CHAPTER XI
THROUGH THE LINES
"Ready, Hal?"
"All ready."
Hal stretched up his hands, and Chester, leaning far over the pit, seizedthem and pulled. Hal came slowly upwards.
Suddenly he gave a cry of pain and twisted and squirmed vigorously.Chester became alarmed.
"What's the matter?" he asked quickly.
"One of those fellows bit me in the leg!" exclaimed Hal.
It was true.
As Hal had soared upward, one of the Germans had sprung forward, andbeing unable to free his hands, had seized the fleshy part of Hal's legbetween his teeth. Evidently the gag had not been properly adjusted.
"Kick him loose!" cried Chester.
Hal obeyed instructions. The German uttered a loud cry--another sign thatthe lads had gagged him too carelessly.
In kicking out at the German, Hal had used too much violence and hadjerked loose from Chester's hold. Down into the pit he plunged again.Apparently believing that Hal had come back with the intention ofsilencing him forever, the ungagged German gave vent to a series ofloud cries.
"Quick, Chester!" called Hal. "Pull me out of here before this fellowbrings down the whole German army."
Chester leaned over and again seized Hal by the hands and pulled. Oncemore the German below sprang forward and attempted to sink his teeth inHal's leg. Hal, realizing what the man was about, kicked out suddenlybefore the German could obtain his hold, and the lad's heavy shoe caughtthe man squarely in the mouth. One more cry the German gave and thentoppled over.
"Quick Chester!" cried Hal, again.
With an effort Chester dragged Hal from the pit.
Hal stood up and both lads dusted the dirt from their clothes.
"Now the sooner we get away from this spot the better," said Chester.
They advanced directly west toward the extreme German front.
"We'll have to depend on boldness to take us through," said Hal. "It isunlikely that we shall be questioned until we reach the outposts and thenwe'll have to make a break for it."
"Suits me," said Chester.
They walked along leisurely, passing countless German soldiers standingabout; but little attention was paid to them. Occasionally a man noddedto them and the lads returned the salutation.
Gradually they drew away from the main body of troops and neared theoutposts. Here German troopers were engaged in throwing up breastworksagainst a possible attack by the French in the morning.
"Guess we won't have far to go if we can get beyond the outposts,"muttered Hal. "These preparations indicate the Germans have just won thisground. The French can't be far away."
Chester nodded in token of assent, and at that moment they came up to theworkers. Casually they stood and watched the German soldiers digging fora few moments; then wandered in among them, keeping close together.
"When I give the word!" whispered Hal.
Chester nodded.
"Now!"
Hal gave the word suddenly.
Immediately the two lads took to their heels.
For a moment the Germans were stunned by the very audacity of the twolads. Then entrenching tools dropped to the ground and the men seizedtheir rifles and fired a volley after the two boys. But in the time ithad taken them to lay aside their tools and pick up their weapons thelads had disappeared in the darkness and now hurled themselves to theground, anticipating such a volley.
In the darkness the Germans could hope to hit them only by accident.
Springing to their feet again, the lads ran forward, bearing off slightlyto the north, and soon felt they were safe.
They slowed down and approached the French lines cautiously. Presentlythey beheld the first French entrenchment. As they drew close a Frenchsoldier poked up his head and levelled a rifle at them.
"Halt!" he cried. "Who goes there?"
"Friends!" returned Hal.
"Advance friends," came the soldier's next words while he still held hisrifle ready.
Hal and Chester advanced to the very edge of the trench. There thesoldier took a good look at their faces and noticed the German uniforms.Up went his rifle again and he would have pulled the trigger with the gunaimed squarely at Hal had not Chester leaped quickly forward and struckup the weapon.
The two clinched.
"You fool!" cried Chester. "We are not Germans!"
Other soldiers now came running up. They gathered about the two figuresin German uniforms. An officer approached. Fortunately, he recognized thetwo boys and waved the men away.
"These men are all right," he said.
The soldiers drew off, satisfied, all but the man who would have firedpoint blank at Hal. He stood there and eyed the lad sullenly. Then, forthe first time, Hal obtained a good look at him. The lad recognized himinstantly. He was the same man who had directed the hazing of young JulesClemenceau a short time before.
As the Frenchman leered at him evilly, Hal walked close to him.
"It's my belief you knew me all the time," he declared quietly.
"What of it?" the Frenchman demanded.
"Why," said Hal, "only that if I were sure, I'd pull your nose for you."
"Ha!" exclaimed the Frenchman. "I'd like to see you try it. You caught meoff my guard the other night. You can't do it again."
"I don't particularly care to do it," returned Hal, quietly, "becauseyou're not worth it; but if I start I'll probably go through with it."
Again the Frenchman sneered at him.
Further conversation was prevented by the appearance of a Frenchlieutenant who had observed the trouble.
"Matin!" he ordered. "Back to your post at once, sir."
The latter saluted respectfully enough, but he gave Hal another evil lookas he walked away.
"He's no friend of yours, that's sure," said the young French officer toHal, with a smile.
"I am glad to say he's not," replied Hal, quietly. "I don't believe I'dcare for a friend like that."
"I don't blame you," was the young officer's response. "Matin has a badreputation and I would advise you to keep your eye on him."
"Thanks," said Hal. "I shall remember that. By the way, can you tell mejust where we are?"
"Thiaumont farm," returned the French officer; "or, rather, I should say,just east of Thiaumont farm. You two fellows look somewhat done up. Ifyou will go to the farm you will find a place to sleep in the farmhouse.By some trick of fate the house and barn still stand, although everythingelse in this vicinity has been knocked to pieces by the big guns."
"Thanks," said Hal, again. "We shall take your advice. We are prettytired and a sleep will help out. It's too far back to our own quarterswhen there is a place to bunk so handy."
The two lads left the young officer and made their way to the farmhouse.Here they found a number of French officers already installed, but thelatter gladly made room for them.
"No beds," said one with a laugh, "but there is plenty of room onthe floor."
"I guess a bed would be too much to expect," said Chester, alsolaughing. "Besides, it's been so long since I slept in one I don'tbelieve I could rest."
"The floor is plenty good enough for me," Hal agreed.
"Help yourselves then. You can pick out your own room."
"Guess we'll go upstairs then," said Hal. "It'll probably be more quietup there. These fellows down here are having too much fun to care aboutsleep," and he waved his arm toward one corner of the room, where a groupof young French officers were engaged in a game of cards.
The two boys made their way upstairs and found a room to their liking inthe rear of the house. Here they stretched themselves out on the floorand were asleep immediately. There were no other occupants of the room.
Outside the moon was shining, and it cast a beam of light into the roomwhere the two chums lay asleep. Several hours after the boys had closedtheir eyes in sleep, the figure of a man appeared in the window without.After some experimenting he opened the window softly and came in. Heclosed th
e window gently behind him.
Chester stirred in his sleep and the man shrank back against the wall inthe darkness. For perhaps five minutes he remained there, and then, asthere was no further move by the sleeper, he advanced into the center ofthe room. The light fell upon his face, and had the boys been awake, theywould have recognized in the intruder, Matin, the man who had attemptedto shoot Hal a short time before.
Matin approached the two sleepers quietly, seeking to make sure which wasHal. He examined each closely and then grinned as he stepped back a paceor two, apparently satisfied.
From the next room there came the sound of footsteps and again Matinshrank back against the wall. Directly the footsteps moved away and Matindrew a breath of relief.
From his pocket now he produced a knife, examined it carefully andgrinned again. Looking carefully about to make sure that there was no onein the room to observe him, he stepped forward.
Had he turned his head at that moment he would have seen a second figurelowering itself just inside the room. But so intent was Matin upon thedark deed ahead of him that, after his one observation of the room, hedid not look again.
The second figure was creeping after Matin now. He was not far behind,but still he was not close enough to touch the first intruder. Matin tooktwo quick steps forward and raised his arm. Then he bent on one knee.
The arm flashed down!