CHAPTER XVII
A QUEER SITUATION
"Somebody following us, Hal!"
"That so?" said Hal; "and why should we be followed along here?"
"I don't know," was Chester's reply, "but I have noticed a shadowfollowing us wherever we go."
"We'll see about it," was Hal's rejoinder.
It was the night succeeding the day on which the lads had taken part inthe defense of Thiaumont farmhouse. They had returned to their quarterslate in the day, had reported to General Petain and had been relieved ofduty until the following morning. It was now after 8 o'clock and theywere strolling about the camp.
They had made their way well back into the heart of the armed settlementwhen Chester had made the announcement that they were being followed.
With Hal to reach a decision was to act. Chester let his friend do theleading in this instance.
Hal quickened his steps and walked quickly down the row of tents,which, well back of the trenches, were laid out in the form of streets,and which, in fact, were called streets by the soldiers themselves.Chester followed.
At the first cross street, for so they may be called, Hal led the waysharply to the left and stopped suddenly. A moment later a figure cameslinking around after them. Hal reached out an arm and grabbed him.
"Here," he said, "what are you following us for?"
The man tried to free himself, but Hal held him tight.
"If you'll let me loose, I'll explain," he said finally.
Hal considered this a moment; then with a shrug of his shouldersreleased his hold.
"Stand behind him, Chester," he said.
Chester followed Hal's injunction, but the man made no effort to escape.
"Well?" said Hal, questioningly.
The man thrust a hand into his pocket.
"Hold on there!" cried Hal, sharply, producing his revolver. "Notricks now."
The man smiled and withdrew his hand from his pocket.
"I wasn't after a gun," he said.
He opened his hand and in the palm Hal saw a little round object.
"Can you match that?" the man demanded.
Hal peered closer and made out the nature of the object in theman's hand.
"A black pea!" he exclaimed. "Yes, I can match it."
He thrust a hand in his pocket and produced a black pea, which not manydays before had rolled from the pocket of Jules Clemenceau.
The stranger looked at it closely.
"All right," he said. He turned to Chester. "And you?" he demanded.
Chester's reply was to produce his black pea, which he exhibitedto the man.
"Good!" said the stranger. "Follow me."
"Follow you where?" Chester wanted to know.
"Yes; what's all this funny business, anyhow?" demanded Hal.
The man smiled enigmatically.
"Best to be careful," he said. "Come on."
Chester looked at Hal and the latter nodded.
"Might as well see what it's all about," said the latter.
They fell into step behind the stranger.
With many turns and twists the man walked for perhaps half an hour.Apparently he was bent on beclouding the lads' sense of direction.
"I say!" Hal called a halt finally. "Where are you taking us?"
"It's not much farther," the man protested, "and I have been instructedto bring you."
"Instructed to bring us?" echoed Chester, "and by whom?"
"You'll learn that later," was the stranger's response. "Are you coming?"
Again Hal and Chester exchanged glances. The latter shrugged.
"We've started; may as well see it through," he said.
"All right," Hal agreed and turned to the stranger, "but cut out all thiswinding about," he demanded. "There is a quicker way of reaching ourdestination, wherever it may be."
The stranger smiled, but made no reply. He moved off and the boysfollowed him, and at last they came to their journey's end.
Before an army tent the man stopped a few moments later.
"In here," he said.
He entered and Hal and Chester paused long enough to look at each other.
"I guess it's all right," said Hal. "Can't much happen right in the heartof the camp. Come on."
He entered the tent with Chester close behind him.
Within powerful arms seized them and dragged them down; and before theycould cry out gags were stuffed in their mouths. In vain the ladsstruggled to free themselves. They were soon safely bound.
Up to this time the tent had been in darkness, but now someone struck alight. Hal and Chester gazed at their captors. All were attired inregulation army uniforms, but their faces were masked. One man, whoseemed to be the leader, was short and chunky. The others were taller.The small man approached the lads and spoke.
"If you will give me your words to make no outcry, I shall have the gagsremoved," he said in a shrill, quavering voice, plainly disguised.
Hal considered this point a moment; then nodded his head in token ofassent. Chester did likewise.
"All right," said the little man and beckoned the others to remove thegags.
Their mouths free of the evil-tasting cloths, Hal and Chesterbreathed easier.
"Now," said Chester, "perhaps you will explain what this is all about."
The little man shook his head.
"No," he replied, "all I can tell you is this! You shall be kept confinedhere until your removal to Paris can be arranged. Then you will be sentto London and put aboard a vessel for New York. That's all I can say."
"But what for?" demanded Hal, angrily.
"That you will not be told," was the reply, "although I guess you don'tneed to be told."
"By George!" exclaimed Chester, "I don't know what you are talking about,but you can take my word that somebody is going to suffer for thisnight's work. How long do you intend to hold us here?"
"I can't say. Possibly a day or two; at all events, until your removalcan be arranged."
"Do you know who we are?" demanded Hal.
The little man nodded.
"Perfectly," he replied.
"You know that we are attached to the staff of General Petain?"
Again their captor nodded.
"And still you've got the nerve to hold us here?"
"Yes, I've got the nerve."
"Don't you know you shall suffer for this?"
The man shrugged his shoulders.
"At least I shall have done my duty," he replied.
"Duty! Great Scott! Duty! What are you talking about?" demanded Hal,angrily. "Are you a German sympathizer?"
"No, my sympathies are French," was the reply.
"Well, if you call this doing your duty," said Chester, sarcastically,"let's hope you don't have too many duties to perform in the service ofFrance. For if you do, the Germans certainly will win."
"Well," said their captor, "I guess I shall have to leave you now. I mustmake my report."
"Who are you going to report to?" demanded Hal, suddenly, thinking totake the man off his guard.
The latter only grinned.
"I'm too old a bird for that trick," he said, showing that he understoodwhat had been in Hal's mind. "I'm going to report to the proper person."
"Improper person, I guess you mean," Chester growled.
"At any rate, I must report," said their captor. "Now if you'll promiseto make no outcry while I'm gone, I will not have the gags replaced inyour mouths. Otherwise, I am afraid--"
He closed with a shrug of the shoulders.
"You put one of those things in my mouth again, and I'll make you eatit--some day," said Chester.
"Not for some time to come, I'm afraid," was the little man's rejoinder."I believe I can guarantee you will be kept out of mischief for theduration of the war."
Hal had been gazing at the little man closely.
"Seems to me," he said at last, "that I have seen you some place before.There is something familiar about you."
"You'
ve probably seen me," was the reply. "I've been around here forsome time."
Chester was now struck with a sudden thought.
"Is Matin mixed up in this thing?" he demanded, believing that, afterall, the capture might have been concocted by the French soldier who hadsought to kill Hal.
"Matin? Who is Matin?" asked their captor.
Chester explained.
"No, he has nothing to do with it," was the reply.
"Then, in the name of the Great Czar, what's it all about?"
"I can't tell you," was the firm reply.
Chester groaned.
"Of all the fool predicaments," he said, "this is the worst."
The little man had now moved toward the door of the tent.
"I go now," he said, "to make my report. Pleasant dreams to you."
"Hold on a minute," shouted Hal.
"No; I think I had better go. Good-bye, boys!"
There was such a familiar ring to these words that Hal was struck with agreat light. He uttered a loud exclamation, so loud, in fact, that thelittle man came running back in the tent.
Even Chester was surprised--but for a moment only--for the words thatescaped Hal were these:
"By all that's holy! If it isn't Stubbs!"