CHAPTER IV
INTO GERMANY
"We'll have to have a leader for this party," said Hal, "one whose wordshall be law. I'm agreeable to Chester."
"I'd rather have you," said Chester.
McKenzie also voted for Hal, who already had done him some service.This agreement, stood.
"All right," said Hal. "Now that I'm in command, I'll outline thecourse of procedure. We'll go from here to the Dutch border."
"How about passports?" Chester wanted to know.
"That's simple enough. You remember the time when we drew up a set offake passports representing ourselves to be correspondents of the NewYork Gazette? We'll follow the same plan, except that we each will berepresented as correspondents of different papers. See, I've alreadydrawn, them."
"I see," said Chester, "but American passports won't be honored inGermany now."
"But they will be in Holland," said Hal. "We'll see what can be doneabout having them changed there. Now, let's see if we know who weare."
He passed the fake passports to the others.
"I'm Barney McCann, eh?" said McKenzie, gazing at the paper he held inhis hand. "Oh, well, I guess I can talk Irish as well as German if Ihave to. And I represent the Chicago Mail."
"I'm still Chester Crawford," said Chester, "and I represent the NewYork Gazette."
"I'm Hal Paine, and I represent the Philadelphia Globe," said Hal."We'll probably have to change our names when we go over the Germanborder, but these should answer their purposes in Holland.Fortunately, we have learned a few things from Stubbs, so we are notunfamiliar with the workings of a newspaper."
"Guess we had better get out of these uniforms," said Chester.
"Right. We'll don suits of plain khaki, such as Stubbs wears, andwe'll equip ourselves with the necessary paraphernalia."
This was a simple task, and several hours later, horseback, the ladsmade their way toward where British troops, supported by French, wereclose to, the border of The Netherlands.
They showed their passports, prepared by Hal, to the British militaryauthorities, and were permitted to pass.
Holland, although not a participant in the great war, nevertheless,soon after the outbreak of hostilities, had felt herself called upon tomobilize her military forces that she might protect her borders shouldone of the belligerents attempt to overrun her, as the Germans hadoverrun Belgium at the outbreak of the war. Therefore, when the threetravelers reached the border, they were held up by the military.
Hal presented his fake American passport, and Chester and McKenzie didlikewise. The officer who had accosted them turned them over to hissuperior.
"Your intentions," said the officer, "I hope are such as not to breakHolland's neutrality?"
"We're perfectly peaceable, sir," returned Hal with a smile.
"Very well. This is a neutral country, and you are, of course, free totravel about it at your leisure so long as you conduct yourselvesproperly. Of course, were you American soldiers it would be necessaryfor me to place you under arrest, and YOU would be interned until theend of the war."
"I understand that, sir," said Hal.
"By the way," said the Dutch officer, "there is a Dutch newspapermanhere at this moment. Perhaps you would like to meet him. He is HerrHeindrick Block, of the Amsterdamer."
"We shall be pleased," said Hal quietly.
The Dutch officer excused himself, and returned a moment later with ayoung Dutchman, whom he introduced to the three friends. They shookhands all around.
"I've already met a compatriot of yours," said the young Dutchman,smiling, "a Herr Stubbs. He is with one of the New York papers--Iforget which."
Hal and Chester gave a start of surprise, but quickly recoveredthemselves.
"He is with my paper, The Gazette, sir," returned Chester. "Is he inthese parts?"
"He was yesterday," replied Block. "I do not know where he is now."
The three friends took an instant liking to the young Dutch newspaperman. He led the three to where he was temporarily quartered.
"We can have a little chat here," he said.
During the course of the conversation Hal asked:
"And what is the sentiment in Holland regarding the war?"
The young Dutchman hesitated a moment, and then turned and gazed aroundquickly.
"The sentiment," he said at last, "is that Germany must be crushed. Ofcourse, at this moment Holland cannot afford to enter the arena.Germany has massed thousands of troops upon our border. An unneutralact would be dangerous. Nevertheless, Holland's sympathies are withthe Allies--have been from the start. There is another factorbesides Holland's natural gratitude to England--that makes for this.Germany has overrun Holland, as well as the rest of the world withspies. Holland is offended, but cannot afford to show it--now. Butwhile we are kept quiet, there are few of us who would not do much tohelp the Allied cause."
Hal thought quickly. He glanced at the young Dutchman shrewdly. Hefelt he could be trusted.
"Then," said the lad quietly, "can you conceive of any way by which wecan get passports from the Dutch government that will pass us intoGermany?"
The young Dutchman manifested no surprise.
"Have no fear," he said, as Chester and McKenzie manifested someanxiety at Hal's words. "I shall not betray you. Only yesterday I wasable to get a passport for your friend Herr Stubbs."
"What?" cried Hal. "Stubbs gone into Germany?"
"I supposed you knew that," said Block. "I supposed he was one ofyou."
"No," said Chester, "Stubbs is what he represents himself to be--awar correspondent."
"Nevertheless," said Block, "he has gone into Germany as HerrKlepstein, a Dutch newspaperman."
"That means," said Hal, "that it will be hard work getting passportsfor us."
"Not at all," said Block. "I can do that with ease. There are manyDutch correspondents in Germany. Two or three more won't matter. Oneof you can take my passport." He looked at Hal. "You and I looksomething alike, anyhow," he said.
"So we do," Hal agreed. "But can you get passports for my friendshere?"
"I can manufacture them myself, the same as I did for your friendStubbs," said the Dutchman quietly, "I need not tell you, however, thatshould I be discovered I would probably be shot. But why shouldn't Ido it? My mother was an English Woman."
"We shall be greatly obliged," said Hal.
Block led the way from the tent.
"Mount your horses," he said. "We'll go to the railroad station andcatch a train for Amsterdam. You shall be my guests until thepassports are prepared."
Hal was nothing loath. He realized that they had encountered goodfortune in the person of Herr Block. He placed implicit confidence inthe man, for it was perfectly plain that Block was telling the truthwhen he said his sympathies were with the Allies.
For two days the three friends were the guests of the young Dutchman athis bachelor apartments in Amsterdam. Upon the morning of the thirdday, Block presented them with passports properly vised by the Dutchauthorities.
"These will get you through," he said quietly.
"We can never thank you enough," declared Hal, quietly. "Some day youwill realize what a great thing you have done for the world."
"I realize it now," was the young Dutchman's reply. "I wish I weregoing with you, but it may be that I can be of more service here."
"Undoubtedly," said Hal, "if this is an example."
"Now don't forget who you are," enjoined Block. "You," to Hal, "areHerr Block, of The Amsterdamer." To Chester, "You are Herr Amusdem"To McKenzie: "You are Herr Spidle, both of The Nederlander. Do notforget. Should you encounter other Dutch correspondents, it will bewell for you to stand on your dignity, and to talk to them as little aspossible. Now, have you any idea how you are to go about theaccomplishment of your mission, whatever it is?"
"No," said Hal, "I haven't. We shall act in accordance withdevelopments."
"Well," said Block, "you ma
y as well be going. The sooner you getthere the better. I shall go with you to your train. You will have toshow no passports until you get to the frontier."
At the station, Block saw them comfortably installed in a car thatwould carry them across the border. He shook hands with them.
"Good luck," he said quietly; and added: "Should you, by any chance,come out of Germany a jump ahead of a bayonet, remember you will findtemporary, safety in my quarters. Good-bye."
Boy Allies with Haig in Flanders; Or, the Fighting Canadians of Vimy Ridge Page 4
