CHAPTER XXVI
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET
When Hal and Stubbs took to their heels after the former had relieved theGerman officer of his papers, they had run some distance before comingacross anyone in the darkness. Then they came upon another figure sosuddenly that it almost resulted in their capture.
Hal, in the lead, had been just about to slacken his pace, when, roundinga corner suddenly, he had crashed into a form in the night. The two wentdown in a heap; and Stubbs, turning a moment later, had stumbled over thepair of struggling forms before he could check himself. In a moment hefound himself mixed up in the struggling mass.
A fist struck Stubbs squarely upon the nose.
"Hey! Quit that," said Stubbs, and struck out with his right.
This blow came almost ending the fight right there and in a manner not atall advantageous to Stubbs and Hal. In the darkness the little warcorrespondent had been unable to distinguish friend from foe and his fistcaught Hal just above the right eye.
Now Anthony Stubbs had considerable power in his right arm and for amoment Hal was dazed by the blow. Before he could clear his head, hisopponent had struck him a heavy blow on the other side of the neck andleaped to his feet.
At that instant Stubbs realized what he had done and a sickeningsensation struck him in the pit of the stomach; but the little mandetermined to give the best that was in him to undo his work.
With an angry bellow he charged his German opponent. The latter steppedback a pace and sought to draw his revolver, but Stubbs was too quickfor him. Almost at the moment that Stubbs crashed into his foe helowered his head, as would a steer, and his head caught the German inthe region of the belt.
Came a gasp from the German as he doubled up and collapsed. He rolledover upon the ground several times in a vain attempt to gain his breath;then lay still.
The victory was with Stubbs!
Hal had now regained consciousness and sat up just in time to see theeffect of Stubbs' charge.
"Good work, Stubbs!" the lad cried. "Now lend me a hand and we'll getaway from here!"
Stubbs did as requested and a moment later Hal was on his feet. The ladfelt the bump over his eye tenderly.
"Stubbs," he said, "it was rather dark and we were so mixed up on theground that I couldn't see, but I would be willing to wager a whole lotthat it wasn't a German who gave me this crack over the eye. Now was it?"
"Well," said Stubbs, "I--I--"
"Just as I thought," declared Hal. "So you tried to do me up as well asthe German, eh?"
"It was an accident," declared Stubbs. "You know I wouldn't have done iton purpose, Hal."
"It came very near being a costly accident, Stubbs. Suppose the Germanhad laid you out? Then what? We would have been nabbed, sure."
"I'll be more careful next time," said Stubbs, apologetically.
"You won't have to be," said Hal. "Next time I'm going to get in thefirst blow. Then we'll see how you like it. But come. We must be movingaway from here. See. The German is regaining consciousness. I don't wantto kill him, and we mustn't be here when he comes to. Come now."
Hal led the way rapidly along the row of tents.
"Looks as though we should be safe enough now," the lad said, after theyhad walked for perhaps fifteen minutes.
The lad produced his watch, and by the soft light of the moon, took noteof the time.
"By Jove! half past one o'clock," he said. "We shall have to hurry backor Chester will be worried."
"Let's hope Chester will be there when we arrive," said Stubbs.
"Oh, he'll be there, all right. Come on."
"Say," said Stubbs as they walked along, "what I want to know is how youknew the German officer you knocked down had any valuable papers?"
"That's easy," was Hal's response. "Before entering the tent where yourlittle game was in progress, I overheard one of the officers withoutmention the fact that an aide of General Ludwig's was in the tent andthat he carried important papers. The rest was very simple."
"I see," said Stubbs. "Now what--look there, Hal."
The little man broke off suddenly and pointed directly ahead. Advancingtoward them were perhaps a dozen German soldiers, with an officer attheir head.
"We'll have to get out of the way," said Hal, quietly. "We haven't timeto answer questions now."
He turned between the rows of tents and hurried on, with Stubbs closebehind him. And from the German officer came the command to halt.
Instead, Hal increased his speed and a moment later he and Stubbs wererunning quietly between the rows of German tents. Behind came the soundof pursuing footsteps.
"We're in for it now, Stubbs," panted Hal. "I was a fool to run. Theyknow now that there is something wrong and they won't rest until theyhave scoured the entire camp."
"Then we are done for!" exclaimed Anthony Stubbs.
"Not yet!" replied Hal. "While there's life there's hope. Never saydie, Stubbs."
The little man did not reply. He saved all the breath he had left forrunning purposes, for he felt that he was likely to have to run the restof the night.
Suddenly, making another short turn, Hal pulled up. Stubbs did likewiseand both listened attentively.
The footsteps were some distance back.
"We've gained a bit, Stubbs," said Hal.
"Well, what's the use of waiting here then?" demanded the warcorrespondent. "Let's gain a bit more."
"Hold on!" exclaimed Hal, as Stubbs would have taken to his heels again."We can't run clear through the German camp like this, you know. We'rebound to be caught if we try it. It must be strategy rather thanfleetness of foot if we hope to get out of this situation safely."
"All right," Stubbs agreed. "Whatever you say suits me. But if it isstrategy that is going to get us out of this, tell me some strategyreal quick."
Hal considered a moment. Every second the pursuing footsteps were comingcloser. Stubbs squirmed about uneasily.
"Say," he said at last; "hear those fellows coming? I'm going to get awayfrom here."
Again he took to his heels; and there was nothing for Hal to do butfollow, for he did not wish to lose sight of the little man. Besides, inthat moment's pause, Hal had decided upon a plan that he believed had afair chance of success.
For perhaps five minutes more they ran on, Hal fearful at every momentthat German soldiers would pour from their tents and interrupt theirflight. Fortunately, this did not happen, however.
Hal, fleet of foot as he was, was hard pressed to catch up withStubbs, who had gained a slight lead and was covering the ground withrapid strides. But at last the lad overtook him and laid a hand onhis shoulder.
"Slow down, there," he commanded. "First thing you know you'll have thewhole camp after us. Those shoes of yours must be at least numberelevens. They shake the whole earth when you run."
"Well, they have come in pretty handy to-night," said Stubbs. "What areyou stopping here for?"
"Because I don't want to arouse every German in the camp. I'll tell youabout that strategy now."
"Well, let's hear it real quick," said Stubbs, impatiently. "I want toget away from here."
"So do I," said Hal, "but I want to get away all in one piece. Here'smy plan: We can't hope to get away by running. Sooner or later, beforewe are clear of the German lines, we are certain to bump into some one.That would settle it. We'll go ahead a little more, then we'll enterone of these tents, tap the occupants on the head with our revolverbutts and crawl into their cots. Then when our pursuers have gone bywe'll go back."
"By Jove!" said Stubbs, "that's not half bad. Wonder why I can't think ofthings like that?"
"Because you're too busy running," returned Hal.
The first of the pursuers came into sight at that moment and uttered acry. This told the others following that the prey had been sighted andthey dashed forward.
"Come as fast as you can, Stubbs," shouted Hal. "We've got to get outof sight."
In the distance Hal saw a solitary figure standing before
a tent. He knewthat this figure had seen him and decided that the man must be disposedof before he could give the alarm, Therefore, he headed straight for him.
As he ran, Hal expected every moment that the figure before the tentwould open fire on him and his own revolver was held ready should theman's first shot go wild. Hal did not wish to fire if he couldpossibly avoid it.
Close behind Hal, Stubbs panted and puffed along. Once Hal was forced toreduce his speed in order that Stubbs might keep up with him. The littleman was doing his best, but his short legs were not built to maintain apace that Hal could set. Besides, he had long since lost his youthfulnessand he could not run as he had done in his earlier days.
"I can't go much farther, Hal," he gasped.
"Just a little ways, Stubbs," Hal urged him on. "See that man in the tentthere? That's where we'll hide. I'll knock him out if he doesn't get mefirst. The fool! He is taking a long chance. He should fire."
At that moment there came a fusillade of shots from behind.
In his anxiousness to get the man in the door of the tent out of the way,Hal had continued a straight course longer than he had realized; and thishad allowed the pursuers to come within sight again. There was nothing todo but make the best of it now.
Hal dashed straight for the figure in the tent.
Drawing close, Hal raised his revolver, reversed, and held it ready tobring down on the figure's head the moment they should come together.There was a sudden exclamation from the figure in the tent; and with itHal dropped his arm; the exclamation was a single word:
"Hal!"