CHAPTER III--THE SECOND TRICK
"The first trick--yes: but what are trumps?" said Kenneth, in reply tohis companion's remark.
"Toujours l'audace!" the stranger answered. "But my life isn't worth amoment's purchase. I owe you a few minutes; 'for this relief muchthanks.' Leave me now, and make for your friends. They will look afteryou. I have none."
"Not a bit of it," replied Kenneth instantly. "We stick together. Iknow a quiet place where we can consult. Step out briskly, as if wehave important business on hand."
"There's nothing hypothetical about that," murmured the other. "On,then!"
They hurried along the street, which was crowded with persons of allages, some talking excitedly, others cheering and singing patrioticsongs. Now and then there was a cry of "Down with England!" The twofugitives walked quickly, dodging among the crowd to avoid the wearersof military or police uniforms, their own uniforms clearing a way forthem. As they passed a beershop, the outside tables of which werethronged, the drinkers cheered them and broke lustily into the song ofDeutschland ueber Alles.
As soon as possible they turned into a side street, less populous; andKenneth, who knew the city well, directed his course towards the river,to a little secluded nook, where he hoped it would be possible to hold aquiet consultation. In the hurry of escape and the anxious transit ofthe streets he had been unable to devote a moment's thought to theirfuture action. It was clear that their safety hung by a thread; theironly chance was to lay their plans calmly, taking due account of thepresent circumstances and future contingencies.
They reached their destination. There was nobody about.
"We may have a few minutes to ourselves," said Kenneth. He took out hiswatch. "It is nearly ten o'clock. My train has gone, so that's out ofthe question."
"You were leaving?"
"Yes; my friends thought I had better go; that was before war withEngland was certain. I suppose it is true?"
"The time limit has not expired, certainly; but there can't be any doubtabout it. Germany can't afford to yield about Belgium, and we can'tafford to let her have a walk over. We may be quite sure that noEnglishman of fighting age will get away now without trouble. But yourfriends will protect you; again I say, don't consider me."
"That's all right. In any case I don't want to get Max Finkelstein intoa row."
"Of Amory & Finkelstein?"
"Yes; I'm Kenneth Amory. Do you speak German, by the way?"
"Like a native. I was at school at Heidelberg."
"That's a help. But for the life of me I can't think of a way ofgetting out. When they discover our escape they'll watch the stations,the piers, and the roads. Our uniforms won't be a bit of use."
"Oh! for the wings of a dove!--or an eagle would be more to thepurpose."
"By Jove! that gives me an idea. I've done some flying; I was going totry for a place in our Flying Corps. If we could only bag anaeroplane!"
"A sheer impossibility, I should say."
Kenneth stood silent in the attitude of one deep in thought. Every nowand again his right eyelid twitched--a little involuntary mannerismwhich came into play at such times. His companion watched himcuriously. At last a look of resolution chased the doubt from his face.
"It's the only way," he said; "we must have a try. There are plenty inCologne. They've been using a new aviation ground lately; the regularaerodrome was too small for them. They don't fly at night. All themachines will be in their hangars. Of course they'll be under guard;but we might get hold of one by a trick. Give me another minute or twoto think it out: I know the place well."
After a few minutes' silence there ensued an earnest conversationbetween the two. The upshot of it was that they hurried by unfrequentedroads to the new aviation ground. It was a large enclosure defended bya wooden fence about eight feet high, with barbed wire along the top. Asentry stood at the gate near the sheds. The whole place was indarkness, but a little beyond it, on the far side of the road, shone thelights of a beershop.
Leaving his companion in a dark corner, Kenneth hastened alone to thebeershop. At the tables outside sat several men, mechanics inappearance. Kenneth slackened his pace to a policeman's walk, andpassed by, throwing a keen glance at the men, who gave him a perfunctorysalute. On reaching the remotest table he whispered a word or two tothe man drinking alone there. The man left his bock, and rising, joinedKenneth, who had drawn back into the darkness.
"You can be discreet?" he said.
"What is it, Herr Policeman?" the man replied, doubtfully.
"It is a question of a spy. One of the mechanics is suspected. Do youknow a short dark man who has recently come in?"
The question was a bait cast at a venture; Kenneth was elated at theman's reply.
"Yes, to be sure; there is a new fellow, mechanic to Herr LieutenantBreul. None of us liked the look of him. If he is a spy! ... Not thathe is particularly short."
"Well, not so very short."
"Nor more than common dark."
"Not a gipsy, perhaps; but still, rather dark and certainly not tall."
"That's the fellow to a hair. He's a boor: why, he called me a stupidpig only this morning. That's suspicious in itself; for I'm not astupid pig; I can prove it by my school certificates."
"Of course; you wouldn't be employed here if you were a stupid pig. Wellnow, Herr Lieutenant Breul ought to be warned."
"That's true. The Herr Lieutenant is not here now; he has gone for thenight with the other officers. But it would be better to arrest the manat once. A spy! We'll do for him, me and my mates."
"Not so fast. We must make sure of the man. I ought to hold him underobservation. But it is important to keep the matter quiet. Thequestion is, can you manage to let me have a sight of the man withoutattracting attention?"
The man scratched his head.
"You don't want to enter by the gate, Herr Policeman?"
"No. It would never do to let it get about that a spy was found here."
"Well, it's not an easy matter, but I'll go to the sheds and see whatcan be done."
The man went away, Kenneth hastened to the spot where he had left hiscompanion.
"Things look possible," he said. "But your uniform is a difficulty. AGerman officer mustn't enter the enclosure like a thief, and without thepassword you can't go in by the gate."
"I must simply bluff it out. I'm a friend of Lieutenant Breul. I'veplayed many parts in my time--not without success."
"Come along then. There's no time to lose."
They hurried back to the dark corner in which Kenneth had interviewedthe mechanic. In a few minutes he returned.
"This is a friend of the Herr Lieutenant's," said Kenneth. "I met himjust beyond the gate, and he agrees with me that this disgraceful mattermust be kept secret. Have you had any success?"
"The fellow is overhauling the Herr Lieutenant's engine in preparationfor a start to-morrow. He is the only man at work."
"That's very suspicious," said Kenneth. "Don't you think, Herr Captain,that we had better climb the fence and keep a watch on the man? Whoknows what mischief he may be doing?"
"I'll go back to the gate and meet you inside," replied his companion.
"I think you had better come with me, Herr Captain," said Kenneth, "Yourpresence would guarantee me if any soldier within chanced to supposethat I was intruding."
"Very well," returned the other, with seeming reluctance. "But you alsomust guarantee me against damage to my clothes."
"That is easily done. This man will throw his coat over the wire."
"Certainly, Herr Policeman," said the mechanic, whom the presence of anofficer had quite reassured.
They moved off to a spot beyond the sheds. The mechanic laid his coatupon the wire, and assisted the fugitives to mount. Then he hurriedback to the gate, entered the enclosure, and met them near the furthestshed. The whirring of a propeller was audible.
"That's the shed," he said, poin
ting to the half-open door through whicha bright light was streaming. "He's at work there, running the engine."
"Very well," said Kenneth. "You had better get your coat and makeyourself scarce. You won't want to appear in this."
"Not I," said the man.
"The Herr Lieutenant will reward you," said Kenneth's companion. Heknew German officers too well to tip the man in the English way.
The mechanic slipped away into the darkness. The Englishmen went to theshed. They opened the door and entered boldly. A man was bending overthe engine, spanner in hand, adjusting a nut on the carburetter. He hadnot noticed the opening of the door or the entrance of the strangers.Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looking up, was amazed tohear an officer say, through the noise of the propeller:
"Villain, you are under arrest."
Dumbfounded, he stared stupidly at the officer, and feebly protesting,stood back from the machine. Meanwhile Kenneth had taken a tin ofpetrol from a cupboard in the corner of the shed, and was filling up thetank. When this was done, he ran his eye rapidly over the monoplane,tested the stays, and finding all in good order, said in English:
"We'll lock this fellow in the cupboard. Then you throw the door open,come back quickly, and get into the seat beside me. The engine isrunning well, and it will only take a few seconds to get off."
At the first words of English the mechanic shouted with alarm; but hiscry was drowned by the whirring of the propeller, and before he couldrepeat it he was locked into the cupboard. Then the Englishman carriedout Kenneth's instructions. As soon as he was in his place, Kenneththrew the engine into gear, and the machine glided forward out of theshed into the dimly lit open space beyond. In a few yards it began torise. There were shouts of surprise from the few men about the groundsand the mechanics in the beershop outside, scarcely heard by the airmen.
The monoplane soared up and up, unnoticed by the noisy multitudes in thecrowded streets below. It was soon out of sight. Suddenly a beam ofblinding light flashed upon it from some point high above the ground.
"The searchlight on the cathedral steeple," shouted Kenneth to hiscompanion. "But there's no danger; they'll recognise it as a Taube."
The searchlight followed its course for a few minutes; then was shutoff.
"The second trick is to us!" cried the passenger.
But Kenneth did not hear him. His whole attention was given to themachine.