CHAPTER XX.
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING.
Hal and Chester made a profound bow.
"I have been informed," continued the Prime Minister, "that you bear amessage from General Joffre containing proof of information you obtainedbearing on a plot to kidnap the President of France."
"Yes, sir," replied Hal, and from his pocket produced the document, whichhe passed to the Prime Minister.
The latter broke the seal and ran through it hurriedly.
"Hm-m-m," he said at last. "Not as much information as I believe weshall need."
"But surely you know enough to protect the President," said Hal.
The Prime Minister looked at him somewhat coldly, and Hal drew back,confused at having been so bold. The Prime Minister touched a bell upon adesk and an attendant entered.
"Have General Gallieni summoned here immediately," he instructed.
The attendant bowed and departed. For half an hour the Prime Ministerpaced up and down the room, deep in thought. The lads stood silent,neither caring to interrupt his meditations. Finally the attendant againentered the room, and announced:
"General Gallieni!"
A short, squat man, attired in a brilliant red-and-blue uniform, withmedals flashing upon his breast, strode into the room and came toattention before the Prime Minister.
"You summoned me, sir?"
"Yes, General. These," indicating Hal and Chester, "are the two officerswho overheard the plot to kidnap President Poincare. I have called youhere that you may hear their story at first hand." He turned to the twolads. "This," he said, "is General Gallieni, military governor of Paris.You will repeat to him what you overheard."
In a few brief words Hal did so, and, when he had concluded the PrimeMinister passed the message from General Joffre to General Gallieni.The latter ran his eye over it quickly, and for some moments thereafterwas silent.
"And you say that this plot was to be carried out in the event that theGerman offensive failed?" he asked at length.
"Such is my understanding, sir," replied Hal.
"And you say a German agent is supposed to have been in communicationwith Pierre Duval, recognized as King of the Apaches?"
"Yes, sir."
General Gallieni turned to the Prime Minister.
"I have made inquiries," he said, "and I have learned enough tosubstantiate this story. We can, of course, foil the plot with ease, butthat is not enough."
"No," the Prime Minister agreed, "that is not enough."
"We must apprehend Duval himself," continued the military governor.
"Exactly," said the Prime Minister, "and with him sufficient of his mento cause the others to realize that when they plot treason to Francetheir necks are in jeopardy."
"Precisely," agreed General Gallieni. "But this Duval is a slipperyfellow and hard to catch. I have learned that, unlike other Apaches, hecomes of better blood; in fact, is supposed to be a gentleman. But,beyond this, I have learned nothing except the existence of the plot tokidnap the President."
"But the police and the secret service men," said the Prime Minister,"haven't they been able--"
"The police and secret service men, bah!" interrupted General Gallieni."They have learned nothing. Their faces are so familiar to the denizensof the underworld as to make them absolutely useless. I have set some ofmy officers on the trail, but they seem to have met with no better luck.No; we must have men whose identities cannot be so easily established;strangers, say, who are willing to risk their lives by going into thehaunts of the Apaches, and, perhaps, putting themselves in their power."
"Then, sir," said Chester, taking a step forward, "you need seek nofurther. My friend and I shall be glad to undertake the work."
"You!" exclaimed the Prime Minister, starting back in surprise. "Why, youare nothing but boys."
"True," said Hal, somewhat nettled, "but more than once we haveaccomplished men's work."
General Gallieni looked at them long and carefully. Then he once moreturned his eyes upon the contents of General Joffre's message.
"General Joffre," he said quietly, "speaks highly of you both. He saysthat you are to be trusted implicitly and he appears to have greatconfidence in your resourcefulness. Upon his recommendation I should saythat, if you are willing to undertake the work, you would come as nearbringing it to a successful termination as any men we might find."
"Thank you, sir," said Hal quietly. "We are both willing and eager tomake the attempt."
"Then," said the general, "we shall consider the matter settled."
"But," protested the Prime Minister, "it seems to me that they are muchtoo young to be allowed to assume such a risk."
"From General Joffre's letter," remarked the military governor of Parisdryly, "I should say that they have already assumed risks every whit asgreat." He turned again to Hal and Chester. "Do you know anything of theApaches of Paris?" he asked.
"Only what we have read," replied Chester. "I should say that they are ofthe lowest possible order of criminals."
"You are entirely right," replied General Gallieni. "The Apaches of Parishave not acquired an undeserved reputation. There is no crime on thecalendar they would not commit for a few cents. From petty thievery tomurder they have advanced by degrees, until to-day the life of a personwho ventures among them is not worth a cent, should they believe he had afranc in his pocket.
"The Apaches infest the poorer sections of the city, notably the banks ofthe Seine and portions of the Quartier Latin. They seldom venture fromtheir own haunts, and, like cats, do most of their prowling and evildeeds during the darkest hours of the night. Nowhere in the world isthere a more villainous band of cutthroats. You would think that, intimes like these they would rally to the support of their country, butthey have not. And now comes this plot to turn their President over tothe enemy."
The lads had listened with great interest to this account of the men, inwhose midst they had volunteered to risk their lives. They realized thedanger that confronted them in such a venture, but neither was minded togive it up because of this.
"Well, we shall have to be careful, sir," said Hal. "We will dress poorlyand will show no money. If you will put us on the right road I am surethat we shall learn something of value in the course of a day or two."
"It is still not too late to draw out," said the general, eyingthem closely.
"Well, we won't draw out," said Hal quietly.
"I should say not," agreed Chester.
"Report to me to-night at my quarters in the Hotel de Ville, say at 9o'clock, and I will give you your directions and what other information Ican that will be of service to you. In the meantime, I would advise thatyou seek rest, for you are likely to need it."
The military governor took his departure, and soon the lads also left thepresence of the Prime Minister, who had directed them to a hotel nearby.
In this little hotel, clean and comfortable, the lads sent out andprocured some old clothes that would give them the appearance of direpoverty. Then they examined and cleaned their automatics and laid in anextra supply of cartridges.
"Well, I guess that's about all we can do till to-night," said Hal."Let's get a little sleep."
"My sentiments exactly," said Chester.
It was perhaps 4 o'clock in the afternoon when they arose. Outside thesun was shining brightly.
"By Jove!" said Chester. "This is too nice a day to remain in the hotel.Let's take a walk."
"Agreed," said Hal.
They left the hotel, and for an hour strolled about the city, looking atthe sights of interest.
"By the way," said Chester, "what's this Hotel de Ville where we are toreport to General Gallieni to-night?"
"Why," said Hal, "that's the city hall, or at least what we would callthe city hall in America. I suppose that when Paris was put under martiallaw the military governor, who, of course, superseded all civicauthorities, at once took up his quarters there."
"I see," said Chester.
Strolling alo
ng Bois de Boulougne, the lads saw, some distance ahead ofthem, a crowd gathered about what appeared to be a knot of strugglingmen. They hurried up and peered over the shoulders of the otheronlookers.
In the center of the throng was a young man, defending himself as best hecould, against the attacks of half a dozen smaller assailants, youngrowdies and ruffians.
Even as the lads looked the assailed snatched a club from the hands ofone of his opponents, and laid about him lustily, clearing a small spaceon all sides of him.
But the weight of numbers was bound to tell, and the assailants closed inagain, while the crowd stood and laughed.
Such unequal odds did not appeal to the two lads.
"Come on, Hal," said Chester. "We can't stand idly by and let that crowdof ruffians beat that fellow up."
"I should say not," said Hal. "Come on."
Elbowing and shoving, the lads forced their way through the crowd andfell upon the assailants from the rear. The young man to whose assistancethey had come welcomed this unexpected aid with a slight smile, and thethree stood side by side and fought off the ruffians.
But the ranks of the latter were increased now, and the lads were hardpressed. They were giving a good account of themselves, but it wasevident that, unless help arrived, they would get the worst of it.
Suddenly a tall man in a heavy fur overcoat, who had alighted from anautomobile to see what the excitement was about, after a quick glance atthe combatants, uttered a cry and dashed forward, elbowing his waythrough the crowd.
Hal and Chester each felt himself seized by the shoulder by a stronghand, and a voice exclaimed:
"So! I have found you young scalawags at last!"
At the sound of this voice Hal and Chester stood stockstill, and from thecrowd came the cry of: "The police!"
Hal glanced quickly into the face of the man who held him and his chumfirmly by the arm. The face was set in a stern expression, but there wasa kindly smile behind it and the eyes twinkled.
Chester voiced his astonishment with two words.
"Uncle John!" he cried.