CHAPTER XI.
OVER THE FRONTIER.
"What's that?" cried Chester, in consternation.
"I haven't any idea," replied Hal; "but it looks like a searchlight."
"Hadn't you better slow down?"
"With our pursuers just behind? I guess not."
And, with a touch of the lever, Hal sent the machine forward even fasterthan before.
For a moment they were in the center of the blinding glare, and then theyhad passed beyond it. Then Hal spoke.
"I can tell you now what it is," he said.
"What?"
"A lighthouse."
"Lighthouse? What do you mean?"
"Why, that brilliant light we just passed through came from the ground.The powerful flares are used for the guidance of war aviators, or airshipmen, during the night. They prevent the aviator from getting lost, anddenote a safe landing,"
"I see what you mean; but it gave me a scare for a minute."
"And me; at first I thought it was the searchlight of another airship."
"But why should such lighthouses be in use here? I should imagine theywould be used only in places of danger."
"Maybe that is the reason."
"Surely there can be no danger for a German airship around here."
"I don't know about that. We have traveled a considerable distance.Perhaps we are closer to the border than we think."
"Well, we can't get across it any too soon to suit me," declared Chester.
Hal did not reply, and the flight was continued in silence. For morethan an hour the huge machine sailed swiftly through the air. Atlength Hal said:
"I guess we had better drop down a bit. Perhaps we may be able to seesomething."
Suiting the action to the word, he let the machine glide slowly downward,until the distant shadow of the earth could once more be seen. Then thecraft sped out on its straightaway course again.
The twinkling of faraway lights drew the boys' attention.
"I wonder what that is?" asked Chester.
"We'll see," was the brief reply.
The machine dropped still lower.
"An army camp!" exclaimed Hal, when he was at last able to make out theobjects below. He shut off his engine, and for a few moments both boysgave their attention to the awe-inspiring sight.
Dimly they could discern the outlines of the great camp. With itsthousands upon thousands of huts, it spread out like a great fan,extending almost as far as the eye could see.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Chester. "There must be a million mendown there!"
"Hardly that many," laughed Hal; "but there are a few. I guess we hadbetter go a little higher. We might be seen, and a chance bullet mightbring us down in the middle of them."
The machine rose gently again; but, as the airship headed once more uponits course, there was a muffled explosion, and the machine rockeddangerously.
"What on earth is the matter now?" demanded Chester.
Hal bent over his engine.
"I don't know what has blown out," he replied. "But the engine hasgone dead."
"Dead!" exclaimed Chester.
"Yes."
"Can you fix it?"
"Not up here. It is impossible. I am not familiar enough with it."
"What shall we do, then?" cried Chester, in alarm.
"We shall have to go down."
"What! And land right in the middle of the German camp?"
"I am afraid so. There is no help for it. However, I shall sail just asfar as possible before we hit the earth."
Slowly the machine dropped, its strong planes still holding it on itsforward course. So gentle was the fall that it was almostimperceptible; but presently the distant earth below could be seen; andthen Chester cried:
"Look! We are almost beyond the camp. We shall clear it when we hitthe ground."
Hal glanced down.
"So we shall," he agreed, and there was hope in his voice.... "Maybe Iwill be able to fix the engine before we are discovered."
Nearer and nearer to the ground glided the huge machine. They were nowwell beyond the farthest outposts of the camp, and consequently hadrecovered their good spirits.
The airship came gently to earth, and the boys jumped out. As they didso, there came the faint sound of a command and a rifle cracked.
"We are discovered!" shouted Hal. "Quick! To the woods!" And the boysmade a dash toward a clump of trees that could be seen in the distance.
Desperately the two lads ran toward the woods, and, as they ran, thefirst single rifle shot was followed by a volley; but, thanks to thesemi-darkness, the boys gained the shelter of the woods unscathed.
Once under the friendly shelter of the trees the boys did not diminishtheir speed. Rather, if possible, they ran faster. Then, suddenly theystopped; and the cause of their abrupt halt was this:
A heavy crashing in front of them gave evidence of the approach of alarge body of men. For a moment the lads stood as if frozen to the spot;then Hal cried:
"Up in this tree, quick! It's our only chance!"
Acting upon the instant, the two lads swung themselves into the crotch ofthe great tree under which they stood; then climbed noiselessly higher upamong the branches. Just as they had succeeded in screening themselvesfrom possible discovery, a body of horsemen burst in among the trees.
"Caught right in between them," whispered Hal.
"Yes; and, if we get out of this fix alive, we are in luck," Chesterwhispered back.
The horsemen below them did not pause in their march, but continued onthrough the woods.
"Evidently a scouting party returning," whispered Hal.
And still the long line of horsemen pressed on beneath them.
Suddenly there came the sharp crack, crack, of many rifles; and frombeneath the two lads came the hoarse command of an officer:
"Forward!"
The line of horsemen quickened their pace; and then the firing aheadbroke into a loud and steady roar.
For many minutes, it seemed to the two lads, the stream of horsemenpoured on beneath them. Then the sound of firing became less distinct,and Hal and Chester dropped to the ground.
"At last! At last we are safe!" cried Hal.
"Safe?" repeated Chester. "How do you mean we are safe?"
"Why, you chump, doesn't that fighting going on there meananything to you?"
"Do you mean that you believe the troop that just passed us are French?"
"Yes; French, Belgians, or English, I don't know which. But, anyhow, theyare friends. Hurrah!"
"Hurrah!" repeated Chester, throwing his cap in the air with delight.
Suddenly the beat of the feet of many horses was heard and the sound offiring became more audible. Several riderless horses broke into thewoods, followed by the cavalry.
"Grab one of those horses, Chester!" cried Hal, as he jumped forward andseized the bridle of the one nearest him. Chester followed suit, and bothlads were soon in the saddle.
At that moment a large body of horsemen broke through the woods from thedirection in which they had so recently gone, retiring slowly, turningevery now and then to fire.
"It's a retreat!" cried Chester. "They have been driven back! Let us getaway from here or we shall be shot down!"
But, even as they turned to flee, a mounted officer laid his hand uponthe bridle of Hal's horse.
"Who are you?" he demanded in French. "What do you here?"
Briefly Hal explained that they had just escaped through the Germanlines, and then asked:
"Where are we? What troops are these?"
"This is a troop of Belgian light cavalry," came the reply, "areconnoitering force. We were attacked by a strong force of the enemy,and are falling back upon our lines."
"But where are we?"
"About five miles from Liege."
"Liege!"
"Yes; where did you think you were?"
"We had not the faintest idea, other than that we were beyond theGerman lines."
All this t
ime the troop had been retreating slowly, firing as they went,the boys being led along by the officer.
"It will be necessary for me to place you under arrest," declared theBelgian officer. "I shall turn you over to the commanding general when weregain our lines."
Hal and Chester were stricken almost speechless.
"Great Scott!" Chester finally exclaimed. "After all the trouble we havehad getting out of Germany, then to be arrested at the end!"
"I am sorry," replied the officer, "but I can do nothing else. You aresure to be looked upon with suspicion, having been found as you were,and, unless you can give a good account of yourselves, I fear you are ina serious predicament."
Fighting every inch of the way, the Belgian cavalry continued itsretreat, being hard pressed by the Germans, who were continuallyreinforced. From the rear the firing became heavier, and then there washeard the sound of a galloping body of horsemen.
"Halt!" cried the Belgian officer in command, and the retreating horsemencame to a stand.
"About face!" And at the command they wheeled to meet the charge of aforce of Uhlans.
The Germans came on bravely; but, just as they hurled themselves upontheir foe, there came from the Belgian rear a fierce hail of rifle shots.Reinforcements had arrived.
The Germans halted in their fierce charge, and then drew off, shooting asthey went. At the same instant a regiment of Belgian infantry rushedforward on the run. They pursued the flying Germans for some distance,and then turned back.
Then the Belgians resumed their retreat to their own lines.
Hal and Chester bore up bravely during this--their first time--underfire. Unable to take part in the fighting themselves, being withoutweapons, they watched with interest the maneuvers of the officers and thegallantry with which the Belgian cavalry stood up against what at firstwere plainly overwhelming odds.
Once in the Belgian lines the boys breathed easier.
"Well, here we are at last," said Hal. "I guess we will be able toexplain our presence in the woods satisfactorily."
"I hope so," replied Chester.
At this moment the officer who had placed them under arrest approached.
"Come with me," he ordered.
The boys accompanied him to the headquarters of the commanding officer,where their position was explained to the latter.
He listened quietly to Hal's account of their adventures since leavingBerlin, and it was plain to both boys that as he listened he became moreand more incredulous.
Hal finished his recital, and for some minutes the general sat silent.Finally he said:
"You have told me a strange story--one that I find it very hard tobelieve. I must have proof. It must be substantiated. You will consideryourselves prisoners until the matter has been investigated, unless inthe meantime there should be someone here who will vouch for your honestyand the truth of this remarkable tale."
"I will vouch for it, general," came a voice.
Turning, the boys beheld in the entrance to the general's hut the smilingface of Captain Raoul Derevaux.