CHAPTER XX.
OFF ON A RAID.
Hal and Chester accepted General Joffre's offer of an automobile tomake their return trip, which consequently did not consume as muchtime as their journey to the headquarters of the Frenchcommander-in-chief.
The first thing they did upon their arrival was to report to GeneralFrench. The latter listened gravely to their story, and then said:
"I know that I need not caution you to obey General Joffre'sinjunction concerning the fate of General Tromp. Let the matter beforgotten."
The lads saluted and left the tent to hunt up temporary quarters oftheir own, for the great army had again come to a halt.
Meanwhile, what of the great driving movement of the allied forces,which after checking the vast German horde almost at the gates ofParis, had forced the foe back mile after mile without cessation? Aword of the situation is here necessary.
From the first moment when the allied armies had assumed theoffensive, after being driven back for days by the Germans, they hadcontinued their steady advance. Such fighting as the world had neverknown was in progress continually, for the Germans contested everyinch of the ground.
Time after time the Allies threatened the German lines ofcommunication, and the Germans were forced to fall back to protectthem, or to be cut off and eventually annihilated, or forced tosurrender. The strategy of General Joffre, condemned by many in theearlier days of the war, now was beginning to bear fruit, and he waspraised on every hand.
The English, under the command of Sir John French, the chief stumblingblock in the path of the Germans as they advanced on Paris, wereproving their mettle every day. Despite their numerical inferiority tothe enemy, they stood bravely to their herculean task, until now thewhole world realized that they were the real fighting strength of theallied army.
Each day found the Germans farther and farther from the walls ofParis. Each day found the Allies pressing the foe more closely. Thegreat battle line, stretching out for more than 200 miles, was inconstant contact with the enemy. Almost hourly there was such severefighting as in former wars would have earned the designation ofbattles. But along this great line they were but skirmishes.
The losses on both sides had been tremendous, although the Germans,because of the fact that they had been previously on the offensive,and also because of the massed formation they had used in theiradvance, had suffered considerably more than the Allies.
Louvain and other towns in Belgium had been sacked by the Germans,pillaged with fire and sword, until hardly one stone was left uponanother. And now the fighting was again in Belgium, that little bufferstate which, ever since she became a nation, has always been thebattleground of European wars.
The Belgian army, in spite of the terrible havoc wrought upon it bythe heavy German guns, was still fighting desperately and had no mindto withdraw from the conflict. Possibly Belgium had more at stake thanany other country in the war. She was fighting for life andfreedom--from possible absorption into the German Empire.
And now the German forces had been pushed clear across the RiverMarne, where they were making a determined stand. The eastern shore ofthe little river was held by the Kaiser's troops, the western shore bythe Allies.
So here the great armies now paused for a moment to take a much neededbreathing spell. For the moment the fierce advance of the Allies waschecked. Tired men sank to the ground in the ranks, there to remainuntil the battle should be resumed.
But over all still was heard the roar of the great guns. The artillerycontinued in action, as it had ever since the two great armies hadcome into contact with each other. Shells dropped and burst among thetroops on both sides of the river, blowing men to atoms; but still themain portions of the armies rested on their arms, awaiting the word tomove forward again.
The fire of the German artillery was hourly creating great havoc inthe allied army; but in spite of their great guns, the greatest everknown, their execution had been no more terrible than that done by thesmaller guns of the Allies; for the fire of the British gunners wasfar superior to that of the Germans. Few shells were wasted, while, upto this time, the comparatively poor marksmanship of the Germangunners was the cause of much comment and surprise.
So now, when Hal and Chester once more returned to their own posts,they found the two great armies lined up on either bank of the Marne;or rather some distance from it, only the outposts of either armyoccasionally riding right up to the river's edge, while the greatshells continued to burst on both sides of the river.
Hal and Chester sought out Lieutenant Anderson, whom they found aftera long search. Through an orderly they also reported to GeneralFrench, apprising him of where to find them should he desire theirpresence. After a short talk with Lieutenant Anderson, who hadinsisted that they make free use of his quarters, both lads turned in,for they had been many hours without sleep, and were tired out.
How long they slept it is impossible to say, but they were awakened byLieutenant Anderson shaking them by the arm.
"Get up," commanded the lieutenant. "You are ordered to report toGeneral French immediately."
Hal and Chester were on their feet in a moment. Bright sunlightstreamed through the entrance to the tent. It was early morning.
Once more in the quarters of General French, both boys impatientlywaited for him to speak--to tell them the reason he had summoned themso suddenly.
At length the general rose and approached them. He placed a hand onthe shoulder of each, and spoke:
"You two lads already have been of invaluable service. Perhaps Ishould not again call upon you so soon, although I know your heartsare in the success of the arms of France and England. But you have sooften proved your fitness for dangerous missions that you seem theones needed."
"We shall be glad to undertake the work, general, no matter what itis," said Hal.
"Indeed we shall," agreed Chester.
"What I must know," said General French, "is the approximate strengthof the enemy on the other side of the Marne, the positions of histroops and so on. I could ascertain this possibly by means of theflying corps; but in that event the enemy would know that I hadlearned. It must be done some other way. Are you lads willing toundertake this task?"
"Yes, sir," said Hal and Chester, almost in a single breath.
"Good," said General French. "I shall leave the means to you, for Ihave already come to know your resourcefulness. I have only oneinjunction: Be back at the earliest possible moment."
The two lads saluted and left the tent. They immediately returned toLieutenant Anderson, where they apprised him of the nature of the workbefore them.
"You two youngsters certainly do have all the luck," said thelieutenant, "while we old heads sit back here and do nothing."
"It seems to me that you have been doing your share," said Hal.
"And to me, too," Chester agreed.
"Oh, well," laughed the lieutenant. "I have seen considerable action.I don't suppose I should complain. But how do you propose to gatherthis information? I suppose you realize that you have quite a sizablejob on your hands?"
"Yes, we realize that," Hal replied, "and we thought perhaps you couldhelp us with an idea or two."
The lieutenant was silent for some moments. Finally he said:
"I believe that I should not go alone, were I in your place. The enemywill be constantly on the lookout for spies. My plan would be to makequite a detour along the river, crossing by a bold dash and ridingright into the heart of the enemy's country, at whatever point itmight be practically unprotected."
"A good idea," said Hal. "But, in that event, we should have to have alarger party."
"Exactly," said Lieutenant Anderson. "And I, for one, offer myservices. I suppose we should have at least twenty-five men."
A few moments later Hal was back in General French's headquarters.
"General," he said, "I should like to have your permission to picktwenty-five men, and permission to use one of the highest powerautomobiles in the army."
br /> The general looked at him in silence for a while before speaking, butfinally said:
"You have my permission. Here," turning to his desk and writing a fewwords, "is a written order. I shall not ask the nature of your plan.Good luck to you."
"I shall let you pick the men," said Hal to Lieutenant Anderson, whenhe was again back in the latter's quarters, "and, so far as they know,you are in command."
"Very well," was the reply; "but remember that it is not so. On thisexpedition I waive my rank, and will act under your orders."
Half an hour later Chester and Hal inspected the men selected byLieutenant Anderson, to whom the boys were introduced as scouts. Alikely body of men they were, strong and sturdy, and not a man of themunder six feet in height.
"Look like they could give a good account of themselves," mutteredChester to himself.
At length all were piled in a great motor truck, and a second later,in response to Hal's directions were speeding southward.