CHAPTER XXI
ESCAPED PRISONERS
When Jimmie's toe prodded the Kaiser's horse in the ribs, that animalgave a mighty spring and bounded from his position. Usually atractable, though mettlesome beast, the horse was greatly surprised atthe treatment he was receiving, and it is not surprising that he madeevery effort to escape the punishment.
At the first movement of his comrade, Dave had urged his own horseforward in the expectation that Jimmie would attempt escape.
So swiftly had the movement been executed by Jimmie that none of theofficers near by had been able to intercept the flight of the three.
Before the Kaiser could check the mad rush of his mount and bring thenoble animal to a quivering stop, considerable distance had beencovered. Jimmie rode on the Kaiser's right Hank, his own horse'sshoulder close to the other's saddle. Dave followed immediately behindJimmie so close that when the halt was made he fairly crowded Jimmiebeside the Kaiser. He was still mystified when they stopped.
With a face livid with wrath at the treatment, the Kaiser turned towardJimmie. The next instant he began a forceful speech. It was neverdelivered. Jimmie slipped from his horse and began to drag the otherfrom his mount. He was too excited for coherent speech.
"Young man--," began the other in a severe tone.
"Shut up!" stormed Jimmie. "Get off your horse, quick! It's coming!"
As he spoke, the boy, looking earnestly into the face of the man he hadpursued, pointed toward the French lines and in the direction of thespot where the hasty flight had begun.
Dave glanced back to see a knot of officers and Uhlans closely packedabout the very spot where the three had stood a moment before. As helooked he shivered slightly. A huge black object was hurtling throughthe air. It landed in the center of the group, bearing down with ashriek of agony a horse and its rider.
Instinctively Jimmie and Dave had thrown their arms up to cover theirfaces. By this means they had protected themselves in a degree fromthe force of the flying scraps of earth that stormed upon them likehail. They were covered with dirt to a woeful degree.
As the rain of dirt ceased Jimmie looked up at the man he had tried sohard to rescue. His face bore a look of solicitude.
"I tried to get you out of there," he said. "I saw it coming."
"A pretty story!" stormed the other. "What conduct is this?"
In amazement Jimmie drew back a pace. He grasped the bridle reins ofhis horse in his left hand. Looking keenly at the mounted man, the ladrecognized the fact that his intentions had been misunderstood.Without another word the lad mounted his animal.
"Where are you going, Jimmie?" asked Dave anxiously as Jimmie wheeledhis mount. "What are you going to do now? Shall we make a break?"
"I guess we've made break enough," replied Jimmie with set jaw. "HereI go and rescue one perfectly good Kaiser from a dropping shell that hedon't see, and now he gets sore at me for doing it. I'm going back tothe position where I was ordered to stand, and they can all be shot topieces next time for all the help they get from me!"
"Then I'm going with you!" declared Dave. "Come on!"
Gravely Jimmie returned to the very rim of the crater that had been dugin the solid earth by the bursting of the gigantic shell. Here hehalted, drew himself erect in the saddle and waited. Dave drewalongside.
In another instant the two were surrounded by officers and Uhlans.
"Dismount at once!" ordered an officer.
Jimmie glanced quickly at the man and discovered him to be none otherthan von Liebknecht, the man who had been so closely concerned inJimmie's recent experiences. Not deigning a reply, the lad obeyed.His action was quickly followed by Dave.
Following an order rapidly given in German, one of the Uhlans urged hishorse forward and grasped the reins of the two horses. He fairlyjerked the leathers from the hands of the boys and led the two away.
"My word!" declared Dave with emphasis. "We're in for it now!"
"I wonder just what they're going to do?" asked Jimmie in a whisper.
"Firin' squad at sunrise, most likely!" said Dave. "We're now, as Iunderstand it, criminals of the worst sort."
"I don't get you," puzzled Jimmie. "What's the big idea?"
"We've committed one of the worst crimes in the calendar!" declaredDave. "As I understand it, we've meddled with the person of theKaiser, and that's only one degree less awful than saying horrid thingsabout him. That's what I've been told, at any rate."
"Great frozen hot boxes!" ejaculated Jimmie. "Is it a crime to save aman's life when you get the chance?"
"I can't just say how they'll look at it," replied Dave. "But herecomes the old top himself. Maybe he'll have a word to say."
Von Liebknecht began what seemed to the lads to be an apology, but wascut short by the Kaiser, who gave a command in German. Withoutattempting to complete his unfinished speech, the Captain repeated thecommand to an aide standing near, and he in turn addressed two Uhlans.
Much to their surprise, the boys were confronted by their oldacquaintances, Otto and Fritz, who gave their orders in a single word.
"Vorwarts!" came the command in crisp tones as the two crowded theirhorses almost upon the two lads.
"That means 'Hike!'" explained Jimmie, turning to Dave.
"Here goes, then," returned Dave, stepping out bravely.
"I say, Otto," began Jimmie presently, "where are we going?"
"Verboten!" came the only answer the Uhlan would offer.
"Ha!" cried Jimmie. "I know what that means. I've seen a good manysigns with that word on it. It means that we are forbidden to walk onthe grass, breathe, live, eat, or do anything else without permits."
"No, no, Jimmie," explained Dave. "He means that he is forbidden totell you where we are headed for. Isn't that it?"
"I don't know and don't much care!" was the other's reply. "They arewelcome to start a goat farm any time they wish. They've got mine fora starter. Of all my going a-fishing, this is the limit."
After about half an hour's walk they found themselves near a buildingthat had evidently been a farm residence. In common with many otherrural establishments of Germany, this place had been built with thebarns attached to the dwelling house.
Into what had been the cow stable the boys were conducted by theirguards. A ladder stood in one corner, leading up through a trap doorto the fodder loft above. Up this ladder the boys were directed.
"Fine little old prison!" declared Jimmie contemptuously.
"Well, it might be worse," said Dave consolingly. "We're here yet."
"Yes, and if I ever get another chance at the Germans," declared Jimmiewith vigor, "I'll punch their heads as hard as I can!"
"We might as well make ourselves comfortable," suggested Dave.
"Not on your life!" cried Jimmie heatedly. "From now on I'm going tomake every move in the calendar to get out of this place and away fromthose Germans. If I ever get back to America I'll never eat anotherbit of sauer kraut as long as I live!"
Dave could not repress a laugh at this outburst. He could sympathizewith Jimmie's attitude, for he felt that they were being unjustlytreated.
"How are we going to give them the slip?" asked Jimmie, beginning asystematic search of the place. "Are there any windows?"
"There are two on the east side," answered Dave.
"Now, then, let's tear up the bed sheets and knot them together," wasJimmie's next suggestion, delivered in a half jesting mood.
"A rope would be better," offered his companion. "Let's look for one."
Presently he gave a cry and stooped to pick up an object at his feet.
"What do you think of this?" he said gleefully as he held aloft the endof a line nearly as thick as his finger. "Isn't that luck?"
"My word!" said Dave heartily. "That's the silver lining, all right!"
"Now to get a cleat or something across that window so we can take therope with us!" urged Jimmie. "Hurry, Dave, hurry!"
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bsp; They lost no time in doubling the line and passing the ends out of thewindow. The loop which they still held was caught beneath the cornersof the window frame so that it would remain in position until the endwas loosened by the person descending.
Ahead Jimmie could make out the outlines of an aeroplane in an openspace. Following Dave's pointing finger, the lad saw a man in Uhlan'suniform rapidly running through the wood in the direction of the barn.
A noise in advance of their position attracted his attention. Hegripped Dave's arm warningly and pointed to three figures in Uhlanuniform moving about in the growth of underbrush.
Dave quickly unslung the coil of line from his shoulder and proceededto reeve a slip noose in one end. When he had adjusted the noose tohis satisfaction the lad moved silently forward, crouching as he went.
With a dexterous throw the lad sent the loop of line over the threefigures standing close together. Jimmie lent a hand to drag it tight.