The Boy Allies with Marshal Foch; or, The Closing Days of the Great World War

by Clair W. Hayes

  *CHAPTER XXII*

  *SPA*

  The German envoys, returning to their own lines, were silent as the bigairplane driven by Hal sped across the allied lines. Eyes below werestrained as the craft dashed along, for news traveled swiftly among thesoldiers and word that the preliminary meeting between the Germandelegates and Marshal Foch had not been entirely satisfactory had spreadamong the troops.

  As General Dupree had told Hal, firing ceased in the zone that theairplane traversed. Guns snorted and bullets flew on all other sides,but Hal, laying his course by the map General Dupree had given him,avoided all danger.

  From the spokesman of the German delegates Hal had learned that theirdestination was the little German village of Spa. It was there that theGerman emperor and the High Command was quartered. Hal laid the nose ofthe airplane in that direction.

  Now, in flying, great distance can be covered in a very short period oftime. The plane that Hal drove was capable of making almost 200 milesan hour under proper conditions. Hal, however, did not attempt to getthat speed out of the machine. Flying well above the ground, the craftsped quietly along at something like 100 miles an hour.

  It was dark when they passed across the brief expanse of No Man's Land.Looking down, Chester saw a few twinkling lights. These, he knew, camefrom the German positions. Some were signal lights for the enemyaircraft, others just the lights usually to be found in a great armyencampment.

  Chester leaned forward and touched Hal on the shoulder.

  "Sure you have the right course?" he asked.

  "Perfectly," was Hal's response, his voice raised almost to a shout tomake himself heard above the humming of the motor and the purr of thegiant wings of the aircraft.

  Chester sat back, apparently satisfied.

  The lights displayed among the German troops disappeared as the planecontinued its journey toward the northeast. Soon, however, other lightscame into view below.

  "This," said Hal, "should be Spa, unless my geography and sense ofdirection are all wrong. I'll take a chance, at all events."

  Almost above a score of the lights, Hal shut off the motor and themachine began to descend. A short time later it came quietly to earthjust beyond the village. Hal scrambled out and spoke to the Germans.

  "This should be Spa, according to my calculations," he said. "Correctme if I am wrong."

  "You are right, sir," said one of the German delegates. "You have donewell in bringing us here in such a short period of time."

  The Germans alighted, and Chester also scrambled out.

  "If you will come with us," said the spokesman of the enemy mission tothe lads, "we will see that you are provided with quarters for thenight. It is hardly possible that we will return before to-morrow atnoon, if at all."

  The lads followed the Germans into the town. Before a building somewhatlarger than the rest, the men stopped and the one who appeared to beleader of the party said:

  "You gentlemen wait here. I will go within and see that quarters areprovided for the young Americans."

  He motioned the lads to follow him, which they did. Inside a Germanofficer barred their progress, but the German soon set the man's doubtsat rest, and the latter stepped aside.

  "Captain," said the German envoy, "these gentlemen have brought us backfrom the allied lines, and will conduct us there again to-morrow shouldit be necessary for us to go. You will kindly see that they have allnecessary accommodations for the night."

  "Yes, sir," said the captain.

  "Then I shall leave them to you. I will return for them to-morrow sometime."

  "Very well, sir."

  The German bade the lads good night and took his departure. The Germancaptain addressed them.

  "Kindly follow me, sirs," he said.

  The lads did so. Along a long hall they were led. Then they turnedinto a large room at the far end of the hall. Inside were a dozen ormore German officers. The captain led the way toward a door across theroom. All eyes were turned on the lads as they stepped across the room.

  Suddenly there came an exclamation from a man who sat near, as Hal andChester passed. A chair scraped the floor and a man sprang up andconfronted them. Hal and Chester looked into the eyes of General Knoff,the German general whose daughter Chester had befriended in Sedan someweeks before.

  "So," said the general confronting the lads with a gleam of anger in hiseyes, but his gaze resting particularly upon Hal, "so you made fools ofme in Sedan, eh?"

  Hal smiled. He was perfectly safe now and he knew it. Not a man therenor in the German lines any place for that matter would dare harm theofficer who had piloted the German envoys back from their tryst withMarshal Foch.

  "It had to be done, General," said Hal, still smiling.

  "But," protested the general, "why was it necessary for you to pick mefor your tool?"

  "We wouldn't have done that, General," said Hal, "had you not been soinsistent upon our having breakfast with you."

  "Well," said General Knoff, "it would appear that the fates are just,after all. I have no doubt that it was information you gained from methat spoiled our plans."

  "I have no doubt of it either, sir," Hal smiled.

  "And such being the case," the general continued, "I shall see to itthat you are tried as spies."

  "But we are in American uniform now, sir," said Hal.

  "You weren't then," was the reply, "as I stand willing to prove. No; Ishall have you shot. No man can make a fool of me and live."

  "You can't do that, sir," said Hal, quietly.

  "I can't, eh?" exclaimed the general. "I would like to know what is toprevent me?"

  Hal's smile seemed to infuriate the general.

  "Captain," he said, "you will place these men under arrest."

  The German captain saluted respectfully, but he shook his head.

  "It is impossible, sir," he said.

  "What's that?" demanded General Knoff angrily. "Do you dare dispute myorders?"

  "Only when I have previously received commands from your superiors,sir," was the reply.

  "What do you mean?"

  "These young Americans," the captain explained, "have safe conduct inour lines. I only know they have piloted our delegates who have beendiscussing an armistice with the French commander-in-chief. I cannotarrest them, sir."

  "I see," said General Knoff. "You are perfectly right, captain."

  He stepped close to Chester and extended a hand.

  "As a military measure," he said, "I would have you shot for what Iknow, but I want to thank you again for a service you rendered me inSedan."

  Chester was taken absolutely by surprise. Nevertheless he grasped thegeneral's hand, for that was what seemed to be expected of him.

  "I am glad I was on hand at such an opportune moment, sir," the ladreplied.

  "So am I," said the general. "You know my name, of course. When thewar is over, should you chance to be in Berlin, it would give mepleasure to entertain you at my home in Berlin."

  "Thank you, sir," said Chester. "Should I chance to be in Berlin at anytime, I shall avail myself of your offer, sir."

  The general bowed slightly, insisted on shaking hands with Hal also, andthen said:

  "Well, gentlemen, you are probably tired from your trip, so I will notdetain you longer. Captain, I leave the young Americans to you."

  The lads followed the German captain from the room.

  Their quarters for the night were commodious, though not richlyfurnished. However, as Hal said: "I have slept in whole lot moreunpleasant places and thought I was doing well."

  "It's plenty good for me," Chester agreed. "By the way, Hal, has itoccurred to you that we may return to Hirson to-morrow alone?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Why, that the German high command may refuse to accept Marshal Foch'sterms, and refuse to negotiate farther."

  "Hardly likely," said Hal. "My view is that the Germa
ns are so anxiousfor peace that they will accept almost any terms."

  "I hope I'm wrong, of course," said Chester. "but I am simply judging bywhat one of the envoys said about 'if' they returned to-morrow."

  "I heard him," said Hal, "but at the same time I don't take much stockin any such statement. In the first place, these envoys don't have anymore to say about what terms they shall accept than I do."

  "Oh, they don't, eh?"

  "Of course not. It is the German high command, that will make thatdecision. The delegates will do whatever they are instructed to do.They are merely the representatives of the powers that be."

  "Nevertheless," said Chester, "if they sign terms, the terms will bebinding."

  "Of course; unless it should be that the Germans consider the agreementsimply another 'scrap of paper,' as they did the Belgian treaty."

  "I think the Germans have learned a thing or two," said Chester. "Idon't believe they'll ever try such tactics again. They have at leastlearned that the majority of nations are honorable, and that they are inhonor bound to respect treaties."

  "Let us hope so," said Hal. "Now we've talked enough. I vote we turnin. We may have a hard day to-morrow."

  "All right. It suits me. And here is one night we will sleep withinthe German lines in comfort, for we will not have to be on the watch forenemies and fear possible discovery."

  "Right," agreed Hal, "and at the same time we are here in the line ofduty. Well, me for the hay."

  "Not a very elegant expression, perhaps," said Chester with a grin, "butvery much to the point. Me for the hay, too."

  Ten minutes later both lads were fast asleep.