CHAPTER XXIII
THROUGH THE LINES
Hal turned the matter over in his mind. Should he make prisoner of thistalkative German officer now or should he wait until later toappropriate the dispatches the man said he carried?
Hal decided to wait.
He did this for two reasons. First, the colonel's presence was usefulright now in showing the road, and, second, he might come in handyshould the party be stopped en route. So the lad decided to humor theman by continuing the conversation.
"It's too bad, sir," he said. "Why, I can remember in the early days ofthe war when the emperor figured on eating Christmas dinner in Paris.It's too bad, sir; too bad."
"So it is," agreed the colonel, "but personally, I'm getting tired ofthis business of killing. It's so useless, it seems to me."
"Those are bold words, sir," said Hal; "bold and not overly cautious,should they come to some ears."
"But you agree with me, don't you, captain?" exclaimed the colonel, insome alarm. "I am talking now between friends, you know. Surely you willnot repeat what I have just said?"
"Certainly I shall not repeat to any German officer what you have said,"Hal declared truthfully.
At this moment the car rounded a sharp curve in the road. Ahead Hal sawthe headlight of a machine drawn up in the middle of the road. It wasimpossible for the lad to drive around the second machine, so he broughthis own car to a stop.
"Hope there is no trouble ahead," he told himself.
But, as it developed, there was trouble ahead.
Hal sprang from the car, as did Harding and Chester. The three realizedthat if there was trouble it would be better for them to stick together.The German colonel, however, leaned back in his seat, making no effortto move.
Half a dozen figures advanced toward the three fugitives, five privatesand a lieutenant.
The lieutenant saluted Hal, who was in advance, as did the privates.
Hal returned the salute.
"What can I do for you, lieutenant?" he asked. "Machine in trouble?"
"No, sir. I'm guarding the road in the hope of picking up threeprisoners who escaped from the camp at Villingen."
"I see," said Hal. "Word flashed ahead, eh?"
"Yes, sir, and it was deemed probable they would come along this road."
"I haven't seen anything of them en route," said Hal. "It may be thatthey are behind us. Wish you luck, lieutenant. Sorry I can't stay andhave a hand in the capture, but I bear important dispatches and must beon my way. Will you please move your car to one side of the road?"
"Sorry, sir," said the lieutenant, "but I am instructed to examinecarefully every one who passes."
"Oh, well, I suppose I can drive around you," said Hal, eyeing the sideof the road.
"One moment, sir," said the lieutenant as Hal turned to move away. "I amsatisfied with you, sir, but I must interrogate your companions.Remember, it is my duty, sir."
"Very well, then, lieutenant," said Hal. "Proceed, sir."
Chester approached and replied to the German's questions withouthesitancy. Then Harding was forced to step forward.
One look at the big Englishman was enough for the German lieutenant.Nevertheless, he spoke in German.
"May I ask your name, Herr Captain?" he said. Harding opened his mouthto reply, but at that moment Hal took prompt action. Stepping close tothe German lieutenant, he shoved his revolver against the man's side andsaid quietly:
"Enough of this, sir. You will either order your men to move thatautomobile from across the road immediately, or I shall be compelled tofire."
The German's face turned a chalky white in the darkness, although thiswas not distinguishable. For a moment he hesitated, but Hal shoved therevolver more closely against him and the lieutenant gave the necessarycommand.
"Now Chester," said Hal, "you and Harding go back and get in the car,and whatever you do, make sure that our friend the colonel doesn't getout. He's a jewel of rare value, Chester, and we can't afford to losehim. Do you understand?"
"You bet," was Chester's reply, as he and Harding turned and ran for thecar.
The German colonel was about to alight as Chester and Harding dashedback.
"What's the trouble?" he asked.
"Nothing serious, sir," said Chester. "Please get back in the car."
"Wait a moment now," protested the colonel. "Guess I'll have a lookahead first."
"Get back in that car!" said Chester in a stern voice.
"Look here!" exclaimed the colonel. "How dare you talk like that to yoursuperior officer? You shall be disciplined, sir."
"No time for words," said Harding in English at that moment.
He ran in suddenly and seized the colonel from behind. In spite of thelatter's frantic struggles, the Englishman lifted him into the tonneauand held him as he climbed in himself. Chester also jumped in and showeda revolver, which he pressed close to the colonel's head.
"One word and you are a dead man!" said the lad quietly.
Hal, still guarding the German lieutenant closely, saw the Germanprivates move the machine and open the road.
"Now, lieutenant," he said, "you'll accompany me back to my own car,first ordering your men to stand one side."
The lieutenant gave the necessary order and preceded Hal back to theother car.
"One more thing, lieutenant," said Hal, as he placed his foot on thestep prepared to leap in, "if you make an outcry before we have passedyour men yonder, some of them will get hurt. Take my advice and keepstill."
Hal lowered his revolver slowly until it pointed at the German's feet.Then he pulled the trigger.
There was a flash and a report and the German lieutenant skipped nimblyback as the bullet kicked up the dust about him. He was not wounded, norhad Hal intended that he should be. The lad's act was simply a ruse toget a little start.
The moment he fired his revolver Hal leaped into the car, slammed thedoor behind him and sent the machine forward with a lurch.
From behind came an angry hail from the lieutenant and his revolvercracked. But the bullets went wild.
The lieutenant's action, however, had served his purpose. It alarmed thesoldiers ahead, who, seeing the automobile bearing down on them, criedloud commands to halt.
But the car kept on.
"Duck!" cried Hal, and suited the action to the word.
The occupants of the tonneau also ducked their heads out of harm's wayeven as the German soldiers fired a volley from their rifles. Beforethey could fire again, however, the car was far down the road, and amoment later it disappeared around a sharp curve.
"There'll be pursuit, Chester!" shouted Hal. "Rifle the pockets of ourfriend the colonel and climb in the front seat here with whatever youcan find."
Chester needed no further instructions.
In spite of the protests and struggles of the German colonel, Chesterwent through his pockets systematically and thoroughly.
"Now you guard him, Harding," the lad said.
"I'll guard him all right," said Harding grimly. "I'll toss himoverboard at the first sign of trouble."
The German appeared to understand the words.
Chester climbed into the front seat with some difficulty because of thelurching of the car as it sped along. In a few words Hal told him of thedispatches the colonel had carried.
"If he had 'em, I've got 'em now," said Chester grimly. "I tookeverything he had."
"We can't stop to see now," said Hal. "You climb back and tell him weare figuring on him to show us the way to the front direct. If herefuses or plays false, tell him you'll shoot him."
Chester clambered back into the tonneau again.
"I agree!" shouted the colonel when Chester told him what he would beexpected to do. "And I'll do better than that. I don't want to fight anymore. I'm tired of it. I am your prisoner, sir, and I wish to be takeninto your lines as such."
"That sounds pretty fishy to me," said Chester.
"
But it is true," protested the German, "and I will show you the waythrough the German lines."
There was something so apparently sincere in the German's words, thatChester climbed back and again held counsel with Hal. The result of thiswas that the German colonel was transferred to the front seat, andChester sat close behind him with a revolver at his back.
It was hours later that the automobile came within sight of the hugeGerman army encampment. Hal was now forced to slow down.
But the party was not molested as the car proceeded through the heart ofthe encampment, Hal following the directions of the German colonel.
"Now," said the colonel, pointing, "if you will follow that road, itwill take us to the front line, where, by a dash, we shall be able topass the last outposts."
Hal followed the directions. Ten minutes later a German sentinel cried acommand to halt, but Hal sent the car forward faster. There came a sharpreport from behind, but the bullet went wild.
Ten minutes later there came another command to halt. But this commandcame in English.
Hal brought the car to a quick stop and climbed out.
"Safe at last," he cried to Chester and Harding. "And now for GeneralPershing and the drive that will push the Germans back forever!"