*CHAPTER II*
*THROUGH THE LINES*
"I suppose," said Colonel O'Neil, "you have both heard the rumor thatAustria has sued for peace?"
"Yes, sir," replied Chester, "and I have tried to convince Hal of it,but he is inclined to be skeptical."
"And with good reason," declared Colonel O'Neil. "I don't place muchconfidence in the report myself. Nor, it seems, do my superiors. Infact, it is in regard to that report that I have summoned you here."
Hal smiled slightly.
"To me it seems the report is too good to be true," he volunteered.
"My sentiments exactly, Major," said Colonel O'Neil. "Nevertheless, itis, of course, possible that the report is true, and if it is true, itis the beginning of the end. However, before the general staff can takeadvantage of the report, it must be verified absolutely. With Austriasuing for peace, and Bulgaria and Turkey virtually out of the war, wecan strike such a blow at the Germans on the west front as will mean theend of the war before Christmas."
"I see," said Chester, "and it is to obtain confirmation of the reportthat you have summoned us?"
"Exactly," declared the colonel. "It stands to reason that if Austriahas made peace overtures, the German general staff will know of it.Also, for that matter, will practically every man in the German army.It would appear that if we could place a man behind the enemy's lines,he could, with caution and discretion, learn the truth of the matter. Ihave called you here to offer you this opportunity."
"And we accept it, of course, sir," declared Hal.
"Of course," Chester repeated after his chum.
"Good!" exclaimed Colonel O'Neil. "I knew I could depend on you.General Rowan asked me to put the mission in the most capable hands Icould find, and being familiar with your records, I know that myselection could not be better."
"Thank you, sir," said Hal and Chester in a single voice.
"Now," went on the colonel, "I don't want to hamper you with a lot offoolish and needless instructions, but I do want to impress upon youthat the sooner the matter is cleared up the better. You will both begranted indefinite leave of absence, but I would ask that you return atthe earliest possible moment."
"We shall, sir," said Chester quietly.
"Very well, then," replied Colonel O'Neil; "that is all."
The lads saluted and left the colonel's quarters.
"Well," said Hal, as they made their way back to their own quarters,"this is an expedition after my own heart."
"Right," Chester agreed. "I suppose that it's necessary to keep some ofus sitting quietly around here, but at the same time I would rather itwere someone besides me."
"Same here. But I'll bet some of the rest of the fellows would betickled to death with our luck."
"Naturally; why shouldn't they be? Now the question before the house isthe best method of crossing safely into the German lines."
"And of getting safely out again," said Hal dryly.
"That goes without saying. But we've got to get there first. Thereturn trip will be considered later."
"There are ways enough of getting there," said Hal. "Automobile,airplane, afoot or a-horseback. Take your choice."
"Airship for me," said Chester; "its quicker and promises a greaterdegree of success."
"I'll make that unanimous," said Hal. "Airship is my vote, too."
"Guess we'd better wait until along toward midnight, though," Chestersuggested.
"Why?"
"Well, chiefly because there is less likelihood of our being discoveredat that hour. Guards will be posted, of course, but we've eluded thembefore and we can do it again. Also, arriving within the enemy's linesafter midnight, will give us the chance of mingling with the Germantroops without so great a risk of discovery."
"Any way suits me," said Hal. "First thing to do, now that we havedecided upon our means of locomotion, is to find a plane."
"I'll commandeer one from Captain Nicholas," said Chester.
"All right. Tell him to have it ready at midnight sharp."
"Right," said Chester and hastened away.
Hal meantime returned to their quarters and threw himself down upon hisbunk. He was reclining at ease when Chester entered to report theairplane arranged for.
"Captain Nicholas said he would have it in flying trim exactly atmidnight," said Chester. "Now, my advice is that we discard ouruniforms and climb into German attire if we can round up thenecessities."
"Guess that can be done, too, without any trouble," said Hal. "We'veplenty of prisoners here. All we have to do is to change with them. Ishould say that Captain Nicholas could attend to that, too."
"I'll suggest it to him," said Chester, and took his departure.
The lad was back within the hour with two German uniforms, which hadonce adorned the forms of German captains of infantry.
"Seems we're losing rank here," commented Hal with a laugh. "You mightat least have robbed a couple of generals or field marshals."
"Take what you can get these days and be thankful," grinned Chester."Also, ask no questions. According to Captain Nicholas, even this pairof captains objected strenuously to being deprived of their uniforms. Iimagine a general would have put up a terrible howl."
"You're probably right," Hal agreed. "Well, we'll be satisfied withwhat we have. If we're discovered it won't make much difference whetherwe're attired as privates or the kaiser himself."
"No, a firing squad could shoot through one as well as the other,"Chester replied. "Now, all we have to do is wait until midnight."
"In which event," said Hal, "I shall woo sweet morpheus for two hoursand fifteen minutes."
"Two hours and fifteen minutes is right," said Chester after a glance athis watch. "I'll follow suit."
Five minutes later both lads were stretched out in their bunks fastasleep. They slept soundly, but not so soundly, however, that they didnot wake at the desired minute.
At fifteen minutes to twelve, Hal opened his eyes and sat up. Chesteryawned, stretched and sat up a minute later.
"Time to be moving," he said, glancing at his watch again.
"Right," Hal agreed. "I'll be inside this German uniform in threeminutes by the clock."
He was; and Chester found himself suitably attired a moment later.
"Now for the plane," said the latter.
He led the way to where a two-seated biplane was being guarded byseveral soldiers.
"All right, men," said Hal, "you can turn in now. We'll take charge ofthis craft."
The soldiers saluted and took their departure.
"Let's be moving," said Chester. "Into the pilot's seat with you, Hal."
"Thought maybe you wanted to do the driving this time, Chester," saidHal.
"That's a poor joke, Hal," declared Chester. "I don't want to die rightthis minute, and I guess you don't, either."
"Which is the reason I'm not going to argue with you who will do thepiloting," Hal declared.
He clambered into the pilot's seat, and Chester took his place in theobserver's compartment.
"All set?" called Hal.
"All set," was Chester's reply.
"Let her go, then," said Hal, and the single guard who had remained gavethe machine momentum with a vigorous push.
The machine moved slowly across the ground at first, then, under Hal'sguiding hand, dashed on swifter and swifter. Hal touched the elevatinglever and the airplane soared into the air.
Now Chester had been aloft many times, but he had never reached a pointwhere he was not affected by the sensation of the earth dropping awayfrom him. For a moment he clung to the side of the car. His headcleared, in a twinkling, however, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"All right, Chester," Hal called back, not taking the time to turn hishead.
"All right," was Chester's reply. "Step on her, Hal."
Hal obeyed this injunction, and the plane darted in the direction of thedistant enem
y like a big bird.
There was no light aboard the craft that carried the two lads toward theGerman lines. On either side, above and below, however, Hal could seenow. and then a faint twinkle, indicating that other American craft,bent upon no such dangerous mission as Hal and Chester, still were onthe alert to prevent a possible surprise attack by the foe.
These lights were soon gone, however, and now all that Chester could seewas the faint outline of Hal's head before him. He looked back, but thelast of the American lights had been lost in the distance. Ahead, theGerman lines were still too far distant for a plane to bedistinguishable should it be on guard aloft.
The night was very dark. For this Hal felt thankful, for it meant that,barring accidents and the rays of German searchlights, he had moreopportunity of guiding his craft into the enemy lines, unobserved.Could he escape the prying eyes of the foe's sentinels of the sky, hefelt that he had nothing to fear.
The distance between the German and allied lines at that point, Halknew, was less than three-quarters of a mile. This distance was coveredin a jiffy, but still Hal kept the nose of the craft pointed due east,for it was his intention to come down well within the foe's lines ratherthan to risk a landing near the front.
But at last he felt he had gone far enough. His hand tightened on thecontrols and gradually the speed of the plane slackened. Chester leanedforward, and putting his mouth close to Hal's ears, exclaimed:
"Going down here?"
"Yes," was Hal's reply. "May as well, I guess. It should be as safe asany place. Suit you?"
Chester shrugged in the darkness.
"I'm satisfied if you are," he replied. "Shoot!"
The plane began to descend.
The Boy Allies with Marshal Foch; or, The Closing Days of the Great World War Page 2
