CHAPTER V.
A NEW RECRUIT.
The French officer also stepped back in surprise, for until that momenthe had not had time to glance at the two lads. He, too, gave vent to anexclamation of pleasure and held out both hands.
"Hal! Chester!" he cried.
Each lad seized upon a hand and wrung it heartily. General Ferrari andColonel Fuesco stood back and eyed them curiously. Finally the generalspoke to the Frenchman.
"You know these boys?" he asked.
"Know them!" repeated Major Derevaux. "Well, I should say I do. They areLieutenants Paine and Crawford, of His British majesty's service, sir."
"Then they are not German or Austrian spies?"
"What! These lads German spies! If you but knew of what invaluableservice they have been to the cause of the Allies, you would be proud toshake hands with them. Why, let me tell you," and forgetting all othermatters for the moment, Major Derevaux plunged into an account of theboys' triumphs since joining the allied forces.
At the conclusion of this recital, General Ferrari extended a hand toeach of the boys.
"I am indeed glad to know two such gallant lads," he said. "I felt surewhen I first saw you that there must be some mistake in your cases."
"But they stole my paper!" cried Colonel Fuesco.
"That is not true," said Major Derevaux. "I can vouch for their loyalty."
"But who can vouch for you?" demanded the colonel. "How is GeneralFerrari to know that you, too, are not a spy, coming to him with falsecredentials?"
"I can answer that question," replied the general. "As it happens, I haveknown Major Derevaux for years. He has often visited at my home, he andhis parents. You owe these lads an apology, colonel."
"He knocked me down," replied the colonel, pointing to Chester.
"So he did," said the general, "and you deserved it."
Chester now approached the colonel and extended a hand.
"I bear you no ill will," he said.
The officer glanced at him searchingly for a moment, and then took thehand.
"I have done you and your friend an injustice," he said. "I am sorry."
"Say no more about it," replied Chester.
Colonel Fuesco also shook hands with Hal.
"But what of my paper?" he demanded of the general.
"I can give you a description of the man who took it," said Hal, and didso. When he mentioned that the man had a scar on his face, the twoItalian officers uttered a cry.
"Hans Robard!" they exclaimed.
"You know him, then?" asked Chester.
"Rather," said the general dryly. "He is an Austrian, and attached to theAustrian embassy here. Of course there has as yet been no formaldeclaration of war between Italy and Austria, but it has been known fordays that war was sure to come. Colonel Fuesco here has been entrustedwith important documents relating to troop movements, and it is thisdocument that Robard has stolen. It must be recovered."
"We are willing to help all we can," said Chester. "With a littleforethought we should have been able to recover it ourselves. Robard mademonkeys of us."
"He made a monkey of me, too," said the colonel ruefully.
"The thing to be done," said Chester, "is to get track of him."
"That's easy enough," was the reply. "He can be found at the embassy; buthe will deny that he has the paper. Also, we cannot arrest him. Being amember of a foreign embassy, in times of peace he is immune from arrest."
"And he will take the paper with him when he leaves Italy," saidMajor Derevaux.
"It was stolen once," said Hal thoughtfully. "Why cannot it bestolen again?"
"What do you mean?" asked Colonel Fuesco.
"Just what I say. Robard stole the document from you. Some one mustrecover it from Robard without his knowledge."
"An excellent idea!" exclaimed General Ferrari. "But who will dothis work?"
"We shall be glad to undertake it, your excellency," said Hal.
"You! But you are so young for such a piece of work."
"Don't you believe it, general," Major Derevaux interrupted. "If thepapers can be recovered, these lads can get them. You could not put themission in better hands."
"But the danger--"
"We have been in danger before, sir," said Chester quietly.
The general considered a moment, and then brought a hand down on his deskwith tremendous force.
"So be it!" he exclaimed. "And if you are successful, Italy will know howto reward you."
"We seek no reward, sir," said Hal quietly. "Then we are at liberty to gonow, sir?"
"Yes. I shall not hamper you with instructions."
"All we wish to know, sir," said Hal, "is whether Robard still is at theAustrian embassy."
"He is," was the reply, "and will be until some time to-morrow, when theambassador will be given his passports."
"Can I be of any assistance?" asked Colonel Fuesco, stepping forward.
"If you can, we shall call on you," replied Hal.
"Good," said the colonel, and, drawing out a card, he scribbled anaddress on it. "You will find me there," he said. "I shall remain at myquarters in the hopes that I may be given a hand in the game."
The lads shook hands with the general and walked to the door.
"Wait a moment, boys," said Major Derevaux. "I want a few words with thegeneral, and then I shall be at liberty to go with you."
"If it is all the same to you, Major Derevaux," said the general, "Iwould prefer to postpone our conference until this evening. I haveseveral matters that require my immediate attention."
Major Derevaux accepted this postponement graciously, and announced thathe would accompany the boys at once. As they would have passed out, thegeneral's orderly once more entered the room.
"The American ambassador is without, sir," he said, "and demands animmediate interview with you."
General Ferrari turned to Colonel Fuesco.
"You see what trouble you have brought down on my head," he said, with asmile. "I won't bother to see the ambassador now," he said to hisorderly. "I shall send these lads to greet him."
In response to these words, Hal and Chester, accompanied by MajorDerevaux and Colonel Fuesco, made their way from the room. In thecorridor they encountered the American ambassador and Uncle John.The latter was walking back and forth nervously and mutteringangrily to himself.
"Here we are, Uncle John," said Chester.
Uncle John jumped as though he had been shot, for he had not perceivedtheir approach.
"You young rascals," he exclaimed, "so you have been released, eh?"
"Yes," said Chester quickly, "we have been released providing we canreally apprehend the man who is the spy."
"What do you mean?" asked Uncle John anxiously.
Hal followed Chester's lead, for he wished no obstacle to be put intheir path.
"If we can catch the spy, we shall be permitted to go free," he said,
"I see," said Uncle John. "But I can't see that spy-catching is any ofyour business."
"Well, we have promised to do the best we can," said Chester.
"In that case, I have nothing to say," said Uncle John. "But remember weare due to sail for home to-morrow."
"Oh, we can wait over for the next ship," said Chester.
"Perhaps," said Uncle John, with a twinkle in his eye. "We shall see whatyour mothers have to say about that."
Hal now bethought himself to introduce Uncle John to his friends. Thisaccomplished, the American ambassador announced that he would be moving,and took his departure. The others Uncle John invited to have lunch withhim in a nearby hotel.
Over the table, Hal asked Major Derevaux what he was doing in Rome.
"I don't know as it is my secret now," replied the major. "I am here witha despatch from General Joffre. I cannot say exactly what the despatchcontains, but at a guess I would say it has to do with the entrance ofItaly into the war, and plans for a possible simultaneous advance betweenall the troops opposed to the Austro-
German army."
"I see," said Hal. "That would be a great thing. I wish we were goingback to the front with you."
"Well, you're not," said Uncle John briefly.
"We won't argue about it," said Chester, smiling. "But you never can tellwhat will happen."
Uncle John changed the subject abruptly. When the conversation reachedthis stage he always felt uncomfortable.
"When are you going to start spy-hunting?" he asked.
Chester looked at Hal.
"What do you think?" he inquired.
"Well, I should say not until to-night," replied Hal. "I don't believe wecould do much good in the day time."
"My idea exactly," agreed Chester. "We may have to make a fewpreparations."
"I would like to go with you boys," said Major Derevaux, "but I fear itwill be impossible. I must return immediately I have had my interviewwith General Ferrari."
Uncle John had been sitting silent during all this conversation, butnow he straightened in his chair and brought his fist down on the tablewith a bang.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed. "All this talk makes me feel young again. What'sthe matter with my joining this expedition?"
The two lads gazed at him in wonder. Uncle John saw the amazement writtenon their features.
"I mean it," he continued. "I want a hand in this game myself. Here,waiter, check!" he called.
He paid the check and rose from the table.
"You wait here for me," he instructed the boys.
"Where are you going?" asked Chester.
"Going to buy a gun," replied Uncle John; "going to outfit myself to jointhe spy-hunters."
He stalked from the room.