CHAPTER X
TOWARD THE FRONTIER
Hal set his course by instinct and the glow of the disappearing moon,and a few moments after their swift departure, it seemed, they werebeyond the city itself, headed straight for the Dutch frontier.
There was no pursuit, and Hal rightly judged the reason to be becausehe had thrown pursuers off the track by several sharp turns beforeleaving the city proper.
After an hour's riding, Hal made out specks ahead that he took to beautomobiles. He increased the speed of the car slightly to make sureof this fact. The car driven by Hal was gaining, but so slightly as tobe almost imperceptible.
"Those fellows are hitting up a pretty swift gait," the lad muttered."I wonder why."
The sound of a shot was suddenly swept back to Hal's ear.
"Hello!" he muttered. "Trouble ahead."
He slowed down, for he had no mind to mix up with the Germans so longas it could be avoided. Suddenly the first automobile ahead came to astop. The second did likewise. Hal shut off his searchlight andapproached slowly in the darkness.
It became plain, as he drew closer, that the first automobile had beenstopped by a pistol shot, which probably had punctured a rear tire.
There came more pistol shots and then silence. Hal brought his ownmachine to a dead stop.
A few moments later one of the automobiles ahead, as Hal could see bythe position of its searchlight, began to turn in the road. InstantlyHal flashed his own light on and sent the car forward. This he didbecause he realized it would look suspicious should the flare of theother light show Hal's car standing still in the road.
The other car had now come about and approached Hal's machine.
McKenzie and Stubbs both had been watching the proceedings ahead withstrained eyes. Now they were ready for Hal's words:
"Guns ready back there. We'll pass if they let us alone."
The cars came closer together. Suddenly Hal was struck with a thoughtthat sent a chill down his spine. Suppose Chester was in that car!Maybe the pursuit he had witnessed was the pursuit of Chester.
The cars were almost together now. Instead of turning off to the rightto allow the other to pass, as it seemed to have every intention ofdoing, Hal only swerved slightly. Then, before the other car couldpass, he brought his own machine to a stop and sprang to the ground,revolver in hand. McKenzie was close behind him.
Only Stubbs remained in the automobile, and he, too, held a revolverready for instant action.
A voice from the strange car hailed Hal.
"Why do you stop us like this?" it demanded.
"Want to see who you are," was the lad's reply. "A spy has escapedfrom Berlin, and I have orders to search all vehicles."
"You are mistaken," said the voice. "The spy has not escaped. We havehim here."
"Good!" exclaimed Hal. "Nevertheless, I must satisfy myself that youare speaking the truth and are what you represent yourselves to be."
"Of course," returned the voice. "Approach."
Hal went forward slowly, gun in hand, as did McKenzie.
Hal now made out that there were four occupants of the car, besides theman at the wheel and a figure stretched out in the tonneau.
With his cap down over his eyes, he peered in. The men were incivilian garb and Hal knew, therefore, that they must be members of thesecret service and not of the military. He knew, too, that they wouldconsequently be that much harder to handle. Nevertheless, hedetermined upon a bold stroke.
"Hands up, all of you!" he cried in a stern voice.
His revolver covered the occupants in the front seat. McKenzie coveredthe rear.
"Here, what's the meaning of this?" exclaimed a man who seemed to bethe leader. "You fool! Haven't you been convinced yet that we arewhat we say."
"Perfectly," returned Hal quietly. "That's why I must insist that youraise your hands. Instantly!" His voice hardened and his fingertightened on the trigger. "Shoot without hesitancy," he warnedMcKenzie.
McKenzie's lips were set in a determined line. It was plain that hewould need no urging.
"Well," said one of the Germans, "it's my belief you are also spies."
"Hands up!" repeated Hal.
"If you must have it you must!" exclaimed the first German.
His hand flashed up and in it was a revolver.
McKenzie's revolver flashed. The German dropped back.
The man at the wheel released his hold on the steering apparatus andalso reached for a gun. Hal dropped him without changing hisposition.
One of the Germans, before either Hal or McKenzie could stop him,hurled himself over the far side of the car. The other two raisedtheir hands.
"That other fellow is probably bent on mischief," said Hal to himself,"but we'll have to take a chance. Cover 'em" he ordered McKenzie,"while I get their guns!"
Hal advanced to the side of the car and deprived the two Germans oftheir revolvers. Then he climbed in and motioned the Germans to getout. After that he bent over the still form in the bottom of the car.It was Chester.
"Keep those fellows covered, McKenzie," he warned. "Don't let themmove. One of them may have the list."
The Germans made no move under the muzzle of McKenzie's gun, held in asteady hand.
Hal lifted Chester's head to his knee. As he did so there was a sharpreport from nearby, quickly followed by a second, and Hal felt a slightpain in his left arm.
He dropped Chester's head and leaped to the ground.
"That's the man who escaped," he said. "I'll have to get him,McKenzie. You watch, these fellows closely."
"It's all right, Hal," came a voice from the lads own car. "I gothim!"
It was the voice of Stubbs, and the little man now came forward.
"I stayed behind to cover you fellows," he explained. "The man whojumped out of the car made a detour and came up to my car. From itsprotection he took a shot at you. He didn't see me in the darkness,though, and I beat him to it. He was so close I couldn't miss."
"Thanks, Stubbs," said Hal quietly. "Now you look in the car and seeif you can't find some rope or blankets or something to tie thesefellows with."
Stubbs returned shortly with several thin blankets, which Hal quicklyfashioned into an improvised rope. The two prisoners were bound.
"Now search 'em for the list," said Hal.
The war correspondent did so. There was no list to be found.
"Search the one you just disposed of, Stubb,"' Hal ordered.
The little man obeyed, and a moment later gave an exclamation oftriumph.
"Here it is," he cried.
"Good!" said Hal. "Now we'll lay these fellows where they can't moveto give an alarm."
This, too, was but the work of a moment.
"Lend a hand, McKenzie," said Hal. "We'll move Chester into our own carand then move on. It is dangerous to remain here."
Chester was gently transferred from one car to the other and laid inthe bottom.
"You fellows see if you can revive him as we go along," said Hal. "Wehave no time to waste."
He sprang again to the wheel, and the car moved on.
Daylight overtook the four friends as they sped along the countryroad. Occasionally other automobiles flashed by, but they were notmolested.
Under the administering hands of Stubbs and McKenzie, signs of lifesoon became apparent in Chester's body. He moaned feebly once ortwice, and then opened his eyes. For a moment he did not realize wherehe was, but with remembrance of the recent attack, he suddenly sat upand aimed a blow at Stubbs, in whose lap the lad's head had rested.
"I say! What's the meaning of this?" cried Stubbs. "What are youtrying to hit me for?"
"Is that you, Stubbs?" asked Chester in a feeble voice.
"You bet it's me, and I'm going to spank you good if you don't keepquiet."
"How'd you get here?"
"That's a long story," replied Stubbs, "and we don't have time to tellit now."
"How do
you feel, old man?" asked McKenzie.
"Great Scott! You here, too?" exclaimed Chester.
"Yes; and Hal is driving this car. You keep quiet now. We're in gravedanger and you must get all the rest you can. We may have need of yourservices before long."
Chester's head dropped back and his eyes closed. He sat up abruptlyagain a moment later, however, and demanded sharply:
"Where's the list?"
"Safe," replied Stubbs quietly.
Chester sank back again with an exclamation of satisfaction.