CHAPTER XXVIII.
A DASH FOR LIBERTY.
Swiftly the high-powered armored motor-cars rushed on, drawing closerand closer to the solid ranks of the enemy. Not expecting trouble fromwithin their own lines, the Germans were not on the lookout for thisspectacular dash, and so were caught unprepared.
Hal gave the prearranged signal. The other cars increased their speedand drew up to him, two on either side. At a second signal theyincreased their speed to the utmost, and dashed forward.
The Germans lay sprawled about, the close formation having been moreor less broken following the morning fight. The five speeding monsterswere upon them almost before they realized it. As the cars approachedthe first irregular line of troopers, the British in the machinesopened fire. In spite of their terrific speed, their aim was good.Germans tumbled right and left, or fell back as they attempted torise.
Then the machines plowed in among them, hurling them helter-skelter onall sides, the occupants continuing their destructive fire.
But now the Germans opened fire, and, in spite of the fact that thespeed of the flying automobiles made accurate shooting impossible, theBritish did not escape scot-free. Three men in one of the machines tothe left of the one driven by Hal dropped their rifles and sank to thebottom of the car. In one on the opposite side a soldier threw up hishands and tumbled from the car.
Hal, protected as he was on either side, had not been touched, nor hadChester, who stood erect the while, firing rapidly with his automatic.
Suddenly the car nearest the lads on the left swerved, and almostbumped into them; in fact, would have done so, but for Hal'spromptness in turning slightly to the right. The driver of the carhad been struck by a German bullet and killed.
The driverless machine, swerving suddenly to the left, leaped forwardahead of the others, turned suddenly to the right again, and plungedstraight toward the dense masses of Germans, the British inside stillshooting as calmly as though they stood on firm ground, although itwas plainly evident to them that the wild car was carrying them tocertain death.
All this the boys could see at a glance, but they quickly passedbeyond, and so did not see the gallant fate of their comrades.
Plunging straight into the dense masses of Germans, the gallantmachine leaped upon them like a thing of life, hurling them off onall sides, and running amuck over their prostrate forms. Then, withanother sudden turn to the left, it sped directly toward a group ofofficers, who stood nearby directing the firing. So sudden was thisunexpected turn that the officers were run down before they could movefrom their tracks.
Then the machine darted straight at a German field battery.
It was a fatal move, for a German gunner sprang forward--there was afearful roar--a loud explosion, a cloud of smoke, and, when the smokehad cleared away, there was no automobile to be seen--nothing butwreckage and a few maimed bodies scattered about.
But Hal and his companions were having troubles of their own. Even atthe moment that the first car disappeared in smoke, the driver of asecond sprang to his feet, waved his arms about, as he wildly gaspedfor air, and tumbled overboard. The machine, now wild, turned andcrashed into its nearest neighbor.
There was a terrific crash, and both cars turned turtle. Came a cryof triumph from the Germans, but Hal and the driver of the otherremaining car paid no heed; rather, if possible, their cars leapedahead faster than before.
But the herculean task the lads had set out to accomplish was toomuch. In spite of the fact that the Germans had been taken bysurprise, their numbers were so great that the success of such adash was impossible.
Straight ahead the boys made out a regiment, drawn up with leveledrifles. In one last desperate attempt to break through, Hal and thedriver of the other car dashed into them.
A blow from the butt of a German rifle knocked the driver of thesecond car from his seat as he swept past, and the machine, turninground and round, like a huge top, suddenly turned over, pinioningits occupants beneath it.
A second later and Hal felt a sharp sting in his left hand. In spiteof the desperate attempt he made to keep the machine steady, it rockedfrom side to side at the sudden loosening of his hand.
Fearing that all would be killed if he did not stop the machine, thelad threw off the clutch and applied the brakes. Then, in the centerof a large force of Germans, who came rushing in upon them, the ladstood up in the machine, and, raising his uninjured hand, shouted:
"We surrender!"
A German officer called a hoarse command, and the long line ofthreatening rifles was lowered.
"Come out of there," called the officer, "and be quick about it."
Hal did as commanded, and a moment later Chester also was on theground. Turning back to the machine, they tenderly lifted CaptainAnderson out and laid him on the ground. He had fainted during thewild ride.
Hal turned to the German officer.
"Will you please see that my friend," indicating the captain,"receives medical attention at once?"
"It shall be done immediately," returned the German officer gravely,and motioned to two of his men to carry the unconscious captain to anearby hospital tent. Then he turned to Hal and Chester.
"Do you know that you have created terrible havoc in our ranks?" hedemanded.
Hal smiled grimly.
"That is what we intended to do," he made reply. "However, we wouldn'thave done so had you permitted us to return to our lines in peace."
The German officer also smiled faintly.
"You are bold lads," he said quietly. "Come, I will take you toGeneral Von Kluck."
The lads followed the officer, and presently came before the Germancommander, the man whose great military genius some days later savedhis wing of the army from probable annihilation.
Standing beside the German commander was another officer, somewhatyounger, recognizing whom, Hal's heart leaped into his throat. Thissecond officer was none other than the man who, some days before, hadplaced in Hal's hands dispatches for General Von Kluck--papers that,through Hal's bravery, had been turned over to General French, andhad thus foiled the coup planned by the Kaiser himself.
The German recognized Hal almost immediately, in spite of his Britishuniform. He stepped forward, and, with a sneering smile, said:
"How do you do, Captain Dersam?"
General Von Kluck, who had been looking silently at the two lads,turned to the officer.
"You know these prisoners?" he questioned.
"Well, I know one of them," was the reply. "That is, I thought I didonce. It seems that I was mistaken."
"Explain yourself."
"This," said the German, pointing to Hal, "is the young man to whom Itold you I delivered the dispatches intended for you. He representedhimself to me as Captain Dersam, of your staff. Later we found CaptainDersam gagged and bound on the banks of the Marne. Therefore, thisofficer must be a traitor."
General Von Kluck rose to his feet excitedly.
"So," he exclaimed, "you are the man whom we have to thank for thedefeat of our plan, eh?" He turned to the officer. "And you say hewas in German uniform?"
"Yes, sir."
The general turned to Hal.
"Do you know what that means?" he asked.
Hal nodded his head.
"It means," continued the general, "that you are a spy. You shall paythe penalty."
"But," Hal protested, "I was not captured within your lines in Germanuniform nor in disguise. You cannot treat me as a spy."
"I can't, eh?" cried General Von Kluck angrily. "Well, you shall see."
"The boy is right," came a stern voice from behind him, and, turning,Hal started back in amazement.
"The Emperor!" he cried.
And from other throats in the group came the time-worn salutation:
"_Hoch der Kaiser!_"
Boy Allies on the Firing Line; Or, Twelve Days Battle Along the Marne Page 28
