CHAPTER XVIII
GERMAN BARBARISM
Under the muzzles of hundreds of German guns, the prisoners disembarkedand were herded together near what Hal and Chester saw was an improvisedstation.
Villingen was located in one of the few mining districts in Germany notfar from the Swiss border. Families of the miners had long sincedeparted, but the Germans still extracted some coal from the ground byusing prisoners of war beneath the surface.
It was for such work that Hal and the other American prisoners had beenbrought to Villingen. While German prisoners captured by the Allies hadalways been well treated, Allied prisoners in German camps had beenforced to undergo cruel and inhuman treatment from the early days of thewar. A peculiar feature was the fact that seldom did the Germanauthorities distinguish between officers and privates. Often British orFrench officers labored side by side with private soldiers in the minesand in the fields.
When the prisoners had been herded together, the German commandant ofthe camp approached. He was a porkish-looking individual and typicallyPrussian. He answered to the name of Colonel Bretz. The officer who hadbeen in charge of the train of prisoners approached and engaged thecommandant in conversation.
By the frequent looks that the pair cast at Hal and Chester, the ladsknew that they were the chief subjects of the conversation. Directly thecommandant walked up to them.
"Another attempt to escape and you'll be shot like dogs!" he bellowed.He turned to one of his aides. "Put them in one of the guard cells," hecontinued; "then put these other swine," with a sweeping gesture thatincluded the other prisoners, "in their pens and see that they are readyto go on the night shift to-night."
He strode away. While the other American soldiers, covered by Germanguns, were driven toward what had once been the living quarters of theGerman miners, now hemmed in with steel bars--a mammoth cage--Hal andChester were seized by a squad of soldiers and hurried in the oppositedirection, where they at last were shoved into a filthy, dirty,single-story building.
It was very dark inside and for a moment the lads were unable to get aview of their surroundings. But as their eyes became accustomed to thedarkness, they perceived that they were in what at one time must haveserved as a store building. The single room was very small and itsfurnishings consisted of two dilapidated chairs and a mass of dirtyrags, apparently meant for a bed, on the floor.
"Nice, sanitary-looking place," was Hal's comment, as he walked abouthis prison.
"Guess a fellow wouldn't grow very fat here," said Chester. "Wonder howlong we'll be cooped up?"
Hal shrugged.
"No telling," he replied, "but when we get out we'll probably be sentdown in the mines."
"Surely they won't send us there in our present condition," declaredChester.
"I don't imagine they'll worry about a couple of sore heads," rejoinedHal. "However, time will tell."
"Well," said Chester, "I'm about tired out. Think I'll try to sleep abit."
"Same here; but I'll take the bare floor for mine. I can't stomach thatmass of dirty rags there. They must be infested with vermin."
"The floor's bad enough," Chester agreed.
They threw themselves down and in a few moments were fast asleep inspite of the hard floor, for both were tired out and could have sleptalmost any place.
It was still dark when they were aroused from their slumbers by thepresence of a third figure in the room. Hal opened his eyes as a heavyfoot stirred him and a voice exclaimed in German:
"Get up. You'll have to earn your keep here."
Hal arose and Chester also got to his feet.
"Outside, now, and march quick!" said the German lieutenant who hadawakened them.
The two lads preceded the man from their prison. Outside, they inhaledthe fresh air eagerly and their spirits revived.
"Where are you taking us?" demanded Hal.
"To the mines," returned the German with a snarl, "where you'll loosethat fresh look you possess now."
"You're making a mistake," said Hal quietly. "We're not miners--knownothing about mines. We've never been below."
"You'll be miners or corpses within the next few days," bellowed theGerman. "Go on there!"
"How about some grub?" questioned Hal. "We've had nothing to eat formore than twenty-four hours. We won't be able to work very well withoutfood, you know."
"You'll eat to-night," snarled the German. "Not before."
Hal shrugged again. He was hungry, felt faint, even, and so did Chester,but there was no help for it. The lads trudged on in silence.
Soon they came to the opening of the mine shaft, some distance fromwhere they had spent the night. Other forms began to gather, and Halguessed rightly that this was the new shift coming to work.
Men commenced to appear from below, their faces, hands and clothingblack. These, the lads knew, were the prisoners who had been working allnight.
There was a faint streak of light in the east. The day would break soon.
Now the German guards hustled Hal and Chester and the other prisonersinto the mine shaft, where they were told off into crews of four andfive men each. Hal and Chester found themselves together, with a Britishinfantryman and a French sergeant of cavalry completing their crew.Directly, picks were thrust into their hands, and they were providedwith gas helmets, upon each of which burned a small safety light. Thenthey were marched to the mouth of the shaft, where they awaited theirturn at the car that was to carry them below.
"You fellows have not been down before, I take it," said the Englishprivate to Hal.
"This is the first trip," replied Hal.
"Too bad," was the response. "It'll be torture for you. You willprobably collapse before time to come up, in which case you'll be kickedback to consciousness. That's what happened to me."
"If they begin kicking me, they'll have to go a bit further," said Halgrimly.
"That was what I thought," said the Englishman. "I put up a fight, butit wasn't any use. They almost beat the life out of me, after which Iwas put in solitary confinement with nothing to drink and almost nothingto eat. Let me tell you, solitary confinement is worse than the mines,so if you'll take my advice, you'll stick and endure as long as you can,and when you've been kicked back to consciousness again you'll return towork and keep your mouth shut. Am I right, Mercer?" he demanded, turningto the Frenchman.
"Oui, monsieur," returned the latter briefly.
Again Hal shrugged.
"We'll see," he said shortly.
Under the guns of the guards, the four men took their places in thelittle elevator-car that was to carry them below.
"Get your last look at the outside world," said the Englishman, as thestarter gave the signal to descend. "It'll be the last you get for sometime."
The little car seemed to drop from beneath the feet of Hal and Chesteras it shot down in the mine. Hal was conscious of a sinking sensation inthe pit of his stomach. Chester drew his breath sharply.
The car stopped as suddenly as it had started.
"Here we are," said the Englishman. "Get out."
He led the way.
Dimly Hal and Chester could make out the interior of the mine by thelight of their torches. The air was damp and cold. Both lads shivered.
"This," explained the Englishman, "is No. 10 level. There are levelsabove and below us. We've quite a ways to go, so we'll ride."
Hal now saw for the first time that a steel track was before him. Onthis was a little car, driven by electricity. It was not a passengervehicle, but was used for hauling the ore when mined. The car was mannedby a single German, armed.
Without a word, the Frenchman took the motorman's place. Hal, Chesterand the Englishman climbed aboard and the car moved forward, thedeparture being made under the rifle of the German guard.
"Isn't it dangerous down here?" asked Chester of the Englishman. "Idon't know anything about mines except that there are many fatalities inthem."
 
; "About the only danger is that of an explosion," the Briton replied. "Ifsomebody should strike a match, we'd all be blown to kingdom come--atleast every man on this level."
"There are more on this level, then?" asked Chester.
"Oh, yes; probably half a hundred men. Some are ahead of us and directlymore will come along here."
"Seems to me that there might be an opportunity of making a break forliberty," declared Hal. "There are not many guards about."
"Not here," the Englishman agreed, "but wait till you get to the pit.There are guards enough there and they make life as miserable for theprisoners as possible. You're expected to work from the minute youarrive until you knock off or collapse; and if you go under, you'llstart back to work the minute you recover."
The little car slowed down and the lads saw light ahead. It was notdaylight, however, but light made by the glow of many torches. Directlythe car stopped and the four occupants climbed out. Men stood about withpicks and shovels, awaiting the word to go to work.
Hal and Chester found themselves placed close together with theEnglishman, who gave the name of Harding, and the Frenchman, Mercer, astheir nearest neighbors.
There came a command from one of the German guards and the men attackedthe solid wall before them with picks and drills.
"Well," said Hal grimly, "here's where we go to work, Chester."
The lads wielded their picks with the others.