CHAPTER V
A GUARD IN DISGRACE
Jimmie's momentum carried him toward the camp kettle with such violencethat he was unable to check his speed. He could only swerve his courseenough to avoid actually falling into the open door through which fuelhad been fed. Unfortunately, however, the lad lost his footing and, ashe fell, thrust a hand against the hot iron.
"Ow, wow!" yelled Jimmie, as he rolled over the ground, dragging withhim the already burning Cossack uniform.
"Here, here!" shouted Otto, rousing from his phlegmatic attitude andspringing forward in Jimmie's direction. "Leave dot alone!"
Jimmie rose to his feet nursing his burned hand and casting a glance ofextreme disgust toward his new-found friend.
"What business have you got burning up my clothes, I'd like to know!"he indignantly began. "You big sauer kraut eater. You don't seem toknow that clothes cost money and that these clothes were presented tome by the Imperial Czar of Russia!"
"Dot makes no difference about dot Russian bizness," answered Ottodoggedly; "my orders iss to burn dot uniform, und dot's chust vot I'mgoing to do. Maybe you would like to watch me."
"Yes, I'll watch you," Jimmie stated aggressively, his face flushinguntil the freckles were scarcely distinguishable. "You can burn theold uniform as fast as you like, but there is something in it that Iwant before you start the conflagration."
Otto stretched forth a hand in an effort to wrest the already charredand smoldering garments from The Wolf. He evidently intended to takematters strictly into his own hands and obey orders to the letter,regardless of Jimmie's wishes in the matter.
Jimmie just as resolutely intended to have his own way about thematter, although he had no objection to the ultimate burning of thediscarded insignia of the gallant troop he had at one time joined.
Although suffering keenly from the hand that had come in contact withthe iron and that would be giving him pain for some time, Jimmiedirected his attention to a search of the garments. He thrust hisuninjured hand into one pocket after another, frantically groping forsome object. Directly he gave a glad shout and withdrew his hand,clutching a small packet from which a loop of heavy cord hung.
Otto had lost some of the zest with which he had been imbued when hefirst raised an objection to Jimmie's action. His sluggish nature haddominated his movements, and now he moved forward with the ponderousmotions of the average German agriculturist, although it was plain tothe observers standing about that nothing short of a superior forcecould deter his progress or swerve him from his course.
"I've got it!" shouted Jimmie gleefully as he grasped the packet andattempted to gather up the scattered garments.
"Yes," put in Otto, in a voice which betokened his rage because hisbeloved orders had not been obeyed, "you haf got it, und now you willget someting else! I have someting for you right here!"
"You're welcome to the uniform now," was Jimmie's response. "I'mthrough with the uniform, and I hope with the Russian army."
"Maybe so," stated Otto, growling forth the words in a tone resemblingthe greeting usually given a tramp by a bulldog, "but you ain't throughwith the German army, by a long shot!"
"Oh, the German army ain't so much," scorned Jimmie. "I've seen lotsof armies that could tie you Dutchmen into knots."
"Yes, they could--not!" derisively put in Otto, with an air that he hadevidently picked up during his experience on the north side of Chicago."You wait; I will show you someting!"
Jimmie's interest in the packet had absorbed his attention to such anextent that he had not noticed the approach of the German, and it wasnot until Otto's great arms surrounded his form that the boy realizedhis danger. He had considered Otto merely as a guide, and had notthought it possible for him to act in any other capacity. Now heunderstood that the German intended to do him bodily harm, if possible.Quickly as the realization of his danger flashed through the boy'sactive mind, he began to plan a means of escape. He well understoodthat, struggle as he might, his strength would be far less than that ofhis antagonist, and he knew that, in order to escape, he must resort tohis knowledge of wrestling and boxing.
Although compelled to think and act quickly in the emergency, arecollection of Ned Nestor's training and the drills to which he hadsubjected his fellow Boy Scouts flashed across Jimmie's vision.
Otto's arms had encircled Jimmie's form and were slowly tightening in apython-like constriction that forced Jimmie's organs upward into hisribs and shut off his heart action. Again Jimmie recalled vividly hisexperiences in trying to break a "body scissors" on the mat, This time,however, he cast aside the rules of conduct that forbid fouls anddetermined to free himself at whatever cost.
Otto's surprise at feeling Jimmie's heels gouging up and down his shinwas exceeded only by his astonishment at receiving a blow on the chinfrom Jimmie's red head. Butting in a fight was a part of "the game"that the former newsboy had picked up in his encounters on the Bowerywhen protecting his corner from other vendors.
Long since discarded, the accomplishment now served Jimmie well, and heused it effectively, not forgetting to keep one foot in action as heindustriously pegged away at the foot upon which his heel had firstlanded. Jimmie believed thoroughly in the old adage that 'continualdropping will wear away a stone.'
Black specks began to float slowly across Jimmie's vision and hisbreath seemed to have left his body. In place of lungs the boy felt hehad only a great raging furnace. His foot began to be heavier andheavier. He was about to give up in despair.
Without warning, Otto released his grasp to fling Jimmie from him as hestepped backward to escape the onslaught of kicks and blows fromJimmie's active head. As he released the boy he aimed a vicious swingthat would have done a great deal of damage had it landed.
Luckily for the red-headed Uhlan, his feet became tangled in theremnants of the discarded and partly burned uniform that had been theinnocent cause of the battle. Just as Otto aimed the blow at Jimmie'shead the boy stumbled and fell backward.
There flashed to the lad's mind the thought that the Russian uniformhad been the means of saving him from a most unwelcome hurt.
Perhaps one of Jimmie's most lovable qualities was the ability to seeand appreciate a joke, no matter what the time or circumstances. Thisquality so dominated the lad that his comrades often declared he wouldlaugh at his own expense even when he was hungry. Just now he was soimpressed with the absurdity of the uniform's being the cause of histrouble and the means of his escape that he laughed aloud.
Unnoticed by either of the contestants, a considerable number of thecooks and "kitchen police" had gathered to witness the difficultybetween the two. These bystanders now offered words of encouragementin an effort to prolong the battle. It seemed that the dominatingspirit of battle had not been satisfied during the several days ofawful history-making struggle between the armies around the strickencity. The bloodlust was strong in their souls.
Jimmie heard their cries, although he could not distinguish the wordsthey used, nor could he have understood them had he done so. Herealized that Otto would probably hear and understand, and that forvery shame, if for no other reason, the other man would return to theconflict. He therefore drew a deep breath and braced himself for theexpected advance. Something warm and wet seemed to be trickling downover Jimmie's face. He put up a hand to wipe it away. The hand cameaway wet and sticky. To Jimmie's astonishment the hand was red.
A roar of rage assailed his ears, and Jimmie turned just in time toduck under a mighty swing. Angered at the persistence displayed,Jimmie let fly a stinging hook that fell short of its intended mark.Instead of landing on Otto's chin, as he had purposed, Jimmie flung hisfist full upon the "Adam's apple" of his antagonist, bringing forth agurgling squawk that afforded merriment to the bystanders.
He lost no time in following up his advantage. Quickly springingforward, he landed a shower of blows, each one in a telling spot aboutOtto's head. The lad's ire was fully roused, and he entered into thematter
of administering punishment with a zest.
Handicapped by his lighter weight, the boy could not hope successfullyto cope with the burly German on anything like an equal footing, andconsequently determined to press the advantage to the utmost, hence hewasted no blows, but made every one count.
Eager to administer what he considered ample punishment, yet wary andcautious, the lad gave his entire attention to his effort. He waslooking for an opening through which he might slip a "knockout," andgave no heed to the events transpiring about him. Hence he did notnotice the approach of a small party of officers until he felt a handlaid heavily upon his shoulder and a voice spoke in his ear.
"So, this is the way my soldiers behave when I am not present!" Jimmieheard the man say. He turned to gaze at the newcomer.
"Captain von Liebknecht!" he gasped in utter amazement.
"The same," replied the officer who had first interviewed Jimmie in thepartly ruined house. "It seems to me," he went on in a severe tone,his pale blue eyes narrowing to mere points, "that my recruits might bein better business than trying to spoil my veterans!"
For a moment Jimmie forgot to be respectful. The old spirit of Boweryrepartee, so long held in leash and thoroughly muzzled by Ned Nestor'straining and Jimmie's own self-control, had broken bonds, and nowshowed itself upon the surface without restraint.
"You can't spoil a bad egg, Captain!" was the impertinent response."This fool Dutchman got too gay and I just put him into the clear!"
"Silence!" roared von Liebknecht. "No reply is necessary."
"Well, I made one just the same," was Jimmie's undaunted retort.
"So I observe," remarked the officer, "and for that you shall bepunished. It shall be my pleasant duty to see that you get your fullshare of regular work, and in addition I shall assign you to thedelightful position of assisting the police detail."
"But I'm not big enough to be a policeman," objected Jimmie.
A smile spread over the face of the officer as he observed:
"That is your misfortune, not mine. If you had been so fortunate as tobe a German, you would have been much bigger and perhaps morerespectful. You will please remember in future to be at least civil."
Jimmie began to realize that it would not be to his advantage tocontinue the conversation, especially in the spirit already shown. Hetherefore drew himself up to his full height and gravely saluted, usingthe well-known Boy Scout form, with thumb and little finger touchingand the other three fingers extended vertically, palm outward.
The action seemed to please von Liebknecht immensely, although he wouldnot alter his decision in the least. A rapidly spoken order to an aidestanding near resulted in Jimmie's being hurried away in the directionof the camp where the Uhlans' horses were quartered.
He thought he saw the wings of an aeroplane resting in an open space.Forms were moving about the plane. Jimmie started.
The lad began moving his arms as if stretching himself or going througha sort of setting-up exercise. Again and again he repeated themovements. A smile lighted the freckled face.