CHAPTER XX.
THE ACCUSATION.
That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded fromhis face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod. To be taken for a spywas a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift oftenfollowed such a charge.
Rod did not lose his self-possession. At the same time a little frownappeared on his usually placid face.
"That is a serious thing you charge us with, my Colonel," he remarked."We are three American boys who were caught in the whirl of war. Wefinally found our way out of Belgium with much difficulty. Two of ournumber started back home, having been recalled by a message ofimportance."
"But Belgium is far away from Paris, and the banks of the Marne, youngM'sieu!" said the officer, with a touch of satire in his cold voice, anda look toward a man dressed as a civilian, who, Rod noticed, wasintently watching them.
"That is true, Monsieur le Colonel," immediately replied the boy, "andwe can explain that easily. We met with a poor French woman in Antwerpwhose story enlisted our sympathies. She had just come by a paper from alawyer in Paris whereby her husband would inherit quite a snug littlefortune if he signed the same document within a stated time. But as hehad hastened to join his regiment when war was declared she feared theopportunity would be forever lost. And, my Colonel, we three boys,hoping also to see something of what was going on along the Frenchfront, gave Jeanne D'Aubrey our promise that we would try to find herAndre, so that the paper might be signed."
The colonel appeared to be interested, also the other officers, for theywere all French, and as such could appreciate anything bordering onchivalry. Nevertheless the commander shook his head a little sadly.
"That sounds very fine, young M'sieu," he went on to say, "but, alas!what are we to believe when this gentleman, who is a fully accreditedmember of the French Secret Service, informs us that he certainly sawyou communicating with the enemy only last night, and that there can beno doubt of your guilt?"
At hearing this Hanky Panky uttered a low cry of alarm, while Joshglared defiantly at the man in question, who was nodding his head as ifconfirming all the colonel said.
"Aha! I smell a rat," Josh muttered, "and its name is Jules, too! I cansee his fine hand back of all this raw deal."
Rod had to think fast. He, too, believed that the Secret Agent must bein the employ of the schemer; but it might not be advisable to say so asbluntly as Josh seemed capable of doing.
"Keep still, Josh," he said aside, "and let me do all the talkingnecessary." And then, addressing the commandant again, he continued:"There surely must be some mistake about this, Monsieur le Colonel. Wespent the whole of last night sleeping in a house in a small villagewhere a regiment of brave zouaves routed a force of Uhlans who had takenpossession. The building in which we found shelter was attacked, and wehad the honor of assisting in its defense. I myself shot two Uhlans inthe leg with this same weapon, as they were smashing in the front door,after firing the back of the building. But the zouaves came up just intime, and cleared the field of the enemy."
The colonel listened and looked hard at Rod. Evidently he had beenalready favorably impressed with the frank face of the lad, and waspuzzled to know what to believe. He turned to the Secret Service agentand exchanged several low sentences with him. The man seemed positive,and apparently did his best to convince the officer that at least theboys should be held, pending an examination.
Once more Rod faced the colonel. He meant to play his trump cards now,and convince the other that the charge made against them was ridiculous,to say the least.
Rapidly he started to recount some of the strange happenings that hadbeen their portion since crossing from German territory to that ofBelgium and taking up the race to reach Antwerp by dodging the invadingarmies.
The officers listened, and apparently all of them could understandEnglish, for they showed the greatest interest. Now and then two mightbe seen exchanging meaning looks, as though coming to a mutualunderstanding to the effect that this boy must be a modern BaronMunchausen, judging from the remarkable stories he had at the tip of histongue.
This was especially the case when Rod mentioned that they had actuallybeen invited into the presence of King Albert, who had thanked thempersonally.
"It is all very interesting, young M'sieu," said the commandant, whenRod paused for breath; "but naturally we would be better pleased if youcould show us some proof that these wonderful things have come your way.So grave an accusation may not be brushed aside, you understand, with awave of the hand. And I am sure you will only too gladly oblige us inthis case."
He smiled when saying this; so too did the younger officers, for theycould not believe that the boy was carrying anything with him calculatedto substantiate his remarkable story.
Judge then of their amazement when Rod coolly produced certain documentswhich he kept wrapped in oilskin, located in a deep pocket of his coat.
"Be kind enough, my Colonel," Rod said composedly, "to observe that notonly is this paper signed by the gallant king of the Belgians, but thatindeed he himself wrote every word it contains. And I have still otherproofs to show you in turn, if you would still be convinced that ourstory is every word of it true."
There was a tense silence; several pairs of eyes were glued on thatdocument which Rod meant to have framed if ever he were lucky enough toget it safely home with him. It would be a badge of honor to which heand his chums might proudly point when speaking of their remarkableadventures in the Land of the Great War.
The manner of the colonel had changed when finally he looked up.Admiration spoke in the glance of his sparkling eyes. Here, then, werebrave American boys who had indeed done something worthy of commendationby one whose name was already on the lips of every loyal Frenchman;because the stubborn defense of his native soil by King Albert and hislittle army had caused the delay in the plans of the German host thatreally saved Paris from capture.
"It is only right that I should beg your pardon, young M'sieu," hehastened to say, with deep feeling his voice; "there is no mistaking themeaning of this recommendation, which rings true. You are the friends ofBelgium, and also of France. There is little that you could ask withinmy power to grant that I would refuse you. And if you will do me thehonor to shake hands with me I shall be proud to press the palm thatKing Albert has held."
Well, the thing had not been so hard to accomplish after all. Still Rodrealized that the Secret Agent of the French Government must have soldhimself to Jules for a price, knowing at the time he was going to putthe lives of innocent boys in peril; and Rod did not feel positivelysafe yet.
The man, however, saw that, so far as he was concerned, he had put hisfoot in a hole and had better beat a hasty retreat while there was yettime.
Undoubtedly he himself had been impressed by the display of a documentof such great value, and realized that those who had the sincerefriendship of the ruler of the Belgians were not to be treated harshlywith impunity.
As Josh afterwards remarked, the man immediately commenced to "hedge";that is, he hastened to "square himself" with the French colonel, whowas now glancing curiously, perhaps a bit suspiciously, toward him.
"Apparently I have been mistaken in supposing that it was these braveyoung messieurs who were sending secret messages to the enemy," he wenton to say glibly, "and I hasten to offer them my most sincere apologiesand regrets that through me they have been put to such needless trouble.I hereby withdraw my charge and trust that you will forget it has everbeen made, Monsieur le Colonel."
This was said in French, which Rod alone of the three boys could fullyunderstand, but Josh guessed the tenor of the remarks from the shrugsaccompanying them.
"He's eating his words, Hanky, don't you see?" he observed behind hishand to his other chum. "Some people know enough to get in out of therain when the deluge comes. Jules has wasted some more hard cash, seemslike."
Now Rod understood that he could make it pretty hard for the SecretService man of the French Government if he chose
to tell what he knewabout Jules, and the profit that would accrue to the schemer could heprevent Andre from signing that paper on time. He did not think it goodpolicy, however, to mention the matter. It would only serve to anger theman, and could not bring them any particular benefit.
Accordingly Rod only shot him a suggestive look that doubtless the othercould easily analyze. It meant that the boys were not disposed to bevindictive--that in fact they were ready to take it for granted he didnot know the true condition of affairs when he entered into hisagreement with the crafty Jules; and hence they were going to let thematter drop.
Perhaps the man might feel a spark of gratitude and appreciation forthis kindly and generous spirit; the future would show that, Rodthought.
As the colonel had been so much interested in their story, Rodconsidered it only fair that he relate a few more circumstancesconnected with their past. He also gladly showed him the paper given himby the surgeon at the field hospital, telling how the American boys hadworked like beavers in assisting him take care of the numerous cases hehad been compelled to handle with such inadequate facilities at hiscommand. Yes, there were still other documents which Rod allowed them toglance over, after which he smilingly remarked:
"I suppose now, M. le Colonel, there will be no necessity for taking usout before a file of your soldiers and blindfolding our eyes while theyperform their melancholy duty?"
The officer for answer threw his arms around Rod and gave him ademonstration of excitable French admiration by kissing him on bothcheeks.
"If I had a son," he said fervently, "which, alas! Heaven has notallowed me to retain in this world, I should be proud indeed were hebuilt in your image, my brave young American. And when you go back toyour splendid country tell them, will you not, wherever you go, thatFrance sees her duty by the world, and will not flinch, no matter whatthe cost. When this war is over there will never be a despotic militarypower again. The victory on the Marne has settled all that, though itmay take years for Germany to recognize the fiat."
The three boys parted from the worthy colonel with mutual expressions ofesteem. They would often recall his fine martial appearance, with hisstrong face and its white imperial, trimmed after the style of the laterNapoleon.
Even Hanky Panky could laugh now, once they were on the road again.
"That agent of the Government saw he had put his foot in it, after youflashed the King Albert message before them," he remarked as they rodeslowly along as near to forming a bunch as was safe for motorcyclists.
"Yes, and I reckon he felt pretty cheap when he had to own up aboutmaking a mistake," added Josh. "You don't believe for a single minute,do you, Rod, that he really saw anybody trying to send signals to theenemy? It was all a set-up game, wasn't it?"
"No question about it," he was told by the other, Rod being in the van,as usual, "but it was another experience for us, you know. And besides,I managed to pick up a little information that helps out."
"Do you mean with regard to the regiment we're on the track of?"questioned Hanky Panky eagerly, for to tell the honest truth he washoping that the end of the trail was near at hand, when they couldfollow their other chums across the sea to their far-distant homes.
"Yes," said Rod over his shoulder, "it's ahead of us, and we ought toreach it some time to-day; but the chances are we'll find it neck deepin action, because it forms a part of that army thrown forward to do theworrying of the German rearguard to-day. Let us hope if one man in thatregiment survives the battle it may be Andre."