went far toward making -him feel less harshly toward the pair of lads. Besides, with his own -eyes and through his field glasses he must have witnessed the abrupt -descent of the German machine; and the boys had certainly come from -that direction. - -He turned and talked with his officers in low tones. Some of them -seemed to be ready to believe Jack’s story, while others looked -skeptical. - -Seeing this, Jack realized that it was time to make a move on his -own account in order to shift the tide his way. He quietly drew out -a little pocket case of morocco leather in which he carried several -papers that were of especial value. One, which was already well -thumbed, he selected. The colonel was watching him curiously, and that -gleam of suspicion had not vanished entirely from his heavy, florid -face. - -“Would you mind glancing over this paper, sir?” remarked Jack, -apparently in a careless manner. “It will explain who we are to some -extent. Perhaps the name at the bottom, an old friend of my chum’s -father, may be of interest to you.” - -That magical document had already eased them over numerous -difficulties, and Jack had faith to believe its usefulness was not yet -past. This is what the colonel of the territorials read: - - “The two boys who bear this letter from me are under my especial - charge. I hope that all officers in His Majesty’s service in Belgium, - France, or elsewhere will do whatever they can to assist them to find - the person for whom they are searching, and who is believed to be in - the British ranks serving under the name of Frank Bradford. - - (Signed) “KITCHENER.” - -No wonder the officer stared, and then bent closer to scan that -wonderful name again. It represented the whole hope of the British -nation just then. K. of K., standing for Kitchener of Khartoum, the -hero of the Soudan campaign, as well as the fighter who had stood -shoulder to shoulder with General Roberts--“Bobs”--in winning the fight -for the country of the Boers in South Africa--to actually have the head -of the army asking as a personal favor that these two American lads be -treated in a friendly way was something quite out of the common. - -“We win!” whispered Amos, who had been watching the red face of the -consequential officer steadily as he read the contents of the paper -Jack gave into his charge. - -Indeed, a wonderful change had seemingly taken place in the colonel. -Why, he actually smiled upon them as he handed the paper to one of -his subordinates to read, and then thrust out his plump hand to Jack. -If these lads were in the good graces of Lord Kitchener it might be -of advantage to any soldier to do them a favor. Somehow, Amos decided -that when he chose to unbend his dignity the stout colonel was rather -inclined to be a genial sort of man after all. - -“I am Colonel Atkins,” he said, affably. “Would you mind favoring me -with your names? A hint over that signature is as good as an order -to any British soldier. You must forgive my suspicions. We are in a -strange country, and are compelled to look upon every one as an enemy -until he proves his right to be called a friend. Those Germans are full -of tricks, we have been told.” - -“My name is Jack Maxfield, and that of my cousin, Amos Turner. His -father was a noted military authority in his day, and somehow became -very friendly with Lord Kitchener, I believe out in India, or in -Egypt, long ago. When we came across the water on this errand of ours, -the first thing we did was to see K. of K., who readily gave us this -letter, and wished us every success.” - -“As I understand it you are looking for some one; is that correct?” -asked the territorial officer. - -“An older brother of my chum, Frank Turner,” replied Jack. “Some years -ago he had an unfortunate rupture with his father, who is a martinet -in his way, and since then Frank has been traveling in many corners -of the world. It has now been discovered that the boy was unjustly -accused, and his father is fairly wild to see him again so as to make -amends for the sad mistake of the past.” - -“But what reason have you to suspect that he may be over here in -Belgium where all the fighting is going on?” questioned the soldier. -“There have been quite a number of Americans enlisted in a French -Foreign Legion, I understand. They tell me there are scores if not -hundreds of them among the Canadian recruits drilling at Salisbury -Plains over on the other side of the Channel; but I do not think you -will find many actually in the British army in Flanders.” - -“In the first place my brother resembles my father a great deal,” spoke -up Amos, with a touch of pride in his voice. “He has the soldier spirit -in him; it is bred in the bone, you see. So I was not at all surprised -on getting a few lines from him telling that he hoped to find a chance -to enlist on the side of the Allies. He was in London at that time; and -as I knew Frank’s determined ways I never doubted but what he carried -his point and joined the army of Kitchener.” - -“So much to his credit then,” declared the other. “If our kin -beyond the water really knew what this war means for the whole -English-speaking world they would give us even more of their sympathy.” - -“You do not want to have us searched further then, Colonel?” asked -Jack, with a gleam of amusement in his blue eyes. - -The portly officer hemmed and hawed a little to hide his confusion; -then he chuckled. - -“Oh, I imagine there is no necessity for that,” he observed, presently. -“Anyone who is carrying a paper signed like this ought to be above -suspicion. You have done us all a service in securing this valuable -chart. If that Taube pilot escaped, bearing such a document with him, -it would be signing the death warrant for hundreds of brave boys in -khaki before another day had rolled around.” - -“We are heading for the front in the direction of Ypres. If you are -going that way we would be very glad to accompany you, Colonel,” -said Jack, as he received back the precious document from one of the -officers, carefully folded it again, and replaced it in his bill book. - -“Sorry to say that is not our present destination, my lad,” replied the -colonel. “We are under orders to take our stand in another part of the -line where stiffening is needed badly. All of us are eager to get our -first taste of the real fighting. But if we can be of any assistance to -you in other ways you have only to mention the same.” - -He had said something aside to one of the other officers, who walked -away to give some sort of order. Almost immediately a file of soldiers -left the roadside camp and started off across fields, heading exactly -in the direction whence the two American boys had just come. - -Amos saw all this, and believed he could understand what it meant. - -“They’re going to take a look in the brush for the wounded Taube man,” -he told himself. “For one I hope they don’t run across him. Without -his chart he isn’t so very dangerous. I reckon the colonel is afraid -he may be able to draw a duplicate of the same from memory. A soldier -takes as few chances as he can of letting the other side get valuable -information. Yes, the colonel is right, I suppose.” - -“The only favor we could ask would be in the line of making inquiries -about the one we’re looking for,” Jack was saying. - -“What name did you tell me he was going under?” asked the soldier. -“I failed to pay much attention to that in the paper, for my eye had -meanwhile caught the signature below, which almost took my breath away.” - -“My friend’s mother was named Bradford, and he chances to know his -brother was calling himself Frank Bradford, for reasons of his own.” - -Jack had hardly spoken when he saw a look of sudden eagerness flash -over the rosy face of the Englishman. It gave him a thrill, for he -seemed to feel that it spelled new hope. Even Amos noticed that -lighting up of the colonel’s eyes, and the uplifting of the heavy -eyebrows. - -“My word! now, that is a remarkable thing!” they heard him say, half to -himself. - -“Are we to understand from that, sir, you can give us a clue that may -carry us to him whom we are so anxious to find?” demanded Jack, boldly, -believing it wise to strike while the iron was hot. - -“I wonder if it could be the same party?” the officer went on to say. -“I was informed his name was Frank Bradford and that he owned up to -being an American. My word! but this is remarkable. Tell me, did your -brother ever serve his time as an air-pilot, young fellow?” turning to -Amos. - -“Not before he left home,” returned the boy; “but he was always -intensely interested in aeronautics. If a chance ever came up, I’m sure -he would have made a mighty good birdman.” - -“If this is the same Frank Bradford,” muttered the soldier, shaking his -head, “he has already jumped into the front rank of British aviators. -They censored his name in the newspaper accounts, but I chanced to hear -it from one who had met him on the field. It was after he made that -wonderfully daring trip of seventy miles up the Rhine country, dropping -bombs on many fortresses by the way, and striking a note of fear into -countless thousands of German hearts.” - -“Oh, I read that story myself, and was thrilled with it,” cried Amos, -excitedly. “Little did I dream it could have been my own brother Frank -who was the reckless aviator of the Allies. Wait, I have his picture -here with me, taken some years ago; perhaps your friend may have -described this man to you so that you could recognize him.” - -With trembling hands he held up a small photograph taken with a kodak. -The colonel looked closely. Then he nodded his head in a significant -fashion that made the faithful heart of Amos Turner beat like a -trip-hammer. It seemed as though by the greatest of good fortune he had -come a step nearer success in his mission. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. BEHIND THE TRENCHES. - - -Jack, too, had seen from the manner of the British officer that the -kodak picture looked familiar to him. - -“Would you say there was a resemblance between this face and that of -the birdman who drove his aeroplane through the Rhine country?” he -asked. - -The soldier nodded his head again. - -“It answers to the description given me,” he told them. “My informant -was very particular to mention the heavy head of black hair, the -strong look on the face, and the arched eyebrows. My word! but I -really believe you are on the right track, young fellow. If this Frank -Bradford, who threw the old city of Cologne into a panic, turns out to -be your brother I heartily congratulate you.” - -Further talk followed. Amos hoped to be able to pick up more or less -information concerning the present whereabouts of the one he fully -believed must be his brother. - -In this endeavor, however, he was doomed to disappointment, for the -officer could give him no further clue. Whether Frank Bradford still -drove his wonderful machine in the service of the Allies, or had been -brought low during some later air raid by the gunfire of the Germans he -could not say. - -So Jack took it upon himself to change the subject. He was not as well -posted with regard to the roads of this battle-scarred section of -Belgium as he would like to be. - -The colonel, once he had been thawed out by the sight of that inspiring -signature at the bottom of the letter Amos carried, proved very -affable. It has always been the way with these icy Britishers--get -behind the reserve they throw up as they would breastworks, gain -their confidence, and there is nothing they will refuse in the way of -accommodation. - -So Jack was permitted to look at a map of the country which the soldier -had in his possession. He even made notes from it which might serve to -assist them on their way to Ypres, that hotbed of fighting, a salient -the Germans seemed bent on recapturing. - -So the two boys finally thanked the colonel, who heartily wished them -all possible success in their undertaking. - -“At the same time,” he told them at parting, “deep down in my heart I -am hoping you may fail to induce your brother to throw up his job as -one of King George’s boldest fliers. We shall need all the outside help -we can get from our cousins across the sea, before this bloody business -is over with, for these Germans are born fighters, every man-jack of -them.” - -When the two boys had proceeded some distance along the muddy road, on -reaching a slight rise they stopped for a minute to look back. - -Evidently the order to move had been passed along the line just after -they parted from their new-found friends, for, like a great serpent, -the column of khaki-clad territorials was passing along the road, a -battery of field guns in the van and another bringing up the rear. - -It was an inspiring spectacle. No wonder the two American boys felt -their hearts beat with aroused sentiments. At the same time Jack shook -his head sadly as he went on to say: - -“How many of them will never go back again to the homes they have left -over in old England? War may seem glorious to those who look on, but it -is terrible. Already we’ve seen some of the destruction that follows in -its track, and I reckon that before we cross the Atlantic again we’ll -have our fill of its horrors.” - -Truer words were never spoken. When Jack Maxfield said this he meant it -only in a general way. He could not have possibly foreseen what a wide -stretch of territory their search for Frank Turner would cover, and -what amazing scenes they were fated to gaze upon before the end came. - -Once more the chums trudged forward. - -Amos was feeling quite “chipper” as he called it, and there was -certainly good cause for this high hope. They had accidentally run -across what seemed to be a strong clue, and the uncertainty of the -past was being relieved. Jack, on his part, was figuring out what he -might get through the hands of the censor in his next letter home. It -was Jack’s avowed intention to become a newspaper man when he entered -the business world, and already he had shown great aptitude along the -line. The descriptions he sent over to a paper which he had arranged -to represent while abroad were graphic and thrilling. His pen pictures -of conditions as he saw them gave an accurate view of the situation. -Although the stern military censor might blue pencil all names, he -could not destroy the vivid word painting as set down by Jack. - -Besides this, Jack had contrived a clever little dodge whereby he hoped -to snap off some stirring pictures. His camera was the smallest ever -designed, but it had an expensive lens, and that meant more than half -the battle. - -Jack had it concealed, and so arranged matters that he could press the -bulb and snap off a minute picture without any one being the wiser; -and after being developed this could be enlarged to any size required. - -No doubt, eventually, that clever little contrivance would get him -into what Amos called a “peck of trouble.” It would doubtless be -confiscated, but Jack hoped he might be able to secure a series of -views well worth working for, ere that catastrophe came about. - -As they walked on, the boys were continually coming upon fresh works -of recent strenuous warfare. The army of invasion had held stubbornly -to this region, and an unexpected drive on the part of the reinforced -British had carried the Germans back some five miles or so to where -they had prepared a second line of wonderful trenches. - -Here a stone wall had been used as a breastworks, as was proven by the -devastation caused by bursting shells. Great holes yawned in the ground -where monsters from the German siege guns had buried themselves and -exploded. And the boys looked in awe at the piled-up earth, in places -marked with small, rudely fashioned wooden crosses, which told where -late combatants lay side by side, their battle fever forever stilled. - -Hardened soldiers might have gazed upon such things unmoved, but these -boys were all unaccustomed to war’s devastation, and many times their -hearts beat in sympathy with the people they saw in the desolated -cottages by the way. - -The afternoon was now wearing away and it was only natural for the two -chums to begin to wonder where they were fated to pass the night. - -Jack had roughed it many times in the past, when on the cattle range. -He knew what a lone camp under the stars meant, and could stand -exposure about as well as the next one. - -All the same Jack was ready to confess that if given a choice he much -preferred a roof over his head. The air felt raw and there was even a -chance that a cold rain might set in before morning, which would be -pretty disagreeable all around. - -“I think we’re coming to a village,” he told Amos, who had begun to -lag a little as though leg weary; “or rather what is left of one, for -when the Germans were thrown back they used every house as a barricade, -and before they could be ejected there would often be hardly one stone -left on another, or a wall standing.” - -“Yes, you’re right about that, Jack, because I can see houses ahead of -us. I only hope we find some sort of shelter, and a bite to eat, that’s -all. Jack, don’t you think we’ve made good progress since sun-up?” - -“We’ve done splendidly, for a fact,” the other readily admitted, “and -there’s good reason you should feel hopeful. On my part I’ve seen and -heard a lot of things today that will make up the liveliest letter I’ve -been able to send across to the _Times_. On a dozen different accounts -I’m glad I came over with you, Amos; and chief of all is the fact that -I can be of assistance.” - -“Why, I never could have gotten on without you, Jack. You’ve cheered -me up when I felt blue; you’ve shown me how to ride rough-shod over -difficulties; and if ever I do manage to find my brother Frank, -nine-tenths of the credit will lie at your door. You’re the best chum a -fellow could ever have, and that comes straight from my heart.” - -“Well, here we are at the village,” said Jack, to change the -conversation, though he would not have been human if he had not been -touched by these warm-hearted sentiments on the part of his cousin. - -“And I guess,” remarked Amos, “they must have pressed the Germans so -closely through here that they had no chance to stop in any numbers, -because you can see the houses are not badly shattered by shells.” - -They found a scene of desolation around them, however, after they -entered the village. Once it had undoubtedly been a pretty hamlet, but -this was before the rush of hostile armies across Belgium’s borders. - -Fugitives from less favored localities had sought safety among those -who still had roofs over their heads. Curious eyes followed the boys -as they passed along. Doubtless their coming and their well-fed -appearance aroused the wonder and envy of these hapless people who all -through the storms of the winter season had fought against starvation -and freezing. - -Soldiers, rumbling artillery trains, galloping horses, and all the -brave trappings of new levies going to the front to become food for -the cannon they were accustomed to see day after day. Then would come -the ambulances and motor vans laden with the groaning victims who were -being taken to field hospitals in the rear of the fighting line. But -when two sturdy lads, one of them wearing a little American flag in his -buttonhole, walked into their village, the natives became interested at -once. - -It was known throughout the length and breadth of Belgium that -charitable America had fed their suffering millions all through the -winter. On this account any one who claimed to be a citizen of the -generous republic beyond the sea was welcome in their midst. - -So Jack and Amos found smiles upon some of the wan faces around them -as well as wonder and curiosity. - -“If we can only run across some one who speaks English I’d call it -lucky,” Amos was saying as they reached the center of the village. - -“Here comes the man we want to see, then,” Jack told him. “The rest -are pushing him along as if they knew he could talk with us. My French -isn’t all it should be, and I have to depend on signs half the time so -as to make myself understood. But it’s going to be all right now.” - -Jack proved to be a good prophet, for the old man with the white beard -addressed them in very fair English. He told them he had worked in an -American arms factory for several years, and considered that he knew -Yankee customs very well indeed. - -“If you wish to spend the night with us,” he continued, “we will do -the best we can to entertain you. In these sad times most of us are -content to find a roof over our heads, and have something to satisfy -our hunger. I will take you to my own poor house, though it is already -crowded with relatives from other parts of our distracted country. Such -accommodations as we have you are quite welcome to.” - -Of course the boys thanked him, and hastened to say they would be -satisfied to sleep in a shed, if there was no other place vacant. He -asked them to accompany him, and with quite a procession tagging at -their heels they started off. - -It turned out that their host was really an important man in the -village. Jack guessed he must be the mayor or burgomaster, since every -one seemed to defer to his judgment. - -One of the first things they noticed as they drew near the cottage -for which they were headed, was a small boy parading up and down -bearing a Belgian flag proudly over his shoulder. He seemed a very -determined-looking youngster, and Amos openly commented on his manifest -patriotism, at which the old man shrugged his shoulders, and then -remarked: - -“Of such material are the Belgian people composed. Like the Dutch they -have never been conquered. They dared even to defy the Kaiser and his -millions of fighting men. Belgium will rise again, and be a greater -nation than ever.” - -“And the boy?” said Jack, deeply interested. - -“He is a wonderful child, whose brave father, Jean Larue, my cousin, -fell fighting in defense of Antwerp. Little Jacques dreams of the day -when he may strike a blow in memory of the father he loved. His mind is -full of plans for trapping the hated Germans, if ever they come this -way again, which Heaven forbid.” - -The boy stopped in his military walk to solemnly return the salute Jack -gave him. His face was unusually grave and they could see that the -horrors of war by which little Jacques had been surrounded had done -much to make him older than his years. - -Everybody tried to be kind to the American boys, though it was little -they could do after that late pinching winter. But they were given a -small room with a bed in it, which apartment Jack imagined had been -hastily evacuated by some of the kind old burgomaster’s relatives, now -thrown upon his bounty. - -“What better could we ask than this?” Amos wanted to know, as he washed -his face and hands in a convenient tin basin. - -“I’m not saying a word,” Jack told him. “Fact is I reckon we’re in -clover, when you think of those poor ground hogs we saw yesterday -wallowing in the mud of the trenches, and half frozen at that.” - -It was not long before they knew cooking was going on, and, being a -pretty hungry pair of boys, they exchanged pleased glances as they -sniffed the appetizing odors. - -The meal was limited, so far as variety went, but there seemed an -abundance for all. Only the old burgomaster sat down with them, though -there were a dozen women and children to be served later on under the -hospitable roof. - -Upon making inquiry Jack learned that there was not a single -able-bodied man left in the village. - -“All them are fighting alongside our beloved King Albert,” exclaimed -the old man, proudly, “or else have already laid down their lives in -defense of their country.” - -All these things made a deep impression on the two American boys. They -wondered how much of the same kind of patriotism would be found over -in their country should an occasion ever arise when hostile armies -occupied the cities and towns of the republic. - -After sitting in their little room for an hour, where, by the dim light -of a taper, Jack wrote an account of stirring things he had seen that -day, Amos finally begged him to “close up shop” and go outside a while -to take the air before turning in. - -To this Jack offered no objection, for he was feeling very much that -way himself. - -The village seemed almost deserted at this hour, for the night was -cloudy as well as raw, and every one had sought shelter. Even the dogs -answered each other with mournful howls, as though they, too, partook -of the general gloom that had fallen upon poor Belgium since that -day early in August when the Teuton horde broke across her neutral -territory and began the most terrible war in all history. - -The boys walked out of the quiet village and along the road for a -little distance. It was about this time that Amos drew the attention of -his chum to something that appeared to have caught his eye and puzzled -him. As usual, Amos depended on Jack to solve the mystery. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. THE RED LANTERNS IN THE SKY. - - -“I was just wondering if I could be seeing double, Jack, and if there -are two stars as red as Mars close together,” was what Amos remarked, -after directing the attention of his chum to a certain spot in the -heavens. - -Jack gave a low whistle the very moment he looked. - -“I can tell you offhand to begin with,” he hastily exclaimed, “that -those are not what you seem to think they are, Amos.” - -“Oh! is that so?” exclaimed the other. “What would you say they are?” - -“Look closer, Amos, and you can see that they move.” - -“That’s a fact, they do seem to swing like the pendulum of a clock. Now -they’re close together, and then they separate more. Jack, it must be -some sort of flying machine up there; perhaps a German Zeppelin.” - -“I hardly think so,” returned Jack, slowly. “In the first place no -airship would be apt to remain stationary as those two red lights seem -to be doing.” - -“Yes, I guess that’s right,” assented Amos. - -“And then again, while the breeze is blowing softly from the direction -of the sea, it’s perfectly still just now. Only once in a while you can -hear the far-away growl of a big gun. So you see we’d surely catch the -rattle of the propeller if that were an aeroplane or an airship.” - -“Then how would you explain it, Jack?” - -“I don’t know for certain, but on a guess I’d say those red lights -might be a couple of small but powerful lanterns.” - -“What! lanterns in the sky?” echoed Amos, quite staggered. - -“Perhaps held up by some sort of big kite,” continued Jack, “because -you can see for yourself there’s a bully breeze for flying such a -thing.” - -“But Jack, whoever bothered with sending up a kite after dark?” urged -Amos. - -“I’ve done the thing myself for a lark, and with a lantern fastened -to it to show where it sailed. Amos, in these war times all sorts of -strange dodges are made use of so as to send important information.” - -This time it was Amos who whistled. - -“You’ve certainly got me stirred up in great shape, Jack,” he admitted. -“Who but these smart German spies would ever think of sending -information through the enemy’s lines by means of red lanterns attached -to a big kite?” - -“A clever dodge, all right,” ventured the Western boy, as they -continued to stand there on the road and watch the colored lights in -the heavens above. - -“I wonder what they signify?” - -“Those who, far away, are looking through night glasses must know,” -Jack explained. “Two lights mean a certain fact, and three would carry -a different message.” - -“It’s a bold man who would risk his life to do such a thing,” -commented Amos, “for if caught at it he must expect to meet the usual -fate of a spy--a file of men, his arms bound, his eyes bandaged, a -rattle of guns, and that would wind up his career.” - -“Still, thousands are taking that chance every day, in France, England -and over in Russia,” said Jack. “The spy system of the German army -excels by far anything ever dreamed of by other nations.” - -“Of course we’ll never really know the truth about this business, Jack?” - -“I was just wondering whether it might be possible to find that out, -and if we ought to meddle with matters that are really no concern of -ours,” was what Jack surprised him by saying. - -“Do you really think we could run the thing down, and find the party at -the other end of the kite string?” demanded Amos, at once interested. - -“I should say there was a fair chance,” declared the ranch boy, who -figured things out from force of habit on every occasion. “In the first -place you know that a kite must always go up directly against the -wind. There can be no compromise about that.” - -“Sure thing,” agreed Amos, already intensely interested. - -“Well, it’s easy to gauge the direction of the wind, and, after -noticing how high the kite must be, we can figure about how far away -the man would be standing who held the other end of the cord.” - -Jack’s reasoning was so simple and yet so convincing that the other -immediately fell into his way of thinking. - -“Let’s do it, Jack!” he exclaimed enthusiastically. - -“I take it you mean to try and look up the kite-flyer, eh, Amos?” - -“Yes, and give him a little scare in the bargain. That old kite with -its red lights has hung up there long enough.” - -“It’s probably fulfilled its mission,” suggested Jack, “and conveyed -the information that it was planned to send. But I’m curious enough to -want to find out whether my theory was sound or not.” - -“Then you say go, do you, Jack?” - -“Yes, let’s make a start for it,” came the reply. “In the first place -we’ll have to leave the road and cross this field, because we’ve got to -advance straight into the wind.” - -“That’s easy,” said Amos, copying the example set by his comrade. - -“To begin with we’ve got to put a button on our lips, Amos.” - -“I suppose by that you mean we mustn’t talk any more, eh, Jack?” - -“Not unless it’s absolutely necessary, and then in the lowest of -whispers.” - -Amos, being a sensible boy, could understand why there was need of -silence, and so he kept along at the heels of his cousin, using both -his eyes and his ears, but putting a seal on his tongue. - -It was not very difficult to cross the field. The ground proved to be -hard enough to keep their feet from being mired in the mud, and no -unsurmountable obstacles confronted the two boys. - -Now and then Jack would pause to take an observation. At such times -he first of all noted the position of the red lights, still in plain -evidence aloft. After that he would make it his business to closely -observe how the wind stood, and in this way get his bearings afresh. - -Amos watched his actions with great interest. He had picked up a -certain amount of woodcraft knowledge in his association with the -scouts, but Jack, on the other hand, had acquired his through practical -experience. A year or two spent on a Western cattle ranch is bound to -be an education in itself, and lucky indeed is the boy who can profit -by it. - -Presently it became evident to Amos that Jack was proceeding more -carefully. This convinced him that Jack must believe they were now -drawing close to where the end of the cord that held the signal kite -would be found. - -Then Amos also noticed there was some sort of low elevation beyond. It -could hardly be called a hill, not being high enough for that, and yet -at the same time it was more than a mere knoll. Out in African Zululand -it would possibly have been called a _kopje_. - -Of course, having himself flown kites many a time, Amos readily -recognized the value of such an uplift, free from trees as it was, and -all other objects which were likely to become entangled with the kite -string. - -Yes, he saw that Jack was bending lower now, and that he headed in a -bee line for that raised ground. Amos became immediately interested. -Would they make the discovery they anticipated, once they drew closer? - -There was no place in the immediate vicinity that offered such -advantages in the way of elevation and freedom from interference. And -accordingly it was with considerable faith that Amos continued to -follow close at the heels of his cousin. - -The suspense that ensued was of brief duration. Then Amos began to -follow the dim outlines marking the rounded summit of the squatty -elevation as seen against the clouded heavens. - -Suddenly his eyes stopped traveling along that curve and remained -riveted upon one particular point. Some object loomed up there, and -broke the even contour of the “hogback.” - -“I do believe that must be a man!” Amos was saying to himself under -his breath, while he kept his eager eyes riveted on the spot; and -after he had followed Jack a little further he was convinced beyond -any possibility of doubt that his guess had been a correct one, for he -plainly saw the object move. - -Well, here was the man supposed to be responsible for those signals -in the sky. Undoubtedly he must be an exceedingly bold and clever -secret agent of the Kaiser, a spy who had managed to pick up certain -information, valuable from a military point of view, and was now -industriously engaged in transmitting the same to a German station -miles away. So much was settled. The question Amos was anxious to have -answered was what Jack meant he and his chum should do in the matter. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. THE AWAKENING. - - -“Amos!” - -That was Jack whispering softly in his ear, and the one addressed -squeezed his chum’s arm to let him understand that he heard. - -“Do you see him up there?” - -“Sure.” - -“We want to creep up as close as we can.” - -“Then what?” - -“When you hear me begin to yell join in, and both rush toward him. Get -that, do you, Amos?” - -“Yes, but he’s sure to break the cord, and let the kite go.” - -“All right. That answers our purpose,” Jack told him, which certainly -was a fact the other had not considered--they were not trying to -capture the kite that carried the twin red lights; it would be -sufficient if they could induce the unknown spy to break the straining -cord, and let the airy fabric bearing the signal lanterns float into -space beyond, to eventually seek the ground. - -Once more the boys moved forward. - -The base of the low elevation lay before them, and Jack was now down -on his hands and knees starting to make the ascent. It was beginning -to get real exciting, and Amos felt his heart thumping heavily against -his ribs as he contemplated the surprise and alarm of the spy when they -started to giving tongue. - -As they drew closer they could make out what he was doing much better -than before. He had something in his hands, which Amos at once decided -must be the stick about which the stout cord had been wound. That the -kite was of fair size and pulled at times rather strenuously he judged -from the way the unknown used his arms. - -Jack seemed to be decidedly clever about this creeping business. Amos -was afraid he could hardly be put in the same class as his cousin. -He even feared that on several occasions he must have inadvertently -snapped some small twig that his knees pressed heavily upon. - -The sounds seemed almost like thunder notes to Amos, so keyed up were -the boy’s nerves, but that must have been mostly imagination, for the -man did not appear to have become alarmed by the sound. - -There was no longer the slightest doubt concerning his occupation, -for by now Amos could see that he certainly clutched some object that -required considerable effort to hold. The kite probably was very large, -Amos decided. - -Perhaps the man had already quite enough of his task, for they could -plainly hear him grumbling to himself, and Amos was sure he caught low -spoken words in unmistakable German. - -As seen outlined against the gray sky beyond, the man appeared to be -turned half way around. Instead of looking toward the quarter where the -kite flew, his attention seemed to be wholly taken up in the opposite -direction. - -Amos was puzzled to account for this at first, but he quickly grasped -the meaning. Of course, the spy was looking for some sign that would -tell him his message had been seen and understood by those for whom it -was intended. - -Jack’s hand fell on the arm of his chum. Although no arrangement had -been made between them, Amos guessed that the time was at hand for the -_coup_ his companion had arranged. - -Then Jack gave tongue, and his experience on the cattle ranch in -company with a lively set of cow-punchers had made him a first-class -hand at letting out a fierce whoop. - -Amos joined in with what vim he could muster, so that, taken in all, -they managed to create a pretty respectable disturbance around that -region. - -It turned out just as Jack had surmised would be the case. The man -who was signalling over the British lines to his German confederates -immediately dropped the end of the cord connected with the kite that -bore the twin red lights. - -Amos, still shouting at the top of his voice, saw him duck down -as though meaning to dodge any bullets that might be sent in his -direction. After that, the figure of the spy was seen no more between -them and the gray heavens. Judging from the medley of sounds that came -from the other side of the mound it might be guessed that the man, -either intentionally or through sheer accident, was rolling headlong -down the slope. - -Jack stopped yelling, and broke out into a laugh, in which his cousin -naturally joined. - -“Look at the kite falling!” the Western boy called out, and Amos turned -just in time to see the twin red lights before they vanished behind -some trees or other obstruction to his view, dropping lower all the -time. - -“We’ve done what we aimed to accomplish, Jack,” he went on to say, when -he could catch his voice. “After all, it was as easy as falling off a -log.” - -“But I’m afraid he had his message up in the sky, whatever it stood -for, long enough to do its work.” - -As Jack said this he clutched hold of the other and whirled him around -again so that his face was toward the northwest. - -“That looks like a bursting rocket, as sure as you live!” exclaimed -Amos, as he discovered a shower of colored stars far away, that seemed -to be floating in space. - -“It is just that,” admitted his chum. - -“If I was over home I’d guess the Glorious Fourth had come around, -Jack, though it’s generally considerably hotter than we’ve got it here. -Do you think that rocket’s got anything to do with this red-fire kite -business?” - -“A whole lot, I should say, Amos.” - -“You mean it was sent up in answer to his signal?” - -“To tell him they saw and understood,” replied Jack. - -“Then our work was for nothing,” grumbled Amos. - -“Oh, I expected that we’d be too late to prevent the mischief,” the -ranch boy admitted. “All the same, we had the fun of giving the spy a -scare. I reckon he thought a whole regiment of the hated British was on -top of him, by the way he scooted out of here.” - -“Could you blame him?” demanded Amos. “Why, if it had been me I think -that cowboy whoop of yours would have given me a cold chill. I’m pretty -sure no German ever heard the equal of it.” - -“Thanks. I take that as a compliment,” returned the other laughingly. -“We’d better get out of this now.” - -“Is there any danger?” asked Amos. - -“None that I know of,” Jack told him, “but you never can tell what -these Germans will do. That fellow may have discovered a trick was -played on him. If he chose to be ugly he might creep back and open fire -on us with his automatic.” - -“Whew! standing up here as we are we’d offer a lovely target, with the -sky for a background. Let’s vamoose the ranch, Jack, as I’ve heard you -say lots of times.” - -“I’m agreeable,” the other remarked. “There’s always a time for ducking -even as there is for an advance. Come along, Amos.” - -They hurried down the hill and started over the field with the -intention of striking the road, so that they might return to the -Belgian village. - -About half way across, while stumbling along in the semi-darkness, both -boys were suddenly electrified by seeing a bright flash close at hand, -accompanied by a sharp, spiteful report. - -Jack, who had rare presence of mind, and seemed to know just what to -do under any and all conditions, pulled Amos down to the ground. As -they flattened themselves out into as small a compass as possible other -shots rang out in rapid succession. The reports came like the quick -pulsations of Amos’ heart under the pressure of excitement. - -When the last shot had sounded Jack started to his feet, half lifting -his companion at the same time. - -“Make for the road full tilt!” he called out, and with that they -commenced to run as fast as the nature of the ground permitted. - -Perhaps Amos wondered whether the unknown would be satisfied to let -them get away. He may have even anticipated hearing the footfalls of a -pursuer in their rear, and this possibility kept him keyed up to the -top-notch of excitement. - -The road proved to be near at hand, and the running boys managed to -reach it without anything out of the way happening. - -In his excitement Amos might possibly have turned in the wrong -direction, but Jack had his bearings well in hand, and knew what he was -doing. - -They did not stop running with their arrival at the road; in fact, if -anything, they increased their pace. Amos felt willing to keep it up -just as long as his comrade thought best. - -Presently they knew the village was at hand, and accordingly Jack -slowed down to a walk. Both of them were breathing heavily, but Amos -felt that he ought to understand what the plan of campaign was to be. - -“Will you tell the old burgomaster about this adventure, Jack?” he -asked. - -“What’s the use?” the other replied. “There may be other spies around, -and we’d only get ourselves in a peck of trouble. Besides, it wouldn’t -do us any good. We don’t hanker after publicity. Fact is, in times like -these the closer you draw your head in your shell, like the wise old -tortoise, the better you’re off.” - -Amos agreed with him. This was nothing new, for, as a rule, the boys -were of one mind, though it might be said that Jack played the part of -leader most of the time. - -Upon reaching the humble house at which they were quartered, the boys -soon ascended to their room, being tired, and in sore need of rest. -The village lay there almost in absolute darkness. Here and there a -candle might be burning, but oil was too scarce a commodity to be -recklessly wasted when all things that were needed to be done could be -accomplished in daylight, which cost nothing. - -Jack had a treasured electric light in his pocket, a small affair, but -which on numberless occasions he had found very useful. He used it -sparingly because there was scant chance of replenishing the battery -in case it ran out. Flashing it around the small chamber so that both -of them might become familiar with their surroundings, Jack presently -commenced getting ready for bed. - -“I’m only meaning to take my shoes and coat off,” he told his cousin, -“and then pull this cover over me.” - -No doubt Amos thought this sounded a little suspicious, for he -immediately turned on the other with a question. - -“Does that mean you’re half expecting to be routed out of bed before -morning, Jack?” - -“Oh, not necessarily,” came the reply, “but I like to feel that I’m -prepared for whatever may happen. Old habits, you know, picked up on -the range when I served as night wrangler to the saddle band of horses, -and there was danger of a stampede, a thunderstorm, or visits from -cattle rustlers. Do just as you think best about it, Amos.” - -“What’s good enough for you ought to suit me,” was the reply Amos made. - -They had little trouble in getting asleep. The day’s arduous tramp -had tired Amos in particular, and though he started to think over the -exciting events that had come their way since dawn, it was not long -before they became a jumble in his mind, and then gave way to dreams of -the dear ones left at home. - -If they awoke at various times during the night it was only to turn -over and go to sleep again. Young, buoyant natures can easily throw off -mental burdens that might keep older persons long wakeful. - -Hours passed. - -It must have been getting well on toward morning when Amos felt some -one tugging at him. Still half dreaming, he imagined one of his boy -friends must be annoying him while camping out. - -“Let up on that, Billy, and go to sleep again,” he muttered; but the -shaking only increased, and now some one was calling in his ear: - -“Wake up, Amos, wake up I tell you; we’ve got to get out of this!” - -At that Amos threw off the sense of drowsiness, and somehow managed to -understand where he was. - -“What’s all that terrible racket, Jack?” he demanded, as his ears -caught a confusion of direful sounds outside. - -“It must be a fierce German drive,” the other told him. “They are -pushing the British back toward Ypres, and will likely occupy this -village on their way.” - - - - -CHAPTER IX. WHEN THE DRIVE WAS ON. - - -Amos was already fumbling around for his shoes. Through the open window -came a medley of sounds, constantly growing in volume. Evidently a -battle was on, and the roar of cannon began to be deafening. - -Outside, the villagers were greatly excited. They could be seen -hurrying this way and that in the light of breaking dawn. Some were in -full flight heading toward the south, while others doubtless must be -making for underground retreats in the shape of cellars, the existence -of which they were aware of. - -“I can’t seem to find one of my shoes,” complained Amos. “Just throw -that light of yours around here a second, won’t you, Jack?” - -This being done the missing footgear was located, and soon placed -where it belonged. Meanwhile that dreadful noise grew louder and more -terrifying. It was by this time difficult to converse without shouting. -There were stunning explosions in the air that caused quick flashes as -of lightning. Others made the ground fairly tremble from the violence -of the concussion. - -“All ready, Amos?” called Jack presently. - -“Give me ten seconds to get my coat on and I’ll be with you!” - -Amos was very much excited, as well he might be. Never in all his -life had he listened to such a dreadful combination of awful noises. -It was like half a dozen thunder storms rolled into one. If those -Germans believe in carrying on a campaign of “frightfulness” they were -certainly hewing pretty close to the line right then. - -“It’s getting worse all the while, Jack!” he called out. - -“Yes, as more guns come into play,” replied the other. “This must be -one of the drives we’ve heard so much about.” - -“But we said we believed nothing could push those British chaps out of -the trenches they’d dug themselves into,” said Amos. - -“I don’t know how it is,” Jack told him, “but some way has been found -by the Kaiser’s men to break through. Once that happens, you know, the -whole line of defense crumples up like an egg shell.” - -“Perhaps they’re using gas shells,” suggested Amos, for they had heard -some talk along those lines from soldiers they had met returning -wounded from the front. - -“I wouldn’t put it past them,” said Jack, “you know that as chemists -the Germans lead the world. They firmly believe they are fighting for -their existence as a nation. Are you all ready, Amos?” - -Upon the other replying in the affirmative they left the little room -and made their way to the lower part of the house. Here a single lamp -burned and by its meagre light they discovered the old burgomaster, who -looked more solemn than ever. - -“The Germans must have broken through the British line of defense, -which was only two miles away from here,” he told them, gravely, “and I -fear it will mean the ruin of all we have left, for the fighting draws -closer all the while, and they must soon be among the houses.” - -“Some of the people have gone away,” Jack remarked, “and we think we -ought to get out, too, while there is time.” - -“Please yourselves, young messieurs, and it is wise of you, I must say, -though if you choose to remain there is room in the cellar below.” - -“Then you mean to stay here and take desperate chances?” the boy asked. - -“It is my duty. I could not forsake my children when they need my -counsel so much. It may be that cellar shall be our tomb. Nevertheless -some one must remain to watch over the women and children who cannot -get away.” - -Amos was greatly affected on hearing the old man say this. He realized -as never before that heroism is not confined to dashing deeds on the -field of battle. In those days and nights that tried men’s souls -numberless occasions arose wherein humble individuals, often weak -women, proved their right to the claim of heroism, though history would -never blazon their deeds upon its pages. - -Impulsively Amos seized the honest hand of the aged burgomaster and -squeezed it. He always considered that he was being honored in having -the privilege of calling him a friend. - -“Look, there’s that boy Jacques again, with his Belgian flag!” called -out Jack, pointing to a small figure that was parading up and down just -outside the window. - -“He utterly refuses to join the others in the cellar,” said the old -man, “and he is too nimble for my infirm limbs to overtake, so I -must let him take his chances. He is wild over the opportunity to do -something to avenge his father, should the hated men in the spiked -helmets reach here. Alas! I fear poor little Jacques will go to join -his father ere long, when that spirit fills his heart. Those Germans -spare not when the lust of battle is on them.” - -Jack also shook hands with the old burgomaster ere leaving. - -“I surely hope it may not turn out as badly as you fear,” he said in -parting, after pressing some money into the other’s unwilling palm. -“The drive will be halted before it reaches your place. If a chance -comes to us we will look you up again later. Good-bye!” - -The old man somehow had taken quite a fancy to the boys, and it was -evident that he disliked to see them go. He knew what America was like, -and doubtless the peaceful land across the sea appealed more strongly -to him than ever, now that his own beloved country was being overrun -and ruined by a hostile army. - -Once outside the house the boys looked about them. - -It was no longer dark for day was at hand. Besides, the constant -bursting of those countless enormous shells helped dissipate the gloom, -although in places a low-hanging sea fog made objects assume a weird -appearance. - -A few frightened villagers could be seen hurrying past. Some of them -were bearing bundles as though they had hastily gathered their scanty -possessions together, and intended to cut loose from their anchorage, -seeking safety in hurried flight. - -Indeed, Amos could not blame them when he listened to all those -dreadful noises, and mentally pictured the desperate scenes that were -likely to occur when the retreating British tried to make a desperate -stand amidst the houses of the already sorely stricken Belgian village. -Perhaps in the end ere they were driven forth hardly one stone of those -humble dwellings would remain on another. - -As they passed little Jacques, still marching up and down, Amos patted -the child on the shoulder. There was resolution and courage in the eyes -that looked up at him. Others might be afraid and tremble and weep, but -Jacques was the child of a soldier. The spirit of Jean Larue, who fell -in defense of Antwerp, dwelt within that young heart. The coming of the -Germans only meant to poor little Jacques a possible chance to carry -out the plans for revenge that had of late taken possession of his mind -to the exclusion of everything else. - -In leaving the apparently doomed village both of the American boys were -conscious of very heavy hearts. They had already seen enough of war’s -horrors to impress them deeply. The uncertainty concerning the fate of -all those innocent non-combatants grieved them exceedingly. - -Still, there was absolutely nothing they could do to render assistance, -and for them to linger there would simply mean unnecessary risk. In the -heat of battle neither one side nor the other would pay any attention -to the fact that they claimed to be Americans and neutrals. They had no -business on the fighting line, and if injured could not complain. - -Perhaps Jack felt a keen desire to hang around and see with his own -eyes what a desperate battle looked like. The spirit of the newspaper -correspondent was strong within Jack. But while reckless at times he -could also show considerable caution. Besides, he was not alone now, he -must remember, and the life of Amos was doubly precious just then, in -the estimation of the one who had sent him abroad on that search for -Frank Turner. - -On this account Jack curbed his desire to linger and try to see what -took place when the fighting reached the doomed village. - -There was little choice in the matter of deciding upon the direction -of their intended flight. The German drive was coming from the north, -and hence only in the opposite quarter could there be any assurance of -safety. - -Fortunately the road offered them an opportunity to retreat from the -village without taking to the fields. - -They quickly overtook a band of villagers trudging stoically along. -During the long months that had elapsed since the beginning of the -cruel war these poor people had suffered so much that by now they were -growing callous, and accepted every new trial uncomplainingly. - -They had seen beloved kindred shot down, had watched their possessions -given to the torch, and in so many ways endured the terrors that come -to a subjugated country that it seemed as though they could weep no -more. - -Both boys felt for the poor people. They would have done something to -help them, only there seemed to be no way in which they could be of any -assistance, since it was folly to slow down their pace to correspond -with the snail-like progress of the fugitives. - -All this while the noise to the north had continued to grow in volume -until it was simply frightful. Amos had never dreamed there could -be as many big guns on the fighting line from Alsace to the sea as -the Germans had brought to bear upon this one section of the British -defense, possibly only a few miles in extent. - -“They boasted that they would batter their way through to Calais,” Amos -called out, as they stood and listened, “and it looks like they are -doing it.” - -“Wait,” said wise Jack. “The fury of the drive will exhaust itself. -Those stubborn British never know when they are whipped. They will -hang on like bulldogs until the enemy is tired out, and then block his -way with the reinforcements that must be hurrying up, and which we’ll -soon meet.” - -“Then, Jack, you don’t believe the Kaiser will get to Calais as he said -he would, so as to fire his big guns across the Channel on to English -soil?” - -“Not this time, anyway,” asserted Jack. “They may win three or four -miles of muddy ground, for which they’ll pay a heavy price, but that -is all. Some of those guns you hear crashing are manned by British -Tommies, and Canadian troops, who are bound to give a good account of -themselves. But the losses will be terrible on both sides, more the -pity. Come, let’s be moving.” - - - - -CHAPTER X. THE CHECK LINE. - - -They trudged along for a time in silence, though both of them kept eyes -and ears open so that they might not lose any portion of the remarkable -war panorama by which they were surrounded. - -As they overtook and passed other fugitives from the threatened -village, Amos found himself still pitying the poor souls once again -cast out upon the cold world. - -“I wish we could help them,” he said to his chum, “but of course that’s -out of the question. We’re like the ‘babes in the woods’ ourselves. But -by now we must be about the end of the string. The road looks clear -ahead.” - -“And I was just thinking,” added Jack, “we hadn’t left the village any -too soon for our health.” - -He made a suggestive movement with his hand when saying this, and Amos -guessed the meaning. - -“Do you really think the battle has reached there so soon?” he asked as -he stood and listened to the clamor that welled up from their rear. - -“Yes,” said Jack; “from the sound of spattering rifle firing I think -the retreating British have taken advantage of the houses. Every stone -cottage will shelter a dozen or so. And as the pursuing Germans come -along with a rush they’ll be met by a murderous fire.” - -“Then just as our good old friend the burgomaster said, it will spell -the finish of the village,” sighed Amos; and apparently his chum caught -his meaning in spite of the dreadful din, for he went on to follow up -the thought. - -“Yes, the Germans will turn their guns on the place if they meet with a -set-back there, and make it a howling wilderness.” - -“Those poor women and youngsters,” groaned Amos. - -“It is tough luck,” added Jack, drawing a long breath, “but only the -fortune of war. We’ll see lots more of it before we’re through, I’m -afraid. But by now it strikes me we ought to be meeting the first of -the British reinforcements coming forward to fill the gap and stem the -retreat.” - -“Jack, just as you were saying that I caught a new sound--anyhow it -came from a new direction. When there was a little lull in all that -roar of guns I thought I heard the trample of horses’ hoofs and the -rumble of hurrying artillery.” - -“You hit the bull’s-eye that time, Amos, for there they come.” - -Both boys felt their hearts beat with a quickened vigor as around a -bend in the Belgian road came galloping horses drawing a field piece. -After it appeared a caisson with ammunition, and then other portions of -the battery in quick succession. - -“Let’s get out of the way, because they’ll need the whole road,” said -Jack. - -“But what can one battery do against all those heavy German guns?” -Amos asked, as the leading horses drew near. - -“Oh! this is only a beginning,” he was immediately told by his -companion. “I’ve no doubt for a mile and more back the road is solid -with them, all hurrying to the front. And tens of thousands of troops -must be headed in the same direction, though perhaps they’ll take to -the fields, and leave the roads to the artillery. Now watch, and give -the boys a salute as they go past.” - -They stood with their hats in their hands, and as the first field piece -went rumbling by both boys gave a yell, at the same time waving their -headgear. - -The grim-looking gunners returned the cheer. Their bronzed faces had an -eager look, as though they scented the battle smoke from afar, and were -wild to get busy. - -So they kept streaming past, battery after battery, the officers -shouting their commands, for every one undoubtedly knew exactly where -he was expected to take up a position so as to effectually check the -fierce drive that the German hosts had started. - -“There, across the field, you can see them coming,” called out Jack, -after they had waved their hats until their arms were weary. - -“The troops, as sure as anything, and on the double-quick at that!” -exclaimed Amos, again thrilled by the sight of the khaki-clad legion -that had suddenly burst into view on the full run, with bayonets -gleaming wickedly, and every man apparently a part of a well-drilled -machine. - -“Look, look, Jack, there’s a regiment of Highlanders in their bare -legs, tartans and kilts!” exclaimed Amos. “How fierce they look, Jack! -I don’t wonder that they nearly always carry everything before them. -I’d want to turn tail and run if I saw those boys heading for me. But -what is the matter with them all that we don’t hear the bagpipes; and, -Jack, where are those English cheers we’ve heard so much about?” - -“Just give them time,” he was told; “they need all their wind right now -for running. When they strike the line of the Kaiser’s men they’ll do -their shouting.” - -“Still they come along, thousands and thousands of them, as if there -was no end to the reserves. What a splendid lot of men they are. It’s -terrible to think of the homes that will never see many of them again.” - -“Look closer, Amos, for I really believe those strapping fellows are -Canadians!” - -“Yes, I can see the maple leaf on that flag, Jack. And they look as if -they could hardly be kept from whooping it up right now.” - -Both boys displayed additional excitement. It almost seemed as though -they might be looking upon fellow Americans, such is the bond existing -between the two neighboring countries that for more than a hundred -years have lived in amity, with not even a fort or blockhouse along the -three thousand miles of boundary line. - -“I warrant you, Amos, a lot of those fellows have come from the ranches -in the Northwest Territory. Yes, some of them run as though they might -be more at home on the back of a horse than afoot. Perhaps I know a -number of the boys, for I spent a time on a Saskatchewan cattle ranch.” - -The thought caused Jack to follow the passage of the hurrying Canadian -regiment with intense interest. They were, however, too far away for -him to have recognized any familiar faces. Besides, in the trappings -of a soldier a man would look quite different from the cowboy in -sheepskins or leather “chaps” as Jack had known him. - -Finally the rear guard turned up. Long before the last of the artillery -train had passed by the boys had seen that some of the batteries left -the road a little further on, making for certain advantageous points -where they could commence to hurl their death-dealing projectiles with -profit. - -“Shall we go on again?” asked Amos. - -“Yes, because where we happen to be just now the land is low and flat, -and we can see absolutely nothing,” replied Jack. - -“I really believe you’re still hankering to glimpse the fighting,” Amos -ventured to say. - -“I think I know of a good chance,” the other told him, “and to begin -with we’ll leave the road right here. Follow me, Amos.” - -Of course Amos did, for he placed the greatest confidence in his chum’s -judgment. - -“Things seem to be going on hotter than ever all along the line,” he -was saying as he kept alongside the other. - -“It’s going to be a terrible day, and the surgeons of the Red Cross -will be kept busy every minute of the time,” Jack remarked, as they -hurried along. - -Amos had noticed that they were not passing over the fields where the -onrushing British reserves had crossed, since Jack had for some reason -chosen the other side of the road. - -As yet Amos had not guessed what his chum had in view, and when his -curiosity had reached a certain pitch he could hold in no longer. - -“What’s the idea, Jack?” he asked. - -“There’s some sort of mansion close by, which has a tower on the roof, -and the idea struck me we might get a bird’s-eye view of what’s going -on if we chose to climb up there.” - -“But perhaps the owner might seriously object, Jack.” - -“Don’t let that bother you, Amos,” he was told. “The great German army -stormed through here on the road to Paris. When it was pushed back -by slow degrees in this section nothing worth taking was left. If it -couldn’t be used up or carried away to the Rhine country ten chances to -one it was destroyed, so that the enemy couldn’t have any benefit of -it.” - -“Then you think this estate is a ruin, do you?” - -“You’ll soon see for yourself what happens when an invading army passes -through a hostile country, for here we are at the place.” - -As Jack said this he pointed ahead. Signs of destruction and vandalism -could be seen the very first thing. The stone fence that surrounded the -property had been thrown down in numerous places. Even trees had been -chopped down to afford fire wood for the camp, or else because they -were supposed to interfere with the efficiency of quick-firing guns -that at one time had been planted on the roof or in the tower of the -building. - -As the boys advanced they were shocked at the picture of devastation -they saw all around them. Close to the walls of the house all manner -of costly furniture and valuable china ornaments had been ruthlessly -smashed. - -“It’s worse than a country fire over in the States,” remarked Amos. -“Why do you suppose they did this thing?” - -“Probably to keep the enemy from getting any benefit out of all this -stuff,” explained Jack, “or perhaps just to strike terror to the hearts -of all well-to-do Belgians who declined to welcome the invaders with -open arms.” - -“But the house is partly wrecked, too, Jack.” - -“Yes, you can see it’s been bombarded,” the other admitted, “and -several shells tore holes right through the walls. One knocked off that -corner; another made this great gap in the ground when it burst. Limbs -were torn from the trees too. And, taken in all, I’d say it must have -been pretty warm in this section about that time.” - -“Shall we risk climbing up to the tower?” asked Amos. - -“Why not? The house doesn’t look as though it would crumble and -collapse. It would stand another bombardment, I reckon,” and as he -spoke Jack boldly led the way through the open doorway. - -The interior was a sad wreck. Piles of plaster lay on the floors, -and several rooms looked as though it might be dangerous to try and -pass through them. Amos glanced this way and that with something of -a shiver. It was as though he half anticipated making some sort of -gruesome discovery amidst those telltale rubbish heaps. - -Fortunately, nothing of the kind happened, and after climbing -laboriously for a short time the two boys finally managed to reach the -cupola or tower, where they immediately found themselves amply repaid -for all their trouble with a wonderful panoramic view. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. WATCHING THE BATTLE EBB AND FLOW. - - -“It was worth all the trouble, Jack,” admitted Amos. - -They could see far away beyond where the doomed Belgian village -undoubtedly lay. Billows of smoke shrouded most objects, but at times -the wind swept this aside, and at such moments they could obtain -glimpses of the fighting. - -In one place they saw solid masses rushing forward with the resistless -power of might, to be met with a blast that cut terrible lanes in their -closely packed ranks. - -Amos fairly held his breath as he stared. It seemed almost as though he -might be indulging in a nightmare. Then the powder smoke rolled like a -curtain between, and the view was shut off. - -Shells were bursting everywhere, and Jack soon located the hamlet -which they had so recently quitted. - -“They’re at it hammer and tongs around the village, I’m afraid, Amos,” -he called out to his companion. - -“Have you found out where it’s located, Jack?” - -“Yes, if you watch sharp when the smoke fog opens you can glimpse a few -of the houses over that way,” and Jack pointed as he said this. - -“Yes, I see it now. And how the shells seem to be raining down on that -spot. I guess the German gunners have got the range to a fraction. How -d’ye think they manage such things, Jack?” - -“They have the whole country plotted out to begin with, Amos. And then, -you see, they get tips by wireless right along.” - -“Wireless?” echoed Amos. - -“In a sense, yes. Look up and you’ll see that there are a dozen -aeroplanes swooping around like hawks, now fluttering over some -particular spot, and dropping a colored signal paper. That is to tell -the gunners just how to fire so as to hit what they’re after. Those -birdmen have a regular code they use to talk with.” - -“But surely all of them are not German Taubes, Jack? I can see some -that look different in build.” - -“Those belong to the Allies,” Jack declared with conviction. - -“But how is it they chase around, often close together, without -interfering with each other?” - -“I suppose that’s because they’re all too busy now sending information -of great value to bother with their own little rivalry. Though it may -be they take an occasional crack at each other in passing.” - -Amos had conceived a sudden startling thought, and he watched the -evolutions of the rising and falling aeroplanes with additional -interest. It could easily be noticed, however, that the machines of the -Allies monopolized his attention. - -“Oh! I wonder if one of them could be my brother Frank,” Jack heard -him saying presently. - -“It’s one chance in ten he’s working up there right before our eyes,” -the Western boy admitted. - -After that Amos could hardly tear his eyes from the darting aeroplanes. -When he saw little puffs of white smoke breaking close to one of them -and knew that this must be shrapnel shells sent from anti-air craft -German guns, his heart seemed almost in his throat with sudden anxiety. - -“Oh! that would be too cruel!” he exclaimed. “If I came all the way -over here to find my brother, only to see him shot down before my very -eyes.” - -“Don’t think of it,” Jack told him. “Chances are those are British -airmen, and Frank may be far away from here.” - -“Oh! he’s been struck, and is falling!” exclaimed Amos in sudden terror. - -“His machine has been put out of commission, it seems, but the pilot -aims to coast down so he can land back of his own lines. And as sure -as you live he’s doing it, too.” - -They forgot everything else, because of their intense interest in the -fate of the pilot of the stricken monoplane. A short time later Amos -broke out with half a cheer, such was the excitement he was laboring -under. - -“Jack, he’s landed, don’t you think?” - -“Reckon he has,” agreed the other. - -“And safe behind the British lines.” - -“You’re right there, Amos, because the place where he struck is some -distance this side of the village. That brave fellow is all right, even -if his machine was put out of commission.” - -“But the others keep at work right along, Jack.” - -“They direct the gunfire of both sides, to a considerable extent, and -it would be a hard thing to get along without aeroplanes nowadays. -This war has shown how useful they can be. But look over yonder. I do -believe those are the British reserves we saw, going into action.” - -“Oh! you’re right, Jack, for I glimpsed the Highlanders deploying -behind that stone wall. And I think that must be the Canadian regiment -charging with their bayonets.” - -“It surely is, because I heard their yells when a shift came in the -wind just then. Oh! shucks! there that smoke has to settle down again -and shut off our view when it was getting so thrilling.” - -“To think that the same kind of fierce fighting is going on along miles -of territory. Do you think there’s a chance the Germans may break -through at this point, Jack?” - -“They may in small detachments while all the confusion is on, but not -in great force,” Jack replied. “All these things have been anticipated -and prepared for. A battle is like a game of chess, with every move -having a meaning of its own. The general who can best guess the plan of -the enemy, and lay his own to trip him up, is the one who’s bound to -win.” - -It continued to be fascinating work to watch the stirring events that -were transpiring. That tower on the top of the wrecked country house -proved a splendid lookout for the two deeply interested boys. - -Jack in particular was making it a point to impress all the features of -the action upon his memory. Later on at the first available chance he -meant to incorporate what he had witnessed in a stirring letter that -might thrill the hearts of all those in the home land who read it, even -as his own pulses were quickened just then. - -When the smoke pall chose to lift again after quite an interval, Amos -gave a cry of mingled surprise and chagrin. - -“Why, Jack, see, they’re gone!” - -“You mean the Highlanders who were behind that stone wall, don’t you, -Amos?” - -“Yes, not a man of them is left. And, Jack, I don’t seem to see any -stretched out on the ground. Do you think they had to retreat so soon?” - -“Hardly that,” the other assured him. “Those Scots are the most -stubborn fellows going. They don’t like to give up anything they’ve -once had possession of. Of course I couldn’t say for certain, but the -chances are they’ve charged out to meet the oncoming Germans face to -face.” - -“And they may be bayoneting each other in that awful fog of smoke -further on,” Amos continued. “Oh! it’s terrible, terrible! I never -thought war was so cruel. I always pictured it as glorious, with the -heroes coming home to be crowned as victors. I’ll never think of it -again as I used to. General Sherman was right when he called it what he -did.” - -So the changes took place rapidly. It was as though they were looking -through a kaleidoscope. Every puff of air raised the curtain of smoke -in some new section and allowed the absorbed spectators a chance to -look upon phases of the battle they had as yet failed to see. - -To think, that all through that long day, while the rival armies dug -new trenches confronting each other, this terrible butchery must -continue, was something to chill the heart. - -“Why,” burst out Amos at length, after they had been a long time in the -tower, “you could almost believe the end of the world had come, with -all this noise and fire. They say it won’t be a flood next time but -fire that is going to destroy everything. For one, Jack, I’m beginning -to get enough of this.” - -“We’ll stay only a little while longer, Amos. Fact is, we’ll never run -across such a splendid chance as this to watch a big battle. It is -Teuton against Anglo-Saxon now, the first time they’ve been up against -each other for centuries really. And this war will tell which is going -to be the world leaders.” - -“If the Kaiser wins we’ll all have to brush up on our German, and -that’s what I don’t like much,” Amos complained. - -“If that was the worst of it there’d be little reason for complaining,” -Jack told him. “I suppose German is as fine a language as the next, -once you get your tongue adapted to it.” - -“I can see a smudge of smoke where we think the village lies, Jack, and -it’s black smoke, too. Do you think the place has been set afire so as -to drive the British snipers out?” - -“I wouldn’t be much surprised, Amos.” - -“And those poor, poor peasants, the helpless women and children, what -will become of them?” exclaimed Amos. - -“Don’t ask me,” said Jack, with a shiver. “Those who snatched up what -they could get of their possessions and trekked out along the road -leading to the south were wise, after all.” - -“Yes,” continued his chum, “they may suffer from the cold, but as they -get further down into France they’ll have kind friends raised up for -them on every hand. I wonder will the burgomaster live through it all, -brave old chap that he was to decide to stay and share the fate of -those who chose to hide in the cellars.” - -“And little Jacques,” added the other boy, “what will happen to him -with all those shells bursting, and the British and Germans fighting -hand to hand in the streets of the village? I’m afraid the poor little -fellow won’t be able to trap his hated Prussian as easy as he expected.” - -Jack turned to observe some feature of the wonderful panorama disclosed -when rifts occurred in the eddying smoke curtain. It all seemed to -have a decided fascination for him, so that he would surely regret -leaving that eyrie presently, in order to please his cousin. - -Even as he looked, almost holding his breath with eagerness, there came -a strange whining sound in the air. Something hurtled past not fifty -feet overhead. Then came a terrible crash that almost knocked both of -the boys down, and caused Amos to cling desperately to the railing of -the cupola lookout. - -“That was a shell, Jack!” he gasped, when he could catch his breath. - -“It certainly was,” declared the other. “The Germans are using this -tower as a range finder, and we had a narrow escape that time.” - - - - -CHAPTER XII. FROM THE CUPOLA LOOKOUT. - - -“I should say it was lucky!” assented Amos, with an intake of breath; -“did you see how it shattered that tree top when it burst? Looks like a -bolt of lightning had struck it. What would have happened to both of us -if the time limit of explosion had been just a second less?” - -Jack turned and looked away off to where those billows of white and -gray and greenish-colored smoke hid most of what was taking place -beyond the shifting screen. - -“I wonder where it really came from?” he exclaimed, “and if it was only -a random shot, or did that gunner mean to hit this cupola?” - -“Well, I must say you take it mighty cool, Jack!” - -“What’s the use of getting worked up over it?” demanded the ranch boy, -who had learned long ago how to control his emotions even under the -most trying conditions. - -“But they may bombard us again?” expostulated Amos. - -“I give you my word for it, Amos, I won’t wait for a third invitation -to get out. If another shot comes anywhere near here we’ll go down in a -hurry. But I hardly believe that was intentional.” - -Amos, however, was hard to convince. - -“Of course they’ve got powerful glasses--I mean the officers directing -the fire of that battery?” he ventured. - -“That goes without saying, Amos.” - -“And if they chanced to look this way they’d see us here, though of -course they couldn’t tell who or what we were. Now, Jack, wouldn’t it -be natural for them to think some high British officers had climbed up -into this lookout so as to make use of it as a watch tower?” - -“I must say you put up a reasonable argument there,” admitted Jack. - -“Well,” argued Amos, “if they got the notion in their heads that -this deserted chateau was being used as headquarters by the British -commander and his staff, it would be an object with the Germans to drop -a shower of shells hereabouts, with the intention of putting them out -of business.” - -Jack seemed quite interested in the theory his chum was so earnestly -putting forward. He even smiled as he turned to look at Amos. - -“There’s only one weak place in that argument of yours,” he went on to -say. - -“Then tell me what it is, won’t you, Jack?” - -“Since that shell dropped in here all of a sudden I should say two full -minutes had gone by,” the Western boy told him. - -“What of that, Jack?” - -“Only this, Amos, we’ve seen nothing of a second shot anywhere near us. -There’s been plenty of time, and to wipe out the British army staff it -would pay to turn the fire of a whole battery this way; but it hasn’t -been done.” - -“Then you believe now that shot was only an accident?” asked Amos. - -“Oh! well, some gunner was trying his range, and got it with just -one shell. His next aim was in another quarter, and it may be he did -terrible work. We’ll never know.” - -“But you said you’d be willing to clear out of this soon, Jack. I wish -you’d settle on doing so now.” - -“I suppose I’ll have to keep my word,” agreed the other, “though -between you and me I haven’t seen half enough of this thrilling -picture. It’s ten times as interesting as looking at one of those war -panoramas like Gettysburg, the Siege of Paris, and all the rest.” - -“And a thousand times more terrible,” added Amos, “because we know that -what we’re looking at isn’t a painting on canvas but the real thing.” - -“Just give me one more chance to see through a gap in the smoke,” -pleaded Jack. “I’d like to know what became of those men in the kilts, -and with the bare knees.” - -“The Highlanders, you mean,” said Amos. “Oh! they’ve found shelter -behind some other stone wall, and are holding their own, I’m dead -certain. Just as you said a while ago the canny Scot keeps a grip on -what he can seize like a bulldog might.” - -“Now the breeze has struck up again, Amos, and it’s blowing the smoke -away, like we saw that fog at sea driven off. Use your eyes and tell me -if you can pick out the men from the Scotch hills.” - -Jack had hardly ceased speaking when his companion uttered a loud cry, -as though he had made a discovery. - -“There they are, flattened out along the ground, and against that small -rise just like so many cats waiting to pounce on a robin. And, Jack, -see what a distance they’ve gained, will you?” - -“I’d like to predict that the terrible German drive has reached its -limit in this direction,” said the Western boy, confidently. - -“They’re shooting as fast as they can, too, what at I’m not able to -say, for all the smoke. Somewhere beyond there the enemy lies, and I’m -afraid some of those fellows we can see stretched out on the ground -will never take part in another battle.” - -“But there’s no sign of them retreating, you notice, Amos. They’re -going to stick like leeches. I reckon in this war German stubbornness -is matched evenly against Scotch persistence, and English bulldog -holding on. What the end of it all will be I can’t see.” - -Amos moved uneasily. - -“We oughtn’t to have any great trouble getting down from here, I should -think,” he mentioned, significantly. - -Of course Jack understood the hint. It would be with only an effort -that he could tear himself away from that wonderful spectacle of modern -man, at war with his neighbors, and bringing every ingenious device -known to latter-day invention into the conflict. - -Left to his own devices and he might have clung to that elevated -watch tower for hours, impressing on his memory the strange pictures -that were changed with each passing minute. But he had to consider -the wishes of his companion, and also remember that he had given his -promise. - -“No trouble about that, Amos,” he agreed. “Watch your step when -descending.” - -“Then you’re ready to come along, Jack?” - -“I said I would, so lead the way,” returned the other. - -Amos waited no longer. Perhaps he entertained a little fear that -Jack might change his mind if he lingered, because of some new and -astounding phase of the furious, long-drawn-out battle taking place. - -Accordingly, he started down the ladder by means of which they had -reached the cupola on top of the deserted mansion. - -Jack waited only to cast one last look along that front to the north, -as if desirous of impressing the picture upon his mind forever. He -had always possessed a faculty for mental photography which had been -cultivated to the limit, and which had served him well in times past. - -“I’m coming after you, Amos!” he called out, cheerily, as he started -down the ladder. - -Amos had meanwhile reached the upper floor of the house. Mechanically -he stepped over some of the broken furniture and fragments of shattered -wall to make for the stairway leading below. - -At the head of this he paused to wait for Jack, who had just then -called out that he was on the way. So they came together again. - -Amos pointed to what seemed to be the remains of a cradle. - -“The people who lived here had children, that’s sure,” remarked Jack. -“I’ve seen toys lying around, and other things besides.” - -“What happened to them, do you suppose?” asked tender-hearted Amos. - -“Oh! the chances are this man fled with his family when first the war -broke out,” Jack declared. “He was a man of means, and kept his motor -car, because there’s a fine garage in the yard outside.” - -“I hadn’t noticed that, Jack. It certainly is little that escapes your -sharp eyes. But I hope they got to a safe place.” - -“Dunkirk and Calais are both really close at hand,” continued Jack, -disregarding the praise of his cousin, “and there’s no question but -this family found refuge there. Let’s hope he managed to save his -people even if his fine country place is next door to ruined.” - -“Listen! what’s that?” cried Amos, holding up his hand. - -“Galloping horses,” answered the ranch boy, instantly, for his ears -were especially trained along those lines. - -“It must be more British reserves rushing to the front!” exclaimed -Amos, as together he and his chum headed for the nearest window -fronting the road, which they had no sooner reached than they -discovered a sight that thrilled them. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. THE TRAPPED UHLANS. - - -In plain sight, and coming with a rush, though their horses reeked with -sweat and showed symptoms of great fatigue, was a small detachment of -mounted men. - -No wonder the boys stared as though they hardly dared believe their -eyes. This half dozen hard riders wore spiked helmets, a thing that -seemed to stamp them as Uhlans. They were coming from the southwest, -which fact in itself was enough to tell the story. - -“They’re Germans, Jack!” cried Amos, instantly. - -“Yes, a part of some command that broke through the British lines, and -got confused amidst the smoke, I reckon,” said the Western boy. - -“And, Jack, look, they’re being hotly pursued!” added Amos. - -Jack had already guessed as much. He knew it first from the vigorous -way the six riders were urging their tired mounts on. Then again he -could see how they leaned forward in their saddles, and turned anxious -looks over their shoulders. - -Sure enough there burst into view a second detachment of riders, whose -animals seemed in better condition for hard service than those of the -fleeing Germans. - -These men were garbed in the khaki of British soldiers. They carried -guns which they evidently knew well how to make good use of even when -riding at headlong speed. - -Jack guessed the very second he saw them ride that those men had not -picked up their knowledge of horsemanship from following the hounds -after the fox in Old Surrey, and wearing red coats. - -Every one of them had been recruited either from the wilds of South -Africa, the cattle ranges of Canada, or else had served among the -Northwest Mounted Police of the Dominion. - -Jack felt like giving a yell of recognition, it seemed so much like -meeting old friends again. He did nothing of the sort, however, but -simply reached out a hand to draw Amos further back, because he knew -there was no need of attracting the attention of the hard-pressed and -desperate Uhlans, who might take a notion to send a few bullets their -way. - -“What if they stop here and try to make a fort out of the house?” -demanded Amos, as though he thought he detected a veering to one side -on the part of the fugitives. - -“No danger of that,” his chum hurriedly assured him, “they’re too -hot-pressed to halt. There, see them turn in the saddle and shoot back.” - -“Nothing doing, though,” announced Amos; “every man jack of the Allies -dodged the lead. And now they’re going to return the fire. Whew! that -was a corking volley, Jack.” - -“There goes one poor chap!” cried the Western boy; “he got his -straight.” - -A rider had pitched headlong from the saddle, his horse continuing to -gallop alongside its mates as though nothing had happened. Both boys -were thrilled by witnessing this tragic event that took place under -their very eyes. Until recently Amos had never known what it meant to -touch elbows with death by violence. He was very white in the face -as he stood there by the ragged casement, seared by the passage of a -shell, and looked out. - -Jack on his part had known more or less of such events during his ranch -life, for things happen in the “wild and woolly West” where men live -closer to Nature than in the East. Nevertheless, he too felt the thrill -of keen expectancy as he kept his eager eyes glued upon the actors in -the strange moving panorama. - -“There’s another German been hit, Jack; he’s wobbling in the saddle as -if trying his best to hold on. Perhaps he wants to pick out a soft spot -to fall on. There he goes!” - -As Amos uttered these last words a second saddle was seen to be empty, -the stricken man hurling himself to one side. Even in his dire -extremity he evidently realized the necessity of avoiding the hoofs of -the pursuing horses. - -By now the remaining Uhlans had reached the front of the deserted -ruined mansion. They were following the by-road as the best course to -be pursued, although they could have entertained next to no hope of -ultimate escape. - -Bewildered in the smoke, caught in a trap, they meant to ask for no -quarter, but would go to their deaths like most of their comrades, -fighting to the last gasp. - -Jack and Amos could not help admiring their dauntless courage, even -though their hearts beat more in sympathy for the avowed aims and -ambitions of the Allies. - -Swiftly the four hard riders swept by the broken wall of the chateau -grounds. Amos saw them glance that way. He imagined there was something -like a wistful look on their faces, tanned by the exposure of a winter -to the elements. - -“If they only had a little better chance, Jack, they’d break in here -and try to hold the enemy off,” Amos was saying, as they followed the -passage of the grim determined riders in khaki along the other side of -the broken wall. - -Some trees cut off their further view, but their last glimpse showed -them pursued and pursuers keeping up that headlong pace. So the -incident came to an end. It had been very real and vivid while it -lasted, and Amos, still a bit pallid, turned to give his chum a serious -look, as he shook his head and remarked: - -“They’ll never make it, Jack, with that bunch hitting up the pace on -their heels.” - -“Not one chance in ten, I should say,” returned the other, with the air -of certainty that sprung from a knowledge of hard riding cowboy tactics. - -All signs of the chase had vanished, though Amos believed he did hear -what sounded like another salvo of shots ringing out. He may have been -mistaken, however, because the air just then was filled with all manner -of strange noises, from the shouts of charging brigades, the rattle -of distant gunfire, to the harsher throb of heavy artillery and the -incessant bursting of bombs. - -“Fourth of July will seem pretty tame business to me after all this -noise,” Amos remarked, as he followed his chum back to the top of the -stairs leading to the lower floor of the house. - -“I should say it would,” Jack agreed. “I’m wondering right now what -happened to those two chaps who left their saddles in such a hurry.” - -“The first acted as though he might have gotten his finish; that’s what -struck me, Jack, though I’m no judge of such terrible things,” and Amos -shivered as he made this admission. - -“Yes, I believe he was done for, all right,” assented the ranch boy, -“but it was different with the second trooper.” - -“He picked his dropping-off place,” Amos suggested. - -“And threw himself sidelong from his saddle, first working his feet out -of the stirrups,” continued Jack, showing how his quick eye had taken -note of all these things. - -They issued forth from the house about this time, and headed directly -for a breach in the wall that had once served to enclose the grounds -belonging to the rich Belgian’s grounds. - -Of course Jack had noticed about where the second trooper left his -saddle. It was just to one side of the gap which he intended using in -order to gain the little by-road. - -“What if we find him injured. Jack--what ought we do about it?” asked -Amos, about the time they arrived at the wall. - -“Remember the air pilot, don’t you, Amos? Well, if we could bind up his -wounds, and go our way without betraying him to his enemies, we ought -to repeat, I should think.” - -“You know best, Jack, and I want to say that whatever you settle on -doing I’m back of you every time.” - -“I expected you’d talk that way, Amos. You’d never let an injured dog -suffer if you could help it. Come on, and if that Uhlan can be assisted -through our limited means we’re the ones to be on the job.” - -A minute later they entered among the bushes at the place where they -had seen the second trooper vanish; and almost immediately discovered -the object of their search. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. MET ON THE ROAD. - - -The Uhlan had evidently been trying to hide. He was crawling along as -with an effort, and undoubtedly experiencing great physical pain in so -doing, which went to prove that his injury was more than trifling. - -He must have heard the approach of the two American lads, for just as -they discovered him amidst the bushes he drew himself up and faced -about. Amos would never forget that sight of the wounded rough rider. -His face was scratched and bleeding, doubtless caused by his hasty and -reckless plunge into the bushes at the time he left his saddle. There -was a defiant look on it, like that of a man who has given up all hope -of coming out of the adventure with his life, yet meant to show a grim -front to the foe, and go down with colors flying. - -“Tell him we’re not enemies, Jack!” exclaimed Amos, quickly, for the -sight of that poor injured fellow gave him a cruel shock; he was -reminded of a wretched dog at bay amidst a host of furious enemies, and -the sensation was anything but pleasant to the boy. - -Jack had just the same notion in his mind. - -He held up both hands. This was an Indian custom which Jack had picked -up during his life in the West. It meant that he did not have arms in -his hands, and that his intentions were pacific. On the whole face -of the earth there are few living human beings who would fail to -understand the significance of the movement. The Uhlan was not devoid -of ordinary intelligence, even though sadly rattled just then on -account of his recent heavy fall. - -Slowly the two boys advanced. The man was staring hard at them. He -looked as if he feared it might be only a cunning trick on the part of -these treacherous British, for he undoubtedly believed they were of -that nationality. - -“Point to your little American flag, Amos, while I try to get enough -German words together to let him know where we belong,” said Jack. - -“That’s the ticket,” affirmed the other. “Jack, be sure and tell him -that we stand ready to render first aid to the injured, if so be he’ll -let us take a look at his hurts.” - -The Western boy grunted a little at this. He did not feel quite so -kindly toward the invaders as Amos seemed to. Jack could not get out -of his mind a whole lot of terrible things that he had seen with his -own eyes, which marked the ruthless advance of the great German army -through this part of Belgium; and which would of course be found in the -wake of any invading host. The sack of the fine chateau so close at -hand was only a minute example of what he had in mind. - -Still, Jack knew very well that individually each German soldier had -little responsibility for such acts. The system back of them must bear -all the blame for the devastation of the land, and the stern methods of -reprisals against such Belgians as hampered their progress through the -country. - -“All right, Amos,” he said, quickly, “I’ll tell him that; and I reckon -we’d feel pretty cheap if we turned to one side when we might lend a -helping hand. Get busy now, and show that you are carrying a small -edition of Old Glory along with you over here in these shambles.” - -Amos displayed his colors as prominently as he could by thrusting the -lapel of his coat forward, and pointing energetically at the little -flag. He saw the wondering eyes of the German take it in; and that -he must have partly understood could be noticed in the expression of -surprise that came upon his face. - -Then Jack on his part began to have his say in the matter. Perhaps his -German was pretty faulty, and at another time might have caused the man -to laugh; but the situation for him was much too serious just then for -anything like that. - -He heard the words “friends--American boys--not your enemies--would -even try to bind up your hurts after a fashion if you let us!” They -certainly must have given him an intense feeling of relief, for that -strained look on his scratched and set face gradually relaxed. - -He nodded his head and said something in his own language which Amos -believed to be his readiness to trust the two boys who had so suddenly -appeared before him. Then he sank to the ground in a heap. - -“Jack, he’s gone!” ejaculated Amos, feeling rather faint himself. - -The other sprang forward and bent over the prostrate Uhlan. Hurriedly -he looked the man over, while Amos waited to hear his decision. -Certainly the poor fellow appeared as though the “silver cord” had been -broken in his case, for there was no sign of life about him. - -“How about it, Jack?” asked Amos, anxiously, for while he did not -know the man from Adam, at the same time he felt an interest in him, -probably based upon the fact that they had seen him struck down, and -were now at his side. - -“He’s only swooned, I think,” Jack told his chum presently. “You see -he’s been pretty seriously hurt, arm broken, and I’m afraid his ribs -are in bad shape, not to mention the wound he got from that bullet -which has cost him a heap of blood.” - -Jack started at once to try and do what he could while the man remained -unconscious. In a crude but effective fashion he stanched the flow of -blood. Then he managed to get the man’s jacket off, and see to his arm, -Amos assisting in setting the broken bone and bandaging the injured -extremity, even sacrificing a part of his own shirt so as to accomplish -this, which was surely a strong evidence of his earnestness. - -“That’s the best we can do,” said Jack, after they had finished, and he -stepped back to look critically at the work accomplished. - -“Will he live, do you think?” asked Amos. - -The Western boy shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. - -“I don’t dare say one way or the other,” he remarked. “If he could get -the proper care right now he’d have a good chance to pull through; but -you know he’s on the wrong side of the fighting line to expect much. -The British will have thousands of their own wounded to take care of, -and you could hardly expect them to leave even one of their own flesh -and blood behind in order to make room in an ambulance for an enemy.” - -“It’s tough on Hans then, I must say,” and Amos shook his head in turn, -to immediately add: “But he’s coming to, Jack, for I saw his eyelids -flutter just then.” - -“Yes, he’s beginning to open his eyes,” muttered the other. - -The Uhlan blinked a number of times as he stared hard at the two -strange boys. Evidently he could not place them at once. Then a wince -of pain made him aware of the fact that he was not arousing from sleep -in his own encampment, and amidst his comrades. He looked down and saw -the bandaged arm. Possibly something of the truth flashed across his -mind in that instant, for they saw his face light up, and his eyes were -fastened upon the little American flag in the buttonhole of Amos’ coat. - -“We have done all we could for you,” Jack was trying to convey to him -through means of such words as he could summon up, as well as various -signs with hands, head and shoulders, such as may be made to mean -volumes, “we must leave you now. Perhaps if you can crawl out to the -edge of the road some Red Cross ambulance going back with a load of -wounded might find room for you aboard. If you understand what I am -saying nod your head to let us know.” - -The man followed his instructions, and Jack felt after that the limit -of their usefulness had been reached. Humanity could not expect any -more of them, for they had done all that lay in their power. - -“He’s trying to get up, Jack!” exclaimed Amos. - -“Yes, I just told him he’d better crawl nearer the road, and some -ambulance coming from the front might have room for him. Let’s get one -on either side and help him walk there,” said the other. - -He often wished he could have taken a picture of Amos and himself -assisting the wounded Uhlan along, just as tenderly as though he were a -brother. It would have always stood for proof to show that he and his -cousin were trying to carry out the request of President Wilson for -strict neutrality, at least as far as could be done when brought face -to face with the horrors of the battlefield. - -On the border of the little road they stopped. The German rough rider -was propped against a convenient tree, where any one passing along -could not fail to notice him. They had even seen to it that his face -was turned toward the fighting line; since any chance of help must come -from that direction. - -So they left him there. Amos even turned once and waved his hand to -him, receiving in return a like salutation; for the Uhlan by that time -could not mistake the friendliness of those two boys. - -“Somehow,” mused Amos as they passed along, “I’m beginning to think -that a whole lot we’ve heard about the brutality of these Uhlans is -humbug. In the terror and excitement of war people exaggerate ten times -over. Why, that fellow didn’t look like a savage. His face was that of -a young German, and when the fighting light died out of his eyes they -were as blue as the skies.” - -“I was thinking about the same thing,” admitted Jack. “Between you and -me I’ve got an idea most of these terrible raiding Uhlans are at home -only ordinary German boys, accustomed to hard riding. When the call to -the colors came they dropped their ordinary vocation and hurried to -quarters, to put on their uniforms and take up a new life. In other -words, scratch the back of a fierce Uhlan and after all is said and -done you’ve got a very ordinary citizen of the Fatherland.” - -As they tramped along the road they cast an occasional glance back -toward the ruined mansion where they had witnessed the terrible battle -between the army of the Kaiser and that of the Allies; for they fancied -that there were Belgian troops in that line somewhere or other, trying -to keep this corner of their beloved country from slipping back into -the clutches of the foe. - -The fight was still going on. At times the pulsations came in thrilling -gushes to their ears, and then again seemed to temporarily die down. -It was not long before they began to meet vehicles heading for the -fighting zone. These were not artillery trains now but others bent on -an errand of mercy--hospital vans, ambulances perhaps with a doctor and -a nurse bearing the magical Red Cross on their sleeves; English-made -lorries capable of carrying a large number of groaning warriors to a -place where they could be temporarily looked after, and then probably -sent across to London. - -They came in packs, and at times there was a constant stream in sight. -Amos was visibly moved by all this. He knew that while these vans were -almost empty now, when they returned they would be carrying loads of -suffering humanity. The boy had had his baptism along the line of being -brought in touch with war’s dreadful scenes, but he had not as yet -commenced to feel callous, and this wholesale suffering affected him -very much. - -Of course all aboard these vehicles intended for missionary work seemed -to be British, saving possibly a few chauffeurs who may have been -Belgians, able and willing to work in any capacity so long as they were -striking a blow for the devoted defenders of their sadly harassed land. - -The boys with their cheery faces attracted considerable attention. Each -ambulance carried a nurse, as well as a doctor when possible, and these -returned the greetings Amos and Jack sent with their ready hands. - -“I suppose it would be pretty nervy in us if we dared to stop one -of them and ask that they take up our patient on the return trip,” -suggested Amos, still thinking of the wounded Uhlan propped up against -the tree, and with his wistful face turned down the road. - -“I hardly think we ought to mention it,” replied Jack; “because there’s -so much bad blood shown between the Germans and the British just now -they’d only refuse. This war is getting more bitter the further it -moves along, and there’s no telling what will happen yet with Turkey in -it, and other nations on the verge of joining the Allies.” - -“There’s an ambulance that seems to be in trouble, Jack!” exclaimed -Amos, pointing down the road as they turned a sudden bend. - -“Yes, something has happened, for the chauffeur is down, and the nurse -also. Let’s quicken our pace a little more, Amos, and see what’s gone -wrong.” - -“We’ve already shown that we’re capable of helping out in the case of -a wounded man,” chuckled Amos, keeping alongside his cousin as the -latter started off at a faster walk that almost amounted to a jog trot. -“P’raps we’ll also be Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes to patching up a -bursted tire, or the crippling of some part of the motor.” - -“Well, both of us happen to know a little about auto motors,” admitted -the other, “so that wouldn’t be so queer, after all. But here we are.” - -“Gee! the nurse is a rosy-cheeked English girl, all right,” muttered -Amos. “If I had the bad luck to get hurt I guess the sight of her -wholesome face would help me a heap to recover. See how she smiles and -beckons to us, would you, Jack? She must think we look like we could -help them out of the hole.” - -Amos thrust out his chest just a trifle more as he said this. Really -there is nothing that can awaken a boy’s conceit as much as confidence -expressed in his ability by another, whether this takes the shape of -words or looks. - -Upon reaching the spot where the ambulance stood on one side of the -road they quickly learned what was wrong. After all, it was only a -punctured tire; but while the Belgian boy who had been at the wheel -may have been able to guide the car, and carry out the duties of a -chauffeur fairly well, he seemed to be something of a sad bungler when -it came to making ordinary repairs. - -Jack instantly realized this when he came up; and if he had failed to -do so the first words of the pretty English Red Cross nurse would have -convinced him. - -“He is making a terrible mess of it, I’m afraid,” was what she said. -“All the chauffeurs passing are in such great haste to get on I haven’t -been able to secure any assistance. This boy is green at the work; he -was picked up on the road when the regular driver was taken very sick -and had to be left behind. Would you mind taking a look, and seeing -what needs to be done?” - - - - -CHAPTER XV. WHAT CAME OF A GOOD ACT. - - -“We’ll only be too glad to help, Miss,” said Amos, quickly, without -giving his cousin the first chance to say anything. - -This was a field where possibly he excelled Jack in proficiency, for he -had had more practical experience with motors than the Western lad. If -it had been anything connected with horses now, Amos would have known -that he must take a back seat, for the ranch boy was quite at home -along those lines. - -For once, Jack was ready and willing to allow his chum to work while he -looked on. He had seen the nurse staring hard at that small emblem of -the country across the sea which Amos so proudly carried on his coat -lapel. - -“You are really and truly Americans?” she remarked, turning to Jack. - -“Oh! yes, we belong over there, and have come across because we had a -very important errand,” he told her. “We were in England only recently, -and met your Lord Kitchener, to whom we had a letter of introduction -from the father of my cousin, who used to be great friends with him -long ago out in Egypt or somewhere. He gave us a paper that is turning -out to be a great help in our search.” - -Amos was working busily at the tire, with the Belgian youth to assist -him; but he evidently heard every word they said, for he turned to nod -his head at this juncture and remark: - -“Your K. of K. is the finest gentleman ever, for he fixed us out, and -right now we’re hoping to be able to find my brother before a great -while. Jack, you explain about it, won’t you, please, while I knuckle -down to this job.” - -“Then you are looking for some one who has been caught over here by the -war breaking out?” suggested the nurse. “There are thousands in that -same trouble. I myself have met many, and we try to assist them as far -as our limited means will allow. Oh! if there ever was a time when I -wished for a thousand arms it is in these terrible days and nights. For -many weeks each day has brought new hosts of poor wounded fellows. I -sometimes think the better part of our young manhood will be cut off if -this thing continues much longer. But you did not answer my question.” - -“Well, we are looking for some one,” Jack admitted, “though he was not -caught in Belgium by the breaking out of the war. On the contrary, -this brother of my chum, who is about ten years his senior, must have -offered his services to your Government as an experienced aviator, -and was accepted because the supply of air pilots just then was not -equal to the demand. We have reason to believe he has been serving in -that capacity, and done a few pretty daring things along his line of -scouting and the like.” - -“I have met with dozens of aviators,” she told him. “In fact, for a -time it happened that I was attached to a corps particularly assigned -to cases of necessity among the pilots of aeroplanes; for you must -know they frequently meet with serious accidents aside from the dangers -they run while over the enemy’s lines.” - -Again did Amos’ head bob up. - -“Well, I declare, that’s queer,” he was saying. “I wonder now if you -ever did happen to meet my brother.” - -“What was his name, for you haven’t even told me yours yet?” the nurse -continued, as she gave the boy one of her smiles. - -“My name is Amos Turner, and his is Frank, but we’ve learned that when -he enlisted he went as Frank Bradford.” - -The nurse started, and looked more sharply at the speaker. - -“Frank Bradford, you say?” she remarked, quickly. - -“Yes, and it’s plain to be seen from the way you act you’ve heard about -him,” continued Amos, his interest growing by leaps and bounds. - -“I have even met him,” the Red Cross nurse announced. “Yes, more than -that, it was my privilege to attend to his trifling hurts after he -had returned from one of his most remarkable forays over many miles -of hostile territory, doing an immense amount of damage to the German -concentration camps, stores, railway stations, and Zeppelin hangars.” - -Amos colored with pride, for it must be remembered that it was a -Turner, and his own brother, of whom this praise was being spoken. - -“We read accounts of that long flight he made that left a trail of -alarm behind,” said Jack, “but there was no name mentioned. We only -heard this very day through a British colonel that it was Frank -Bradford.” - -Amos left his work for a minute. He was so excited he felt he must find -out a little more about Frank from the Red Cross attendant. - -“How was he injured, Nurse?” he asked. - -“The wings of his plane were fairly riddled with shrapnel,” she -explained, “but he had escaped all that in a miraculous way. In fact, -his only injuries consisted of a few minor hurts on one of his arms, -where he had scraped it in falling, after he got back into our lines.” - -“Was it his left arm?” asked Amos, quickly, and although the nurse may -have possibly imagined this a foolish question, she answered it after a -second’s thought. - -“His left arm--yes, that’s the one he had injured, I remember.” - -“My brother Frank had some tattoo work on his forearm,” explained Amos. -“It was done by an old sailor he knew, and whose tales of worldwide -adventure Frank was never tired of hearing. Can you remember, Nurse, -whether the Frank Bradford you attended was marked with colored India -inks--he had an eagle stamped there on his arm, a real screaming -American eagle?” - -“Yes, it was an eagle, I remember now,” she affirmed. “He laughed when -I told him it was a shame to allow himself to be mutilated that way, -and said he had dreamed of being a sailor some day, and visiting every -quarter of the globe. He also told me he had been around pretty much -during the last few years.” - -Amos exchanged pleased glances with his cousin. - -“How strange it seems, Jack, that we should meet two persons in one day -who have known Frank. The tattoo business tells the story good enough -for me; but p’raps I’d better flash that picture out, and make dead -sure.” - -When the Red Cross nurse had taken one look she nodded her head. - -“That’s certainly the Frank Bradford I met,” she told Amos, “though of -course he looks older than in this picture.” - -Amos was wearing a broad smile now. It seemed to him all things must -be working together for their benefit, and that before a great while -he would meet this brother face to face, when he could tell him how -the cloud had been magically removed from his name at home, and with -what deep anxiety his father was waiting to welcome him and ask his -forgiveness. - -“What a lucky thing it was this old tire of yours had to go down and -need fixing, Miss,” he said, with considerable feeling. “Only for that -we wouldn’t have met you, or learned this bit of good news.” - -“Get busy and finish your job, Amos,” said Jack. “Time is worth -something to many a poor wounded Tommy Atkins lying out there on the -field, where we saw them falling like ripe grain.” - -“That’s a fact,” declared the other, again dropping down on hands and -knees so as to continue his labors. “I was forgetting that others are -concerned in this business besides myself. It’s nearly finished, and I -think will hold as good as new. Jack, try and find out if you can where -we’d likely run across Frank about this time.” - -The nurse did not know, in fact she had not seen the air pilot since -that time when she looked after his hurts, after his return from his -long raid up along the fortified banks of the Rhine over Cologne and -beyond. - -“One thing you can depend on,” she did tell them, “wherever there is -most need of a fearless aviator there you are apt to find him, whether -it happens to be in Flanders, with the French along the Aisne, far over -in the frozen mountain regions of the Vosges in Alsace, or even along -the Dardanelles, where they have commenced to batter their way through -to Constantinople.” - -To hear such words said of his own brother must have thrilled Amos. He -worked away, and soon arose, saying: - -“It’s all done, Miss, and as good as any one might manage it. I reckon -you’ll get along with that tire for some time now.” - -“I wish I knew how to repay you two noble boys for doing what you -have,” the grateful Red Cross nurse said, with earnestness. - -“I think you have more than repaid us as it is,” declared Jack, “in -giving us the news you did about my chum’s brother.” - -Amos looked a little confused, as though he hardly knew how what he -meant to say might be taken; still he was very set in his ways, and -once he had allowed a thing to get a grip on his mind he could not be -easily discouraged. - -“Perhaps I’m bold to mention such a thing, Miss,” he started to say, -“but after we went to all the trouble to plaster him up, somehow we -seem to take a personal interest in that German.” - -“I don’t seem to follow you,” she said, as she climbed upon the seat -of the ambulance again, alongside the Belgian boy chauffeur who was -ready to once more guide the car of mercy along its way to the field -hospital, where its ghastly cargo could be taken aboard. - -“From the cupola of a chateau that had been pillaged by the German -army,” explained Jack, “we saw a detachment of Uhlans, that had -become caught back of the British lines, being hotly pursued by some -cavalrymen. Two were shot, and fell alongside the road. Afterwards we -came on one of them who was badly wounded.” - -“You stopped and assisted him, I am sure,” she said, quickly. “It would -be just like such gallant boys. Besides, this is no affair of yours, -and I can see how German interests appeal partly to you, even though -you may be at heart on the side of the Allies. What do you want me to -do? Tell me quickly, please.” - -Jack described how they had left the poor wounded Uhlan near the -mansion she was sure to notice on the way to the field hospital for a -load of the wounded. - -“On the way back,” said Amos, “if by any means you can crowd just one -more in your ambulance, will you take him along? I ask this favor -partly because he is our patient, and our professional interest has -been aroused.” - -The earnestness of the two boys had its influence upon the English -nurse. - -“I promise you to do the best I can,” she told them, as she gave Jack -and then Amos her little hand in parting. “It is partly because I am -more than curious to see if you are as much at home in binding up the -wounds of men as you seem to be at making a punctured tire whole. -Good-bye! The best of luck follow your efforts to find your brother -Frank. If I see him I shall surely tell him that you have come all the -way over here from your land of peace to discover him.” - -The ambulance went hurrying along the road, and the two boys had no -idea they would ever see the red-cheeked English nurse again. They felt -that they had been repaid ten times over because of the little trouble -taken to relieve those in trouble. - -“It certainly beats the Dutch how things turn out,” Amos was saying as -they once more started to trudge along, with their backs for the most -part toward the region where the big guns growled, and the tumult of -battle was borne to their ears from time to time with the rising and -falling of the wind. - -“We’ve got little to complain of, for a fact,” added Jack. “It all goes -to prove that a good act is never thrown away. We didn’t expect to be -rewarded in any way when we stopped to patch up that tire; yet see how -it came out.” - -“Yes,” added Amos, earnestly, “after this I’ll never doubt that old -saying, for it’s been proved over and over again. But I’d give a heap -to know whether Frank was one of those air pilots we saw wheeling and -dodging about when the battle was going on. And Jack, the scent is -getting warmer all the time. We’ll find Frank yet!” - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. FIGURING IT ALL OUT. - - -If other reinforcements were hurrying up to take their places on -the firing line, the boys did not happen to meet them on this road. -It seemed to be given over almost entirely to vehicles of every -description speeding forward to carry off the bleeding forms of those -whose lives might yet be saved. - -There were some queer-looking vans among the rest, for every available -motorcar had been pressed into the service of removing the injured to -Dunkirk and Calais, where later on they could be transported to Havre -and across the Channel. - -“I was just wondering,” Amos remarked after some time had elapsed, -“why both Germans and the Allies seem to set so great a store on the -holding of Ypres. From all the information I’ve been able to pick up, -as a place it doesn’t amount to a row of beans. And yet, Brussels, -Antwerp and a whole lot of other cities fell without one-quarter of the -fighting that’s been taking place around here. How do you make it out, -Jack?” - -“The only thing I can see,” replied the other, “is that it must be a -railroad center, and from Ypres there’s a good road to Dunkirk and -Calais. You know how set the Kaiser has been right along on getting -his big guns stationed on the French coast, where the Channel is only -twenty miles across. He’ll never be happy until he can watch one of -those monsters hurling shells that fall on England’s shore.” - -“And the British are just as bent on keeping him from doing it, seems -like,” observed Amos. “Queer how a little thing like that brings about -many desperate fights. Tens of thousands of Germans have been killed, -wounded or captured just because of a pet whim of the Kaiser’s; for I -don’t believe anything very great would come of it even if they did -take Calais. The British battleships would pour in such a smashing -amount of shells that they’d wreck any gun emplacement the Germans -might build.” - -“It’s a queer war all around, I think,” said Jack. “It started with -a match in the powder magazine, when that murder occurred in Servia; -and by degrees it’s getting to be the most terrible thing that ever -happened on this old earth, barring none. We’re living in wonderful -times, Amos.” - -“Seems so, Jack, when you stop to think of all that’s being done, in -the air with dirigibles and aeroplanes, and under the sea with the -submarines.” - -“Our fathers laughed at Jules Verne when they read some of his books,” -ventured the other boy, seriously; “but let me tell you most of what -he described there has already come to pass. We may live to see his -account beaten to a frazzle, as Teddy says, the way things are going on -nowadays.” - -“It’s a blessed good thing that America’s three thousand miles away, -and that the whole big Atlantic Ocean rolls between,” remarked Amos, -reflectively. - -“By which you mean we’re not likely to get into this scrap, I take it,” -said his cousin. “Just go a little slow there, my boy.” - -Amos stopped short to look at him in wonder and uneasiness. - -“Whatever do you mean, Jack?” he started to say. “From the way you -speak it looks as if you wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see the United -States get mixed up in this awful business, after all.” - -“Which would be what I meant,” explained Jack, soberly, “much as I hate -to admit it. Stop and think for a minute, no matter how much the main -body of Americans may want to keep out, remember that we’ve got some -six millions of Germans who are supposed to be naturalized citizens, -but whose hearts still beat fondly for the Fatherland. Besides, there -might be a whole lot of reasons why Germany would really want to see -war declared between herself and our country.” - -“Why, they must be crazy to want that, Jack! We have a hundred million -people, and could do them all sorts of harm.” - -“Could we?” asked Jack, shrewdly. “In what way, I want to know? As -there isn’t any vessel today carrying food or anything else from -America to Germany they wouldn’t feel it there. We wouldn’t send an -army over, nor yet our battleships to take chances of being torpedoed. -We might send forty or eighty torpedo boats and destroyers, but that is -all. Can’t you see that if our country were at war it would shut off -the great supply of arms and ammunition that is flowing across to Great -Britain and Russia and France? We’d need it all at home for six months.” - -Amos stared as well he might. He had not bothered looking below the -surface when he figured that war with the United States would mean -the overwhelming of the Teutonic race. It took Jack to consider what -lay underneath the exterior, and see signs of a deep game wonderfully -played by the Kaiser’s Strategy Board. - -“If that ever happens,” reflected Amos, “it’s bound to be a world -war in fact, and every nation going will be drawn into it. But after -Turkey I don’t know of even one country that stands back of Germany and -Austria. That alone makes it seem as if they must be in the wrong; but -of course no German will admit that, even if ten thousand neutrals were -against him. - -“You remember the obstinate Irishman on the jury that disagreed, who -claimed that there were ‘eleven pig-headed men’ locked up with him, the -most stubborn lot he had ever run across?” laughed Amos. - -“One thing sure,” Jack added, “if Germany is beaten in the end it’ll -only be the same way our South was whipped, by sheer force of superior -numbers, wearing them away until they have to hoist the white flag and -surrender. Great Britain is already fighting on that policy of Grant’s, -that man for man the Allies can stand equal losses better than their -enemies.” - -“Why, I’ve been beaten at checkers by the same dodge, Jack. The other -fellow having managed to get one of my men by some accident insisted -in facing others and compelling an equal exchange, till it got down to -his having two to my one; which odds proved too much for me. I’ve quit -playing the game on that account.” - -“Well, I’m going to predict that the chances are Germany, if she ever -does quit, will do it from the same reason, that as the war goes on -the ratio against her will keep on increasing steadily until she is -overwhelmed. Perhaps Holland will be dragged into it, and the Allied -army will pass through the Netherlands to invade Germany from the west. -We may live to see the end, and I want you to remember what I’m saying.” - -So they talked as they went on, not as careless boys, but with the air -of observers deeply impressed by what they had witnessed of the great -war. Rubbing up against such impressive sights is bound to be a great -educator, and those two wideawake American boys had progressed by great -leaps and bounds since coming abroad a short time before. - -“Is that smoke rolling overhead, or clouds, Jack?” asked Amos, a short -time later, as he chanced to look up. - -“Clouds, because they are coming from another quarter than the fighting -line,” the experienced Western boy announced. - -“Then perhaps we’ll get some rain before long, though it feels pretty -cold for that, when you come to think of it,” replied Amos. - -“It wouldn’t surprise me if we did,” said Jack. “They say that after a -big battle it nearly always does rain, whether from the great noise, -or something else I can’t tell you. If it comes it means more mud, and -goodness knows we’ve had enough of that before now.” - -“If only it’s heavy enough it may put a stop to the fighting for today, -which would mean some lives saved,” ventured the other. - -“Only to be sacrificed tomorrow, so what difference does that make?” -Jack returned. “I’m getting kind of cynical about these things. There -will be just so many men killed in this war, you see, and so the sooner -they reach that number the better. Then perhaps America can patch up -an enduring peace.” - -“Jack, I really felt a big drop of rain then!” - -“Yes, I’m afraid we’re in for a storm that may last the rest of this -day, Amos.” - -“And no shelter in sight,” groaned the second boy. “I wish we could -only run across another ruined chateau like that one we visited this -morning. It might seem a little hard to go hungry all night, but we -could build a fire, and keep comfortable anyhow, and that’d count for a -lot.” - -“Let’s start out and run for it,” suggested Jack. - -“What’s the use, if we have to get soaked anyway? See here, Jack, -have you glimpsed any haven of refuge? Is there a cottage in sight, a -friendly cave, or even a big hollow tree into which we might push?” - -Jack laughed at the way his cousin said this. - -“I think I sighted something like a cottage ahead of us, several of -them in fact,” he admitted. “If that was a fact, why, we may be coming -to the outskirts of the town of Ypres, which isn’t a very big place.” - -At that Amos looked pleased. - -“Hurrah! who knows but what we may get something to eat in the bargain, -even if sour black bread is all they’ve got to spare. I can run faster -than this, if you say the word, Jack!” - -“Then whoop it up for keeps!” Jack told him, immediately setting a good -example by increasing his own pace. - -There were houses ahead. The drops began to come down faster, and it -seemed to be an open question as to whether Jack and his cousin would -reach shelter fairly dry or not until the rain had drenched them. -Almost winded with their exertions, they presently arrived in the midst -of the cottages, which like nearly all others in Belgium of that day -showed positive signs of having been under artillery fire. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. SHELTER FROM THE STORM. - - -“We’re going to make the push, Jack!” gasped Amos, as they found -themselves in close touch with the cottages. - -“Yes, and I only hope we’ll find a friendly roof to shelter us,” added -his chum. - -The clouds hung heavy above them. One would almost imagine the day was -far spent, and night about to close the curtains of darkness around -them. Again did they feel drops of rain starting to fall, and this time -it threatened to continue. - -Looking around, Jack picked out a certain house as the most promising -of all those near by. He never could exactly explain just why he -selected that particular cottage, except that it was possibly a bit -closer than any other, and the rain began to fall more and more -heavily. - -Hurrying under the shelter of the little porch that lay before the -door, the boys found that they could immediately escape the increasing -downpour. At the same time, as this was no mere summer shower, Jack did -not intend to stay on the outside. - -So he proceeded to knock with his knuckles on the closed door. There -was no immediate reply, at which Amos suggested that possibly the -cottage might be without a tenant. - -“If you looked a little closer,” his comrade told him, “you’d never say -that, for there is smoke coming from the top of the chimney. Besides, I -saw a face at the window staring at us when we rushed under this little -canopy that shields the door.” - -“You don’t say!” ejaculated Amos. - -“It was the face of an old woman, and white with fear I thought,” -continued Jack, seriously. “Still, that shouldn’t surprise us, -because in these terrible war-times all sorts of frightful things are -constantly happening to make timid people shiver with dread.” - -“But, Jack, surely two boys oughtn’t to make anybody afraid?” -expostulated Amos. - -“Sometimes the most innocent-looking things are the most dangerous,” -his chum told him. “These poor Belgians must be seeing German secret -agents everywhere about them. We have been suspected before now, and -seen in this strange light even you might appear a regular ogre in her -eyes.” - -“But, my stars! Jack, are we going to stay out in the rain right along -just because some silly person might think all strangers are German -spies? Don’t you intend to knock again?” - -For answer Jack once again brought his knuckles against the door with -more vim than before. It might even be considered a knock of authority, -for there is such a thing. - -This time they plainly heard the shuffling of feet within. Then a -bar seemed to be removed, which in itself was a mute evidence of the -radical change that had come to this land since war stalked abroad; for -in the good old days of peace it was likely that no door had ever been -fastened, since thievery was next to unknown. - -As the door was partly opened they saw a man of middle age, whose sight -was confined to one eye. He looked plainly worried, Amos could see; but -being content to leave all matters to Jack, he held his peace. - -It was the usual habit of the boys when desiring to communicate with -any of the people whom they chanced to meet to test them first of all -with English. There were a certain number of Belgians who could speak -that language, having picked it up in trade, or by reason of having -been across the Channel working in English factories during dull -seasons in their own country. - -Jack first of all pointed to that wonderful little flag which Amos bore -in his buttonhole. - -“We are Americans--from the United States--can you talk English?” - -He saw the man’s face give a twitch, and even fancied that his worried -face took on a partially relieved expression, though his hand resting -upon the edge of the door still quivered. - -“Yes, I can speak and understand English,” he immediately said in -a quavering tone. “Both the wife and me, we have worked over in -Birmingham in the days that are gone. What is it you want, m’sieu?” - -Jack waved his hand as if to call his attention to the descending rain. - -“Shelter from the storm,” he said. “We will be only too glad to take -whatever accommodations you can spare, so long as we keep our coats -dry, and get a bite to eat; and please understand we will pay for the -service. I hope you will not refuse to accommodate us for one night, my -friend!” - -The old man looked puzzled. He acted as though while he would like to -say no, policy compelled him to think twice before committing himself. - -“Please wait a minute. I will talk with the good wife.” - -He closed the door in their faces as he said this, softly, however, as -though not wishing to offend them. - -“Well, I like that,” said Amos. “We may have to go elsewhere to get out -of the rain.” - -“Give them a little time,” cautioned Jack. “It shows that the woman -rules here, as she usually does in every home. Don’t you remember that -story about the man who started out to learn whether the man or the -woman of the house was the actual boss, and found to his satisfaction -that it was always the lady?” - -“I don’t remember hearing it, Jack,” commented Amos. “Suppose you tell -me about it while we’re waiting for them to decide this matter.” - -“Oh! I thought it was a chestnut,” laughed Jack. “It’s so good that it -would bear repeating anyway. This man started out to please his father, -taking ten chickens in the wagon and a pair of horses, one gray and -the other a roan. If he found that the woman bossed the house he was -to leave a fowl; and should he ever come across a home where the man -was absolutely the ruler one of the horses was to be given to the happy -couple!” - -“That’s interesting. Honest, Jack, I’ve never heard the story before, -either.” - -“From house to house the man went. In every case he learned that woman -ruled the ranch, and so by degrees his supply of fowls got down to a -single specimen. Then he came to a place where there was a big burly -man and a small sharp-eyed wife. When he stated his case he learned -that in this home the man did just as he pleased. Both declared this, -and it looked as though he had at last hit on an ideal couple, which -would please his father very much. - -“‘Since in this house the man is the sole boss,’ he told them, ‘I am -empowered by my father to make you a present of a horse. Now choose -which one of these two animals you would want to have.’ - -“‘The gray one strikes me as just about right,’ said the man. - -“‘It’s a good horse,’ admitted the woman, ‘but don’t you think the roan -a little the finer, John? It seems to me if there is any choice I’d -take the roan.’ - -“At that the man told them to step aside and settle the matter; so -after some talk the husband came forward a little sheepishly and said: - -“‘Mister, if it’s all the same to you I think we’ll take the roan -horse!’ - -“‘You’ll take a hen,’ said the traveler, as he chucked the last fowl -out of the wagon, and drove back to tell his father that woman was -supreme in every home.” - -Amos laughed heartily at hearing the conclusion. Anxieties do not -wholly suppress young blood, which is capable of throwing cares aside -at will. - -“Here they come to the door again,” he told Amos. “I wonder what they -think of hearing me laugh so loud.” - -This time the door was thrown wide open by the man. - -“Enter, young messieurs. We will do the best we can to entertain you. -But after such a terrible winter it is little any Belgian family -possesses to keep body and soul together. Lucky are those who still -have a roof over their heads.” - -The old woman looked at them, and nodded her head as both boys saluted -her respectfully. They were given chairs, and seemed glad to sit down -to rest, being more or less tired after walking. - -“What a wonderful day this has been for us, taken in all,” Amos was -saying as they looked out of the small window and saw how steadily the -rain was coming down. - -“We’ll have to mark it with a white stone in our log of this trip -abroad to the battlefields of the world war,” Jack asserted. - -“Do you think they mean to keep us over night?” asked Amos, in a low -tone, as he noted that both man and woman seemed to be stirring around, -getting the fire started afresh, as though meaning to do some cooking. - -“Oh! yes, he said as much as that,” Jack replied. “There’s an upstairs -to the house, and perhaps some sort of loft where we can lie down to -sleep. But it’s a poor family, remember. So don’t expect too much of -them.” - -“I’m willing to put up with almost anything,” hastily observed Amos. -“But do you notice how often they glance this way, and then if they -see either of us looking, seem confused? Jack, it isn’t curiosity that -makes them act so, but something more in the line of fear.” - -“They may have a notion that after all we’re German spies, and meaning -to get secret evidence that will bring them under the military ban -later on. So, while we are here we must be careful not to say or do the -least thing to add to their anxious feeling. Let our talk be wholly of -America, and of how she feels for the wrongs of poor Belgium.” - -Once there was a knock at the door which produced the greatest -consternation on the part of both the old man and his better half. He -finally answered the summons, and seemed greatly relieved when he found -it was only a neighbor who may have seen the two boys go in and felt -desirous of knowing who and what they were. - -So the dull afternoon wore on to a close. The housewife busied herself -over her fire, and the old man talked with the boys. He seemed to grow -a little easier in his mind the more he heard them tell about the land -beyond the ocean. It was as if some of his secret fears may have been -set at rest. - -While the supplies of food may have run pretty low in that humble -Belgian home, as was the universal case, still the housewife knew how -to get the most out of what she had. The appetizing odors that floated -to the boys began to make them anxious for the summons to sit down at -the table. - -Presently this came, and they were not at all surprised to find -that the old couple were deeply religious, and asked a grace before -partaking of the meal. Even the worried look forsook the face of the -good wife when the two uninvited guests chatted pleasantly, and told of -many interesting things in connection with America, the wonder land to -most peasants in the Old World, and of which they can never hear quite -enough. - -So the meal was ended, and the boys again resumed their seats by the -window. It had grown dark by now, with the rain still coming down, -though fitfully. - -“I really believe it may let up before long, don’t you, Jack?” Amos -ventured to say, as they sat there, watching the two belonging to the -cottage busying themselves with various duties, and every once in a -while get their heads close together to exchange confidences, as though -some weighty secret lay between them. - -“The signs point that way,” replied Jack, who was always watching out -for a change in the wind, or anything else that might indicate possible -weather conditions in the near future. - -“I certainly hope we have a decent day tomorrow,” said Amos. “To -think of all those poor fellows lying wounded and uncared for on the -battlefield, how they will suffer tonight in this cold rain. It makes -me feel sick just to remember it. No matter whether they are British, -Belgians, French or Germans, they are our fellow human beings, and have -been our friends.” - -The old man did not come over to them for some little time. Jack -fancied that he was getting nervous again, for several times he half -started from his seat and looked quickly toward the door. - -Sitting there for a while, the boys found that they were getting very -sleepy. Jack purposely yawned several times when he thought the owner -of the cottage was looking their way. If this was intended as a gentle -hint it finally met with its reward, for the man came towards them. - -“Young messieurs,” he said, awkwardly, “if you are tired and would lie -down I will show you the best we can do for you. It is not much, but -you will understand that no one can be expected to do more in these -terrible times.” - -“Please don’t say that again,” Amos burst out with in his impetuous -fashion. “You are doing us a great favor as it is in giving us shelter -from the rain, and something to eat. We feel grateful. I could sleep on -a board and be thankful for the privilege.” - -The man took a candle and started up the steep stairs that seemed -almost like a ladder, with the two lads following after. They found -themselves in what appeared to be an unfinished loft. The rain could be -heard beating softly on the roof. On the bare floor was a thick feather -mattress, and some bedclothes, as well as two pillows. - -“That looks good to me,” remarked Amos, immediately. - -“It is the best we can do,” said the peasant, as he set the candle -down, and bowing humbly backed toward the stairs, letting down the trap -after he had vanished. - -“Why, we’ve got the whole upper part of the place to ourselves,” -observed Amos, as he looked curiously about him. “Seems like our attic -at home, come to think of it. Only I certainly hope there are not so -many rats prowling around as we’ve had to fight there. I’d hate to have -one nibble at my nose while I slumbered so sweetly on that bouncing -feather bed.” - -“I suppose they have a small sleeping-place downstairs,” remarked Jack, -reflectively. “I wonder why they didn’t put us in there instead of up -here. Not that I object to this, for it’s just fine; and that patter -of the rain on the roof will lull us to sleep, I reckon. Still, I -suppose they didn’t want to bother with us down there; or they may have -had some other good reason.” - -“For one I want to forget everything but that I’m as sleepy as they -make them,” and by the way Amos yawned as he said this there could be -no doubt that he meant every word of it. - -They took off only their shoes and coats, for it was quite cool in the -room under the roof. - -“Last in bed puts out the candle!” chuckled Amos, as he crawled under -the covers. - -Jack performed this ceremony, and followed the other. He could not help -noticing that little streamers of faint light managed to find their way -up from below in certain places. This told him there were cracks in the -floor of the loft, a fact that did not surprise him in the least. - -Amos was as good as his boast, it seemed. He had said he would be fast -asleep about as soon as his head struck the pillow. It was not long -before Jack knew from his even breathing that he had fulfilled his -threat. - -Jack somehow seemed to lose his drowsy feeling after lying down, as -often happens to some persons, so that they are inclined to take the -first nap sitting in a chair. He found his mind becoming more active -than he liked. It seemed as though all kinds of things began to flit -through his brain, including the mystery surrounding the old couple -downstairs. - -Becoming annoyed after he had lain there for nearly an hour with closed -eyes, and yet no nearer going to sleep than in the beginning, Jack -took himself sternly to task, and determined to forget all outside -happenings. - -His resolution was immediately sorely tried, for had any one been -gifted with the eyes of a cat, capable of seeing in the dark, he might -have discovered Jack actually sitting up as though listening. - -Had Amos awakened just then he might have asked his chum if he thought -he heard the squeak of a foraging rat. But Jack seemed interested -enough to quietly crawl out from under the covers and silently make his -way along to where the largest crack in the floor was to be found. - -A short time afterward he was shaking Amos gently, and whispering in -his ear. - -“Wake up, Amos, and don’t give a peep,” was what he said in the lowest -tone possible. “There’s something queer going on downstairs. A man has -come in; they opened and closed the door as softly as they could. They -are talking together after dropping the bar at the door. I’m afraid -these people are either not Belgians or else secretly in league with -the enemy. I plainly heard a word in German!” - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. THROUGH A CRACK IN THE FLOOR. - - -Amos was no longer sleepy; indeed, the boy had never been more -wideawake in all the course of his life. What his cousin had just -whispered in his ear was enough to thrill him through and through. - -“Can I see, too?” he asked eagerly, as though it would gratify him very -much if able to satisfy his curiosity in this regard. - -“Yes, but creep along softly, and be careful,” he was instructed by -Jack. - -Accordingly Amos began to move along after Jack, who led him directly -to the spot where he had found the widest crack. Presently both boys -were flat on their stomachs, and with their eyes glued to the slender -aperture. - -Apparently Amos had no trouble about seeing, for before long he drew -back again. The murmur of low voices came up to them from below, and -he had found that it was just as Jack said. - -A young man had come in, and was talking very earnestly with the -old people. Whatever it was engrossed their attention they glanced -suspiciously about them from time to time. Amos, looking further, had -seen that the bar was again across the door, and also that every little -window was carefully covered with some sort of dark material that would -prevent prying eyes from peering through into the room. - -That some of the conversation had a connection with the two lads was -evidenced from the way the man pointed upward more than once. Amos, -too, believed he caught a German word spoken by one of the conspirators -below. - -Was this a secret spy, and if so had that apparently harmless old -couple been bribed by German gold to betray the cause of their country? -It was a dreadful thought, and made Amos feel as cold as ice; for like -most American boys he had a perfect horror of treachery. - -“Jack!” he whispered softly, touching the other with his groping hand. - -“Yes, what is it?” asked his comrade in the same cautious way, though -the patter of the still falling rain on the nearby roof would very -likely have drowned what little noise their voices made. - -“It looks bad, don’t you think?” asked Amos, as though eager to have -his own view confirmed by the opinion of his partner. - -“It certainly does, I’m afraid,” said Jack. - -“They act like they are plotting with that stranger,” suggested Amos. - -It was just what Jack had been telling himself. In fact, the actions of -the old couple could be set down as mighty suspicious. All the while -they talked in those low tones they were looking toward the barred -door, and then up in the direction of the loft, just as guilty persons -might be expected to do. - -Of course, in those trying times, for a Belgian to be caught having -secret connection with the enemy was equivalent to signing his own -death warrant, for there would be little mercy shown, no matter how -old and infirm he or she chanced to be. If, therefore, this couple were -treading on this dangerous ground, their confusion and nervousness when -the boys asked lodging could be readily understood; they had expected a -visit from the spy, and were afraid that the so-called Americans might -learn of his presence. - -Jack was puzzled to know what might be the right course for them to -pursue under such extraordinary conditions. He felt sorry for that old -couple. Necessity might have forced them to accept a bribe and betray -their own kind. - -Then again the idea of treachery was so repellent that the boy could -find no palliation for the dastardly crime. A spy may be a brave man, -taking his life in his hand in order to gain secret information that -will improve the chances of the cause he advocates; a traitor is a -sneak who, for gain, turns on his best friend. - -Accordingly Jack hardened his heart against that old couple. They -had appealed to his sympathy on account of their age and apparent -infirmity; but even that must not be used as a cloak to defend their -base conduct. Many lives of brave fighting men among the Allies might -be lost through the information they were even now confiding to that -heavy-set young German spy. - -Jack again lay flat so as to watch, and Amos copied his example. It -was not easy to ask questions and hear the answers; so that perhaps he -could gather up more information by using his own eyes. - -Apparently those below were more than ever alarmed over the possibility -of interruption from some source. Even as the two boys in the loft -overhead renewed their eavesdropping tactics they saw that the old man -had pressed a finger on his lips as though he would entail silence on -the other two. - -After that he glided over and carefully lifted the table that stood in -one part of the apartment, and which was different from the larger one -at which they had partaken of that evening meal some time before. - -Amos, seeing what he was doing, glued his eye more eagerly than ever -to the crevice, not wishing to lose a single thing. He watched the old -man cast aside a piece of rag carpet that had covered this section of -floor. Then to the surprise of the boys he lifted a regular trap in the -floor, disclosing a dark aperture. - -Why, it was just like one of those old-time stories Amos could remember -reading, that pertained to haunted mansions, traps in the floor, secret -chambers, and passages, and even tunnels leading out from the cellars -underneath. The boy could almost believe he must be dreaming, and yet, -as he put out his hand and felt Jack alongside, he knew it was the real -thing. - -Undoubtedly they meant that the spy should hide there, for some reason -or other. The old woman had a bundle in her hand that might contain -food, Amos concluded, and this she turned over to the stranger. Whoever -the party was he did not seem at all averse to vanishing in those black -depths; in fact, Amos considered that he acted as though only too -willing. - -There must have been some sort of ladder leading downward, for they -could see him descending. Then the woman ran over and, snatching up -the candle from the shelf, held it as though more or less solicitous -that the other might not slip and lose his footing on the rounds of the -ladder. - -The boys saw the unknown flip his hand upwards just before he was -utterly lost to sight in the gloom that lay heavy down under the trap. -Then the old man lifted the section of flooring and allowed it to fall -back into place again, though careful that it made no perceptible sound -while so doing. - -After that the strip of rag carpet was carefully replaced, and on top -of that he lifted the table. All was as innocent looking as before, and -no one not in the secret would ever suspect that down underneath the -cottage floor lay a strange secret and which had all the earmarks of -treachery to the cause of the Allies. - -The old man and his wife now moved to the other end of the room. They -were talking it all over in soft tones, and Amos could see that -apparently the man tried to encourage his better half, for he seemed to -be assuring her that what they were doing was for the best. - -Amos, lying there a prey to varied thoughts, was sorry for them. He -actually believed that the temptation must have been too much for their -standard of loyalty to their sorely stricken country. With the gold -they would receive for this work perhaps they meant to go to America, -there to build a new home amidst strangers, and forget if they could -the land they had betrayed. - -“Oh! it’s too cruel, and I can hardly believe any one would be so mean -as to do such a thing,” Amos was saying to himself, as though trying -his best to find a gleam of comfort. - -Jack, pulling at his arm, aroused him. - -“Let’s get back to the mattress, and talk it over,” the Western boy -said in his ear, and at that they both began to move softly along, Jack -apparently having a thorough knowledge of the attic, as though he had -made a mental map of his surroundings at the time the candle still -burned. - -Once again they stretched themselves out there. If a board creaked -under their weight, as they moved so cautiously, it could easily have -been mistaken for a gust of wind outside whining around the corners of -the cottage. - -Amos was eager to hear from his chum. He placed such an exaggerated -value upon Jack’s opinions that in this emergency he wanted to learn -what the other thought about it, what their course should be, and all -other things along similar lines. - -“Do you still think that he must be a spy, Jack?” he asked, to get a -start made. - -“I can’t see anything else so far,” replied the other. “Their fear of -being interrupted seemed to say as much. Then the several words spoken -in plain German make that stronger. It must be the man is afraid to go -out again, which was why they’ve hidden him down in the cellar.” - -“P’raps what information they mean to give him isn’t quite complete -yet, and he’ll have to stay over until the next night?” suggested Amos. - -“That isn’t a bad idea,” commented the ranch boy, soberly. - -“But, Jack, what ought we do about it?” asked Amos. “’Course this isn’t -any funeral of ours. We’re neutrals; but I hate a traitor so much I -feel like setting my heel on one as I would on a viper. If these silly -old people have gone and sold themselves for German gold, they ought to -be punished for it. That’s what I think, Jack; now tell me if you’re of -the same mind,” and Amos stopped whispering to give his chum a chance -to speak. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. JACK DEMANDS THE TRUTH. - - -Jack hesitated a short time before replying. It was plain that he -hardly knew just what their proper course should be, and wanted to be -sure he was right before attempting to sway his companion. - -What Amos had said must have had an influence upon him, because as -American-born boys they nearly always felt alike in such matters. Yes, -they meant to be as neutral as they could. Yet there were some crimes -that must prevent them from holding out against taking sides. One of -these concerned the condoning of treachery. - -“Amos,” he finally said, in the other’s ear, “I reckon we’re as one -about that. We can’t stand by and see the cause of the Allies suffer -through the work of any renegade Belgian, no matter if he is an old -man.” - -“Good for you, Jack! I like to hear you say that. Now tell me the next -step we must take, for talking without deeds isn’t worth a snap.” - -“We must go down there, Amos!” - -“Yes, and face the old folks, you mean, of course?” ventured the other -lad, fervently. - -“We’ll tell them what we chanced to see, and then force them to explain -this mystery,” Jack continued. “Perhaps they can do it; perhaps there -is something about this queer happening we don’t understand. They’ve -got to tell us!” - -“Yes, that’s so, Jack, we’ll put the law straight down to them; but -say, what if they choose to defy us? Suppose they say it’s none of our -business if we’re what we claim to be,--from across the sea,--because -America isn’t in this scrap. What then, Jack, old fellow?” - -There was no longer any hesitation on the part of the ranch boy. Once -he had made up his mind to do a thing, he could see his whole course -clear before him. - -“Leave that to me, Amos,” he said, firmly. “I’ll find a way to keep the -spy fast down in that cellar until we can summon help. He must not be -allowed to escape unless his claws are first of all well trimmed.” - -“Now by that I guess you mean we’ll see that he isn’t carrying any -information in the shape of a map or news about the Allies’ reserves?” -Amos ventured to say. - -“Just about that,” added Jack. “Come, let’s get our shoes on, and then -open the trap to go down.” - -“They’ll be some surprised to see us so soon again,” suggested Amos, as -he started to get a foot in a shoe. - -“Perhaps fairly stunned as well, if, as we believe, they’re guilty of -such a foul trick against their kind,” added Jack. - -“Do you think the old couple would show fight, and try to get us in a -hole when they found that we were on to their game?” asked Amos. - -“They didn’t strike me as fighters, either one of them,” he was told. -“All the same it will pay us to keep our eyes fixed on them pretty much -all the time.” - -They managed to get their shoes and coats on. To facilitate progress, -Jack lighted the fragment of tallow candle which had been left in their -charge at the time they were conducted to the loft. - -“I’m all ready,” announced Amos, finally. Somehow, he did not take -quite as much pains to moderate his voice as before; perhaps he fancied -that since they meant to drop down upon the old couple it might be -as well to give them a little warning to the effect that their young -guests were moving about. - -So Jack bent over and lifting the trap opened the path to the lower -part of the Belgian domicile. It was characteristic of Jack that he -should with his other arm bar the way, so that Amos could not have -preceded him even though he attempted to do the same. - -As the two lads came down the steep stairs from the loft they found the -man and woman staring at them. Their whole demeanor expressed alarm, -yes, bordering on a panic. It was as though they had suddenly realized -that those above must be aware of what was going on under that -supposed to be friendly roof covering a Belgian family. - -When the boys advanced toward them the man arose to his feet. He held -on to the table as if for support, showing that in his fright his limbs -threatened to give way under him. - -Amos again felt that twinge of pity for the two. He shut his teeth -firmly together in order to fight against any weakness. In that moment -Amos felt doubly glad it was Jack rather than himself who would -engineer matters, for he had much more confidence in his chum than he -could ever feel in himself. - -Jack faced the two old people, for the woman had also managed to gain -her feet, looking as white as chalk, and with a drawn expression about -her eyes, as though she anticipated receiving a terrible blow. - -“W-w-what does this mean, young messieurs; does not the bed suit you?” -stammered the peasant, trying to appear natural though the attempt was -a farce. - -“It was better than we had any right to expect,” said Jack. “But by -chance we found you had entertained a visitor down here, and we have -come to ask a few questions of you. It is suspicious that he should -come in the night, and also while it storms. You did not want any eye -to see him, so you covered the windows and fastened the door. We may be -Americans, but the cause of the Allies is more to our liking than that -of the Kaiser; and we can’t stand idly by if there is any treacherous -work going on.” - -The man raised his arms and let them fall again, while his wife hid her -face in her hands and seemed to be weeping, for her shoulders heaved -convulsively. - -“M’sieu, I do not understand!” muttered the peasant, helplessly. - -“Then I will try to explain better,” continued the boy, firmly. “A -stranger comes to your door and you let him in secretly. You hold a -conversation with him. We overhear a few words spoken, and they are -in German. That looks bad, Monsieur. It makes us believe you are in -league with the enemy of your country, the same Germany that has made -Belgium a wilderness because her sons dared oppose the passage of -the Kaiser’s great army to strike a mortal blow at France. Are you -following what I say?” - -Amos could see that the old man, greatly moved, had to wet his lips -before he was able to speak. It was as though his emotions almost -overpowered him; and when he did manage to find his voice his words -came as from a distance. - -“Yes, but, M’sieu, I do not understand. Do you mean that I, François -Bart, would inform the enemy of things that must cause the death of -Belgian soldiers?” - -“Do you deny it then?” demanded Jack, frowning so as to impress the -other with the fact that he and his companion were serious in all they -said and did. - -“But, M’sieu, that would make me a traitor, you see, and surely I would -sooner have my right hand burned off than lift it against my king, whom -we madly worship. You cannot mean that, young M’sieu?” - -“Listen,” Jack continued, “all these things which we have seen are -suspicious. It is none of our business which army wins in a square -stand-up fight; but it does concern us when treachery is employed to -stab in the back. You deny that you mean anything that is wicked and -wrong. Then convince us of your innocence, and we will be only too glad -to go back again to our bed and sleep.” - -The man exchanged pitiful looks with his wife. They conferred together -in whispers and Amos knew they were speaking in French, as most -Belgians in the lower tier of towns did, while those toward Holland -and Germany were as a rule accustomed to talking in German when not in -Flemish. - -“Tell me what you want me to do, young M’sieu?” implored the old man, -turning once again toward the chums. - -“You have secreted a stranger down below. Even now I can hear him -knocking with his knuckles on the floor, as though he has heard what we -are saying, and wants you to move the heavy table so as to allow him -to come up; but you will, of course, not think of trying anything like -that.” - -“But--who do you suspect him of being?” faltered the man, still -wringing his hands as though greatly stirred up. - -“He spoke German words,” said Jack, sternly, “and it made us believe he -might be a German spy!” - -At that the woman gave vent to a gasp. She threw herself forward on her -knees and held up her clasped hands to Jack. - -“Not that, it is not that, I say to you!” she moaned. “It is bad -enough, Heaven knows, but nothing could tempt us to have communication -with the hated enemies of our country. Our hearts are sore, almost -breaking with the shame; but if my man was younger and had his sight he -would be there in the line, with a gun in his hands. It is not as bad -as that, oh! M’sieu, believe me!” - -Amos had been deeply stirred by all this. He readily saw that the pair -were in deadly earnest, and he awaited the summing up of the whole -matter with the most intense eagerness. - -“Then you must tell us just who that stranger is we saw come in here, -and who is now hidden under the floor. If not a German spy what is he, -François Bart?” - -The peasant turned to the woman, as though he dared not take the -responsibility of disclosing their great secret on his own shoulders. - -“Shall I tell them?” he asked, hoarsely. - -She nodded her head, and at that he burst out with a torrent of words: - -“He is our only son, young M’sieu, who has been given a faint heart. -Deserting from the brave army of the king, he has come secretly to us -to hide. That is our shame, our grief.” - - - - -CHAPTER XX. AROUSING A COWARD. - - -“Oh! what do you think of that?” Amos was heard to exclaim. - -He looked as though he could hardly realize he understood the correct -meaning of the poor old distracted peasant’s lament. François was -standing there with his head bent; his wife still on her knees rocked -to and fro with many groanings, as though her heart might be nearly -broken. - -Indeed, it was a strange spectacle for those two American lads, and -one that gave them a thrill. They had felt wonderfully shaken when -witnessing the rush of Teuton files on the British lines, and watched -scores, yes even hundreds of furiously fighting men fall in heaps; but -this was entirely different. Now pity filled their boyish hearts. They -believed they could fully comprehend the measure of shame that must -wring the hearts of this honest couple. - -They had but one child, and he a young man who should be at the front -standing bravely up in defense of his beloved country. Instead of that -he had deserted from his regiment, and made his way secretly home, -possibly sending his parents word in some way that he was coming in -order to have them hide him. - -Those old people had the right spirit in their hearts. The man, yes, -and even the old housewife also, would have been ready and willing to -risk and lose their own lives in the great cause of king and country. -To discover that their only boy had a “yellow streak” in his nature -filled them with shame and bitter regret. They feared that if the -truth ever became known they might never again look their friends and -neighbors in the face--those devoted patriots on all sides who had made -the greatest possible sacrifices. - -Jack was almost as much shaken with compassion for the couple as Amos -gave evidence of being. He put out a hand and seized that of the man, -which he insisted on squeezing in his whole-hearted boyish fashion. - -“I am sorry that we forced you to tell us this, François Bart,” he -said, and at the time Amos wondered why his chum spoke so loudly, until -presently he remembered that the boy soldier was just beneath that -floor, and could possibly overhear every word that was said, as Jack -doubtless intended should be the case. - -“You see, M’sieu,” explained the peasant abjectly, “Jean is our child, -and we love him. We could not turn him away from our door, for if seen -he might be arrested and shot at ten paces. So we are in great distress -of mind. We could let everything we have in this world go, and still -smile, but to know that our flesh and blood is a--_coward_. Oh! that is -worse than death itself to both of us.” - -“Then you do not stand back of him in his desertion?” asked Jack. - -“M’sieu, if the news came to us that our Jean had fallen covered with -glory in his place at the front we could rejoice, and be satisfied, for -we must always remember that he gave his poor life for our country. But -that he should turn out to be a deserter, and run from duty breaks our -hearts!” - -Jack felt sure he detected some sort of movement under the floor. -He believed the wretched Jean must have his ear pressed against the -boards, and was not losing a single word of all that they said. So when -he spoke again the ranch boy kept his voice at a pitch sufficiently -high to be heard. - -“We are sorry for you, François,” he said. “It must be a terrible thing -for a father and mother in Belgium to know that their only son is a -coward, and that he has allowed his fears to force him to shirk his -plain duty to his king. Have you done all you can to convince him of -his mistake?” - -“M’sieu, we have pleaded, and almost threatened, but he keeps on saying -that although his heart seems to be brave enough, his legs refuse to -carry him again into the terrible battle where his comrades are falling -all around him.” - -“Then he has already been under fire?” asked Jack, in a surprised tone. - -“Oh! yes, and one of his friends who came back badly wounded told -us Jean was showing himself almost a hero. We believed that the old -failing in his blood had been conquered. Then we had word from him, and -this night he came, trembling with fear, saying that he must be hidden -until he could find a chance to cross over into England where he would -be safe.” - -“Try once more to arouse him,” said Jack. “Appeal to him by everything -that he holds dear. Tell him that you would sooner see him brought -home dead than that he desert in the face of danger. Perhaps the spasm -of fear may have passed by then. He may have come to his senses, -and realize that his true nature is not that of a coward. He has -already shown that he can stand up under fire and give a good account -of himself. And, François, we both hope all may come out well with -you--and Jean! Now we will be glad to go up into the loft once more and -get some sleep.” - -The peasant looked a little more hopeful; even his wife arose from her -knees, to the great relief of Amos, who disliked very much seeing her -in that position. - -“It is kind of you, young M’sieu!” exclaimed the man. “Then you believe -what we have told you? You no longer suspect us of harboring a German -spy under our poor roof?” - -“We are sorry for you, that is all,” Jack told him. “You need fear -nothing from us, since we would not betray your secret for worlds. All -we hope is that your boy Jean will be able to shake himself together, -and resolve to go back to his duty like every Belgian who is worth his -salt is doing this day. Come along, Amos, let’s try for another sleep.” - -When the two boys had climbed once more into the loft, to find the -candle still lighted as Jack had left it, of course the first thing -Amos did was to ask his chum a few questions that were burning on his -tongue. - -“Do you think he heard what was said, Jack; and was that the reason you -spoke in such a loud tone?” - -“You’ve guessed it, Amos. Somehow, I felt so sorry for that poor -couple in their bitter humiliation and shame that I just wanted to see -if I couldn’t arouse whatever spark of patriotism there might be in -Jean’s soul. Yes, I’m sure he caught every word we said.” - -“The question is, will it do him a particle of good, Jack? He must be a -pretty poor specimen of a young fellow to act the way he has.” - -“Well, that can only be proved by time,” Jack told him, with a shake of -his head. “It would be next door to a miracle, of course, and yet such -things have happened before and may again. Honestly, I don’t believe -the boy’s such a terrible coward as he lets himself think.” - -“He passed through more or less fighting, they said.” - -“Yes, and something has happened to give him a scare,” declared Jack, -who had a sagacious way of looking at all such things. “If he could get -a firm grip on himself once more there’s still a chance that he might -win honors enough to wipe out the disgrace he’s made his folks feel. -Anyway, I hope that will happen.” - -From the way Jack yawned it was evident that he did not feel like -discussing the matter any further. Amos took the hint, for he, too, -began to feel sleepy, now that the cause of their recent excitement had -passed away. - -So he also gaped, and started to crawl under the covers, after he had -again removed his shoes and coat. Jack blew out the candle, and in the -darkness they composed themselves to forget all their troubles. Since -Amos was so deeply concerned in finding his long missing brother, whom -he really believed to be in the ranks of the Allies serving as an -aviator, this often proved to be a difficult task; but being unusually -tired after that arduous day, he presently managed to lose himself once -more. - -The long night passed. If from time to time there stole in through -the open window of that loft in the humble Belgian cottage the -deep-throated growl of those great German howitzers such as had reduced -the steel forts at Liége, Namur and since then other fortifications -deemed impregnable, the sound did not seem to disturb the chums any -more than distant thunder would have done. They were by this time -becoming so accustomed to hearing the mutterings of fierce war that -they did not pay as much attention to the same as had been the case -some time back. - -There was no further cause for a sudden awakening. Once, however, when -Jack found himself awake he raised his head to listen, thinking the low -murmur of voices had sifted to his ears. When he made sure that it came -from below he might have smiled as though satisfied, but the fact could -not be made manifest in the gloom of that loft. - -“I wonder if the seed did take root, and will it grow?” was all -Jack whispered to himself, as he calmly turned over to continue his -interrupted sleep. - -So the dawn found them. Daylight, sweeping in through the small windows -told Jack it was time they were up. He aroused Amos, who was apparently -content to linger indefinitely in his cozy bed. - -“It’s morning, Amos!” he called out. “Time we were moving, if we mean -to do anything today.” - -“And say, Jack, seems to me I can smell cooking going on in the -bargain, which is always as good as a goad to get me out of bed,” with -which Amos proceeded to reach for his shoes. - -Yes, they could hear the old couple moving about below stairs. Jack -was not sure but it did seem to him that their footsteps had a more -sprightly ring. Somehow the very suspicion of such a thing did him -good, though he did not think it worth while to mention the fact to -Amos. - -“We must be on the border of Ypres, don’t you think?” Amos remarked, -showing that he was naturally thinking of the chances they had of -finding the daring aviator who answered to the name of Frank Bradford, -and whom he fully believed must be his own brother. - -“Everything points that way,” replied Jack. “Looking out, I’ve already -seen troops hurrying past, British Tommies at that, and all looking fit -for any kind of fighting if their eager faces counted for anything. But -if you’re ready we’ll go down below, get a bite, and then make the old -people accept all we can spare; for the chances are they’ll need every -franc they can get together before the end of this nasty business comes -around.” - -Amos was thinking mostly of the delightful odor of cooking as he came -down the ladder-like stairs that led from the loft to the lower floor -of the cottage. With Jack it was somewhat different, for his first -thought was to look keenly at François and his wife, who had faced -about on hearing the trap raised. - -When Jack saw that the careworn expression had been magically lifted -from those furrowed faces he felt almost like giving a shout of real -satisfaction. - -Straight over to them he hurried, still keeping his eyes fastened on -their telltale faces. - -“What is the good word, François?” he asked, in his -straight-from-the-shoulder fashion; and indeed there was hardly any -necessity to even ask that much, Jack thought, since appearances speak -more loudly than words. - -“Oh! young M’sieu, what can we say to thank you?” burst out the old -peasant, while his good wife nodded vehemently to show that in her mind -she echoed all her “good man” said. “The best that ever could happen -has come to us. Jean has seen a great light. He has won the great -victory over himself. Yes, he signalled to me to let him come up, and -then and there he swore that he would go straight back to his place in -the fighting line, and die a dozen deaths before quitting again. We are -so happy! Now we can look our friends and neighbors in the face without -feeling a cold hand at our hearts. Jean may live to see us again; but -if he should not surely the Good Father above will console us if we -knew that he died for the king!” - -Amos had to furtively rub his eyes as though some mote had suddenly -blown in there; even Jack felt his own vision a little obscured as he -pressed the hands of the relieved old people, who no longer held their -heads down in shame. - -“Come,” said Jack, cheerily, “let’s have a bite and then we must leave -you, François.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. BOMBARDED BY A ZEPPELIN. - - -Shortly afterwards the two boys said good-bye to their host and his -wife, and started out to find headquarters in Ypres. They quickly -discovered that the badly battered town was full of marching soldiers, -and all the other things that go hand in hand with modern war, even to -a number of armored cars which sped past them on the road, exciting the -wonder of Amos greatly. - -“Why, just see how they’ve managed to build up that metal shield around -the men aboard, Jack! They seem to be safe from ordinary bullets -fired by a machine gun. There were two Maxims aboard that last car, I -noticed.” - -“Yes,” added the other, deeply interested, “fighting today begins to -take on some of the old-time ways. You’d almost think of Roman chariots -to see those cars flying along the road, only the galloping horses -have been displaced by a power a hundred times more powerful. But there -must have been some pretty warm engagements around this town, if the -battered walls can tell the story.” - -“Huh! it doesn’t look to me worth the powder that’s been wasted,” -remarked Amos. “Why should both Germans and the Allies want to get and -hold possession of Ypres, I’d like to know? Thousands must have fallen -here, because everywhere you look you see those mounds where the dead -have been buried.” - -“They consider it a place of strategic importance, which is the only -explanation I can give you,” Jack observed. “Perhaps it’s what we’d -call a railway center over in the States. Then the only good road -leading to Dunkirk and the Channel runs out from Ypres; and you know -the Kaiser is dead set on getting his army where he can throw those -shells over on to the shore of England. That mania with him has cost -pretty much all this terrible slaughter.” - -Amos shook his head as though his feelings overpowered him. He must -have been thinking that human life was held pretty cheaply when it -could be thus thrown away for a freak idea, a pet object of revenge -that in the end could not amount to much so far as ending the war was -concerned. - -Of course, the two boys aroused considerable curiosity. It was only -natural that this should be so. Dozens of the soldiers, humming -_Tipperary_ as they strode past in ranks, usually heading toward the -fighting zone, waved a hand toward them in friendly greeting; and the -chums invariably gave an answering salute. - -“I guess they think we’re English boys,” suggested Amos, when this had -happened a number of times. “They know from our looks, and the fact of -our being here, we can never be German anyhow.” - -“Now, I’m of the opinion they glimpse that little flag in your -buttonhole,” ventured Jack, quickly. “It tells them who and what we -are. While the United States is trying hard to be neutral in this big -war, and treat both sides alike, still, as Germany can’t get any war -supplies and the Allies do, on account of their controlling the Seven -Seas, these British must look on us as near-allies. Besides, if they -ever read the papers printed on our side of the water they’d know -that the biggest part of the American nation believes in their cause, -and prays that in the end militarism will be knocked out, with a new -Germany to rise on the ruins of the old.” - -That might sound like pretty strong talk coming from a boy; but then -Jack was wise beyond his years. Besides, he had looked upon strange -sights since coming abroad. Education develops rapidly under such -conditions. - -“I should say Headquarters might lie over in that direction, Jack?” -suggested Amos, pointing as he spoke. “I notice that in most cases the -troops come from that way, which would tell the story, you know.” - -“Good idea, Amos, and one that does your Boy Scout training credit. -According to my mind it’s just as you say, and we’ll see if we can get -an interview with the general commanding this district. He must be -a mighty busy man, and only for that magical letter of introduction -we’re carrying around with us I’m afraid our chances of seeing him and -getting a little confab would be next to nothing. But when he looks on -that signature K. of K. there’s little he can refuse us.” - -“Yes,” added Amos, grinning happily, “that was a master stroke on your -part, asking dad to give us a letter to his old friend and comrade, -General Kitchener, after you learned how close they had once been in -South Africa or Egypt long ago. When I see their eyebrows go up, and -that look come on their faces, it makes me think of a talisman such as -they used of old. I can imagine Ali Baba saying the magical words ‘open -sesame’ before the rock wall that always swung open to the signal. -We’ve got the same wonderful magnet in our well-worn letter signed by -the Minister of War over in London.” - -Moving steadily along they quickly found themselves getting among -crowds of civilians and soldiers who filled the streets of the little -old Belgian town, now a ruined place. - -“What are they all staring up at, I wonder?” remarked Amos. “It must -be some of those rash pilots driving German Taubes are circling around -again, trying to locate hidden batteries of the Allies. Oh! Jack, look -there, that’s a Zeppelin I do believe.” - -Jack had already decided this for himself. Away up among the fleecy -clouds of the early morning they could see what looked like a bulky -cigar-shaped object that was speeding along its course. It was too high -for any anti-air craft gun to hope to reach it. Possibly Allied birdmen -would presently be sent aloft to try and engage the enemy, or failing -that chase him off. - -All at once there arose a shout that was taken up by a thousand excited -voices. The entire crowd started to sway and break. Men dashed for any -sort of shelter that came most convenient. Others threw themselves flat -upon their faces, believing in their sudden panic they would be in far -less danger if they hugged the ground closely. - -Jack had himself detected some object falling from aloft. It might -have been a cast-off sandbag, but in these perilous war times one -must expect something more destructive than this. He too would have -followed the example of those close by and dropped flat, only that he -saw the falling object was bound to miss the spot where he and his chum -stood by a big margin. In fact, it would drop outside the town, as the -hostile airship was at too high an altitude for the marksman to aim -with any reasonable certainty of success. - -Instantly there came a terrific boom. Jack and Amos felt the ground -tremble under them with the concussion, and they did not need to be -told it had been a most destructive bomb that had been dropped from the -swiftly moving Zeppelin. - -[Illustration: Instantly there came a terrific boom.--_Page 249._] - -Almost immediately afterwards came a second shock, with the same quiver -of the racked earth following the explosion. When even a third made the -atmosphere seem to be surcharged with thunder Amos sank to his knees -and pulled at the legs of his companion. - -“Drop down, Jack,” he called, almost frantically. “How do we know but -what the very next bomb will be close by? We don’t want to be torn into -fragments if we can help it, do we?” - -“It’s all over, I reckon, by now,” Jack assured him. “The Zeppelin -seems to have passed well over us; and besides there’s a whole flock of -Allied aeroplanes rising like birds to give chase. This wreck of a town -has had another close call, I take it. Those bombs were terrible ones, -and must have been meant for a purpose.” - -“What do you think the Germans were after? I don’t suppose now they -knew for a minute Jack Maxfield and Amos Turner had come to town?” - -Of course Jack understood that his chum was only saying this in a -spirit of sport. - -“They’re after bigger game than two American boys this time, Amos,” he -said. - -“Then you think they meant to catch somebody high up in authority; is -that it?” demanded the other. - -“It has probably become known through some of those secret channels -by which the Germans learn so much that the British have their -headquarters established somewhere in Ypres just now, even if it is -shifted often to confuse them. And because the fighting line has been -pushed so far away they can’t send shells in here they’ve resorted to -another means for trying to give the British a scare.” - -“The crowd’s pushing over to view what happened,” remarked Amos; “shall -we go, too, and find out what a bomb dropped by a Zeppelin can do?” - -“I’d like to say I’d seen the effect of such a thing,” returned Jack. -“We’re not in such a rushing hurry but what we can afford the little -time it’ll be likely to take; so come along, Amos.” - -Together then they joined the throng that was hurrying toward the -quarter where that last terrible air bomb had exploded on striking the -earth. - -“What great luck that it fell in an open place, and never a human being -was injured, seems like!” exclaimed Amos, gaping at the tremendous -hole in the ground, with the earth thrown in every direction for a -distance of many yards. - -“If a monster meteor, hissing hot, had fallen here it couldn’t have -smashed things worse than that!” Jack declared. “From the way things -are thrown around I’d say if that bomb ever struck a house the people -inside would never know what had happened.” - -“Then they shot it down at haphazard, or else knew in what part of the -town Headquarters lay, and aimed to hit the same?” suggested Amos. - -A soldier in khaki overheard them and started a conversation. Doubtless -he was more or less curious to know who and what they were, and why -they had the run of the British camps when so many spies were known to -be prowling around. He seemed to eye them more or less suspiciously, -especially when Jack made no effort to enter into explanations, not -caring to take every ordinary Tommy into his confidence. - -In the end this happened to bring them into new difficulties, for -the soldier must have immediately gone about voicing his suspicions, -because about the time Jack said they had seen enough and had better -be going Amos noticed that quite a number of soldiers started to -cluster around them, nor did they show any intention of opening up to -let the two boys pass. - -Angry looks were being bent on the lads. Amos was indignant, but Jack -could easily understand what a little thing in these days of bitter -warfare can cause the seeds of suspicion to be sown, making the harvest -quick and unpleasant. - -Just then an officer came bustling up, followed by another bunch of -Tommies, and Jack understood what had happened when he saw in their -midst the very same tall man in khaki who had tried to pry into their -affairs. - -“There they are, Captain!” - -“German spies they must be!” called out another voice. - -“Ten to one they signalled to that same airship where to drop the bally -old bombs!” cried a third soldier, angrily. - -Loud outcries attested to the ugly temper of the gathering crowd. -There could be no telling to what ends that mob might go, sooner or -later. Despite the fact that they were amenable to military orders they -might get beyond the control of authority, and start to wreak summary -vengeance upon the boys, neither of whom showed any signs of being -alarmed. - -“Captain,” said Jack, quietly, though he had to raise his voice so as -to be heard above the rising clamor, “we are just what we say, American -boys. We have made our way into Ypres in order to see your commanding -officer. It is foolish for any one to connect us with that German -Zeppelin, when we were in just as much danger as the rest. Please take -us to Headquarters without any delay. We have something to show the -general; and after he has seen it you will find that he’ll extend the -honors of the camp to us.” - -The captain must have known that if he held back much longer the -excited men were apt to get out of bonds, and do something that would -not be according to military discipline; so he evidently determined -to follow the advice of the boy who seemed to be able to retain his -presence of mind, regardless of the overhanging difficulties. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. AT HEADQUARTERS IN YPRES. - - -“Both of you boys come with me,” the British captain told them, -evidently capable of acting on the spur of the moment. “I’ll see that -you get to Headquarters all right.” - -His actions told that he was a man who knew what to do in an emergency. -First of all he stepped between the boys, and put an arm through -theirs. Then he commanded a batch of passing soldiers under a subaltern -to swing around them, so that on every side they were protected from -the crowd. - -After that they started off briskly. Jack looked at his chum and nodded -his head as if to say that it was more than fortunate for them they -chanced to come across such a level-headed officer in their time of -need. - -A crowd started to follow after them, and seeing this the resolute -captain gave a sharp order that caused the guard to turn and make -threatening gestures with the bayonets on their guns. After that, as -though recognizing the fact that such an officer was not to be trifled -with, the mob fell back and scattered into fractions. - -The danger was evidently past, at least so far as that quarter was -concerned. It remained to be seen how they would get on with the -general. Having the utmost faith in the talisman they carried, neither -Jack nor Amos felt much fear. In this crisis of the country’s history -none but sensible men would be in command of the King’s forces in the -field; and they could depend on just treatment, which was all they -asked. - -There was evidently no desire in those days of hovering Zeppelins -and hostile aeroplanes capable of dropping dangerous bombs, to make -Headquarters in any way conspicuous. No flags decorated the humble -building to which the American boys were now taken. In fact, unless -the steady flow of messengers and orderlies were noted one would never -dream a general high in authority had taken it over for his personal -quarters. - -“Remain here while I see if the general is in and can give you a few -minutes,” was what the captain told them, with which he vanished beyond -the two grim sentries who guarded the doorway. - -“Let me tell you we’ve been mighty lucky to have such a friend bob up -when we needed one,” remarked Jack, as they awaited the reappearance of -the officer. - -“I kind of think he’s taken quite a fancy to you, Jack,” the other -observed. “He must have a soft spot in his heart for Americans. Every -time he looked around at one of us he’d sort of smile. I’m going to ask -him if he ever lived across the water in our country. Here he comes. I -think it’s all right, and the general will see us, because he looks as -‘pleased as Punch,’ as these Britishers say.” - -Amos guessed rightly, for the captain nodded his head as he came up to -them, still surrounded by the men in khaki. - -“You are to come in with me, boys. The general has a few minutes of -leisure, and will listen to what you have to say,” he told them, as he -dismissed the men. - -“I hope you’ll excuse me, Captain,” said Amos, bent on satisfying his -curiosity on the spur of the moment. “Something seems to tell me you -know America. Am I right about that, or is it a bad guess, sir?” - -“I spent several years in Washington as an attaché to our Embassy -there,” the officer confessed. “It happens that I married an American -woman, so I can assure you I have a great many good friends over -there, two of whom I happen to know are in the Foreign Legion that was -organized in Paris to fight Prussian militarism. But come with me, as -the general’s time is precious. Whatever your errand may be over here I -wish you good luck.” - -“Thanks, Captain, and the same to you!” exclaimed Amos, as he gave Jack -a wink, desiring to call his attention to the fact that for once his -guess had hit the bull’s-eye. - -A minute later and they were ushered into the presence of the general. -Amos felt immediately that they would not have any difficulty in -gaining the good will of this high functionary. He had a keen eye, -and surveyed the two American boys curiously, as though finding it -difficult to understand why they should have been allowed to roam -almost at will over these fighting zones, when other non-combatants -were swept far to the rear for many reasons. - -“Captain Sperry informs me you wished to have a brief talk with me,” -was what the general said in quick, terse tones that denoted unusual -energy. “First of all tell me who you are, why you are here, and how -in the name of all that’s wonderful you have been allowed safe conduct -through this war-torn region.” - -As was usually the case, Jack took it upon himself to do the talking. -Amos always admitted that he was not in the same class with his cousin -when it came to making a good use of his vocal organs. In other words, -to use the words of some of their boy friends across the water, Jack -had the “gift of gab,” and had often been put in the “spell-binder” -division. - -So Jack introduced Amos and himself. He went right at the root of the -matter, telling how Frank Turner had left home under a cloud, and then -how some years later his complete innocence had been established so -strangely. - -Having in this fashion interested the general, who was human even -though a stern soldier, perhaps a martinet in his way as well, Jack -explained how they had been given a letter of introduction to Lord -Kitchener, and that the father of his chum had once been a warm friend -of the great soldier in the Soudan. - -In somewhat of a dramatic fashion Jack told how they had been given a -paper by the British War Minister, and then presented the well-worn -document to the astonished general. He examined it eagerly, and then -looked at the two boys. The stern expression on his strong face had -changed to a friendly smile, owing to first of all the spell of Jack’s -boyish oratory, and then the sight of that honored signature. - -“You are fortunate indeed, my young friends,” he told them, “in having -such a backing. I do not wonder any longer that you have been able to -penetrate our lines, and see much that has been going on, which other -eyes have not been able to observe. But I sincerely hope you may never -fall into the hands of the Germans, for that wonderful paper would seal -your fate. They would convict you as spies sent out by Lord Kitchener. -Now tell me what I can do for you?” - -This was just what Jack was waiting for. Accordingly he explained how -in various ways they had come to firmly believe that the missing Frank -Turner had taken up aviation, and that at the breaking out of the war -had joined the British aerial corps under the name of Frank Bradford. - -Jack was watching when he said this, and, just as he anticipated, the -general and captain, the latter of whom had been asked to remain in the -room during the interview, showed immediate signs of renewed interest, -proving that they recognized the name as belonging to one of their -most daring air pilots. - -“If it turns out as you believe,” said the general, after Jack had gone -on to explain how they seemed to be chasing after a will-o’-the-wisp, -since Frank Bradford was heard of first in one part of the country and -then in another more remote region--“you have every reason to be proud -of that missing brother. He has been a bulwark of insurance for our -cause. There is hardly another aviator who has proven such a thorn in -the flesh to the enemy as Frank Bradford. I had not learned that he was -really an American. How about you, Captain?” - -“Oh! yes, I was told so, General, though as a rule it was not generally -known. I have never met him, though other pilots have spoken of him to -me, and all seem to admire his wonderful nerve and skill.” - -“Do you happen to know where he could be found at present, Captain?” -asked the commanding officer, bent on assisting the two brave boys as -far as he could. - -“I heard some one say,” the other replied, “just a few days back, that -he ran across Frank Bradford at the front with your aerial squad, -General.” - -“Of course, I would hardly have known of it,” remarked the commanding -officer, “because these men are modest, and hide their light under a -bushel, being often designated only by a number. It is too bad that you -boys did not know this when you were close to the front.” - -“We watched a number of aviators flying and sending signals,” Jack -explained; “and my cousin even suggested that one of them might be his -brother; but we had no means of knowing, and thought the only way to -find out would be to make direct for Headquarters, General.” - -Amos looked bitterly disappointed. To think that they may have been so -close to the one they were seeking and then miss him was aggravating, -to say the least. - -“If you are so bent on finding him,” said the general, as though he -could tell from the look on Jack’s face there was no thought of letting -a little thing like this discourage them, “I will do what I can to -help you out.” - -“It is very kind of you to say that, General!” declared Jack, his face -beaming with a broad smile as he turned toward Amos and winked. - -The commanding officer drew a pad of paper toward him and hurriedly -wrote several lines upon a sheet, after which he signed it. - -“That will allow you to continue your search, my lads,” he said, as he -handed the document to Jack, who folded and carefully placed it in an -inner pocket without reading what the other had written. “I deplore the -necessity that will take you once more through the dangerous zone of -fire, because it would grieve me to hear that any accident had befallen -you. We British know how to admire valor in boys; and I rejoice to know -that our American cousins across the sea possess the same manly spirit -we love to see in our own kith and kin at home.” - -The general actually held out his hand to them, which Jack reckoned -to be an unusual thing for a commanding officer to do. But of course -he could unbend his dignity when dealing with boys, and this meeting -must have been a refreshing break in the monotony of strictly military -doings. - -“The best of luck attend your search,” he told them at parting. “While -I may sympathize with the sacred object of your mission, deep down in -my heart I am hoping your brother will consider it his duty to stick -by his task. The Allies can ill afford to lose so brilliant a pilot at -just this critical stage of the terrible game of war.” - -Jack knew that the busy general had given them much more of his -valuable time than common prudence would have dictated. That was -because he had taken an interest in their fortunes, and also in -themselves as typical representatives of Young America. So Jack bowed -and backed away, in which he was imitated by Amos. - -Once again they were in the open air, with the deep muttering of the -battle coming from the front. The captain now held out his hand as -though to say he had pressing duties to attend to, and could not spare -further time to accompany them. - -“We may be ordered to take our places in the line at almost any -minute,” he explained, “and I should be with my men, who are chafing at -the delay, being wild to get in action. So I will echo all the general -said. The best of luck attend you both, my lads. I have two boys at -home, and I assure you they love the country of their mother as well as -that to which their father owes allegiance.” - -When they found themselves free to act the first thing Jack did was to -take out the paper given into his charge by the commanding officer and -examine it, with Amos leaning over his shoulder. - -“Brief and to the point, as a soldier’s communications always should -be,” observed Jack; “but it covers the ground, and will keep any -British or Belgian patrol from interfering with our movements. I hardly -think such liberty has been granted to any other non-combatant in this -war. On the whole, I can see where it’s going to help me out in my -letters to my paper.” - -“And now we’ve got to cover the same ground again, do we?” asked Amos. - -“Pretty much so,” he was told by his comrade. “Only with this paper -from the general we may look to have all sorts of favors granted to us. -Who knows but what we may get a ride part of the way in an automobile, -or on a motor truck going for the injured? I mean to make an effort, if -a chance comes along.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. A RIDE ON A GUN CAISSON. - - -“There’s the cottage of François Bart,” observed Amos, some time later, -as they passed through the village on the outskirts of Ypres. - -“Yes, and some one is waving to us from the open door,” added Jack. -“It must be his good wife, and she has recognized her lodgers of last -night.” - -“I hope they get no bad news about their boy from the front where the -Belgian army is holding out so stubbornly,” said Amos, reflectively. - -“So long as he stands up to the job neither of them will complain,” the -other commented. “They felt the disgrace much more than they would the -stab if news came that Jean had fallen while doing his duty for his -country.” - -“For one I’m glad we had a chance to run across a little side drama -like that, Jack. It showed us of what stuff these patriotic Belgians -are made. And you can find some mighty bright material for your -correspondence in that happening, too.” - -Chatting after this fashion they trudged along. The way seemed fairly -familiar to them, since they had so recently come over it. As before, -the road was at times almost clogged with the numerous vehicles passing -back and forth. These consisted altogether of motor vans or lorries -going after more wounded, or fetching loads of the same from the front -where the battle still raged; cars containing officers hurrying to the -fighting line; artillery trains of cannon; supplies; ammunition, and -even more armored cars. - -Then at one time the boys had to get out of the way when a squadron of -hard-riding cavalry swept past. Jack again believed many of these men -must have come from the Canadian Northwest, for they sat their saddles -after the free and easy fashion of cowboys. He was almost tempted to -give vent to a whoop just to see if some of them would answer; but -discretion or second thought caused him to forego this, as it could do -them no good, and might get them into trouble. - -“Here comes a van heading our way,” called out Amos, about half an -hour after they had left Ypres, “and it seems to be nearly empty for a -change. Most of them are chock full of Tommies being rushed forward. -Jack, will you make the try with that paper the general gave us?” - -“Surely,” returned the other, “if we can get them to stop. Here’s a bad -spot in the road, and they’ll have to go slow in passing. Now to see -what luck we have.” - -When Jack made motions indicating that he wanted the driver of the -motor van to stop, possibly that worthy, seeing the bad spot in the -road, feared he might become mired. At any rate he pulled up. Jack had -his paper ready, and stepping up shoved it up at the chauffeur, who -was undoubtedly a Britisher, perhaps one who had up to recently been -driving some business van or motor ’bus in the congested streets of -London. - -“Please read this communication given to us by the general in -command,” was what the boy said, without any show of bluster. - -When the chauffeur glanced over the brief but pointed order that -every one in authority should render assistance to the bearer and his -companion, he knew instinctively what was wanted, for he at once made -room on the seat. - -“If you want to go along, get aboard, young fellows!” he said, -and without waiting for further invitation they both clambered up -alongside, after which the big van started on again, bent on taking -another load of wounded to the hospitals in the rear, perhaps at -Dunkirk. - -Amos noticed that the bottom of the van was covered with fresh hay, and -he was glad to discover no signs of previous occupancy. - -The driver was curious to know why two boys were roaming around close -to where tens of thousands of soldiers were engaged in the gruesome -task of killing each other; it was only natural he should feel this -way, for that document he had examined, signed by the general, told -him Jack and Amos were no ordinary strollers bent on seeing the sights. - -Jack thought it best to tell him just a little so that he might -understand how they stood in with the commander-in-chief at Ypres -Headquarters. It was as small a compensation as they could make in -return for being given such a splendid lift on their way. - -Louder grew the discordant sounds that spoke of the hot work being done -along a line that must cover many miles of front. In places the Germans -must be attacking furiously again, hurling masses of fresh troops -forward in hopes of pressing the Allies back once more. - -“But they’ve shot their blooming bolt,” said the van driver, -exultantly. “Gas is wot done it, I tell you; but our men have turned -and pushed the mob back a full mile or so, I hears. There we stick, and -they can’t budge us, try it as they will.” - -Every chance Amos got, when the road was fairly clear of trees ahead, -he leaned forward and seemed to be intently examining the heavens as -though fearful that it might start in and rain again. - -Jack knew, however, it was something besides this that was causing the -other to act as he did; and that it concerned those venturesome fliers -who during the entire day would be sailing back and forth through the -upper air currents, spying on the troop movements of the enemy, and -sending numerous valuable messages back to those who with glasses -bearing on the aeroplanes were reading to receive such news as came. - -“I can see half a dozen of them sailing around away off there, Jack,” -remarked Amos, with a vein of deep anxiety in his voice and manner. “I -wonder if one of them can be Frank. They’re too far away right now for -me to say which belong to the Allies and which are Taubes of the enemy.” - -The chauffeur, while not knowing why they should have any particular -interest in aeroplanes, kindly volunteered to pick out those that were -connected with the cause of the Allies. - -“Germans always have a queer way of flying,” he explained. “They all -learn to do things the same way like they was parts of a big machine. -Our men go it every one like he learned his own style. But say, boys, I -have to turn off the road here and follow this trail which leads to a -hospital where I gets me load. If so be you’d want to keep on that way -you’re welcome to stay aboard with me.” - -Jack, however, believed that their end would be best attained if they -kept on in a direct line for the village where they had passed that -night at the time the great German drive broke like a water dam, and -pressed the Allied armies back for several miles. - -They trudged along for half a mile. Then back of them came a battery of -field guns, swinging to the front for service. The boys stepped out of -the way, and as the artillery swept past they waved a hand to the grim -men in khaki sitting on the seats of gun carriage and caisson. - -“I wouldn’t mind riding on one of those, given half a chance,” Amos was -saying a little enviously, for as the horses were galloping there was -a promise that the fresh battery would soon be wheeled in position to -take toll of the charging Prussians. - -“Look there!” exclaimed Jack. “The very last caisson has pulled up -right in front of us you might say. Something gone a little wrong with -a part of the harness, most likely. I wonder if our pass from the -general would get us a seat on that ammunition cart!” - -“Try it, Jack!” advised his chum eagerly. “I’m not so struck on this -walking that I’d refuse a chance to ride on any kind of vehicle. -Besides, it’ll take us to the front all the sooner, you know.” - -There were three men with the caisson that had stopped on the road. -Two of them were hurriedly fixing the harness so that it would work -easier. The third Jack saw must be a non-commissioned officer, perhaps -a corporal, who could afford to sit there and order the others what to -do. - -Stepping quickly up, Jack held out his paper. - -“This is signed by your general, sir,” he said rapidly, for fear the -halt would be discontinued before he had found his chance to make good. - -“It’s altogether unusual, I know, but we are anxious to get forward, -and would like to be allowed to sit on the chest at the back while you -push ahead.” - -“Utterly impossible, boy!” exclaimed the other, but about the same -time he took in what the commanding general had written, and his eyes -opened wide as he hastened to add. “Why, I hardly know what my duty -is. By this document I am commanded to assist you two boys in every -way possible, no matter whether it is against general orders or not. -Jump up and hold on, then, for we will have to move rapidly in order to -overtake the rest of the battery!” - -Jack hastily put the paper safely away. He would not like to lose -that valuable document for a great deal, since it must stand as their -sponsor in the hunt for Frank Bradford. Hardly had he and Amos secured -a seat on the ammunition chest than the two gunners hustled into their -places. Then the horses were started on a furious gallop. - -The two boys would never forget that wild ride over the rutty roads -beyond Ypres, where in places German shells had torn deep holes that -had later been filled up after a certain fashion. They had more or -less difficulty in holding on, for the caisson jumped frightfully when -passing over these ruts and holes. The whip was not spared, and the -steaming horses did their best to overtake the balance of the field -battery. - -[Illustration: The two boys would never forget that wild ride over the -rutty roads beyond Ypres.--_Page 278._] - -Amos could almost feel that he too wore a khaki uniform, and was -speeding to the battle line in order to take his share in the butchery, -the illusion was so complete. - -It required more or less dexterity to turn part way around in order to -look where they were going. Jack having a better grip than his chum -volunteered to do this duty, and report progress from time to time. - -“We’re overhauling the balance of the battery all right, by slow -degrees,” he told Amos. “I can see signs of the village ahead there, -now.” - -“What’s left of it, I guess you mean, Jack,” said Amos, sadly, “because -you remember how we saw the German shells bursting in the streets, -and among the houses by the dozen. I’ll be more than surprised if any -buildings have been spared after such a furious bombardment. Will we -find our host the old burgomaster alive, or poor little Jacques still -marching up and down with his Belgian flag over his shoulder?” - -“When the Germans were in the place at one time he may have had his -chance to spring his trap and carry out that childish vow he made,” -suggested Jack. “It’s more than likely the poor little chap has been -sent to join his father by a cruel German bayonet or a bursting shell.” - -Several minutes later and Amos heard him utter an exclamation of -disappointment. - -“What’s gone wrong now, Jack?” demanded the other. - -“Why, the battery has turned off the road, and is heading through a -field at left angles,” replied Jack. “So we’ll have to drop off when we -get there and finish our journey to the village afoot.” - -“Well, we got a mighty fine lift, all right,” admitted Amos, “and -shouldn’t complain. But they’re still at it hammer and tongs over -there, you notice. Those Germans never know when they’re licked, do -they? I reckon they’ve sent up fresh columns of troops as many as ten -times against the new line of British and Canadians organized. It’s nip -and tuck between them, because both sides are as stubborn as they make -them.” - -“By this time the Kaiser has learned that the British can fight as -well as ever they could in the past,” said Jack. “He called their army -contemptible in the beginning, but I believe he meant in numbers, not -bravery; and it was, compared with the millions he could throw into the -field inside of two weeks, every man drilled and ready to do his part. -But here’s where we skip, and say good-bye to our friends the gunners! -They’ve slackened up speed for us; so jump, Amos, and be careful to -land on your feet, not on your nose!” - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. WHAT LITTLE JACQUES DID. - - -Amos was smart enough to take all necessary precautions when jumping. -He did not meet with any accident, and was in condition to wave a jolly -farewell to the gunners in khaki, who had turned in their seats to see -the last of the American boys carrying that autograph letter from the -British commander. - -“A rough and ready lot of fine chaps, I should say, Jack,” remarked -Amos, after they had watched the caisson whirl past an obstruction that -shut it out from their view. - -“Yes, and it’s tough to think that perhaps not a corporal’s guard -of the whole squad will ever go back again to their English homes,” -replied the other. “To see the way they joke and make merry I don’t -believe that bothers one of them the least bit. When you stop to think -of it, the worst of a war in these times is that it takes off so many -hundreds of thousands of the finest young men, leaving cripples, old -fellows and those who are of little use in the world.” - -“Now I hadn’t thought of that before,” admitted Amos, candidly. “It’s -really a fact, though, isn’t it? Every soldier nowadays has to be -physically sound, of a certain height, and even his teeth are examined -to make sure they’re fit. When a million or two such athletes are cut -off, the old world is going to take a step backward for years to come.” - -“Let’s put our best foot forward, and get to what’s left of the -village, Amos.” - -They trudged along for a little while in almost absolute silence, each -boy being busily occupied with his own thoughts. Perhaps Amos, as would -be quite natural, was planning what arguments he should use when he -came upon his brother. Jack on his part may have been thinking more -of the fate that had overtaken the poor Belgian village which by the -fortunes of war seemed to have been in the direct line of fire between -the hostile armies. - -As they reached a certain little knoll they were given an opportunity -to take their first good look at the place where they had passed that -never-to-be-forgotten night, when the roar of approaching battle had -stirred their young blood to fever heat. - -Amos uttered a cry in which astonishment was mingled with pain. He even -rubbed his eyes as though he almost believed they had deceived him. - -“Jack, it’s gone!” he gasped. “The poor village I mean! Just see how -the cottages have been smashed to smithereens by the shells the Germans -hurled over here while the Allies were holding the place! Oh! it’s -terrible, terrible! I don’t believe there are two stones on top of each -other.” - -“Well, it isn’t quite as bad as that, Amos,” said his comrade, “because -I can see several houses still standing, though they’re wrecks at -that. But if ever there was a peaceful village turned into a howling -wilderness this one has been.” - -“But, Jack, what’s become of the people?” - -“A whole lot of them were wise enough to get away at the time we did,” -Jack reminded him. “You remember how we found them strung out along -the road. By now we hope they’ve found lodging somewhere in Northern -France; for the French people have warm hearts, and owe Belgium such -a heavy debt for holding back the Kaiser’s army that they will share -their last crust with their neighbors.” - -“Still there were some who meant to stay here, Jack?” urged Amos. - -“That’s true enough,” came the answer, “and our old landlord the -burgomaster was of the number, though I reckon he insisted on most of -his people going away. They had a good deep cellar under that cottage, -he told us; perhaps no German shell buried itself down there to find -them out. Come, let’s head that way. I’ve got an idea the one house we -can see standing over there is the very home where we were taken in.” - -“I hope so, Jack, I surely do!” exclaimed the other boy fervently. “I’d -hate to learn that such a fine old man had been done for. If that is -the house, though, I’d never recognize it with the corners torn off, -and the chimney fallen in ruins. Oh, Jack, see, there’s a gaping hole -in the wall showing where a shell passed through. If it exploded inside -we can guess the fate of all that were hiding there.” - -“Look again, Amos, and you’ll see that it came out through that hole, -and buried itself in the ground right here. It was a German shell, of -course, as pretty much all that fell upon this place must have been; -for the British were behind the houses holding the enemy off, and every -effort was made to chase them out.” - -“But they held their ground, it seems like,” said Amos, “and with the -coming of reinforcements pushed the Germans back a mile or more. Now to -find out what happened to the old burgomaster. - -“Jack, tell me, isn’t that some one moving around inside the ruins of -the cottage?” - -“I do believe you’re right, Amos. We’ll soon know who it is,” replied -the Western boy, as he made for the doorway. - -The cottage could only be called a ruin, even though its four walls -still stood, and part of the roof seemed to be fairly intact. A tree -just outside that had given grateful shade for many years was stripped -of its limbs, and the trunk stood like a gaunt skeleton, a grim -reminder of the furious hail of bombs that had fallen upon that devoted -village for hours. - -Jack had to almost climb over the mass of debris that cumbered the -open doorway. He immediately found that the wrecked cottage did have -occupants. Several figures were stretched upon blankets on the floor, -and others hovered over them, showing that the place was really being -used as a sort of hospital. - -Jack immediately saw, however, that those who were being thus attended -were not soldiers of the line. One was a woman, another an old man, -while the third seemed to be a small figure, presumably that of a mere -lad. - -A hand clutched Jack’s arm, and the voice of his chum whispered -hoarsely in his ear: - -“Our old friend has come through it all with his life, Jack; don’t you -see him giving that boy a drink, and passing his hand over the poor -little chap’s forehead? Seems to me I’ve set eyes on that boy before, -and--yes, as sure as anything, Jack, I do believe it’s little Jacques. -He’s been struck down, just as we feared.” - -“They seem to be hovering over him in a strange way,” ventured Jack. -“There’s a Belgian soldier holding his other hand, and two women doing -what they can. Jacques doesn’t lack for friends, it seems. I wonder -what it all means, and if he tried to carry out that foolish vow he -made about getting revenge for his father’s death.” - -Just then it happened that the old burgomaster, who no longer had a -village under his charge, looked around. He may have heard the murmur -of their voices during some lull in the dreadful chaos of sounds that -came from the front, rising and falling as the wind chanced to swerve. - -At sight of the two American boys his wrinkled face showed great -pleasure. He immediately got up from his knees and hurried toward them, -holding out his hand in warm welcome. - -“I am glad to see you again, young messieurs,” he said, simply. “I -wondered much what had become of you, and prayed that you had escaped -the terrible shells that seemed to cover every mile of territory around -this poor village.” - -Amos was conscious of a feeling of amazement. He marveled greatly that -the good old man could spare even one thought for them, when he himself -was face to face with so overpowering a peril. It certainly spoke well -for his heart. No wonder then that those who had lived in that place -had made him their burgomaster. In Belgium that name stands not only -for Mayor, but father to the entire community, with an eye single to -the welfare of the “children” entrusted to his care. - -“We are glad, too, on finding that you escaped when so many must have -been killed or injured here, even while hidden in cellars,” Jack told -him. - -The burgomaster shook his white head dismally. There was an expression -of woe on his face, but in spite of all Jack could detect the gleam -of an unconquered spirit in those unflinching eyes. The Kaiser might -overrun Belgium with his soldiers, and hold every foot of soil, but he -would never be able to crush the independence of soul that has always -been the common heritage of every Belgian. - -“It has been a terrible calamity,” he said, simply. “We bow our heads -before the storm, even as the trees do when the wind blows, and the -thunder rolls. But after it is all over they raise their crests again. -So, too, young messieurs, will Belgium rise from the ruins of her -cities and towns to become greater than before.” - -How proudly he said that. Amos would never forget the exalted look on -the seamed face of the old burgomaster. Somehow he found it in his -heart to believe every word of that prophecy must in the course of time -come true. - -“These wounded persons, did they get their injuries while down in the -cellar? Was it a shell that exploded there to scatter death around?” -Jack asked, nodding toward the group hovering around the blankets on -the floor, upon which those forms were stretched. - -“Heaven was merciful in that nothing like that came upon us,” the old -man hastened to inform him. “They received their hurts outside, as did -others who are now being cared for amidst the ruins of our poor houses, -by some of those who remained with me in shelter.” - -“And how about little Jacques?” asked Amos, unable to hold his -curiosity in check any longer. - -The burgomaster allowed his grim features to relax for a brief moment -in what was almost a smile; though with so much suffering around him -it sat strangely upon his face. He nodded his head several times as he -went on to say: - -“Ah! young M’sieu, that is the most remarkable thing I ever knew to -happen. Yes, it is little Jacques you see there on the blanket. He has -been injured, but we hope and believe he will recover. He surely will -if our prayers are of any avail; for, wonderful to say, little Jacques -is this day a hero of heroes!” - -At that Amos uttered a pleased cry. - -“Oh! do you really mean to tell us the little chap actually found his -chance after all? What did he do--what could so small a boy do against -the fighting soldiers of the Kaiser? Please tell us all about it.” - -“It was in this way,” described the burgomaster, proudly. “When the -Germans came into the village after that first furious bombardment they -managed to hold half of the place. There was fighting in every street, -desperate hand-to-hand fighting, for those British were determined they -would not be chased out wholly. This kept up until the reinforcements -arrived on the run, wild with the lust for blood. Then step by step the -Germans were pressed back, until in the end they lost their grip on the -village.” - -“After that the bombardment must have started in afresh, until the -whole place was leveled as flat as a plain?” interposed Jack, wishing -to get all the facts clearly in his mind, for future use in his letters -to the paper he represented. - -“Just as you say, young M’sieu,” continued the burgomaster. “It was -while the Germans held part of the town that Jacques found his great -opportunity. Two of the invaders discovered him there on the street -amidst all that furious firing back and forth. They seized hold of the -lad, and, I believe, threatened him with death if he did not reveal the -place where his people were hiding with their valuables. The boy played -his part well, and after making out that he was almost frightened to -death agreed to lead them to our hiding place.” - -“Oh! he always claimed that he had a trap ready to spring!” exclaimed -Amos, who found himself intensely interested in the story. “Did those -two Germans really fall into it, Monsieur?” - -“He must have acted his part wonderfully well,” said the old man -proudly, for it must be remembered that the lad’s father was his own -cousin. “He made them force him along; for in some manner he succeeded -in lulling any suspicions they may have had in the start. And, -Messieurs, in the end Jacques, a Belgian boy with a heart that beats -only for his beloved country, managed to entrap those two pillagers, so -that they are now prisoners in the hands of our forces.” - -“But how could he do such a wonderful thing?” asked Amos, not -skeptically, for he fully believed every word the burgomaster spoke, -but with a keen desire to know all the particulars. - -“Ah! we none of us understand as yet, for Jacques has been too weak -to explain,” the old man told them. “Besides, something else has -occurred to claim his attention. What we know is that after the British -reclaimed the ruins of our poor village, and the Germans had been -beaten back as many as six times, on coming out from my hiding place to -see what could be done for those who were lying by scores and hundreds -around, I found the boy badly injured by a fragment of a bursting shell. - -“He seemed feverish with but one desire, and that to tell where two -German soldiers could be found shut in a hole in the ground. I found -a British officer who sent some of his men to the place, and it was as -Jacques had said. A great rock had been toppled over so as to fill in -the gap, and this he must have learned some time ago could be hurled -down with even a child’s puny strength. And that, young Messieurs, -was the trap Jacques always hinted to us about, but at which we only -smiled.” - -“Bully for little Jacques!” exclaimed Amos, carried away with boyish -enthusiasm. - -“When he saw the soldiers passing by with the two Germans in their -charge Jacques, although in great pain, laughed in glee, for the one -great hope of his life had been realized,” continued the burgomaster, -“but even then he did not know what else there was waiting for him. As -the story of his valor went around many of the British soldiers came -here to see the Belgian boy who had captured two big Germans alone and -unaided. We even had a general visit us, and tell the lad how proud he -was that the sons of their allies should display such valor. But while -this may have pleased Jacques there was something else coming that -overwhelmed him with joy.” - -Jack started at hearing this. Somehow he suddenly remembered that man -in the stained uniform of a Belgian soldier who was bending over the -little figure of the boy hero, and one of whose arms seemed to be -swathed in bandages. - -“That soldier over there, who holds his hand on the head of Jacques, -and looks down at him so tenderly, is his father, supposed to have -fallen at Antwerp?” he asked. - -“Yes, it is as you say, young M’sieu; he lived, and has come to claim -his boy!” - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. NEARING THE GOAL. - - -“That’s splendid news,” Jack at once remarked. “I’m glad for the sake -of little Jacques that his brave father did not die there in front of -Antwerp as you all believed. If I had time I’d like to hear his story, -because I reckon it’d be well worth listening to. But we have business -of our own to look after, and so must once more take leave of you.” - -“Do you think he will get well again?” asked Amos, who under different -conditions, would only too willingly have volunteered to help take care -of the wounded, since his education as a Boy Scout had taught him how -to apply the principles of “first aid to the injured.” - -“We have strong hopes,” replied the old burgomaster. “Joy is better -than all the medicine a doctor can bring. Jacques has found his father -again; and besides, his young heart is filled with happiness because he -was given a chance to strike a blow against the enemies of his country. -Yes, he surely must get well now, and live to see a new day dawn for -Belgium.” - -They both went over to nod to the boy, and the look of contentment upon -his face told them his severe wounds were at the time forgotten in the -thanksgiving that filled his heart. Both of them would in time to come -often think of Jacques, and hope the good angel that had brought back -his father would continue to guard the boy’s further fortunes. - -Once again Jack and Amos found themselves outside, and wandering amidst -the ruins of the village where only recently the fighting had reached -its height. Here was the high-tide mark of that furious German drive; -just as Gettysburg marked the apex of the Lost Cause in the war between -the States in ’63. Jack wondered whether history would repeat itself, -for he believed that if Germany were defeated it would only be through -the force of greater numbers arrayed against her, with pretty much all -the world in arms. - -They wandered around seeking some means of learning where they could -secure the information they required. Never would they forget the -sights that greeted them on every side. The ground looked almost as -though it had been ploughed, such were the number of shells that -had fallen on that devoted village during the time it was under -bombardment. To Amos it seemed incredible that any living thing could -have remained there and lived through that holocaust of crashing -shells; and yet those undaunted men in khaki must have found some -sort of concealment, for every time the Teuton force charged, after a -cessation in the firing, they were met by the British, and mowed down -by the Maxims that were hurriedly brought to bear on the solid ranks -coming forward. - -Most of the wounded had been removed by now, and were being taken to -the rear in the motor vans, lorries, and Red Cross ambulances. The dead -for the most part lay where they had fallen, though several gangs -of men stumbled among the gruesome piles, and seemed to be engaged -in placing them in shallow graves, after securing the identification -medals which every soldier wore about his neck, so that his fate might -be made known to his sorrowing people at home. - -Again and again were the boys stopped, and asked what business they had -there in the midst of such harrowing scenes. On every occasion Jack -showed the order from the commanding general, which was couched in no -uncertain words, and invariably produced the desired effect, for all -opposition was immediately removed. - -They had been instructed whom they must ask for in order to learn -whether Frank Bradford was still hard at work serving the Allies as a -daring aviator. No one was likely to possess this information save some -of his comrades, or the chief of the aerial staff, in whose charge all -these operations had been placed. - -For two hours did the boys walk after leaving the ruined village. -Sometimes they were misinformed, for changes were being made rapidly -in those stirring times, and Headquarters today might be miles away -from where it had been twelve hours before. - -“It’s a long run, trying to find that officer,” remarked Amos, who of -course was racked constantly by his hopes and fears, and wished the -crisis would hurry along, so that he might know what to expect. - -“That’s so,” admitted the cheerful Jack, “but all the time we’re -getting warmer and warmer on the trail. Right now I can see where that -last monoplane rose from, and the chances are we’ll find the party -we’re looking for at that spot.” - -“It gives me the queerest sort of feeling, Jack, just to believe that -any minute now I may be squeezing Frank’s hand, and looking into his -eyes again. I was always mighty fond of my big brother, you know, and -it nearly broke my heart, small chap that I really was at the time, -when he told me he was going away forever, because our father had -unjustly accused him of doing something which he denied. If only I find -him safe and sound I’ll be the happiest fellow in all Europe.” - -“Except one, perhaps, Amos, and that’s little Jacques, whose father -came back to him from the dead.” - -“Well, finding Frank and carrying him home with me will be almost -like the same thing, for he’s been as dead to us for many years!” -declared Amos, eagerly watching the aeroplane that was now soaring -swiftly aloft, already a target for hostile fire, as the little white -puffs of smoke told where the shrapnel shells were bursting all around -the daring pilot. “I’m wondering again whether that can be Frank up -yonder, and if he’ll come back safely. It would be a terrible thing if -something happened to him just when I had run him down.” - -“Oh! don’t allow yourself to give way to such an idea,” said Jack. -“Look on the bright side of things all the time. Think how we’ve been -carried through our troubles so splendidly. No matter how dark things -seemed they always took a turn for the better in the end, and every -time it proved the best thing that could have happened to us.” - -With an effort the boy managed to get a better hold upon himself. This -companionship with Jack was the luckiest thing that could ever have -happened to Amos; for the Western lad always seemed to steady him at -times when his nerves were sorely tried, so as to give him renewed -strength of purpose. - -“There goes another ’plane up, Jack!” he exclaimed a minute later. -“That first pilot, now high over the German lines, seems to be holding -his own in spite of all the shrapnel they can send after him. Yes, -you must be right in saying we’re coming to where we will find the -controlling force of the aviation corps. Before another half hour goes -by I’m likely to know the best--or the worst!” - -“You’ll be wringing Frank’s hand and telling him how proud you are to -learn that the boldest of all the Allied aviators, known under the -name of Frank Bradford, is your own dear brother--make up your mind to -that!” said Jack, sturdily, for he saw that his chum was trembling -with suspense. - -When one has dreamed and thought of a certain object for days and -weeks, and it comes time when he may know the truth, small wonder that -he shivers with alternate hope and dread. Amos was only human. You and -I most likely would feel the same nervousness under similar conditions. - -Amos uttered a cry of dismay, as though he had received a sudden shock. - -“Oh! Jack, they did get that second pilot, you see!” he exclaimed. -“He’s volplaning down now like everything, and will fall inside the -German lines perhaps!” - -“No, he’s heading this way!” declared Jack. “From the fact that they’re -still keeping up their fire I reckon they fear he’ll escape them. The -pilot couldn’t have been badly hurt when his ’plane was struck, because -I can see him sitting up and managing his machine. It was only his -motor that was put out of commission, and if he keeps on as he’s going -now he’ll get safely down.” - -“There, he’s disappeared behind that line of trees!” cried Amos, “but -the firing has nearly stopped, so they must think it’s no use wasting -any more ammunition on him. Let’s hurry, Jack! I’m wild to know if that -was my brother. Something just seems to tell me it must have been. Ten -minutes more ought to take us over there where he came down. Just to -think of it, only that short time, and I’ll see him, if I’m lucky!” - -Apparently Jack was as intent upon settling the question as Amos -himself could be. He put on more speed, and side by side they broke -into a run, such was their eagerness to cover the intervening ground. -Men in khaki looked after them in bewilderment, not knowing who these -two boys were, or what object they could have in thus braving the -fearful ordeals to be encountered on a battlefield. - -Amos was caring little for all this. He had but one object in view, -and that the settling of the question whether his long absent brother -Frank, now one of the Allies’ aviators, was working on that section of -the firing line, and if he was fated to meet him face to face after so -arduous a search. - -Whether Amos and his faithful chum Jack were to be rewarded with -immediate success after their eventful hunt for the missing Frank, -or meet with still further disappointment, must, however, be left to -another story, which the reader will find ready for his perusal later -on. - -THE END. - - * * * * * - -BOY AVIATORS’ SERIES - -By Captain Wilbur Lawton - -Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys - -Cloth Bound Price, 50c per volume - -The Boy Aviators in Nicaragua Or, Leagued With Insurgents - -The launching of this Twentieth Century series marks the inauguration -of a new era in boys’ books--the “wonders of modern science” epoch. -Frank and Harry Chester, the BOY AVIATORS, are the heroes of this -exciting, red-blooded tale of adventure by air and land in the -turbulent Central American republic. The two brothers with their -$10,000 prize aeroplane, the GOLDEN EAGLE, rescue a chum from death in -the clutches of the Nicaraguans, discover a lost treasure valley of the -ancient Toltec race, and in so doing almost lose their own lives in the -Abyss of the White Serpents, and have many other exciting experiences, -including being blown far out to sea in their air-skimmer in a tropical -storm. It would be unfair to divulge the part that wireless plays in -rescuing them from their predicament. In a brand new field of fiction -for boys, the Chester brothers and their aeroplane seem destined -to fill a top-notch place. These books are technically correct, -wholesomely thrilling and geared up to third speed. - -Sold by Booksellers Everywhere - -HURST & CO. Publishers NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -BOY AVIATORS’ SERIES - -By CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON - -ABSOLUTELY MODERN STORIES FOR BOYS - -_Cloth Bound Price, 50c per volume_ - -The Boy Aviators on Secret Service Or, Working With Wireless - -In this live-wire narrative of peril and adventure, laid in the -Everglades of Florida, the spunky Chester Boys and their interesting -chums, including Ben Stubbs, the maroon, encounter exciting experiences -on Uncle Sam’s service in a novel field. One must read this vivid, -enthralling story of incident, hardship and pluck to get an idea of -the almost limitless possibilities of the two greatest inventions of -modern times--the aeroplane and wireless telegraphy. While gripping and -holding the reader’s breathless attention from the opening words to the -finish, this swift-moving story is at the same time instructive and -uplifting. As those readers who have already made friends with Frank -and Harry Chester and their “bunch” know, there are few difficulties, -no matter how insurmountable they may seem at first blush, that -these up-to-date gritty youths cannot overcome with flying colors. A -clean-cut, real boys’ book of high voltage. - -Sold by Booksellers Everywhere - -HURST & CO. Publishers NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -BOY AVIATORS’ SERIES - -BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON - -Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys - -Cloth Bound Price, 50c per volume - -The Boy Aviators in Africa Or, An Aerial Ivory Trail - -In this absorbing book we meet, on a Continent made famous by the -American explorer Stanley, and ex-President Roosevelt, our old friends, -the Chester Boys and their stalwart chums. In Africa--the Dark -Continent--the author follows in exciting detail his young heroes, -their voyage in the first aeroplane to fly above the mysterious forests -and unexplored ranges of the mystic land. In this book, too, for the -first time, we entertain Luther Barr, the old New York millionaire, -who proved later such an implacable enemy of the boys. The story of -his defeated schemes, of the astonishing things the boys discovered in -the Mountains of the Moon, of the pathetic fate of George Desmond, the -emulator of Stanley, the adventure of the Flying Men and the discovery -of the Arabian Ivory cache,--this is not the place to speak. It would -be spoiling the zest of an exciting tale to reveal the outcome of all -these episodes here. It may be said, however, without “giving away” -any of the thrilling chapters of this narrative, that Captain Wilbur -Lawton, the author, is in it in his best vein, and from his personal -experiences in Africa has been able to supply a striking background for -the adventures of his young heroes. As one newspaper says of this book: -“Here is adventure in good measure, pressed down and running over.” - -Sold by Booksellers Everywhere - -HURST & CO. Publishers NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -BOY AVIATORS’ SERIES - -BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON - -Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys - -Cloth Bound Price, 50c per volume - -The Boy Aviators’ Treasure Quest Or, The Golden Galleon - -Everybody is a boy once more when it comes to the question of hidden -treasure. In this book, Captain Lawton has set forth a hunt for gold -that is concealed neither under the sea nor beneath the earth, but -is well hidden for all that. A garrulous old sailor, who holds the -key to the mystery of the Golden Galleon, plays a large part in the -development of the plot of this fascinating narrative of treasure -hunting in the region of the Gulf Stream and the Sagasso Sea. An -aeroplane fitted with efficient pontoons--enabling her to skim the -water successfully--has long been a dream of aviators. The Chester Boys -seem to have solved the problem. The Sagasso, that strange drifting -ocean within an ocean, holding ships of a dozen nations and a score -of ages in its relentless grip, has been the subject of many books -of adventure and mystery, but in none has the secret of the ever -shifting mass of treacherous currents been penetrated as it has in the -BOY AVIATORS’ TREASURE QUEST. Luther Barr, whom it seemed the boys had -shaken off, is still on their trail, in this absorbing book and with -a dirigible balloon, essays to beat them out in their search for the -Golden Galleon. Every boy, every man--and woman and girl--who has ever -felt the stirring summons of adventure in their souls, had better get -hold of this book. Once obtained, it will be read and re-read till it -falls to rags. - -Sold by Booksellers Everywhere - -HURST & CO. Publishers NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -BOY AVIATORS’ SERIES - -BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON - -Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys - -Cloth Bound Price, 50c per volume - -The Boy Aviators in Record Flight Or, The Rival Aeroplane - -The Chester Boys in new field of endeavor--an attempt to capture a -newspaper prize for a trans-continental flight. By the time these lines -are read, exactly such an offer will have been spread, broadcast by one -of the foremost newspapers of the country. In the Golden Eagle, the -boys, accompanied by a trail-blazing party in an automobile, make the -dash. But they are not alone in their aspirations. Their rivals for the -rich prize at stake try in every way that they can to circumvent the -lads and gain the valuable trophy and monetary award. In this they stop -short at nothing, and it takes all the wits and resources of the Boy -Aviators to defeat their devices. Among the adventures encountered in -their cross-country flight, the boys fall in with a band of rollicking -cowboys--who momentarily threaten serious trouble--are attacked by -Indians, strike the most remarkable town of the desert--the “dry” town -of “Gow Wells,” encounter a sandstorm which blows them into strange -lands far to the south of their course, and meet with several amusing -mishaps beside. A thoroughly readable book. The sort to take out behind -the barn on the sunny side of the haystack, and, with a pocketful of -juicy apples and your heels kicking the air, pass happy hours with -Captain Lawton’s young heroes. - -Sold by Booksellers Everywhere - -HURST & CO. Publishers NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -BOY AVIATORS’ SERIES - -BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON - -Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys - -Cloth Bound Price, 50c per volume - -The Boy Aviators’ Polar Dash Or, Facing Death in the Antarctic - -If you were to hear that two boys, accompanying a South Polar -expedition in charge of the aeronautic department, were to penetrate -the Antarctic regions--hitherto only attained by a few daring -explorers--you would feel interested, wouldn’t you? Well, in Captain -Lawton’s latest book, concerning his Boy Aviators, you can not only -read absorbing adventure in the regions south of the eightieth -parallel, but absorb much useful information as well. Captain Lawton -introduces--besides the original characters of the heroes--a new -creation in the person of Professor Simeon Sandburr, a patient -seeker for polar insects. The professor’s adventures in his quest -are the cause of much merriment, and lead once or twice to serious -predicaments. In a volume so packed with incident and peril from cover -to cover--relieved with laughable mishaps to the professor--it is -difficult to single out any one feature; still, a recent reader of it -wrote the publishers an enthusiastic letter the other day, saying: -“The episodes above the Great Barrier are thrilling, the attack of -the condors in Patagonia made me hold my breath the--but what’s the -use? The Polar Dash, to my mind, is an even more entrancing book than -Captain Lawton’s previous efforts, and that’s saying a good deal. The -aviation features and their technical correctness are by no means the -least attractive features of this up-to-date creditable volume.” - -Sold by Booksellers Everywhere - -HURST & CO. Publishers NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -BORDER BOYS SERIES - -Mexican and Canadian Frontier Series - -By FREMONT B. DEERING. - -Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid - -[Illustration] - -THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL. - -What it meant to make an enemy of Black Ramon De Barios--that is the -problem that Jack Merrill and his friends, including Coyote Pete, face -in this exciting tale. - -THE BORDER BOYS ACROSS THE FRONTIER. - -Read of the Haunted Mesa and its mysteries, of the Subterranean River -and its strange uses, of the value of gasolene and steam “in running -the gauntlet,” and you will feel that not even the ancient splendors of -the Old World can furnish a better setting for romantic action than the -Border of the New. - -THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE MEXICAN RANGERS. - -As every day is making history--faster, it is said, than ever -before--so books that keep pace with the changes are full of rapid -action and accurate facts. This book deals with lively times on the -Mexican border. - -THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS. - -The Border Boys have already had much excitement and adventure in their -lives, but all this has served to prepare them for the experiences -related in this volume. They are stronger, braver and more resourceful -than ever, and the exigencies of their life in connection with the -Texas Rangers demand all their trained ability. - -Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. - -HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -DREADNOUGHT BOYS SERIES - -Tales of the New Navy - -By CAPT. WILBUR LAWTON - -Author of “BOY AVIATORS SERIES.” - -Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid - -[Illustration] - -THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON BATTLE PRACTICE. - -Especially interesting and timely is this book, which introduces the -reader with its heroes, Ned and Herc, to the great ships of modern -warfare and to the intimate life and surprising adventures of Uncle -Sam’s sailors. - -THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ABOARD A DESTROYER. - -In this story real dangers threaten and the boys’ patriotism is tested -in a peculiar international tangle. The scene is laid on the South -American coast. - -THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON A SUBMARINE. - -To the inventive genius--trade-school boy or mechanic--this story has -special charm, perhaps, but to every reader its mystery and clever -action are fascinating. - -THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON AERO SERVICE. - -Among the volunteers accepted for Aero Service are Ned and Herc. Their -perilous adventures are not confined to the air, however, although they -make daring and notable flights in the name of the Government; nor are -they always able to fly beyond the reach of their old “enemies,” who -are also airmen. - -Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. - -HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK - - * * * * * - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are -mentioned. - -Punctuation has been made consistent. - -Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in -the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have -been corrected. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two American Boys with the Allied -Armies, by Sherman Crockett - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO AMERICAN BOYS WITH ALLIED ARMIES *** - -***** This file should be named 60660-0.txt or 60660-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/6/6/60660/ - -Produced by Demian Katz, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images -courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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