The Dispatch-Riders: The Adventures of Two British Motor-cyclists in the Great War
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CHAPTER IV
Enlisted
"Madame de la Barre presents her compliments, but regrets that theregulations of her establishment do not permit her pupils to receivevisits except during certain hours," announced a stern-faced Flemishwoman in broken French.
Kenneth glanced at his companion,
"What's to be done now?" he asked.
"Give her Major Resimont's message. Say it's very urgent," advisedRollo.
The lads, curbing their impatience, waited for another ten minutesoutside the lofty blank wall surrounding the boarding-school. The airwas sultry, and the glare from the whitewashed walls was almostblinding. The _pave_ seemed to throw out a stifling heat. The villagestreet was practically deserted, but in the neighbouring fields a rowof peasant women were bending over their monotonous task of pullingvegetables. Farther away some cows were lying down under the scantshade afforded by a few gaunt trees. Otherwise the landscape wasdevoid of life.
Presently a woman passed, leading a little girl by the hand. She was abuxom, comely peasant, the child bright-faced and apparentlywell-cared-for. They were laughing and chattering. Then a man on adog-drawn cart came down the street. The animals, their tonguesprotruding and their sides heaving with the heat, were moving at aleisurely pace. The man made no attempt to hurry them. He was smilingcontentedly, and called out a cheery greeting in Flemish to the patientaudience before the gate of Madame de la Barre. A little way down thestreet he halted his team and entered a cottage. He was lame, hence hehad not been called up on mobilization.
Presently the maid-servant reappeared.
"Madame thanks Monsieur the Major, but at present sees no reason fortaking his advice. Should war be declared she will take necessarysteps to safeguard her pupils. If Mademoiselle Resimont is to be sentto her home at Brussels, no doubt Monsieur the Major will communicatein writing with Madame. If Monsieur Everest desires to see his sisterhe can do so in the presence of Madame at eleven o'clock to-morrow."
Having delivered this ultimatum, the maid shut the door and shot themassive bolts.
"Done this time!" ejaculated Kenneth. "Let's get back to Liege.There'll be plenty to see."
The lads set off at a rapid pace in spite of the heat. They were onfoot, having placed their motor-cycles in the village of Argenteau.
By the time they regained Argenteau a change had come over the littlehamlet. A detachment of engineers was in possession. The men,discarding their heavy greatcoats, were busily engaged in throwing upearthworks, while almost within arm's-length their rifles were piled,each weapon with its bayonet fixed.
"Halte-la!" The tip of a bayonet presented within a couple of inchesof Rollo's chest brought both lads to a sudden stop. "Qui v'la?"
The production of the pass with which Major Resimont had provided themwas sufficient, and without further hindrance the two friends gainedthe inn.
As they passed under the archway they found that their belovedmotor-cycles had vanished.
"Pardon, messieurs!" exclaimed the landlord on catching sight of thetwo lads. "It was not my fault, I assure you. It is the order of theGovernment. They have taken away all the horses, all the carts----"
"And our motor-cycles?"
"Helas, messieurs, it is a fact. Nevertheless, the Government willpay----"
"Where are they taken to?" asked Kenneth.
"They were placed in a transport wagon, monsieur. It left in thedirection of Liege not fifteen minutes ago."
"Let's hurry and catch it up," suggested Rollo. "It's daylightrobbery. I believe that rascally innkeeper has played a trick on us."
Alternately running and walking, the English lads kept up a rapid pacealong the road that followed the right bank of the Meuse betweenArgenteau and Liege. Mile after mile they went, without a sign of atransport wagon. Troops there were in plenty, all carrying entrenchingtools in addition to arms. Yet, in spite of these warlike movements,the women were toiling unconcernedly in the fields, either indifferentto the danger that threatened them, or else basking in the confidenceof the ability of the Belgian troops and their allies to thrust backthe approaching tide of invasion.
At the village of Wandre Rollo gave vent to a shout of delight.Standing outside an inn was an army wagon, and under its tilt, incompany with a medley of other articles, were their motor-cycles.
"Now, what's to be done?" asked Rollo.
"I vote we take them and make off as hard as we can," suggestedKenneth. "The soldiers in charge are evidently after more officialloot."
"Won't do," replied the cautious Rollo. "Ten to one we wouldhopelessly damage the bikes getting them off the wagon. The best wecan do is to tackle the fellow in charge."
"The fellow in charge" turned out to be a phlegmatic Walloon corporal.When appealed to he replied that he was acting under the orders of hislieutenant, and that he must account for all the articles on his listupon his return to Liege. The production of Major Resimont's pass didnot save the situation, although the Belgian's demeanour thawedconsiderably.
"Nevertheless, if messieurs are English, perhaps they would like toride on the wagon. At Liege, no doubt, all will be set right," headded.
It was, fortunately, the last of that particular corporal's work, andhe was at liberty to return without delay. A sapper drove, thecorporal sitting beside him on the box seat. On the tail-board, withtheir backs against their precious motor-cycles, sat the two lads,another sapper keeping them company.
As the cart jolted through the village of Jupille there came a dullrumbling, like that of distant thunder.
"Guns!" exclaimed Rollo.
"Thunder, I think," declared his chum.
The Belgian soldier, when questioned, merely remarked in matter-of-facttones:
"We are blowing up the bridges, monsieur."
The work of demolition had already begun. The Belgian troops, withcommendable forethought, had destroyed four bridges across the Meuse inorder to delay the momentarily expected German advance. Yet, on eitherside of the sluggish river, peasants were unconcernedly toiling in thefields.
As the wagon passed the loftily-situated and obsolete fort of LaChatreuse a round of cheering could be heard from the city of Liege.Presently the strains of "La Brabanconne"--the Belgian NationalAnthem--could be distinguished above the din.
The sapper began to grow excited.
"All is well, messieurs," he exclaimed. "We are now ready for thesePrussians. Our Third Division has arrived."
Presently the head of the column of blue-greatcoated troops swungblithely along the road to take up positions in the newly-constructedtrenches between Fort de Barchon and Fort de Fleron. The men marchedwell, although covered with dust from head to foot; for during theprevious forty-eight hours they had, by forced marches, covered morethan eighty miles from Diest to their allotted positions at Liege.Yet, for some unaccountable reason, these troops went into what wassoon to be the firing-line in blue tunics with white facings, whichwould offer a conspicuous target to their foes.
It was late in the afternoon when the cart drew up in a large openspace by the side of the Church of St. Jacques. The square was crowdedwith all kinds of military transport and commissariat wagons. Officerswere shouting orders, men were rushing hither and thither, motors werepopping, horses neighing.
The corporal in charge of the wagon descended and stood rigidly atattention. For quite a quarter of an hour he remained in thisattitude, without any of the officers approaching to give him furtherdirections. The crowd of wagons became more congested, till Kennethand Rollo realized that, should they regain possession of their mounts,there would be great difficulty in wheeling them out of the press.
Suddenly Kenneth gripped his friend's shoulder and pointed in thedirection of a group of officers.
"There's Major Resimont!" he exclaimed. "He'll get us out of the fix."
"Ah! You have got yourselves in a difficulty again, that I can see,"declared the genial Major. "What, then, is the trouble?"
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p; Briefly Kenneth described the commandeering of their motor-cycles.
"I am indeed most busy," said Major Resimont, and the perspiration onhis face did not belie this statement. "Nevertheless, come with me,and we will find the Quartermaster of the Commissariat."
He led the lads at a rapid pace through several crowded thoroughfares.At one point the press was so great as to impede their progress. TheLiegeois were shouting and cheering, cries of "Vive la Belgique!" and"Vive l'Angleterre!" predominating. Outside a large building a UnionJack and the Belgian tricolour had been hoisted side by side. Atelegraphic communication had just been received that Great Britain haddeclared war on Germany.
"Ah! I thought it," chuckled the Major. "Now the Prussians will getthe right-about. My friends, the Germans are also now your enemies,"and he shook Kenneth and Rollo by the hand. "What will you do? Returnto England and join the army?"
"We are not old enough for commissions, sir," replied Kenneth; then onthe spur of the moment he added: "Couldn't we be attached to theBelgian army as dispatch-riders?"
Rollo almost gasped at his chum's impetuosity, but loyalty to his chumand a desire to do something against the oppressor of Europe checkedhis inclination to counsel caution.
"We will see," said the Major gravely. "It is good to see such aspirit amongst Englishmen to come to the aid of our brave Belgians.You are resolute?"
"Rather!" declared Kenneth stoutly; and Rollo likewise signified hiswillingness.
The Quartermaster having been found at his office, Major Resimont soonobtained the requisite order for the release of the Englishmen'smotor-cycles.
"Now, this way!" he exclaimed.
Five minutes' brisk walk brought them to the door of a large buildingat which were stationed two soldiers in the uniform of the Grenadiers.These stood stiffly at attention as the Major entered, drawingthemselves up with an alertness that was almost entirely lacking inmost of the men of the line regiments.
Giving his name to a staff officer, the Major had to wait in anante-room, with at least a dozen other officers, mostly of brevet rank.At length his turn came, for business was being carried out withdispatch.
"Monsieur le Major Resimont, mon General," announced a junior officer,as he opened the door and motioned for the Belgian Major and his twocompanions to enter.
Seated at a table was a man in the undress uniform of the Belgianstaff. He was sparely built, although from his attitude it wasimpossible to judge his height. His features were sallow, one mightalmost say cadaverous, with a bright tinge of red upon his prominentcheek-bones. Heavily-bushed eyebrows overhung a pair of deep-set eyesthat seemed hawk-like in their intensity. His closely-cropped hair wasiron-grey. A slightly drooping moustache hid a resolute mouth.
The two English lads were in the presence of a man whose name, hithertopractically unknown outside his own country, was soon to be on the lipsof everyone who was likely to hear of the gallant stand ofLiege--General Albert Leman.
A quick vertical motion of the General's right hand--he was a man offew words--was the signal for Major Resimont to make known his business.
"I have here two Englishmen, mon General," began the Major. "They aredesirous of entering our army as motor-cyclist dispatch-riders."
Without a moment's delay the General asked: "Can they read a map?"
Kenneth and Rollo both replied that they could.
"Good!" exclaimed General Leman; then, turning to his secretary, headded: "Make out an order for these gentlemen to be attached to the 9thregiment of the line--your company, Major?"
"If you please, sir."
"Here, then, is the order," continued the General after a briefinstant, during which the secretary had been writing as hard as hepossibly could. "They can be sworn in as soon as an opportunityoccurs. I wish you good day."
That was all. The whole business was over in less than five minutes.Not a word of thanks or encouragement to the two British volunteers. Achill had descended upon their ardour.
"The General--he is magnificent," said their companion as they gainedthe street. "Down to the humblest private we swear by him. One has toearn praise from the General before it is bestowed: it is our General'sway. He is a man of few words, but his heart is in the right place.Now go and demand your motor-cycles and proceed to Fort de Barchon. Iwill meet you there and see you are attested."
With that the Major hurried off, and the two lads hastened to takepossession of their own property.
"Fancy Great Britain being at war with Germany at last!" exclaimedKenneth. "We can hardly realize it, although most people have beentalking about it for years. Perhaps even now our fleet is giving theGermans a good hiding. The rotten part about our job is that we maynot be able to get news of how things are going on at home."
Therein Kenneth was right. The news they received was mostly rumour.In fact, the statement they had just heard, that Great Britain haddeclared war, was premature. An ultimatum had been sent to Berlinstating that, unless Belgian neutrality were respected, hostilitieswould commence at midnight. The Liegeois had anticipated the hour, andso had the Germans, for already their mine-layers were at work in theNorth Sea.
An hour later, just as the sun was sinking behind the smoke-enshroudedcity of Liege, Kenneth Everest and Rollo Barrington were enlisted asvolunteer dispatch-riders in the 9th regiment of the line of theBelgian army.