CHAPTER XXXIII.
TAKING A CHANCE.
"The first thing to do," said Chester, "is to appropriate two ofLieutenant Strauss's uniforms. That's your job."
"That's right--pick out the easy work for me," replied Halsarcastically. "How do you figure I'm going to get 'em?"
"I don't know," said Chester. "That's up to you. My job, and a muchharder one, it seems to me, is to appropriate one of the general's bigmaps, so that if we do succeed in getting out of Berlin, we shall knowwhere we are going."
"I take back what I said," exclaimed Hal. "I'll try to get thoseuniforms."
"Trying is not enough," said Chester. "You've got to get 'em!"
"All right, then," replied Hal, "I'll get 'em!"
Since the two lads had been guests, or prisoners, in the Strauss home,a detail of soldiers had been stationed around the house, with ordersnot to let either of the lads pass unless accompanied by either thelieutenant or the general. The boys had been given the freedom of thehouse. The lieutenant had demurred at the placing of a guard aroundthe house, saying that there was not the slightest chance of the boysescaping, anyhow, but the general had held out on that point,remarking:
"I know these Americans better than you do. They're slippery. You haveto watch them closely, or they will slip between your very fingers."
Choosing a moment when the lieutenant had left the house, Hal slippedunobserved into his room. He knew the uniforms hung in a closet.
He approached and tried the knob. The door was locked.
"It's up to me to see if I can't pick that lock," he told himself, andset to work with what improvised little tools he could bring from hispocket.
In vain he worked. He could not pick the lock. He stepped back andviewed the door, meantime keeping his ear cocked for sound offootsteps from without. Then an idea struck him.
Using his knife as a screwdriver, he removed the hinges from the door.A moment later he was inside the closet. Quickly selecting two of thelieutenant's uniforms, he laid them on a chair, and hurriedly put backthe door and tightened the bolts.
Then, holding the uniforms behind him, he made his way back to his ownroom, where he threw the uniforms under the bed. Chester was notthere.
"Hope he has things as easy as I did," said Hal to himself, and satdown to await his friend's return.
When Chester entered the general's private room, which he foundunlocked, he went straight to the general's desk. He knew that mapsand valuable papers were kept there, because the general had oncereferred to them as being there while at supper.
The desk was locked, but this did not disconcert the lad, for he hadexpected it would be. Drawing a small buttonhook that he alwayscarried from his pocket, he inserted it in the keyhole. After severalunsuccessful attempts the lock finally turned, and Chester quietlythrew up the top.
Walking to the door and making sure that no one was near, the ladreturned to the desk. Quickly he looked over the assortment of papers,and at length a smile lighted up his face. Evidently he had found whathe was in search of, for he quickly thrust a paper in his pocket.
He did not leave at once, but continued to rifle the contents of thegeneral's desk. Finally he appropriated several more documents, whichhe also thrust into his pocket.
There was the sound of a door slammed on the floor below. Quickly thelad closed the desk, and, walking softly to the door, peered out.There was no one in sight. Closing the door quietly behind him,Chester walked rapidly down the hall to his own room, where Hal waswaiting for his return.
"Did you get it?" asked Hal, as Chester entered the room and closedthe door behind him.
"Yes," replied Chester; "and you?"
"They are under the bed," said Hal, with a grin. "I believe I wouldmake a first-class burglar."
"And I," agreed Chester. "However, 'All's fair in love and war,' youknow."
"I am glad I do know it," said Hal. "Otherwise I wouldn't think muchof myself now."
"We had better hide these things," said Chester. "Their loss might bediscovered and a search made."
"Where shall we put them?"
Chester glanced around the room. He walked to the closet and openedthe door. Peering in, he found, just above the top shelf, a smallopening, apparently not meant for use, as it was too close to theceiling.
"Put 'em in here," he said, and, withdrawing the papers from hispocket, he suited the action to the word.
Hal now brought the uniforms out from under the bed, and, by dint ofhard squeezing, also finally succeeded in secreting them. The darkcloth made the hiding-place look like nothing more than a hole.
"All we need now are swords and pistols," said Chester.
"Pistols," agreed Hal. "I don't know that we need swords."
"You don't," said Chester, in contempt. "We would make a couple offine-looking officers, strutting around without swords, wouldn't we?"
"You're right," Hal agreed, somewhat sheepishly. "Where are we goingto get them?"
"The general always leaves his sword and revolvers on the table in thehall before retiring," said Chester. "Then I noticed another pair ofswords hanging on the wall there. Also the lieutenant invariablyleaves his weapons on the parlor table. Careless, I say, but lucky forus."
Chester's thoughtfulness in hiding the articles they had appropriatedstood them in good stead, as it turned out that evening. GeneralStrauss, upon his arrival home, went straight to his private office,saying that he would be in to dinner in a few moments.
Accordingly the others went in and sat down at the table withoutwaiting for him. A moment later the old general came storming into theroom.
"My maps!" he cried. "My maps! Has anyone seen my maps?"
The lieutenant jumped to his feet.
"Have you lost them, sir?" he asked.
"Lost 'em? Lost 'em? Do you think I would ask for them if I knew wherethey were?"
"Perhaps you left them at headquarters, sir."
"No, I didn't leave 'em at headquarters," raged the general. "Someonehas stolen them!"
"Stolen, sir? Why, there has been no one in the house, and you knowthat none could have entered without the guard on the outside seeingthem."
"I tell you they have been stolen!" cried the general. "I want thehouse searched at once--every room in it, sir, yes, and the room ofthese two Americans also."
"Father!" admonished the lieutenant. "Surely you are not accusingthem?"
"I am not accusing anybody, sir, but I want this house searched. MustI call for outside help, or will you help me, sir?"
"I'll help, sir," replied the lieutenant quietly. To the lads he saidsoftly: "Never mind him. He is always irritable when he misplacessomething."
The old general's sharp ears caught this remark.
"Irritable, am I?" he cried. "Well, maybe I am, but I don't need tohave my own son apologize for my actions. If I have done anything thatdemands an apology I'll apologize myself."
Lieutenant Strauss shrugged his shoulders, as he said:
"I'll search the second floor, sir. Will you take the first?"
"Yes," snapped the general, "and see that you make a thorough job ofit."
At this juncture Chester rose to his feet.
"If you think we have your papers, sir," he said quietly, "we arewilling to submit to a search."
"And searched you shall be," said the general. He turned to his son."Search them!"
The lieutenant protested, but to no avail. The lads submitted to thesearch in silence.
"They have nothing, sir," said the lieutenant.
"Then search the second floor," commanded the general.
An hour later the lieutenant came downstairs, and a few moments laterthe old gentleman, now considerably cooled off, also returned.
"I found nothing, sir," reported the lieutenant.
"Nor I," said the general slowly. "Can it be I was mistaken? Perhaps,after all, I did leave the maps at headquarters." He turned to Hal andChester. "I hope you will pardon me for my outburst," he said gravely,"but
I am easily excited."
"Say no more about it, sir," replied both lads together, but to eachcame the same thought:
"We are in luck."
CHAPTER XXXIV.
SAFE AGAIN.
Dinner over and the old general having left the house, LieutenantStrauss said to the boys:
"There is still some amusement in Berlin, in spite of the war. Wouldyou care to accompany me to the play to-night?"
Both lads, knowing that this would be as good an opportunity as theycould expect for making their escape, pleaded that they were tootired.
"Some other evening, if that will do as well," said Chester.
"Oh, all right, whatever you say," replied the lieutenant. "I hopethere are no hard feelings--that you will overlook my father's show oftemper?"
"Of course," said Hal. "Anyone would have done the same under thecircumstances."
After a few further words the lieutenant departed, and the lads,bidding his mother good night, and announcing their intention ofretiring early, made their way to their room.
There their air of leisure gave way to haste.
"We'll have to hurry," said Hal. "The general will fail to find hismaps at headquarters, and will be back here in two shakes of a lamb'stail."
Quickly the lads threw on the young lieutenant's uniforms, and Chesterplaced the maps in his pocket.
"We will have to go without revolvers," said Chester, "for wecertainly can't afford to wait until the general and lieutenant comehome."
"I should say not," Hal agreed. "The sooner we get out of here now thebetter, providing we can get out."
Quickly, but silently, the boys made their way from the room anddescended the stairs. Stepping lightly upon a chair, Hal secured thetwo swords, suspended in their scabbards with a pair of army belts,and, leaping lightly down, passed one to Chester.
Quickly the lads strapped the swords around them and quietly theyopened the front door and closed it softly behind them. Then, with aswaggering air, they descended the front steps, to bump squarely intoone of the guards.
The guard drew back respectfully and saluted.
"I beg your pardon, sir," he said, addressing Chester. "I saw you goout once before, but I didn't see you return."
"You must be more careful," said Chester, imitating the lieutenant'svoice. "My friend and I came in a few moments ago and I didn't see youanywhere."
"But I was right here, sir, or at least, only a few steps away,"protested the soldier.
"Well, I'll pass over it this time," said Chester, "but don't let ithappen again. The prisoners might escape."
"Thank you, sir," replied the soldier, saluting again. "But theprisoners will not escape while I am on guard. Never fear, sir."
The lads bade the soldier good night and walked slowly away. Oncearound the first corner, however, they increased their pace, and soonhad put considerable distance between them and the Strauss home,where, even now, the old general, having failed to find his maps atheadquarters, was again raging about, swearing that his documents hadbeen stolen.
Walking into a quiet little shop, Chester purchased two revolvers.Also, while there, he withdrew the map from his pocket and studied itcarefully.
"I want to impress this firmly on my mind," he said to Hal, "for wemay not have a chance to look at it again for some time."
Hal also bent over and studied the map carefully. A few moments laterthey left the store, each feeling more secure because of theugly-looking Colt each carried in his pocket.
As the boys walked along one of the dark streets, they became aware ofthe soft pat-pat of steps behind them, coming swiftly. They turned toface whatever danger threatened, and then Hal suddenly broke into alaugh.
"Marquis!" he cried aloud.
Sure enough, it was their four-footed friend. He came running up tothe boys, wagging his tail happily at being with them once again, butwith reproach in his eyes at having been left behind.
"Good old Marquis," said Chester, patting his head. "You didn't wantto be left behind among all these Germans, did you?"
Marquis wagged his tail fiercely.
"What are we going to do with him?" asked Hal. "Won't he be in theway?"
"No, I don't think so," replied Chester. "Not if the plan I have inmind works."
"What is your plan?"
"You'll know soon enough," said Chester calmly. "Come on."
For two hours the lads walked along, gradually drawing out of the cityat the eastern extremity. They passed many German officers as theywalked along, but were not molested nor even challenged.
Finally, beyond the city, Chester increased his pace and the two boysand the dog hurried on. At length they came to a large building.
"I thought I was right," said Chester to himself. "But I was beginningto doubt it."
"What is it?" demanded Hal. "What is that building?"
"That," said Chester calmly, "is an aeroplane station. We shall now goin and get one."
"Oh, we will, eh? And I suppose they give one to every strange officerwho happens along?"
"No, they don't," said Chester. "But, among other things in GeneralStrauss's desk, I found several orders upon this place, each onecalling upon the commandant to furnish bearer with one plane."
"Why didn't you tell me before?" demanded Hal.
"I wanted to save it as a surprise," said Chester.
As they approached nearer, it became apparent that the structure was along, low shed. A hundred yards away, they were challenged by asentry.
"I have an order for the commandant," called Chester.
"Approach," said the sentry.
A moment later, the commandant, being summoned by the sentry, arrived.
"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" he asked.
Without a word, Chester pulled one of the orders he had appropriatedfrom General Strauss's desk from his pocket and passed it to thecommandant. The latter glanced at it quickly, and then bowed.
"You shall have the machine in five minutes," he said, and left them.
True to his word, five minutes later a large-winged biplane stoodbefore them.
"You will have to run this thing," Chester whispered to Hal.
"Well, it won't be the first time," Hal whispered back.
Hal took the aviator's seat and Chester also took his place. Then thelatter whistled to Marquis, who came bounding up and sprang in and satdown calmly between Chester's feet.
"Surely you are not going to take that dog," protested the commandant.
"Yes," said Chester. "He is one of the dispatch dogs taken from theFrench. We are going to make use of him with a false dispatch."
"I see," exclaimed the commandant. "A good idea."
"Isn't it?" said Chester.
"All ready?" demanded the commandant of Hal.
"All ready," was the lad's reply.
"Let her go, then," the commandant ordered the two men who hadappeared to give the aeroplane a start.
A moment later and the machine was speeding along the ground.
"Good luck," called the commandant.
Chester waved his hand in reply.
Now Hal touched the elevating lever, and the aeroplane left theground, and, soaring high in the air, sped on its way.
"Which way, Chester?" Hal called back over his shoulder.
"Due east," replied Chester, "but first rise as high as you can."
Hal obeyed this command, and soon the two boys and a dog werethousands of feet above the earth.
"What's your altitude?" called Chester.
Hal told him.
"Good!" said Chester. "Keep her there, and now head due east."
Quickly Hal brought the big aircraft about, and pointed her nose in adirection that eventually, barring accidents and the misfortunes ofwar, would land them in the heart of Poland, where the mighty armiesof Russia were rushing upon the German legions.
"I know we shall get through safely," called Chester, as they spedalong. "Some way I feel it."
"And so do I," Hal called
back.
They were right, and before another night had fallen these twoyoung American boys placed in the hands of the Grand Duke Nicholas,commander-in-chief of the mighty hordes of the Czar, the paper whichhad so strangely fallen into their hands--the paper which, later on,brought about more than one serious check to German arms.
But here ends the story of the Boy Allies along the Marne. Theirfurther adventures will be told in a succeeding volume, entitled, "TheBoy Allies With the Cossacks; or a Wild Dash Over the CarpathianMountains."
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors; otherwiseevery effort has been made to remain true to the author's words andintent.
Boy Allies on the Firing Line; Or, Twelve Days Battle Along the Marne Page 33
