CHAPTER XXI
FLIGHT
It was not Hal's intention to attempt a break for liberty as soon asthe Germans entered the tent. He knew that the two men would be ontheir guard at least until their interest in the game had overcometheir vigilance.
Neither Hal nor Chester were proficient in card playing. The game ofpoker had not been included in their education. Nevertheless, eachknew the value of the cards, and they felt that a situation like thiswould justify their taking a hand, considering the ends in view.
The German with whom Hal had conversed just outside the tent had poorluck from the start, but his companion won. So far the men had madeno, attempt to play together, thus taking advantage of theirprisoners. But it wasn't long before they did.
There came a time when Gregory noticed this. He grew angry.
"Here!" he exclaimed. "That kind of playing won't go. This is afriendly game, and I don't stand for that kind of work."
The Germans looked up in well-simulated surprise. They indicated bygestures that Gregory was doing them an injustice; the game proceeded.
As time passed both Germans won now, Naturally, both grew more and moreinterested in the game. And at last the moment for which Hal had beenwaiting presented itself.
The Germans still had their rifles close to their sides, and from timeto time their hands toyed with the revolvers in their belts.
Hal, after a hand had been played out, arose and stretched himself.The German eyed him suspiciously for a moment, but, as he appearedabout to sit down again, they turned their attention to the cards,which Chester dealt them.
Suddenly Hal whipped out the revolver he had taken from the Germanofficer earlier, and, taking a quick step forward, covered the twomen.
"Hands up!" he exclaimed in German.
The cards fell, to the ground, as Chester and the Canadians got totheir feet. The Germans sat still. Then, slowly, their hands wentinto the air.
"Quick, men!" said Hal. "Get their revolvers and guns."
This was the work of an instant. The six friends now were armed withthree revolvers, two rifles, and one long knife.
"What'll we do with these fellows?" demanded Chester.
"We'll tie 'em up and gag 'em," said Hal without hesitation. "We can'tafford to have them raise the alarm."
"We've no rope, nor anything that looks like rope," said Chester."What'll we tie 'em up with?"
"Their own clothing will have to serve the purpose then," said Hal.
Quickly the Germans were stripped to their underclothing. Their shirtswere torn in strips, and they were securely bound. Handkerchiefs wereused as gags.
"There," said Hal, when this was accomplished. "I guess that will holdthem safe enough."
"It'll have to hold them," said Chester. "Now what?"
"Now to get out of here," said Hal.
"Look here, Lieutenant," said Jackson, "we can't go far in theseuniforms, you know."
"Of course I know it," Hal declared. "We can go far enough to tap afew Germans over the head, though, maybe, in which event there will beuniforms enough of the proper kind to go around."
"Right you are, sir," agreed Crean. "Lead the way."
Making sure that the Germans who had been bound would be unable torelease the improvised ropes, Hal moved to the entrance of the tent andlooked out. It was very dark outside, and Hal could see nothing.
"Guess the way is clear," he whispered, "but it's so dark out there youcan't see a thing. However, we'll take a chance, and we'll head towardthe front, for that's the direction in which we want to go."
The others followed him from the tent.
For perhaps five minutes they walked along without interruption, but atthe end of that time Hal, still in advance, made out a form approachingthem. He stopped in his tracks, and the others also stood stockstill.
Hal now perceived that there were two figures advancing instead ofone. He reached back a hand and pulled Chester to his side. The twolads moved forward together.
In the darkness it was impossible for the men who moved toward them tomake out the lads' uniforms, so, though they perceived the approachingfigures, they naturally took Hal and Chester for their own kind.
They moved slightly to one side in order that Hal and Chester mightpass. Instead, the lads stepped quickly up to them and shoved theirguns in their faces.
"Silence!" said Chester quietly. "Silence or you are dead men!"
Chester's tone left no room for doubt, and the Germans stood stillwithout a word. Hal now made out that they were officers--bothlieutenants.
"Take off your clothes," said Hal briefly.
The Germans understood the lad's plan, but under the muzzle of twoguns, they did not protest, and quickly stripped to theirunder-garments. Hal and Chester each took possession of one of theofficer's revolvers. Then, covering the two men, Hal said:
"Get into one of those uniforms while I keep them covered, Chester."
Chester obeyed promptly, and then he, in turn, covered the men whileHal changed clothes.
The lads now escorted their prisoners back to where the four Canadiansstill stood in the darkness. There they explained the situation.Willing hands tore the clothes that the two boys had discarded, and theGermans, still in their underclothing, were hastily bound and gagged.
The party of British moved on again.
"Four more uniforms and a couple of more guns, and we are O. K.," saidChester quietly.
Fortune again smiled on them a few moments later. A party of threeGerman soldiers approached. These were quickly covered, and the sameprocedure gone through with. A few moments later all except Gregorywere attired in German uniforms.
"Don't worry, old man," said Chester with a laugh. "We'll soon haveone for you, too."
"It's not that I am fond of a German uniform," said Gregory, "but Ijust like to be in style."
The friends now passed several groups of Germans, but the latter werein such large numbers that they did not accost them.
"What we want is just one man, or possibly two or three," said Chester."We don't want to tackle so many that there may be a fight."
At length their patience was rewarded. A solitary figure came towardthem. Hal stepped forward and accosted him.
With a gun poked under his nose, the German gave back a step.
"What's the matter?" he demanded. "Are you crazy?"
"Not a bit of it," said Hal, "but I want your clothes."
"Well," said the German, "you won't get them. This is no time of theyear for a man to be walking around with no clothes."
"Nevertheless, I must have yours," said Hal.
Chester came up at that moment, and his revolver, glistening in thedarkness, lent added weight to Hal's words.
"Oh, well, of course, if you insist," said the German.
He quickly stepped from his uniform, which Chester tossed back toGregory, who donned it hastily. As hastily the German was bound andgagged, and Hal, Chester and the four Canadians moved forward again.
"We're safe enough for the moment," said Hal, as they walked along."The enemy will have no suspicion that we are other than we pretend tobe until daylight, when one look at your Canadian faces will give thewhole thing away."
"That means," said Chester, "that we should be beyond the German linesbefore daylight."
"Exactly," said Hal, "though how we shall do it is still the question."
"We've come along pretty well so far," said Gregory. "We won't give upnow."
"Who said anything about giving up?" Chester wanted to know. "Ofcourse, we won't give up. Have you any idea where we are, Hal?"
"Well, I should judge we are pretty close to the town of Cambrai.Personally, I believe the best plan would be to head in thatdirection. I judge it to be directly south."
"But it is within the German lines," Chester protested.
"True, but once there we may be able to find a hiding place. In theopen we wouldn't have much chance if we failed to get beyond the l
inesbefore daylight overtook us."
"You may be right," said Chester. "Once in Cambrai, providing we canfind a hiding place, we can figure out a means of leaving the Germanlines."
"Exactly," said Hal, "and with a better chance of success."
"Suit you, men?" asked Chester.
"You're the doctor," said Gregory. "Lead the way. We'll follow." Haland Chester turned abruptly to the left. "South it is, then," saidHal.