CHAPTER XXV
BACK TO SAFETY--CONCLUSION
Jack hardly knew what to do. He made threatening gestures at the dog,but they, of course, only added to the trouble, for the animal renewedhis barking more briskly than ever.
Then Jack had an inspiration, such as sometimes comes when all seemslost. If the dog continued his barking, sooner or later one of the menworking in the field not far off would have his curiosity aroused, andcome to ascertain what sort of wild animal the dog had treed.
Jack unfastened his package of food. Since stern tactics had no effecthe meant to try to make friends with the dachschund. Dogs are alwaysmore or less hungry, he argued; and this must be especially true at thattime in every part of Germany, Alsace-Lorraine not excepted, since thepinch of two-and-a-half years of war had made terrible inroads on allkinds of food.
Jack commenced to eat. The dog kept on barking, though not quite sosavagely now. The smell of the food had reached him, and he wouldoccasionally give a little imploring whine between his barks.
So Jack spoke to him in a soft, wheedling tone. Then he held up a scrapof meat, and caught the eager attention of the little beast; after whichhe tossed it to him. It vanished like a flash. The dog even wagged histail, as if to let the man know his animosity was quickly giving way tointerest. Surely any one who had all that food along with him could notbe a suspicious personage.
The next scrap fell a little short, and the dog advanced to get it. Soby degrees Jack tempted him, until in the end he was patting the squattyanimal on the back, and still feeding him. They were now the best offriends. Kindness had accomplished what all the threatening gestures,supplemented with many sticks hurled at the beast, could never havebrought about.
Jack believed he had saved himself from discovery. He could easilyunderstand what hardships must have awaited him had he ever fallen intothe hands of Carl Potzfeldt.
The afternoon went by very tediously. The dog came and went, staying forshort periods with Jack. The vast store of food was a magnet that heldthe little beast fast. It had doubtless been a long time since he hadhad his full.
By degrees the day waned, and evening came along.
Jack never saw the sun set with less regret than he did on thatoccasion. Still he knew that long hours must pass before the moon wouldpeep in view above the eastern horizon.
As he sat, he allowed his thoughts to roam backward. Once more inimagination he could see his friends who were on the other side of theocean. Then for a change he would take another "snack," as he called it,for lack of anything else to occupy his attention.
Several times also he dozed, but always arousing with a start at somesound, under the impression that it might be Tom who had come, and, notfinding him, gone away again.
Finally he began to believe it must surely be past midnight; and thelate moon would presently be making an appearance. On looking closelytoward the east he became aware that the heavens were betraying such afact, for a distinct silvery glow was beginning to appear, low down.
Then came a streak of light. It was the moon. Slowly she mounted higher,as if more or less ashamed of the dilapidated appearance of her usuallysmiling face.
Jack had earlier in the night changed his place of lodging. He againoccupied his former quarters close to the spot where he and Tom hadlanded when they wished to overhaul the motor that was acting so badly.
The minutes dragged.
Then once more Jack bent his head, and put a hand up to his ear tolisten. He laughed to himself with glee.
"That's Tom coming!" he muttered joyously. "I knew Tom wouldn't fail me.All the same I'll be mighty glad when I'm aboard the plane and on theair route to Bar-le-Duc and my own cot."
Louder grew the sounds. There could not be the slightest doubt about itnow, Jack decided. A plane was coming at top speed, and keeping not agreat distance above the treetops of the little valley in which thehouse of Carl Potzfeldt and the road to Metz lay.
Louder grew the insistent drumming. Jack wondered whether some of thoseat the chateau might not also hear the racket, and, guessing what itwould mean, hasten out to the field in time to give Tom and himself avolley of shots.
Now the plane was coming, like a great condor of the Andes about toalight on a mountain peak. Jack gauged full well where it would land. Heran with all his might to be close to the spot. The less time wasted ingetting him aboard the better for their safety, he believed, rememberingwhat cause Carl Potzfeldt now had for being suspicious when a planevisited his meadow.
Then the big Caudron ran along the ground and came to a full stop.
"Jack!"
"Yes, Tom, I'm here, and mighty glad to see you!" cried the lad who hadcounted the minutes until his brain seemed to reel with the strain.
"Get aboard in a hurry, Jack. We've no time to waste here."
"I know that even better than you do," returned the other.
There was indeed need of haste. The air service boys could hear voicesfrom where the chateau was located. Someone had heard the humming of theoncoming airplane. It was Potzfeldt himself, and now he and two of hismen came hurrying out on the field, all armed with pistols.
Jack only waited to give the propellers a whirl, and then, as the motortook up its work, he made a leap for his seat. Oh, how good it seemed tobe once more in that airplane!
"Stop! Stop!" roared a guttural voice in German. "Stop, or we fire!"
Now the airplane was moving along the ground, bumping and rockingconsiderably. But Tom knew how to manage, and presently the planecommenced to soar slowly upward.
Loud and angry voices announced the fact that Carl Potzfeldt had arrivedclose enough to get a view of the rising plane in the misty light of themoon.
"Stop! I command you! Stop!" roared the German. And then came the crack!crack! crack! of firearms.
The air service boys, because of the noise of the motor, did not hearthe discharge of the pistols, but suddenly Jack heard the spatter of abullet as it struck the machine close beside him. Then he ducked andmade a motion to Tom to let his chum know that they were under fire.
But the machine was gaining headway rapidly, and presently they were sohigh that those below could no longer reach them. Up and up they wentuntil they were thousands of feet above the valley that had been thescene of this remarkable adventure.
Tom headed back along the course he had just come. It was now easy topick up one landmark after another, and in due course of time theypassed over the lines once more. Of course, the sound of the plane'spropellers was heard by the Germans, and some shrapnel was sent afterthem; but as Tom was careful to keep high in the air, this did not reachthem, and soon they were out of the danger belt.
Fifteen minutes later they made a landing, this time on the wellremembered aviation field of Bar-le-Duc. Here there were attendants onhand ready to care for the machines.
"Glad to see you got back," said one of the attendants, grinning. Heknew that Tom had gone off on the second trip to bring Jack.
The two air service boys found a car to take them to the villa. The longride through the night air had made both of them very sleepy, and yetneither felt just then like retiring.
"It's a lucky thing, Tom," said Jack, between yawns, "that I had thisfur-lined pilot's coat along with me. Only for that I'd have been mightycold out there in the open last night, with no chance for a fire."
"Well, it's all past now, Jack. Tell me what happened to you during myabsence."
Jack, was nothing loath, and as quickly as possible gave his chum theparticulars of how he had gone into hiding and almost been betrayed bythe dog.
Tom had already told Jack about what had become of Mrs. Gleason andBessie. They had been taken to a house some miles back of the lines, andwere to be made comfortable there for the night.
"And early in the morning they are to start for Paris," Tom said withsatisfaction. "I managed through our captain to get them passage aboarda train that is to take some wounded back to the base hospitals. Mrs.Gleason says she means to stay
in Paris and help all she can as a RedCross nurse, for she has had some experience in nursing."
"That's fine!" was Jack's comment. And then for the time being he becamesomewhat silent.
Tom could easily understand that his chum was cherishing a hope thatsome time or other when they were taking a vacation from their arduousduties while flying for France, the pair of them might visit the Frenchmetropolis, and if so they would certainly try to see Bessie and hermother again.
"And I've got more news to tell," remarked Tom, when the pair were aboutto turn in for their much-needed sleep. "You'll remember about thatmessage we found in the capsule on the leg of the homing pigeon. Well,one of the other pigeons we found was used to send a false message tothe Germans, telling them that a certain part of the French line wasvery weak. A short while later the Germans made a furious attack on thatpart of the line, and, believe me, they caught it for fair--the pluckyFrench soldiers, aided by the artillery, literally wiped up the groundwith them."
"That's great news!" cried Jack. "Then it paid to bring down thatpigeon, didn't it?"
"It sure did, Jack!"
Two days later came a most important announcement, especially to theAmerican airmen.
"Things are coming our way at last," the valiant commander announced, asthey crowded about him. "The papers this morning say that Uncle Sam hasat last got his back up. Any day may now bring the glorious news fromacross the Atlantic, telling that the United States has taken the stepsthat will put her in this World War against the Central Powers. Then itwill be all over but the shouting."
"That's right!" cried Jack.
"You just leave it to Uncle Sam to do it!" added Tom.
Many more adventures were in store for the young aviators, and what someof them were will be related in the next volume of this series, to beentitled "Air Service Boys Over the Rhine; Or, Fighting Above theClouds."
And here for the present let us leave the air service boys and saygood-bye.
THE END
THE DICK HAMILTON SERIES
BY HOWARD R. GARIS
A NEW LINE OF CLEVER TALES FOR BOYS
DICK HAMILTON'S FORTUNE or The Stirring: Doings of a Millionaire's Son
Dick, the son of a millionaire, has a fortune left to him by hismother. But before he can touch the bulk of this money it is stipulatedin his mother's will that he must do certain things, in order to provethat he is worthy of possessing such a fortune. The doings of Dick andhis chums make the liveliest kind of reading.
DICK HAMILTON'S CADET DAYS or The Handicap of a Millionaire's Son
The hero, a very rich young man, is sent to a military academy to makehis way without the use of money. A fine picture of life at anup-to-date military academy is given, with target shooting, broad-swordexercise, trick riding, sham battles, and all. Dick proves himself ahero in the best sense of the word.
DICK HAMILTON'S STEAM YACHT or A Young Millionaire and the Kidnappers
A series of adventures while yachting in which our hero's wealth playsa part. Dick is marooned on an island, recovers his yacht and foils thekidnappers. The wrong young man is spirited away, Dick gives chase andthere is a surprising rescue at sea.
DICK HAMILTON'S AIRSHIP or A Young Millionaire in the Clouds
This new book is just brimming over with hair-raising adventures ofDick Hamilton in his new airship.
DICK HAMILTON'S TOURING CAR or A Young Millionaire's Race for Fortune
A series of thrilling adventures. Dick and his friends see the countryin a huge touring car. Their exciting trip across the country, how theysaved a young man's fortune and other exciting incidents are verycleverly told.
DICK HAMILTON'S FOOTBALL TEAM or A Young Millionaire on the Gridiron
A thrilling story of how Dick made a real football team for hisschool--the team that was laughed at by other military schools untilDick took charge.
THE BOY-SCOUTS BANNER SERIES
By GEORGE A. WARREN
Author of the "Revolutionary Series"
The Boy Scouts movement has swept over our country like wildfire, andis endorsed by our greatest men and leading educators. No author isbetter qualified to write such a series as this than Professor Warren,who has watched the movement closely since its inception in Englandsome years ago.
THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS or The Struggle for Leadership
This initial volume tells how the news of the scout movement reachedthe boys and how they determined to act on it. They organized the FoxPatrol, and some rivals organized another patrol. More patrols wereformed in neighboring towns and a prize was put up for the patrolscoring the most points in a many-sided contest.
THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS ON A TOUR or The Mystery of Rattlesnake Mountain
This story begins with a mystery that is most unusual. There is a gooddeal of fun and adventure, camping, fishing, and swimming, and theyoung heroes more than once prove their worth.
THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS AFLOAT or The Secret of Cedar Island
Here is another tale of life in the open, of jolly times on river andlake and around the camp fire, told by one who has camped out for manyyears.
THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS SNOWBOUND or A Tour on Skates and Iceboats
The boys take a trip into the mountains, where they are caught in a bigsnowstorm and are snowbound. A series of stirring adventures which willhold the interest of every reader.
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