CHAPTER XIV
THE TRAP
The bullet that sang over their heads effectually broke up thethreatened trouble between Dick Mercer and Jack Young on one side, andthe telephone linemen on the other. With one accord they obeyed thatguttural order, "Hands oop!"
They had been so interested in one another and in the cut wire that noneof them had noticed the practically noiseless approach of a great greymotor car, with all lights out, that had stolen up on them. But now,with a groan, Dick and Jack both knew it for one of the Bray Park cars.So, after all, Dick's flight had been in vain. He had escaped the guardsof Bray Park once, only to walk straight into this new trap. And, worstof all, there would be no Jack Young outside to help this time, for Jackwas a captive, too. Only--he was not!
At the thought Dick had turned, to discover that Jack was not besidehim. It was very dark, but in a moment he caught the tiniest movementover the hedge, and saw a spot a little darker than the rest of theground about it. Jack, he saw at once had taken the one faint chancethere was, dropped down, and crawled away, trusting that their captureshad not counted their party, and might not miss the boy.
Just in time he slipped through a hole in the hedge. The next moment oneof the headlights in the grey motor flashed out, almost blinding the therest of them, as they held up their hands. In its light from the car,four men, well armed with revolvers, were revealed.
"Donnerwetter!" said one. "I made sure there were four of them! So!Vell, it is enough. Into the car with them!"
No pretence about this chap! He was German, and didn't care who knew it.He was unlike the man who had disguised himself as an English officer,at the house of the heliograph, but had betrayed himself and set thiswhole train of adventure going by his single slip and fall fromidiomatic English that Harry Fleming's sharp ears had caught.
Dick was thrilled, somehow, even while he was being roughly bundledtoward the motor. If these fellows were as bold as this, cuttingtelephone wires, driving about without lights, giving up all secrecy andpretence, it must mean that the occasion for which they had come wasnearly over. It must mean that their task, whatever it might be, wasnearly accomplished--the blow they had come to strike was about ready tobe driven home.
"'Ere, who are you a shovin' off?" complained one of the linemen, as hewas pushed toward the motor. He made some effort to resist but the nextmoment he pitched forward. One of the Germans had struck him on the headwith the butt of his revolver. It was a stunning blow, and the man wascertainly silenced. Dick recoiled angrily from the sight, but he keptquiet. He knew he could do no good by interfering. But the sheer,unnecessary brutality of it shocked and angered him. He felt thatEnglishmen, or Americans, would not treat a prisoner so--especially onewho had not been fighting. These men were not even soldiers, they werespies, which made the act the more outrageous. They were serving theircountry, however, for all that, and that softened Dick's feeling towardthem a little. True, they were performing their service in a sneaky,underhanded way that went against his grain. But it was service, and heknew that England, too, probably used spies, forced to do so forself-defence. He realized the value of the spy's work, and the couragethat work required. If these men were captured they would not share thefate of those surrendering in battle but would be shot, or hung, withoutceremony.
A minute later he was forced into the tonneau of the car, where he laycurled up on the floor. Two of the Germans sat in the cushioned seatwhile the two linemen, the one who had been hit still unconscious, werepitched in beside him. The other two Germans were in front, and the carbegan to move at a snail's pace. The man beside the driver beganspeaking in German, his companion replied. But one of the two behindinterrupted, sharply.
"Speak English, dummer kerl he exclaimed, angrily. "These English peoplehave not much sense, but if a passerby should hear us speaking German,he would be suspicious. Our words he cannot hear and if they are inEnglish he will think all is well."
"This is one of those we heard of this afternoon," said the driver."This Boy Scout. The other is riding to London--but he will not go, sofar."
He laughed at that, and Dick, knowing he was speaking of Harry,shuddered.
"Ja, that is all arranged," said the leader, with a chuckle. "Not forlong that could not be. But we need only a few hours more. By this timetomorrow morning all will be done. He comes, Von Wedel?"
"We got the word tonight--yes," said the other man. "All is arranged forhim. Ealing-Houndsditch, first. There are the soldiers. Then BuckinghamPalace. Ah, what a lesson we shall teach these English! Then thebuildings at Whitehall. We shall strike at the heart of their empire theheart and the brains!"
Dick listened, appalled. Did they think, then, that he, a boy, could notunderstand? Or were they so sure of success that it did not matter? As amatter of fact, he did not fully understand. Who was Von Wedel? What washe going to do when he came? And how was he coming?
However, it was not the time for speculation. There was the chance thatany moment they might say something he would understand, and, moreover,if he got away, it was possible that he might repeat what he heard tothose who would be able to make more use of it.
Just then the leader's foot touched Dick, and he drew away. The Germanlooked down at him, and laughed. "Frightened!" he said. "We won't hurtyou! What a country that sends its children out against us!"
His manner was kindly enough, and Dick felt himself warming a little tothe big man in spite of himself.
"Listen, boy," said the leader. "You have seen things that were not foryour eyes. So you are to be put where knowledge of them will do noharm--for a few hours. Then you can go. But until we have finished ourwork, you must be kept. You shall not be hurt--I say it."
Dick did not answer. He was thinking hard. He wondered if Jack would tryto rescue him. They were getting very near Bray Park, he felt, and hethought that, once inside, neither Jack nor anyone else could get himout until these men who had captured him were willing. Then the carstopped suddenly. Dick saw that they were outside a little house.
"Get out," said the leader.
Dick and the telephone man who had not been hurt obeyed, the otherlineman was lifted out, more considerately this time.
"Inside!" said the German with the thick, guttural voice. He pointed tothe open door, and they went inside. One of the Germans followed themand stood in the open door.
"Werner, you are responsible for the prisoners, especially the boy,"said the leader. "See that none of them escape. You will be relieved atthe proper time. You understand?"
"Ja, Herr Ritter!" said the man. "Zu befehl!"
He saluted, and for the first time Dick had the feeling that thisstrange procedure was, in some sense, military, even though there wereno uniforms. Then the door shut, and they were left in the house.
It was just outside of Bray Park--he remembered it now. A tiny box of aplace it was, too, but solidly built of stone. It might have been usedas a tool house. There was one window; that and the door were the onlymeans of egress. The German looked hard at the window and laughed. Dicksaw then that it was barred. To get out that way, even if he had thechance, would be impossible. And the guard evidently decided that. Helay down across the door.
"So!" he said. "I shall sleep--but with one ear open! You cannot get outexcept across me. And I am a light sleeper!"
Dick sat there, pondering wretchedly. The man who had been struck on thehead was breathing stertorously. His companion soon dropped off tosleep, like the German, so that Dick was the only one awake. Through thewindow, presently, came the herald of the dawn, the slowly advancinglight. And suddenly Dick saw a shadow against the light, looked upintently, and saw that is was Jack Young. Jack pointed. Dick, not quiteunderstanding, moved to the point at which he pointed.
"Stay there!" said Jack, soundlessly. His lips formed the words but hedid not utter them. He nodded up and down vehemently, however, and Dickunderstood him, and that he was to stay where he was. He nodded inreturn, and settled down in his new position. And then Jack droppe
d outof sight.
For a long time, while the dawn waxed and the light through the windowgrew stronger, Dick sat there wondering. Only the breathing of the threemen disturbed the quiet of the little hut. But then, from behind him, hegrew conscious of a faint noise. Not quite a noise, either, it was morea vibration. He felt the earthen floor of the hut trembling beneath him.And then at last he understood.
He had nearly an hour to wait. But at last the earth cracked and yawnedwhere he had been sitting. He heard a faint whisper.
"Dig it out a little--there's a big hole underneath. You can squirm yourway through. I'm going to back out now."
Dick obeyed, and a moment later he was working his way down, head first,through the tunnel Jack had dug from the outside. He was small andslight and he got through, somehow, though he was short of breath anddirtier than he had ever been in his life when at last he was able tostraighten up--free.
"Come on!" cried Jack. "We've got no time to lose. I've got a couple ofbicycles here. We'd better run for it."
Run for it they did, but there was no alarm. Behind them was the hut,quiet and peaceful. And beyond the hut was the menace of Bray Park andthe mysteries of which the Germans had spoken in the great grey motorcar.