CHAPTER XVII
THE SPY
CONTRARY to Setley's surmise the following day passed quietly--if theterm can be applied to operations on the Western Front.
"Nothing of consequence to report," was the official _communiqué_,but throughout the day the British guns thundered upon the Hundefences. The Germans, expecting a renewed assault, were on thorns;they were so badly hustled that they could not be urged to make acounter-attack. Their reserves were not forthcoming owing to theefficient barrage behind the lines.
Meanwhile the British infantry rested, consolidating their ground andrelying upon the artillery to pave the way for the assault when thelatter did take place. There are limits even to the endurance of aTommy, and although the men had the spirit to advance their leadersrealized that to attain the best results the operations must be the_festina lente_ order.
So with the infantry inactive the Tanks likewise had to "stand off,"and Ralph was fortunate in making up arrears of sleep. At three inthe afternoon Second-Lieutenant Setley was summoned to the presenceof his commanding officer.
"We're having a shuffle round," began the latter without needlesspreamble. "Six additional Tanks are being sent up from the Base, andsome of the men who have had practical experience in action are to bedistributed amongst the crews of the new arrivals. That, naturally,causes vacancies in the complements of the Tanks here already. Yousent in an application, I see, for two N.C.O.'s of the Wheatshires.The C.O. of the Wheatshires raises no objections, Headquartersapproves, and the men are warned to join as soon as possible. Ipresume you would like to have them with you?"
"Yes, sir," replied Ralph. "At the same time I should be sorry tolose Sergeant Archer. He's a smart, hard-working, conscientiousN.C.O.----"
"I know," interrupted the C.O. "You need not have any qualmsconcerning Sergeant Archer. He is to be sent on promotion to theAncre. Very well, then; that's settled. Good afternoon."
Ralph saluted, and withdrew, mentally declaring that the brusque C.O.was a thorough sport. Before he had gone a hundred yards heencountered Sergeant Alderhame and Corporal Anderson, who had justreported themselves at Divisional Headquarters.
"You haven't lost much time," was Setley's greeting.
"Rather not," replied Alderhame.
"He was off like greased lightning, sir," added Ginger, "in case theychanged their blessed minds. I'm fair bustin' for a joy-ride in oneof them Tanks."
"You'll have your wish, then," said Ralph. "We are shifting to-night.That airman you shot, Alderhame, tried to bomb us last night, and theinference is that the Huns had been told of the locality of the Tanksby a spy. So to avoid further risks we were going some four milesaway--somewhere between Givenchy and Souchez."
"That means business," said Alderhame. "We heard that our next thrustis to be directed against Lens. My word! I can see us climbing Hill70 in a Tank."
"Let's 'ope we don't drop down a bloomin' coal-pit," said Ginger."I've 'eard as 'ow some of 'em are 'arf a mile deep."
As soon as darkness set in the Tank Division, comprising twelvelandships and the travelling workshops and store lorries, proceededto its new destination, making a wide detour well behind the lines.The new site had been carefully selected; piquets were posted toprevent unauthorized persons approaching within four hundred yardsand every possible precaution taken to safeguard the mobilefortresses.
"Quite a fine evening for a stroll," remarked Danvers, just as thehour of midnight was approaching.
"Eh? What's the game?" enquired Ralph curiously.
His chum had recently returned from visiting the outlying posts. Inordinary circumstances Danvers would be able to "stand off" untilfive.
"Merely a whim of mine, I suppose," he replied. "At any rate, I'mgoing, but, of course, if you----"
"I'm on," agreed Setley, buckling on his belt, to which was attachedhis revolver-holster. "Where do you propose making for?"
"Along the Givenchy road," announced Danvers. "It's quite quiet. I'vea wish to explore a certain spot a little way off the high road.Ready?"
The way was rough in spite of the urgent and ceaseless attentions ofthe pioneers. Constant motor traffic had cut deep ruts into the softground bordering the strip of _pavé_. Of the avenue that formerlyfringed the road only a few trees were standing. Of the othersisolated shell-scarred stumps remained, but for the most part thetrees had been bodily uprooted by the titanic blows of burstingexplosives. Here and there a dead horse, its stiffened legs stickingup in the air at various angles, showed up in the pale starlight. TheHuns had been shelling the wood during the day, and the transport hadpaid toll. Shattered waggons and limbers, dragged to one side, alsobore silent testimony to the work of carnage.
"'Alt!" hissed a voice, and from the shadow of a tottering wall akhaki-clad sentry appeared. The dully glinting tip of his bayonethovering within an inch or so of Setley's chest brought both officersup with the utmost alacrity. They realized that it was unhealthy toignore a peremptory order of that description when on active service.
Danvers gave the countersign. The sentry, who belonged to the TankSection, recovered his rifle.
"All right, sir," he said. "You may pass."
"Everything correct?" enquired Danvers.
"Quite, sir," replied the man.
A quarter of a mile further on the two subalterns struck the mainroad, along which a constant stream of troops and vehicles werepassing.
"Only a few yards of this," remarked Danvers. "We turn off to theleft again. See that building--or the remains of one?"
He indicated the gaunt gables of a farmhouse. The roof had entirelydisappeared. Not even a rafter remained. The front wall had beenblown out, leaving a far-flung mass of debris; the back wall wasstill standing, although pierced through and through in a dozenplaces.
"Carefully, now," whispered Danvers. "While I was visiting rounds Ispotted someone making for this house. Kept him under observationwith my night-glasses. I waited nearly twenty minutes and he didn'tshow up again. That is in itself suspicious. I would have sent out apiquet, only there was too much risk of the men giving themselvesaway. It's a task best tackled by us, I imagine. You work round bythe right; I'll go to the left. If the fellow is still there, welland good. We'll soon find out his business. If he isn't, we'll waitand see if he returns."
The two officers separated. Keeping close to the ground and takingadvantage of a slight natural dip in the untilled field, Ralphapproached his objective. Presently he stopped and listened. He couldhear a voice either muttering or else expostulating in a sort ofjibberish unintelligible jumble.
"Not English, nor French--nor German," declared Setley. "Flemishperhaps, but hardly likely. There's only one man, I should imagine;but why does he carry on in this excited fashion?"
Drawing his revolver, Ralph continued his approach. Cover there wasnow none. He had to cross twenty yards of open ground before hegained the shadow of one of the gabled walls. In spite of hiscaution, his boots squelched loudly in the tenacious mud. It seemedimpossible that anyone on the alert could help hearing him.
The muttering ceased. Ralph stopped dead. Had the mysteriousindividual an inkling of danger? For a long-drawn half-minute Setleywaited, his feet sinking slowly and surely into the slime. Then theflow of incoherent words was resumed.
Gaining the shelter of a wall, Setley paused. There were no signs ofDanvers. He decided to wait until his companion put in an appearance;not that he was unable to tackle the suspect single-handed--there wasthat predominating factor, his revolver. But, since he wished to takethe man alive, he resolved to leave nothing to chance and awaitassistance.
Peering over the jagged edge of a hole in the brickwork Ralph saw theobject of his quest. On the mound of stones that at one timecomprised the farmhouse floor lay two scorched beams. On these a doorhad been placed so as to form a rough table, and spread out upon thiswas a coloured plan, illuminated by the shaded gleam of a militarymap-reading lamp.
Bending over the plan was a tall, burly man, dressed in the uniform
of a British infantry officer. His face was in darkness, and whetheryoung or middle-aged Ralph was unable to determine.
On the floor by the side of the suspect lay a folded garment--a cloakapparently--and a German army revolver; while to keep the edges ofthe plan from being disturbed by the wind the man had made use offour clips of cartridges as weights. By the brass material of theclips Ralph knew that they were not British but German.
"Cool cheek," thought Setley. "Quite enough evidence to place him infront of a firing party. He looks a tough customer, too." PresentlyDanvers crawled up and also took stock of the suspect. The twosubalterns glanced at each other meaningly and nodded. Then, boundingswiftly and agilely through the gap in the wall, they threwthemselves upon their quarry.
The improvised table flew one way; the spy, in the grip of hisassailants, the other. The plan coiled up and rolled across the roughfloor until it quivered against a projecting slab of stone. The lamp,still alight, slipped to the ground, its rays directed skywards likea miniature searchlight.
The fellow put up a tough fight. More than once he shook off hisattackers, but was unable to regain his feet and follow up theadvantage. He fought cleanly. He did not bite or kick--which wasremarkable for a Hun--but used his fists with good effect, as Danvershad cause to know.
At length the two chums gained the mastery, although at the end ofthe struggle they were almost played out.
"Now what's to be done?" gasped Ralph, when the suspect was securelybound--wrists and ankles--by means of handkerchiefs and the man's ownrevolver lanyard. "If we've got to bring him out of this we'll havetrouble. He's a lump of a chap."
"Get a man to mount guard over him until we can fetch the piquet,"decided Danvers, wiping the perspiration from his forehead. "By Jove!My nose feels as big as a turnip."
"It's certainly swelling some," remarked Setley, surveying his chum'sfeatures by the aid of the captured electric lamp. "All right; youstand by and I'll bring a Tommy back to look after the blighter."
In less than twenty minutes Ralph returned, accompanied by a corporalof the Tank section whom he had met on the road.
"I've been trying to question the chap," reported Danvers. "Tried himin German. Perhaps my rendering was so atrocious that he couldn'tunderstand, or else he's sullen. He tried to wriggle while you wereaway, but he seems to be lashed up tight enough."
"Mount guard over him, corporal," ordered Ralph. "If he tries any ofhis capers prod him in the stomach with your bayonet. I don't thinkthat would be bringing His Majesty's uniform into contempt. We'lltake that revolver and the map with us as evidence."
Leaving the corporal furtively eyeing his charge, like a terrierwatching a rat, the two subalterns hurried back to the camp.
Having made their report an armed piquet was sent out, together witha couple of stretcher-bearers, in case the prisoner refused to walk.
"I feel rather 'bucked' over this business," remarked Danvers."Despite a bang on the proboscis, I am inclined to assert that thisnight's work hasn't been thrown away. I was----"
A rifle-shot rang out, clearly audible above the rumble of distantguns.
"By Jove!" ejaculated Ralph. "Corporal Rogers has plugged the chap."
"Rather a wide interpretation of your orders, old boy," repliedDanvers. "Why didn't he use cold steel?"
With the piquet hurrying at their heels the two officers ran acrossthe intervening stretch of mud and reached the ruins. The spy wasstill there, very much alive. Over him stood the corporal. An emptycartridge case on the floor and the reek of cordite fumes were silentevidence to the identity of the man who fired the shot.
"All correct here, sir," reported Corporal Rogers. "I heardfootsteps, went to the broken window, and saw a bloke sneaking uptowards the building. I challenged, and he turned tail. Then I letrip, and he dropped. I'll swear I plugged him, but he made no noisewhen he fell."
Proceeding in the direction indicated by the corporal, Setley andDanvers found the lifeless body of a man dressed as a French peasant.There was nothing on him to prove his identity. Close by, andevidently dropped as he fell, was a small bag of corn. A couple ofyards further away was found a little bottle containing water.
"Jolly fishy," declared Danvers. "Corn and water--too small to be ofmuch use for human consumption. What does it mean?"
Nothing more could be done as far as the slain peasant was concerned.The officers returned to the ruins while the captive was beingstrapped to the stretcher--a task that took the united efforts offour of the piquet.
"This chap's a spy, that's a dead cert.," continued Danvers. "Theother fellow is an accomplice and brings him grub."
"But you said that the quantity was insufficient," protested Ralph."Your theory doesn't hold good."
"Hanged if it does," admitted Danvers, "It's a regular mystery. Nodoubt----"
A gentle cooing above their heads caused the men to look up. Flashingthe light they discovered that nesting in a niche in the end wall wasa birdcage. It must have been placed there since the building waspartly demolished by shell-fire.
Standing on another man's shoulder one of the piquet handed down thecage. Within were four carrier pigeons.
"The chain of evidence is complete," declared Danvers. "Bring thosebirds along--and this one, too," he added, indicating the stillstruggling prisoner.
"A very good night's work," commented the C.O., when the twosubalterns had made their report. "Two birds with one stone, by Jove!All right, carry on; we'll have this gentleman tried by court-martialin the morning."