CHAPTER XXV
IN GRAVE PERIL
Chester's sigh of relief almost choked in his throat. But he determinedto brave out the situation as well as he could.
"No," exclaimed the man who had spoken, "this boy is no German!"
Even the Crown Prince was surprised.
"Not a German!" he exclaimed. "Then what is he? A--"
"A spy!" the other concluded for him.
"Impossible!" declared the Crown Prince. "How could there be a spyamong us?"
"Well, he's here. Surely you can look at the boy and tell he is nota German."
The Crown Prince approached Chester and scrutinized him closely.
"Who are you?" he demanded at length.
"I have told you, sir," replied Chester, quietly.
"But you have not told the truth," was the Crown Prince's reply. "I cansee you are not French. Are you British?"
"No, sir."
"Then what?"
"Well," said Chester, at length, realizing that subterfuge was useless,"I am an American."
"With the French army, eh?" said the Crown Prince.
Chester did not reply. He could see no reason for incriminating himself,though he realized, too, that it made no particular difference whether hereplied or remained silent. He was convicted either way.
"You don't answer," exclaimed the Crown Prince. "That is evidencesufficient of your guilt."
Chester shrugged his shoulders. The Crown Prince eyed him angrily.
"You are one of these indifferent ones, are you?" he said. "Well, we knowhow to cure that. Do you realize what is in store for you?"
"Perfectly," replied Chester. "The firing squad."
"No; you are wrong," was the Crown Prince's answer. "The firing squadis too good for spies. You have been captured within our lines indisguise; therefore, there can be no doubt that you are a spy. Youshall be hanged."
Chester took a step backward. He had realized what his fate would beshould he fall into the hands of the enemy, but this was more than he hadbargained for. And at that moment there seemed little possibility thatHal would find and be able to rescue him.
"Looks like the end of my rope," the lad muttered.
He made no reply to the Crown Prince's words. He knew a reply wouldbe useless.
"So you decline to talk?" said the Crown Prince. "Well, it matters not."He motioned to one of his staff. "See that this prisoner is hanged by theneck at sunrise," he said.
The officer saluted and motioned to Chester to precede him from the tent.There was nothing for it but to obey and the lad walked out.
Now it happened that in some unaccountable manner the Germans hadneglected to relieve Chester of his revolvers. The lad's right handrested upon the weapon in his belt. But he was unable at this moment todraw with any degree of hope, for the German officer was directly behindhim and Chester knew he would be shot down before he could turn and fire.Also, should he succeed in gaining the drop on the German by a quickmove, he was in the very heart of the German camp and the sound of a shotwould bring a thousand men on his heels.
The lad bided his time.
Perhaps half a mile from the quarters of the German Crown Prince,Chester's captor motioned him into a tent. Chester entered without aword. What hopes he might have had of suddenly flashing his revolver onhis captor disappeared, for the man entered close behind him.
He clapped his hands.
A moment later a second officer appeared in the tent and stood atattention.
"Call a guard of four men and have this tent surrounded," instructedChester's captor.
The man saluted and left the tent. He was back within a few moments,however, and saluting said:
"The tent is surrounded, sir."
"Very well," said Chester's captor. "You may go."
Again the man left the tent; then Chester's captor said:
"Now, I guess you will be safe here until morning; after that you will besafe for all time."
"Thanks," said Chester, dryly.
The German left the tent.
Chester now took stock of his surroundings. Outside he could hear hisguards pacing up and down.
"If I could get one of them in here at a time," the lad told himself,"perhaps I could dispose of them. I'll try it."
Approaching the entrance, he poked his head out.
"Get back inside there," a gruff voice exclaimed, and Chester beheld alarge German soldier with his rifle pointed squarely at his head.
"Look here," said Chester. "I want a drink of water."
"Get back inside," was the sharp reply. "I'll get it for you."
Chester moved back in the tent. Five minutes later the German soldierstuck his head inside.
"Here's your water," he said, holding forth a tin cup.
Chester's right hand rested on his belt as he extended his left to takethe cup. The German had lowered his gun at that moment; and he paiddearly for his carelessness.
Chester made a sudden movement and the cup of water went clattering tothe ground. At the same moment Chester brought the butt of his revolverdown on the head of the German soldier with a crunch. The man fell tothe ground.
Hastily now Chester seized the man by the feet and dragged him inside.Then the lad quickly stripped him of his clothes and donned them himself.They were large, but Chester made them fit by turning up the trousers anddrawing his belt tight. Then he picked up the German's gun and steppedfrom the tent.
The lad had intended to move away from the tent immediately, but even ashe would have walked off a second of the guards approached and engagedhim in conversation. Chester muffled his voice as well as possible andimitated the hoarse tones of the man he had disposed of.
"Nice night," said the German.
"Nice night," Chester agreed.
"What is to be done with the prisoner inside?"
"Hang him in the morning," said Chester.
"Good! It's the way all spies should be treated."
"Of course; unless they chance to be German spies."
"That's different," muttered the guard.
"Of course it is," Chester agreed and added: "You'd better get back toyour place. The prisoner might escape under your nose."
"Not much chance," was the reply. "I wouldn't care if he did try, though.I'd like to have a shot at him."
"Nice pleasant sort of a customer," Chester muttered to himself. Aloud,he said: "Well, I was just giving you a word of warning. You can't tellabout these fellows. They're pretty slippery customers."
"Well, this one won't slip out of our clutches," declared the guard. "Iwonder if I hadn't better go in and have a look at him?"
"Can't be done," said Chester. "My instructions are to let no one pass."
"So are mine, but what has that to do with it?"
"A whole lot. I'm on guard in front here and I say you can't go in."
"Come now, be a good fellow, I want to have a look at the prisoner."
"Can't be done," returned Chester.
"You are a deucedly uncivil sort of a fellow," said the guard. "I don'tseem to know you. What's your name?"
"None of your business," returned Chester.
"Is that so? Suppose I make it some of my business," and the guard took athreatening step forward.
"You'll be sorry, that's all."
"Think so, do you? Let me tell you something. I'm going to hunt you up inthe morning and have it out with you."
"All right," said Chester. "You can suit yourself about that. But waituntil morning. Remember we're guarding this prisoner now."
"Well, I've a notion to settle with you right now, prisoner or noprisoner. I don't like you."
"To tell the truth, I don't think a whole lot of you," said Chester. "Iwould a great deal rather be without your company. You had better getback where you belong."
"Think so, do you? Well, I'll show you."
With these words the German guard forgot all about the prisonersupposed to be inside and everything else save that he wanted to get atChester. He d
ropped his rifle with a clatter and struck at Chester withhis right fist.
"Well, if you must have it," Chester muttered to himself.
He, too, dropped his gun and his right fist shot forth. The Germanstaggered back with a grunt; but Chester's blow had not reached a vitalspot and the guard leaped forward again.
This time Chester timed his blow a little more carefully.
"Smack!"
The lad's fist landed flush on the guard's jaw. The man rolled overlike a log.
Chester looked around quickly.
"Now to get out of this," he muttered.
He picked up his rifle and turned to move away. But even as he would havestarted the sound of hurrying footsteps halted him; and he began to paceup and down in front of the tent.
Two figures dashed toward him; behind them came the sound of shots.
"Hello!" said Chester to himself. "More trouble in camp. Wonderwhat's up now?"
The answer was to come sooner than he could have expected. As the twofigures came closer, other figures appeared in the distance. There camethe sound of revolver shots.
"This way!" cried a voice.
Chester raised his rifle, ready to take a hand in the proceedings himselfshould the occasion demand.
"This thing is getting rather complicated," he told himself.
The two approaching figures came closer rapidly. Chester gave anexclamation of pure astonishment.