CHAPTER XIV.
THE AMBASSADOR AGAIN.
While Hal, Chester and Uncle John were having their troubles with membersof the Austrian diplomatic corps on Italian soil, the Italian army itselfalready had taken the field against the enemy. War having been declared,the Italian general staff had wasted no time.
Along the Austrian frontier, at the head of the Adriatic, clear north tothe Swiss border, the troops of King Emmanuel had intrenched themselvesagainst a possible attack of the foe; big guns even now were roaring andraining the messengers of death upon the fortified positions of theAustrians in their front.
Skirmishes between isolated forces of the two armies, some of whichreached the proportions of real battles, had taken place, and upon thesouthern border some slight success already had crowned the efforts ofthe Italian troops.
The Italian fleet had been set in motion; giant battleships and othervessels of war had joined other craft of the quadruple entente in aneffective blockade of Austrian ports in the Adriatic; and the Austrianswere keeping well behind the shelter of their own mines.
In one or two cases they had ventured forth to give battle, but eachexpedition of this nature had resulted disastrously--at the bottom of thesea. Apparently, now, they had given up attempts to run the blockade andwere content to lie snug in their well-fortified harbors, even as theirGerman allies were doing in their ports.
Several Austrian aircraft had left their bases and flown over Genoa,dropping bombs, killing and wounding a score of non-combatants, butdoing little damage to fortified positions or to munition plants andprovision camps, which were presumed to be their goal. Also several hadbeen brought to earth by the accurate fire from the anti-air craft gunsof the Italians.
Unlike England, France, Russia and Belgium, Italy entered the warprepared. She was not taken by surprise, as had been her allies. She wentinto the war with her eyes open and a full realization of herresponsibilities. Also mobilization had been completed before she hadfinally decided to take the plunge into the maelstrom. Again, she wasbetter prepared than her allies for the reason that she had recentlyemerged from a successful struggle against the Turks in Tripoli and herarmy was an army of veterans.
There was no doubt that Italy would be the first to take the offensive.The question was, where would she strike? It was an established fact thatshe would not await the attacks of the Austrians, but where would shedeliver her first blow? Would it be by sea, hurling her fleet upon theenemy's base across the Adriatic? Would it be across the southernboundary of Austria, or would it be farther north--through the Alps?
There was little to choose between the latter methods; but the first wasgiven little thought. It was well known that the Austrians had mined theAdriatic thoroughly near their ports, and to attempt an expedition therethreatened destruction for the attackers.
An advance through the Alps also presented its difficulties. In spite ofthe fact that the weather was still warm, it was anything but warm in themountain fastnesses. True, a passage of the Alps had been forced beforenow--one by the Carthaginian General Hannibal in the middle ages, andagain by Napoleon. But it was still a desperate undertaking.
The world waited to see.
Chester Crawford, still in the hands of his captors, took no thought ofthese things now. His one absorbing thought at the moment was of hittingupon some plan whereby he could elude his guards and make his escape. Atthe same time, he realized that he had a hard problem before him; for nowthat he had almost made his get-away twice, he knew he would be guardedwith more vigilance than before. Still, he determined to bide his timeand take advantage of the first opportunity that presented itself.
The two Austrians who had arrived in time to prevent his escape after histussle with Robard now stood guard over the lad, waiting for Robard toreturn to consciousness. Presently the fallen man stirred, rolled over,gasped a bit, and sat up. He gazed about and took in his surroundings. Anugly look passed over his face as his eyes fell upon Chester.
"I'll get even with you for this," he said harshly, as he scrambledto his feet.
"Oh, I don't know," returned Chester with a smile. "I might only increasemy indebtedness the next time we meet."
The Austrian took a threatening step forward. Chester did not flinch andthe man paused and dropped the arm he had raised.
"I'll wait till we get to Vienna, and then I'll guarantee to make youwhine for mercy," growled Robard.
"We shall see," said Chester.
Robard turned to his men.
"We'll go at once," he said.
"By the way," interrupted Chester, "what has happened to the ambassador?"
Robard gave a start, and looked quickly at his two men, who had turned atChester's words.
"You'll find him in the next room, I think," said Chester, pointing.
"Shut up!" commanded Robard, again taking a step forward.
Chester smiled and stepped back a bit.
"Where you shot him," he continued pleasantly.
With a cry Robard leaped upon him. Chester struck out quickly with bothfists, one after the other, and the Austrian staggered back. Chesterturned to the others.
"What I say is true," he said quietly, as he noted the look ofuncertainty on their faces. "You can easily tell by investigating."
"It's a lie!" shouted Robard.
The men hesitated.
"Look and see," said Chester.
"The boy is right," said one of them. "I'll look."
He stepped toward the door.
"Stand where you are!" cried Robard.
He moved upon the other and clenched his fists. The man gazed at him amoment without a word; then, suddenly, he seized his superior by the armsand held him as though he had been in a vise.
"You have a look, Fritz," he said to his companion. "I'll hold himsafe enough."
The latter wasted no time. He hurried from the room.
"You'll pay for this!" screamed Robard.
"Perhaps," said his subordinate, "but I believe the boy has told thetruth. I never did trust you, with your shifty eyes."
At that moment the third man came back into the room, dragging a heavybody after him.
"The ambassador!" cried the other.
"You see, I was right," said Chester.
The ambassador was unconscious still, although it was hours after he hadbeen wounded.
"He's alive," said one of the Austrians, after an examination.
"Get some water," commanded the other.
At this moment Robard took a step forward, and seemed about to wrenchhimself free from his captor's arms.
"If you gentlemen will allow me," said Chester, "I shall make asuggestion that may save us all time and bother."
"Well?" demanded one of the men.
"If you'll give me the gun you deprived me of," said the boy, "I'll givemy word to hold our friend here safe until the ambassador is brought backto consciousness. Also, I give my word not to attempt to escape."
The others eyed him closely for a brief moment.
"All right," said the man who had gone after the ambassador. "Here." Hepassed over his automatic.
Chester took it and covered Robard.
"You can release him now," he said to the big Austrian's captor. "He'llmake no break while I have him covered. He knows me too well by thistime, don't you, Robard?"
The latter's reply was a low growl.
The other Austrian released his hold, and stood back. For an instant itseemed that Robard would spring forward and give battle to all three,but as Chester's revolver covered him steadily, he changed his mind andstood still.
Immediately the others began the work of reviving the ambassador, andfive minutes later their efforts were rewarded. The ambassador moanedfeebly, and a few seconds later sat up. His eyes fell on Robard, and hejumped quickly to his feet.
"So!" he exclaimed. "Guard him carefully, boy. He's a dangerous man."
"I'll guard him," replied Chester briefly.
Suddenly the Austrian smote himself on t
he breast.
"The plot!" he cried. "Robard's plot!"
"Has failed," interrupted Chester. Then noticing the look of surprise onthe ambassador's face, he explained.
"We overheard the conversation in the room where we were locked, sir. Myfriends managed to escape and give the warning. The plot has failed.Robard told me as much."
"I'm glad," said the ambassador simply. "And now, what am I to dowith you?"
"Let me go, sir," was the lad's reply.
The ambassador considered the matter.
"I'll tell you," he said at length, "I would like for you to go to Viennawith me and substantiate my story to the emperor. You will say that mystory should need no proof, as I am the ambassador, but Robard hasinfluential friends there. He would easily discredit the stories of thesetwo men here. With you it would be different. Will you go?"
"I would rather not, sir," replied Chester quietly.
"I must insist," urged the ambassador.
For some reason that Chester was never afterwards able to explain tohimself, he suddenly grew terribly angry.
"No, I won't go!" he shouted, and waved a fist in the very face of theambassador.
The latter looked at him in amazement; then took his decision.
"You shall go anyhow," he said softly. "Seize him, men!"