CHAPTER IX.
TO THE RESCUE.
"It looks rather awesome, doesn't it?" said Chester.
"It certainly does," was Hal's reply.
The object of the boys' conversation was a long armored train, whichstood on a siding. It was late in the afternoon, and the two lads,after having taken a long rest, and being relieved from active duty bythe express command of General French, had strolled up to thetemporary siding, where the huge engine now stood puffing andsnorting.
It was the first time either of the two boys had ever seen thisrapidly moving vehicle of warfare. The open flat cars were protectedby thick sheets of steel, behind which were mounted many small gunsand rapid-firers.
These armored trains already had given good accounts of themselves inother parts of the long line of battle, particularly in Belgium, inthe earlier days of the struggle, and were things of terror to theGerman troops.
The train beside which the two lads now stood was ready for instantaction. The gunners were at their posts, ready to go forward at amoment's notice. The engineer and firemen stood beside the hugeengine.
In the distance the sound of firing could be heard, and occasionally ashell burst close to where the boys were standing. But they had beenthrough their baptism of fire, and paid little heed to thesemessengers of death.
"They say that these trains have proven immense factors in suddenraids on the enemy," said Chester.
"Yes," agreed Hal, "and it is easy to see that among light armedtroops they could do great execution. It would even take very heavyartillery fire to make an impression on those steel sides.Besides----"
He broke off with a sudden exclamation.
"Look out," he cried, and leaped back, pulling Chester forcibly along.
A second later and there was a terrific explosion. A German shell hadburst within a few feet of where the two lads had been standing.
A crowd of troopers, who had been idling about a few yards from thetrain, disappeared with the deafening report, and when the smoke hadcleared away they were nowhere to be seen. They had been blown toatoms.
The boys rushed forward, but, even as they did so, they halted at thesound of a sudden cry, and, turning their faces up the track, theybeheld a mounted officer galloping swiftly toward them. An officerdropped off one of the cars of the train, which, fortunately, had notbeen touched by the explosion, and hurried to meet the newcomer.
"Who is in charge of this train?" demanded the horseman, throwinghimself from his mount without waiting for the animal to come to astop.
"I am," was the officer's brief response.
"You are ordered to proceed forward at once under full speed," was thecommand. "The Tenth Royal Dragoons are hemmed in by at least 10,000Germans two miles ahead, and unless you arrive in time they will allbe slaughtered."
The officer in command of the train looked hurriedly about.
"Hicks!" he called loudly. "Hicks!"
There was no reply, and the officer shouted again. Then Hal steppedforward.
"If Hicks was your engineer," he said, "there is no use calling him.He is dead."
"Dead?" exclaimed the officer.
"Yes; that shell struck right beside him. The fireman also waskilled."
"Great Scott!" exclaimed the officer. "Then what am I to do? Hicks wasthe only engineer with us right now. The others have gone to theirquarters, and by the time I could get them here it would be too late."
"Well," said Hal quietly, "if you want a volunteer, I am willing totackle it for you."
"You?"
"Yes; I have made some slight study of a locomotive, and, while I havenever run one any great distance, I have ridden many miles in the cabof an engine in lumber camps in the United States."
"And I can fire the engine," Chester broke in.
"Well," said the officer, "something has to be done at once; and, ifyou are willing to take a chance, so am I. Get aboard."
He turned and rushed hurriedly back to his car, while Hal and Chesterleaped aboard the locomotive. In response to a signal, Hal releasedthe brakes, gently opened the throttle, and the great engine began toforge slowly ahead.
Gradually the lad opened the throttle wider, and the huge locomotivecommenced to gain momentum, until at last it was rushing along likesome mad thing. Chester, in the meantime, was busy with a shovel.
A moment, it seemed to the two lads, and the sound of firing roseabove the roar of the locomotive, and the spat spat of bullets againstthe armored sides could be heard. But Hal did not falter. Rather, theengine seemed to leap ahead with even greater speed.
From the rear came the signal to slow down, and, under Hal's firmhand, the terrific speed of the train was checked. Then also from therear there came the sound of firing. The rapid-firers on the train hadbeen unloosed, and their leaden messengers were spelling death in theranks of the Germans, of whom the train was now in the middle.
Chester poked his head out the window of the cab, only to withdraw itquickly, as a bullet struck a quarter of an inch from his ear. But inthat one brief glance he had taken in the situation.
A short distance ahead he could make out a small knot of British,almost surrounded by Germans. The British had taken their standdirectly on the railroad track, the most strategic point for miles. Aclump of small trees screened them from the enemy on one side, butfrom the other three directions the Germans were pouring in theirdeadly fire.
The British troops stood gallantly to their work, and returned volleyfor volley. They fought on doggedly. Suddenly the armored train shotup the line which the British were holding, and Hal brought it to anabrupt stop.
Right and left the train poured in broadsides of machine-gun fire,mowing down the Germans at every yard. The Germans fell in heaps, and,as if by a miracle, both sides of the track were suddenly lined withhigh piles of the dead.
The little troop of British received this unexpected aid with a greatcheer, broke from cover and dashed in pursuit of the great mass ofGermans, who now were fleeing on all sides.
But the success of the British was destined to be short-lived. Hal andChester, in the cab of the locomotive, had just raised a loud cheerwhen there was a terrific explosion, followed by a thundering crash,and both lads were hurled violently to the floor of the cab.
Chester, with blood flowing from a gash in his forehead, was the firstto pick himself up. In falling his head had come in contact with asharp projection of some kind. He was terribly dizzy, but his head wasstill clear.
He stooped over Hal, and at that moment the latter raised himself onhis elbow and then got to his feet unsteadily.
"Great Scott! What was that?" he gasped.
Chester did not reply. Instead he swung out from the cab and glancedback over the train--or rather where the train had been. And what asight met his gaze!
The train of armored cars was gone. Alongside the track lay pieces ofwreckage, and many bodies and pieces of what had once been machineguns.
Hal peered over Chester's shoulder.
"Another shell," he said slowly. "But how does it happen we were notkilled also?"
"I don't know," said Chester, "but I judge the shell must have struckin the middle of the train. Look, there is nothing left but theengine."
It was true. In some unaccountable manner the engine had escaped scotfree. At that moment Hal, who had glanced out from the other side ofthe cab, made a startling discovery.
"Wow!" he shouted. "Here come the Germans again--thousands of 'em. Weare goners, now, sure."
But, before Chester could reply, Hal jumped forward. With one hand hereleased the brakes and threw the throttle wide--and the hugelocomotive leaped suddenly forward.
"It's our only chance," Hal shouted to Chester. "The track behind iscovered with wreckage, and it is impossible to go that way."
That the Germans understood their ruse was soon apparent. There was ashout from the oncoming horde, and the sharp crack of rifles andbullets began to spatter against the side of the engine.
"Well, we'll
give 'em a chase, anyhow," said Hal grimly.
He opened the throttle even wider.