CHAPTER XI.
HELP FOR THE STRANDED ONE.
"I'm as thirsty as a fish out of water, Rod!" called out Josh some timeafter they had started moving along the road; "must have been that hamwe had for breakfast which was some salty, if fine. And unless I miss myguess there's a roadside spring ahead of us there. You can see that foottraveler taking a drink right now."
Rod had of course already noticed this for himself. Possibly he wouldhave given the stop signal, even had Josh not pleaded with him to do so.
They pulled up close by and dismounted. The man at the spring watchedthem with what seemed to be uncommon interest; but then that was not sostrange, considering what splendid machines they were riding. A trio ofsuch wheels must make almost any one take notice.
Josh surveyed the other curiously as they approached him. It seemed tothe boy that he hardly looked like a native of the soil; for he woreclothes far better than the average French farmer could afford; andthere was also something about his appearance that suggested his being aforeigner.
To the astonishment of the boys he immediately addressed them inEnglish.
"Your motorcycles I see are American made," he remarked; "and from thatfact I guess you must be like myself from the other side of the ocean.It is strange that we should meet here in this war-stricken country."
"Then you are an American, too?" asked Josh, before Rod could say aword.
"I am a naturalized citizen of your great and glorious republic,"explained the man. "I was born in Switzerland, but my people emigratedwhile I was a child. My name it is Oscar William Tell."
"Oh! you don't mean to tell me that you spring from the original WilliamTell, the famous archer who defied the tyrant Gessler, and shot theapple from the head of his own son?" cried Hanky Panky, in delight.
"So I have been told," replied the other, modestly. "But just now I ammore concerned how I may get out of this country of the fighting armiesthan what my dead and gone ancestors may have been. I have been caughtnapping, as they say, and for days now have been trying to reach Paris,where I hope to secure some funds, and start back across the ocean to myfar-away home."
The boys exchanged glances. Somehow, although the man had not as yetmentioned such a thing plainly, they could read between the lines, andunderstand that he was hinting about assistance.
"We could supply you with the little money you may need to pay for yourfood until you get into Paris," said Rod, promptly.
"That is indeed very kind of you," continued the other, eagerly, whilehis eyes fairly sparkled with satisfaction; "but my greatest need is tobe helped on my way a few miles. My feet are so sore I can hardly walk;and I have been told that a short distance ahead there is a railway lineover which I might get transportation to the French capital, whichcannot be more than fifteen miles away at the most."
Josh lost no time in offering to take him along. He had often carried apassenger, and never had an accident thus far. Had it been Hanky Pankynow, or the still more clumsy Rooster, the undertaking might haveassumed a more serious aspect.
"Sure, you are welcome to a seat with me," he told the other, promptly,right from the depths of his generous heart; "that is, if you think youcould hold on, and do the grand balance act."
The man who claimed to be an American took him at his word so eagerlythat there was no chance for Josh to change his mind, even had he wantedto do so.
"I'll accept that offer, my young friend, and with thanks," heannounced. "Yes, I have been on a motorcycle before now, so I trust youwill not think I am endangering your safety. And it will be a great helpto me if I can stay with you for a short time."
The boys each took turns in securing the needed drink, while Oscarcuriously examined their machines. Josh, once more a little suspicious,kept an eye on the other while this was going on. It may have suddenlyoccurred to him that since the man admitted a knowledge of riding on oneof the machines possibly he might be seized with a sudden mad impulse tojump into the saddle and try to get away with a mount.
Nothing of the kind happened, however, and Josh was doubtless a littleashamed of his suspicions. At any rate he went to some pains to let theother get seated behind him, as though to make amends for his secretthoughts.
Rod led the way again. So far as he could see there was nothing strangeabout the plight of the said Oscar. Hundreds of American tourists musthave been caught stranded in strange lands when the war broke sosuddenly; and when they finally reached home they would have all sortsof remarkable stories to tell concerning their experiences andsufferings. Not all of them could have the great luck, like themotorcycle boys, to carry magical documents signed by the king of theheroic Belgians, and calling on all the Allies to favor the bearers asfar as was possible.
They covered several miles of the road. The thunder of the guns grewlouder all the while, and Rod fully expected to come upon marchingregiments at any time, although the thoroughfare they were followingseemed to be singularly free from troops heading toward the scene of thebattle.
There was no railway line in sight as yet, though they had covered muchmore than the distance mentioned by Oscar Tell. But then he may havebeen misinformed as to distances, which was always possible.
In this fashion they came to a little rise which Rod chose, ascustomary, to ride up slowly and carefully, not knowing what sort of asurprise might await them at the top.
It was while they were proceeding toward the crown of the hill that Joshsuddenly found his machine toppling over. He did not know of anyobstacle which he could have run across, for the road seemed absolutelyfree from stones and such things; and even as he struggled desperatelyto keep the heavy machine from smashing to the ground he felt asuspicion flash through his brain that in some manner his passengermight have been responsible for the unexpected catastrophe.
Both of them fell off, but beyond the shock, and perhaps a few minorscratches, Josh was not hurt. Indeed, boylike he immediately showed muchmore concern over a possible injury to his motorcycle than he gave anythought to himself.
Rod heard the crash, as well as the exclamation of dismay springing fromHanky Panky, who was put to some quick work in order to pull up in timeto avoid running the unfortunates down.
Rod immediately reached the ground, and laying his machine down hurriedback.
"Nothing serious, I hope, Josh?" he inquired, Hanky Panky bustlingaround, while Oscar was hopping up and down, as though he might havereceived a bruise on his leg that was painful to a degree.
Josh was frowning dreadfully. Truth to tell his suspicions were growingstronger and stronger all the while; and he even believed the man towhom he had extended the courtesies of the road had purposely broughtabout the accident at such a particular moment when the fall would beapt to prove less serious than when they were whizzing along at twentymiles an hour.
"I don't know yet whether the machine is knocked out of commission ornot," muttered Josh, disconsolately, as he proceeded to hastily examineinto matters; "but it would be exasperating for us if that happened,just when we're close to the battle line, and want to get around solively. Hang the luck, I say!"
He glared in the direction of the apparent cause of all the trouble; butas Oscar was now raising his trouser leg, as if meaning to examine intothe state of his own injuries, of course the look was wasted so far ashe was concerned.
Rod frowned also. Up to then he had not allowed himself to suspect thatthe so-called Switzer-American could be other than he so franklyclaimed; but somehow it began to dawn upon Rod that there may have beena method in his madness. What if it were all a part of a deep-laidscheme calculated to delay them, for some dark purpose or other?
The thought made him angry. Now that it was too late he felt that theyshould have seen through the scheme of the other, when he asked to begiven a lift on his way. He had claimed boldly to have such sore feetthat he could hardly bear to stand his weight upon them; yet here he wasnow dancing around as lightly as any one could.
"But what object could he have in view?" Rod w
as asking himself, evenwhile continuing to keep a cautious eye on Oscar, though he pretended tobe tending over Josh, still examining his wheel.
Like a flash it shot through Rod's mind that this same Oscar might be inleague with the man who was devoting all his talents and energies to thetask of getting a certain paper out of their possession--Jules Baggott.He had already shown himself to be possessed of considerable skill atplanning, and the story told by Oscar may have all been made up out ofwhole cloth, just to cause them delay, and give the plotter anotheropportunity to rob them.
It was well that these thoughts should have raced through Rod's mindjust then; for they caused him to take exact note of what the strangerwas doing. Josh chanced to be too busily engaged at the time to observeanything; as for Hanky Panky, really he was not to be depended on. Andthat his sudden suspicions were well founded Rod presently had positiveevidence.