CHAPTER XV.
GENERAL JOFFRE IS WARNED.
A great tumult arose in the German trench as the eyes of the soldiersfell upon the two figures speeding toward the distant French line.Stripped of their woman's attire the lads had exposed their Frenchuniforms and they were recognized in a flash by the enemy.
But, so sudden had been their dash that they were enabled to cover aconsiderable distance before the troops, at a sharp command from theirofficers, brought their rifles to their shoulders to fire a volley afterthem. By that time the lads were perhaps a hundred yards beyond thetrench, and, glancing quickly over his shoulder, Hal perceived themovements of the enemy.
"Drop, quick!" he called to Chester.
Without slackening their speed the lads threw themselves to the ground atthe very moment the Germans fired.
The bullets whistled harmlessly over the lads' heads.
They were up again in an instant and dashed forward. By a miracle, itseemed, they escaped being shot down. Soon they were nearer the Frenchtrenches than those of the Germans. Still the enemy rained bulletsafter them.
Perceiving the forms of what appeared to be two French officers dashingfrom the enemy's trenches, the French commander immediately ordered adetachment of infantry to protect their flight. These climbed rapidlyfrom the trenches and dashed forward.
A moment later the Germans also threw out a detachment to drivethem back.
The French column fired a volley over the heads of the approaching lads,and the latter once more dropped to the ground to avoid the return fireof the Germans.
Two minutes later Hal and Chester were behind the French detachment andwere making hurriedly for the trenches. Immediately the small force ofFrench which had advanced to their support commenced to retire slowly,and soon also were safe from the enemy's fire.
This little skirmish had resulted in severe losses to both sides,although the French casualties were slightly heavier than those of theenemy. Ten Frenchmen were left on the field, while but eight Germanbodies strewed the ground.
Hal and Chester quickly sought out the French commander. Upon telling himthat they had important information for General Joffre, they soon had alarge automobile at their disposal and were dashing toward Soissons,where the French commander-in-chief had established temporaryheadquarters.
The distance was not great, and, as they now had no enemies to bar theirprogress, the lads soon pulled up near General Joffre's quarters. An aideaccosted them, and carried the lads' names to the French commander. Hereturned a few moments later and announced that General Joffre wouldreceive them immediately.
Hal and Chester followed the aide to the general's tent, where he stoodback and motioned for them to enter.
Inside stood General Joffre, surrounded by members of his staff. Hemotioned for the lads to approach, which they did, and came to attention.The general greeted them warmly.
"I am glad to see you again," he said. "I have not forgotten the valuableservice you rendered the French army recently. I am told you carryimportant information."
"Yes, sir" replied Hal.
"Let me have it, then," said General Joffre.
In a few brief and well-chosen words Hal repeated what they hadoverheard so recently in the German trench. The general listened to themapparently unmoved.
"So!" he exclaimed, when Hal had concluded his narrative, "they areplanning to kidnap President Poincare, eh? Well, we shall be ready forthem. But first I must take steps to thwart the proposed German drive. Itis to be delivered when, you say?"
"Two days after to-morrow, sir," replied Hal.
"And you say the Kaiser will return to the front the day afterto-morrow?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good! We shall be ready for him."
He turned to a member of his staff. "Colonel Mercer," he said, "mycompliments to General Rochelle, and repeat to him what you have justheard. You will order him to fall back slowly when the Germanoffensive begins."
He turned to the others of his staff, who had manifested some surprise atthis command. "I do this, gentlemen," he explained, "that the Germans maybe drawn into a trap of our own setting. Not knowing that we have learnedtheir plans, they will probably push the attack with vigor. When we beginto give way they will be confident of the success of their plan. In themeantime reenforcements shall be hurried forward, and, when the Germanshave advanced to a point I shall select, we shall take the offensive withredoubled vigor. The enemy, caught unprepared, will be crushed beforethey can be sufficiently reenforced."
Exclamations of satisfaction escaped the group of staff officers, and Haland Chester were greatly impressed by the prompt action of the Frenchcommander-in-chief.
"He allows no grass to grow under his feet," Hal whispered to Chester.
"I should say not," replied the latter.
General Joffre turned to Hal.
"It is your understanding, then," he said, "that the plot against thePresident will not be tried until after the grand assault?"
"That is my understanding of the matter, sir," Hal replied.
"Good! In the meantime, then, we shall have time to take care of that."He turned to another of his officers. "Colonel Devore," he said, "youwill see that these two lads are given suitable quarters."
The colonel saluted.
"I shall ask them to share mine, sir," he replied.
"_Bien_," returned General Joffre. "I shall probably have need of youagain, soon," he added, to Hal and Chester.
He sat down at his desk and turned to a mass of papers and maps, and thelads realized that the interview was ended.
Colonel Devore motioned them to follow him, and, saluting the Frenchcommander, the lads filed out of the tent.
Colonel Devore introduced them to his own quarters and, waving his handairily, exclaimed:
"You will make yourselves perfectly at home here as long as youmay stay."
"Thank you, Colonel," said Chester. "We appreciate your hospitality."
The colonel waved aside the thanks with a gesture and strode from thetent.
The lads immediately composed themselves to rest, for it was a long timesince they had closed their eyes in slumber.
Greatly refreshed by a short sleep they arose two hours later and tooka walk about the camp. At a distant part of the trenches they saw alarge number of troops gathered about, and the sounds of laughter roseon the air.
"Wonder what's up?" asked Hal.
"I don't know," replied Chester, "but we may as well have a look. Comeon."
He led the way and Hal followed him.
Coming closer the lads cried out in astonishment. Their eyes fell upon abody of troops that they knew in an instant could have hailed but fromone part of the world. They were English--but a mere handful of them--notmore than a single squad.
"By Jove!" said Hal. "I didn't know there were any British troops in thispart of the field."
"Nor I," said Chester. "But what do you suppose all those fellows arelaughing at?"
They drew closer. Coming upon the circle of troops that surrounded asingle man, the lads stared in astonishment, and then they, too, brokeinto a loud laugh.
There, right in the foremost trench and therefore in the more danger fromthe enemy's fire, a tall, lank Englishman lay, stretched at full lengthupon the ground. His arms were above his head, and he appeared to beresting in perfect comfort, at peace with the world.
But it was something that protruded from the legs of his army trousersthat had caused the merriment of the troops gathered about. The lankyEnglishman had removed his puttees and exposed to the view of theastonished Frenchmen two silk-clad feet, and red silk at that.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Hal. "Silk socks! and in this weather!"
"Silk socks," said Chester, "are clearly against the army regulations."
They approached closer.
Now the lanky Englishman sat up, and apparently unconscious of the gazeof the troops about him, produced a nice leather box, opened it,extracted an instrument, and pro
ceeded to manicure his nails. He did itcoolly and paid no attention whatever to those about him.
"Well!" said Hal. "What do you think of that?"
"That's the best I have seen yet," said Chester, laughing.
The lads pushed through the crowd of curious French soldiers and soonwere in the midst of the British. They approached a sergeant.
"What sort of a freak is this?" asked Hal, indicating the longEnglishman.
"By Jove!" exclaimed the sergeant. "You're English, aren't you?"
"Yes," replied Hal. "But who is this gentleman with the manicure set?"
The sergeant smiled.
"That," he said, "is His Lordship."
"'His Lordship'? But what's his name?"
"Well, I have forgotten his name. We all call him 'His Lordship.'"
"But why do you permit all this funny business?"
The sergeant shrugged his shoulders.
"What can I do?" he exclaimed. "If I forbid one thing he bobs up withsomething else. Look at him! He's the laziest man I ever saw. We namedhim 'His Lordship' the moment of his arrival in our midst, and bets weremade that he would succumb after the first day's march. Not a bit of it!He looked tired at the start, but he looked no more so at the finish. Wewere finally placed in the trenches. His Lordship did everythingungrudgingly, but he could not sleep without a pillow. What do yousuppose he did?"
"I haven't the slightest idea," said Hal. "What did he do?"
"Why, he made a bargain with a big fat fellow, who, for four packs ofcigarettes a day, agreed to let his lordship use his stomach as a pillow.He's lazy, yes, but just the same he's a fighter. We began to respect himon the day he laid low sixteen Germans with eighteen cartridges. He didit as nonchalantly as though he were in a shooting gallery. But lazy!Why, he was so lazy he would not brush the perspiration off his forehead.He asked a neighbor to do it for him!"
The sergeant stopped and eyed His Lordship.
"Look," he said, "he's going to bed again."
It was true. His Lordship had stretched out on the cold, hard ground.
"Great Scott! Can he sleep there?" asked Chester, in surprise.
"His Lordship," said the sergeant calmly, "can sleep anywhere!"