CHAPTER XXIII
THE SECRET PACT
Jimmy and Roger, fighting in the cave with the Bixtons, never afterwardcould tell exactly how it happened. Certainly by all rules andregulations of personal encounters it ought to have been easy for thetwo scoundrels, physically comparatively fresh, as they were, to haveovercome the Khaki Boys, who were well-nigh exhausted.
But if it is true that fear lends strength, so does righteous rage,and the Khaki Boys possessed this in full measure as they thought ofnot only what the two brothers had done to them personally, but theirtraitorous conduct toward their country.
"Hit, and hit hard!" cried Jimmy, as he sprang at Aleck.
"I'm with you!" sang out Roger.
Fists crashed to faces, there were body blows, figures leaped back andforth, casting fantastic shadows in the gleam of the lantern. Therewere cries of rage and grunts of pain. But, once started, the fightnever slackened.
"We've got to down 'em this time, sure!" panted Wilbur, as Roger senthim back against the cave wall with a staggering blow.
"Oh, we'll down 'em!" gasped Aleck, but in his heart he knew the fightwas going against him.
Once more the four met in the middle of the cave. Jimmy saw his chancewhen Aleck lowered his guard for an instant, and then the fist of theKhaki Boy went full and fair to the chin of the plotter.
For an instant Aleck seemed to stand motionless, and then, with a dazedlook on his face, he sank to the floor, murmuring:
"I'm out!"
And out he was. No counting off of the ten seconds by a referee wasnecessary. Jimmy had delivered a knockout blow to his antagonist. Atfirst the sergeant thought his enemy might be dissembling, but a glanceat the prostrate figure showed that Aleck was not feigning. He wasunconscious.
"I'll do for you now!" fairly roared Wilbur, as he came back with arush at Roger. The latter was in a bad way, for he had slipped and hadsustained a terrific blow from Wilbur's fist. But the remaining Bixtonhad not counted on Jimmy, and now Roger's chum could come to his aid.And this Jimmy did.
As Wilbur swung past him, to deliver what he hoped would be a finishingblow to Roger, Jimmy put out his foot and tripped the scoundrel.
Wilbur went down heavily, the breath being driven from his body. Hishead struck against a table leg, so stunning him that it was an easymatter for Roger and Jimmy to leap on him and secure him. Roger,greatly exhausted, sat on Bixton's chest.
"I--I'm all in! I quit!" the signal corps man gasped. "Let me get up!"
"Not much!" panted Jimmy. "We've got you where we want you now. Lively,Roger. We've got to bind and gag these fellows."
"What's the idea of gagging them?"
"So they won't tell we're here."
"Tell who we're here?" asked Roger, who did not get his chum's meaning.
"The Germans who are coming here to carry out some secret pact. Youknow what we overheard these fellows saying. Well, now I'm going tohide here and see the show out when the Heinies arrive. We'll bindthese fellows and hide 'em. Then we'll wait for Mr. Carl Anker and Mr.Fritz Ammann, whoever they may be."
At the mention of these names Wilbur Bixton squirmed, and tried toshake off Roger.
"That'll be about all from you!" cried Jimmy in anger. "Either you'lllie still, you dirty traitor, or we'll put an end to this right now!You tried to kill Roger and me, and we won't show you any more mercythan we would a wild beast. Now lie still!"
He sprang up and took one of the two rifles.
"It's all up!" said Wilbur, and his voice was hopeless. "You fellowswin."
"We haven't taken all the tricks yet," observed Jimmy grimly. "The gamehas only just started. Now, Roger, as soon as you get your breath,take off his uniform and slip it on yourself. I'll do the same for theother--dog!" he added contemptuously.
"What's the idea of changing clothes?" asked Roger.
"There are two ideas in this," answered Jimmy. "One is that ouruniforms are wet and theirs are dry. Since they are to blame for thewet suits, it's only fair that they should wear 'em. But we won't takethe trouble to re-dress 'em. Let 'em lie in their underclothes. Itisn't cold in here."
There was a sound from Aleck, which seemed to indicate that he wasregaining consciousness. Jimmy quickly secured the other rifle, andthen, having made sure that the Bixtons were unarmed, the work ofchanging uniforms was begun.
While Jimmy stood on the alert with the rifle, Roger stripped offWilbur's signal corps uniform. Then Roger changed down to his skin,wringing out his wet underwear and hanging it over a chair to dry. Nexthe donned the signal corps man's uniform without taking time to firstclothe himself in undergarments.
Wilbur was bound and gagged, being dragged to a dark corner of thecave. Then the same treatment was given Aleck, who came to his sensesas he was being bound, and murmured:
"Did we do 'em, Will?"
"I'll answer for your brother," said Jimmy. "He's sort of incapacitatedjust now, as you'll be a little later. No, you didn't do for us, andyou can't now. The jig is up for you fellows."
Aleck did not answer, and soon he was lying beside his rascallybrother, incapable of movement or speech. Roger and Jimmy now wore dryuniforms, and the change was grateful.
"Well, so far so good," murmured Roger, as he and his chum found timeto rest themselves and catch their breath. "Hello, chocolate in thispocket!" he cried, as he felt a cake in the pocket of the uniformWilbur had worn.
"Hope I have the same luck," said Jimmy. "Yes," he added a momentlater, "I've got some, too. Say, this will come in mighty fine!"
"Well, now what's the game?" asked Roger, as he glanced at his chum."How much longer are we going to stay here?"
"Until the two men, probably Germans, whom the Bixtons were to meethere, show up," was the answer.
"And then what?"
"Well, as soon as we hear them coming in we'll douse the glim."
"What's the idea? Think we can fight 'em better in the dark?"
"No, but they won't be so apt to notice that we aren't the same signalcorps fellows they expected to meet. It's possible one of the Hunsmay have a pocket flashlight--very probable, in fact. But that won'tbe very likely to give the game away. They'll see two signal corpsuniforms, and they'll take us for the Bixtons, I hope."
"I hate to be taken for such mean skunks!"
"It's in a good cause," replied his chum. "That's the only way we canget to the bottom of this game--and there's some rotten game going on,I'm satisfied of that."
"I guess you're right," agreed Roger. "So you plan to let the two mencome in here, thinking we're the Bixtons they're to meet, and get theirsecret out of 'em that way?"
"If they'll talk, and don't get suspicious, yes."
"There must be two entrances to this cave," said Roger.
"Yes, and maybe more," agreed his companion. "We came in by one--theone nearest the river. The Bixtons came in by a second, and theGermans may come in by a third. All we have to do is wait."
And Jimmy and Roger were glad enough to do this, for they had beenthrough some strenuous times in the last few hours. But the dryclothing, though it was exceedingly rough without underwear, gavewarmth to their chilled bodies, and the chocolate had bolstered uptheir fagging energies.
Together they sat and waited in the cave, wondering when the twoexpected men would come and what would happen after they arrived. Theytalked in low voices, and speculated as to the fate of their comrades.
And much the same sort of speculation was going on in the minds of Boband Franz and also poor Iggy, who alone of the five Brothers, was leftwith his command.
"First we are of a five, like a hand," mused the Polish lad. "Then weiss of a four when Franz goes away. And den we is of a two when Jimmyand Roger no more comes back. And den Bob, he goes away, and I issalone. Py jolly, maybe it iss my turns next!"
Roger and Jimmy, sitting in the cave with the light turned low,presently heard a slight noise. At first they imagined it was made byone of their prisoners, but a moment of listening told them it was f
romanother source.
"The Fritzies are coming!" whispered Roger.
"Be ready," advised his chum. "Have you the rifle?"
"Yes; and Wilbur's revolver, too."
"Good! Here they are, and out goes the glim!"
As he spoke Jimmy turned down the lantern completely, and therefollowed a guttural exclamation.
"Why is the darkness?" asked a voice in English. "Are you there HerrenBixtons?"
"Um," murmured Jimmy, nudging Roger.
"What is the matter?" asked the voice of the unseen one again. "Youtell us to meet you here, and yet you have no light."
"Out of oil," growled Jimmy. "Maybe you have a flashlight. "
"It is out of oil, too!" laughed a second man, and both voices had anunmistakable German accent, though English was spoken fluently enough."It gives but a little glow. But we have matches, and if there is a bitof a candle----"
"No candle!" returned Jimmy, trying to disguise his voice. "Nothingseems to burn in this rotten hole of a cave," he went on. "It's as dampas a swamp. I've caught such a cold I can hardly speak."
"I was wondering what was the matter with your voice, Herr Wilbur,"went on the voice. "Well, we are here, and we do not need to stay long,I suppose. It is not a nice place. As you say it is damp, and, too,there is always danger of discovery. You have brought the informationwe want, I dare say?" was the question.
"Did you bring more money?" demanded Jimmy, making his tones hoarse."We've got to have more money, Mr.--er--Ammann."
To his surprise the man laughed. What could occasion mirth at a timelike this? Was the trick of Roger and Jimmy discovered?
The next moment he felt a wave of relief as the man said:
"_Ach!_ that's what you always do, even in daylight--mistake me, HerrAnker, for Herr Ammann. You Americans are not so smart as you allthink, not to know us apart."
Then Jimmy knew he had played to pure luck, and he was filled withdelight.
"Well, did you bring the money?" asked Jimmy, following a lead givenhim by the two prisoners now bound and gagged.
"Yes, we have a little more," answered the other German. "But it ishard to get now. Here it is--in gold. Now you have the plans all madefor sending up the smoke signals, yes?"
"We have plans, yes," answered Jimmy. But he did not say what plansthey were. Incidentally, they involved the capture of Herr Anker andHerr Ammann.
"Ah! Good!" murmured the one who had described himself as Anker. "Youare doing a good deed," he went on as he came up to the table whereJimmy and Bob were seated and sat down. He had drawn from his pocketa flashlamp, but the battery was so nearly exhausted that it gavescarcely more light than a firefly. Jimmy was not afraid of detectionin that illumination. "Yes, it is a good deed," the German repeated."For, by enabling our troops to the more quickly gain a victory, youare bringing peace nearer, and you will thus save many lives."
"Um!" grunted Jimmy. He saw now how the Germans, by this sort offlattery and reasoning, had led on the Bixtons. But, indeed, itrequired little to corrupt those already evil.
"Now let us make sure all is right," went on one of the Germans, asthey sat across the table from Roger and Jimmy in what was almost totaldarkness. "We bring you the money for the plans of the smoke signals.They are here--you have them?" he asked.
Jimmy had discovered a bundle of papers in the coat he had taken fromAleck, and, guessing them to be what was wanted, drew them out and laidthem on the table. But if they should be plans that ought not to fallinto the hands of the Huns, Jimmy had no intention of letting Anker andAmmann get away with them.
"If you will repeat the plans, then we will be sure we understand,my friends," suggested Ammann. "Sometimes in translating there is amix-up. Now you will send up the balls of smoke, as you agreed, to letour gunners know where the American batteries and ammunition dumpsare, is it not so? A green ball for an ammunition dump, and a red ballto tell where there is a battery. Two white balls will mean that theprevious signals are to be disregarded, and we start afresh. That iswhat you said, last time. There has been no change?"
"Um--er--no change," said Jimmy grimly, but, he reflected, there wasabout to be a great change.
"Well, if that is all, we shall take the papers and give you the moneywe have brought," said Ammann. "Then we shall go. And next we will meeta week from to-night, but in a new place. This is getting unsafe. Wehad hard work to get here. Your lines are too close. But they will soonbe loosed, when we shell the batteries as your smoke signals tell usthe location. Ah, it is the only way to end the war and make friends ofenemies! The more we kill the sooner the battles will end."
As he spoke he shoved forward a bag that clinked metallically. Jimmyheld out the bundle of papers, dimly visible in the faint light.
Jimmy trod on Roger's foot under the table. They had learned all theyneeded to know. It was now very plain.
For German gold the Bixtons had betrayed their country, they hadindicated the secret location of batteries and other engines of war,enabling the Huns to land their destroying shells accurately. TheBixtons, by means of the smoke signals to which they had access andwhich they could send up secretly, had given the Germans the exactinformation they wanted. And Ammann and Anker were German spies--thego-betweens.
"_Ach!_ For the Fatherland!" exclaimed Anker, as he extended his handfor the bundle of papers Jimmy held out. "I do this for the Fatherland!"
"And I do this for the good old U. S. A.!" cried Jimmy in ringing tonesas he leaped to his feet and brought the butt of the rifle down on thehead of Anker. At the same time Jimmy yelled: "Let him have it, Roger!"
And Roger dealt Ammann a smashing blow, so that the two German spiesslipped from their chairs together to the floor of the cave. They werenow as helpless as were the Bixtons.
CHAPTER XXIV
THROUGH THE LINES
"Great work!" cried Roger, as he and Jimmy, lighting the lamp again,made sure that the two Germans, as well as the American traitors, wereunable to give further trouble.
"Yes, luck was with us all right," assented Jimmy. "But, oh boy, what alot this amounts to!"
"You mean finding out about the smoke signals plot?"
"Yes, and all that it takes in. You wouldn't think there could be suchskunks on earth as those Bixtons, would you?"
"I should say not!" agreed Roger. Though the traitors were gagged theirears were open, and if they had a spark of manhood left they must havesquirmed.
"You can't blame the Germans so much," went on Jimmy. "They wereworking for their country, not against it, and they probably thoughtwhat they did was all right. But it was up to us to put 'em out ofbusiness."
"And I guess you did to the one you hit all right," said Roger. "Looksas if he was done for."
"Couldn't be helped," was Jimmy's grim reply. "It was the spies or us.How's your man?"
"Well, I hit him pretty hard."
This was evident. Spurred by the necessity for acting with vigor andpromptness, the Khaki Boys had struck hard. Both the Germans wereunconscious, and, as developed later, one was so badly hurt that hedied.
"Well, what's the next move?" asked Roger, as they sat down and lookedat one another. Their nerves were a bit unsteady, and no wonder. Theyhad passed through a strenuous time in the last fifteen hours.
"We've either got to take these fellows somewhere to give them up tothe army authorities, or get word to our boys that the scoundrels arehere," Jimmy said. "There may be more of the signal corps men involvedin this spy work, and it ought to be known. But I don't see how we canvery well take all four to our lines, provided we can find the lines.This fellow," and he pointed to the badly injured spy, "can't walk."
"Why not leave these two here in the cave, tied as tightly as we canmanage?" suggested Roger.
"What about the Bixtons?" Jimmy asked.
"I fancy if we march behind them with their own loaded rifles we caninduce them to go ahead of us to our lines," remarked Roger. "Later onthe Germans can be attended to. They won't be very likely to run a
way."
"Say, I guess you've got the right dope!" Jimmy exclaimed. "We'll dojust that. But it's late now, and probably as dark as a pocket outside.We can't find our way to the American lines now. Better stay here inthe cave until morning."
"That's the best thing to do," decided Roger. "If any more spies showup we'll be ready for 'em, though I'm sick of this kind of fighting."
"So'm I," agreed Jimmy.
They cut into strips some of the German civilians' own garments, andwith these bound the two spies. There was no need to gag them, sinceall danger of any of the plotters giving premature warning was passed.Indeed there seemed to be no need of binding the badly wounded Hun, butJimmy and Roger were taking no chances.
During this process, by the light of the lantern the Khaki Boys madesure of the identity of the Germans. They were the same men who hadbeen seen in the dugout, and there was no question now but what theBixtons had been the two soldiers seen.
Having the instincts of humanity, Roger and Jimmy made their prisonersas comfortable as the circumstances would allow. They took the gagsfrom the mouths of the Bixton brothers and gave them water. But thetraitors spoke no word. The lesser wounded German begged for a drink,and it was given to him. The other remained in a stupor, though theKhaki Boys washed the wound on his head and bound it up.
Then passed the long night.
In the morning, not very much refreshed, as may be imagined, by theweary, hungry hours spent in the cave, Jimmy and Roger ventured forth.They found the entrance by which the Bixtons and the spies had come in,and from this point, which was on a hill, they were afforded a goodview of the surrounding country.
"There's smoke over there," said Jimmy, pointing to what, at first,seemed to be a fog.
"Yes," agreed his companion. "Maybe it's smoke of battle or someburning village. But it means there have been men there, and that'smore than can be said of this vicinity. It's deserted."
This was true enough. Though there were evidences all about thatfighting had gone on in the neighborhood, there was no sign ofhabitation near the cave, and no inhabitants.
"Let's start for that smoke," said Jimmy. "It's an even break thatwe meet our lines somewhere over that way. That's the logical placefor them to be, considering the fighting of yesterday. Let's hike forthere, and drive the Bixtons ahead of us."
"I'm with you!" cried Roger.
There was no necessity of waiting for breakfast--there was no breakfastto be had. Jimmy and Roger donned their underwear, which had dried bythis time, and then, again putting on the Bixton's uniforms, the twolads gave their orders.
"We're going to let you wear our uniforms," said Jimmy, "becausethey're still wet and, as it was your doing that made them so, it's upto you to stand the dampness."
The Bixtons said nothing. There was nothing they could say. Their bondswere loosed and, having seen that the Germans were still securely tied,Jimmy and Roger, taking their foes' guns, made the plotters march outof the cave.
"What are you going to do with us?" growled Aleck, as they were told tohike down the hill in the direction of the distant smoke.
"March you back to your company where you belong. They'll know what todo with you," said Jimmy.
"Look here!" begged Wilbur. "You've got us right, boys. We ain't goingto crawl. But do you know what it means if we have to go back?"
"Yes, I know," said Jimmy soberly.
"Then turn us loose. Give us a chance, anyhow!"
"A chance to help kill some more of our boys?" cried Roger. "I guessnot! You had your chance, and you didn't take it. You preferred to sellit to the Huns. Move along!" he cried.
The Bixtons saw that pleadings were useless, but later on they made onemore attempt to free themselves. As they drew nearer the smoke it wasseen that it came from a burning village, and a little later, as theyentered the outskirts of the desolate and smoking town they saw signswhich indicated that it had been recently occupied and deserted byGermans.
"They must be in retreat!" cried Jimmy. "Our boys can't be far away."
"You're right!" assented Roger. "If we go this way," and he pointed tothe west, "we ought to come to our lines."
"You're wrong!" said Wilbur quickly. "Our lines lie over that way. Iought to know, for we came from there last night. Our lines are there,"and he pointed to the east.
"You've got nerve--calling 'em 'our' lines!" declared Jimmy. "You don'tbelong to the American army any more."
"Do you suppose he can be right?" asked Roger in a low voice of hischum. "Maybe our lines are in that direction."
"It only needs their telling me to go east to make me go west!"exclaimed Jimmy. "Naturally they don't want to be taken back to thecompany they dishonored. They want to escape to the Germans theyserved. No, sir! We march west!"
And west they went.
It was about half an hour after this that Roger and Jimmy, driving theBixtons before them, saw a group of American soldiers coming towardthem over a shell-torn field.
"Home again!" cried Jimmy.
At the sight of Jimmy and Roger, with guns held in readiness, marchingtwo other Americans soldiers ahead of them the party of Sammies, underthe leadership of a sergeant, broke into a double quick, and soonreached the Khaki Boys.
"What's all this?" demanded the sergeant. "Who are you two with theguns, and what are these? Deserters?" he asked, pointing to the Bixtons.
"Worse than deserters! They're traitors!" said Jimmy. "And we left twoGerman spies back in the cave. We've found out the secret of the smokesignals. We'd like to report to the officer commanding this sector, anddeliver our prisoners."
"Smoke signals, eh?" exclaimed Sergeant Walton, who had charge of aparty out in search of possibly forgotten wounded men. "That's queer. Asquad of our boys, several squads, in fact, are out looking for two ofthe smoke signal machines which the signal corps reports missing sincelast night."
All eyes were turned toward the Bixtons. But they maintained theirpolicy of silence.
"Come on, I'll take you to the K. O.," offered the sergeant.
This was done, and Roger and Jimmy soon turned over their prisonersand gave an account of the whole proceeding from the time they wereknocked senseless until they attacked and caught the German spies.Then, after the boys had accurately described the location of thecave, a party was sent there to bring back the two Huns. The one hadconsiderably improved, being but stunned, but the other never regainedconsciousness, and died that night.
But with the capture of the Bixtons and the finding of the papers whichthey had prepared to give the Germans in exchange for gold, the wholesecret plot was exposed.
The two scoundrels had, more than once, sent up the smoke signalswhich enabled the Boches to locate hidden batteries or machine-gunemplacements. And to work their latest plot the brothers had taken intothe woods one of the new smoke caldrons. They had sold their honor--andhad brought death to many of their companions through greed for gold.It was during one of their secret conferences with the spies that theKhaki Boys had seen the Bixtons in the dugout. And only for theircapture in the cave a grave disaster might have befallen the Americanarmy through the traitorous conduct of the Bixtons.
For they had planned, by sending up more smoke signals from anothermachine which they had taken to the woods, to disclose the location ofa great battery of new, big naval guns, designed to smash the Germanlines.
The successful attack of Roger and Jimmy came at just the right time.The plot was foiled and the plotters caught. And, to end an unpleasantsubject, it might be said here that the Bixtons were tried by courtmartial shortly afterward, found guilty, and executed, as was theremaining German spy.
"Well, that's over," said Roger, a week after their strenuous time inthe cave and on the day of the traitors' execution. "It was tough, butit had to be done. And now I hope they'll let us get back to our oldFive Hundred and Ninth."
"I'm with you there!" cried Jimmy. "I want to see Bob and Iggy. I don'tsuppose there's any news of Franz yet."
"Maybe not, bu
t I hope there is," sighed Roger.
In due time they were sent back to their command, bearing with themthe highest praise from the army authorities for their success infrustrating the smoke plot. And something more substantial than thankswas to follow.
"Iggy! Old scout Iggy!" cried Roger and Jimmy, as they greeted thePolish lad in a dugout where they found him, not far from the frontlines now occupied by the Five Hundred and Ninth. "How are you, Iggy,and where's Bob?"
Ignace Pulinski rubbed his eyes, and shook his head.
"How can I dream when I awake am?" he said. "Py jolly, it seems reallike!"
"What's real like, you old chunk?" demanded Roger.
"Seeing you and Jimmy Blazes," was the answer. "Of a dream I know itiss! Yet I am not asleep! Of a queerness it is!"
"Of course it isn't a dream! We're as real as yourself!" laughed Jimmy."Come out of the gas and tell us where Bob is!"
It took some little time to convince Iggy that it was not all a dream,but when he had shaken hands with them and they had clapped him mostheartily on the back, he exclaimed:
"Oh, of such gladness am I! If only Bob was here now--and Franz, too,then would be the five Brudders ag'in!"
"What! isn't Bob here?" cried Jimmy.
Iggy shook his head.
"I see him not when we a big fight had," he explained. "Dot was afteryou two go away. First we was of a five, den it was of a fournesswe was. You go and it was of a twoness--Bob and me. And den of Bob,he go away some place I know not. I am of a oneness, and what youcall--er--by myselfness----"
"You mean lonesomeness," suggested Roger.
"Him it is!" cried Iggy. "I was such a lonesomeness, but now I am of agladness. Only if we could find Bob and Franz!"
"It would be great!" sighed Jimmy. "Well, we'll keep on hoping."
They spent the rest of that day exchanging experiences--Roger, Jimmyand Iggy. Toward the close of the afternoon the three Brothers wereordered to the front lines. It was rumored that a big attack impended,though whether it would be made by the Americans or the Germans was notcertain.
And shortly after Roger, Jimmy, and Iggy had taken their places in thetraverse, with No Man's Land in front of them, the whole section of theline near them was thrown into a panic by the discharge of a rifle. Itwas but a single shot, and so quickly was a whistle command shrilledforth that there was to be no more firing, that there was no generalfusillade, such as often follows a case of this kind. Even the Germansdid not fire in a panic, as sometimes happened. Perhaps the reason forthat was because of the distance of the two lines of trenches at thispoint, the wire entanglements being half a mile apart.
"Wonder what that means?" asked Roger, as he and his two chums gotdown off the firing step, it being evident that there was to be noengagement for the present.
"A couple of Germans caught out in No Man's Land," was the answer of amessenger who came through the trench just then. "Guess they'll wishthey'd stayed at home."
"Germans!" exclaimed Jimmy. "They truly had nerve to come out in theopen."
He and his chums were discussing the strange incident when a messengerhurried up.
"Sergeants Blaise and Barlow and Corporal Pulinski ordered to report tothe captain," was the crisp message.
In surprise Roger, Jimmy, and Iggy looked at one another.
"Wonder if this has anything to do with the capture of the twoGermans," said Roger.
"How could that be?" asked Iggy.
"Maybe there's some connection between them and the two spies we foundin the cave," suggested Jimmy.
"Maybe," agreed Roger. "Well, we'll go see what's wanted, anyhow."
The messenger escorted them to a dugout where the captain of theircompany was stationed. He smiled as he saw the three, and then itdawned on the Khaki Boys that the matter could not be very serious.
"I sent for you to see if you could identify these two prisoners caughtwearing German uniforms between our lines and the enemy's just now,"said the captain. "They claim to know you."
He indicated two ragged, dirty youths in the characteristic uniform ofthe Kaiser's soldiers. They stood with their backs to Roger, Jimmy, andIggy.
"Claim to know us!" exclaimed Jimmy. "I don't see how that can be."
"You don't!" cried one of the "Germans," as he wheeled about.
"Going back on us, are you?" yelled the other.
For an instant Roger, Jimmy, and Iggy stood with dropped jaws andwidely opened eyes. And then, simultaneously, there burst from the triothe shout:
"Bob! Franz!"
A moment later the five reunited Brothers were clasped in each others'arms--yes, they fairly hugged one another, straining breast to breast,and they were not ashamed of the tears in their eyes.
"Do you recognize the prisoners?" asked the captain, with a laugh.
"Do we! Say, Captain, how soon before we're going to fight?" criedJimmy.
"Oh, I guess I can let you have a few hours off to celebrate," came theanswer. "Is that what you wanted me to say?"
"That's it, sir!" answered Jimmy with a snappy salute, in which theother Khaki Boys joined.
"And now for a talk!" cried Bob, as they marched back to a dugoutbehind the front lines.
As the readers are well acquainted with all that happened to Roger andJimmy, details of the story they told to Bob and Franz need not be goneinto. Similarly, they are acquainted with what happened to Franz andBob up to the point when they, with their comrades in the liberationplot, escaped from the German prison camp, wearing Hun uniforms.
"And we have had one whale of a time since then!" said Bob, in tellingthe story of their journey back to the American lines.
He and Franz had suffered unimaginable hardships. They separated fromthe others, as it seemed safest not to travel in a large party. Whathappened to their fellow prisoners Bob and Franz did not hear untillong afterward. Some reached safety, but many were recaptured or werekilled.
Bob and Franz traveled mostly at night, and the knowledge Schnitzel hadof German saved them more than once. Eventually, when almost ready togive up, they reached a place where the 509th and brigaded regimentsopposed a strong German division.
And then, more by good luck than anything else, Bob and Franz, stillwearing the ragged German uniforms, found a gap in the Hun lines andgot through it to No Man's Land. Then they headed for the Americantrenches.
As they were in uniform, it was seen at once that they were not spies,though one over-zealous Sammie fired on them. At first the Americansthought they were about to receive two German deserters, as frequentlyhappened. But once in custody Bob and Franz disclosed their identity,and, learning that Roger, Jimmy, and Iggy were in the neighborhood,asked that they be sent for.
The rest has already been told.
* * * * *
"Every man ready!"
"Every man ready, sir!"
This was the report that went up and down the trenches. The fiveBrothers, reunited after such stirring experiences, heard it as theystood together ready to leap up on the firing step and go over the top.
Behind them big cannon waited but a signal to the gunners to belchforth flame and destruction. Every one was on the alert.
It was a day following a tremendous battle, when the German lines hadbeen smashed, torn apart and thrown into confusion, and when thefleeing Huns, driven from their stronghold by the masterful work ofFoch and Pershing with the other Allied commanders, were endeavoring tosave themselves from disaster.
"A little bit more of this, and we'll finish the job," remarked Jimmy,as he looked at his wrist watch.
"What time is it?" asked Bob.
"Nearly eleven. Why?"
"Well, I heard a rumor that the Germans had asked for a cessation ofhostilities, to begin about noon, in order to get ready to sign anarmistice."
"Don't you believe it!" exclaimed Franz. "The Huns won't know they'rebeaten until we grind their faces down in the mud! Listen to that! Talkabout ceasing hostilities!"
It was the sound of heavy artillery on the American side, and the soundcame nearer, like rolling thunder over the distant hills.
"Guess we're going in all right," said Jimmy, and there was a grim lookon his face. "Fellows, we've had some hard fighting these last fewdays. A little bit more of it, and we may finish up. But----Oh, well,what's the use talking? If we live through it, we live--that's all. Iwonder----"
His words were smothered in a terrific burst of fire from the guns backof them.
"Laying down a barrage!" shrilled Bob in Roger's ear. "Here's where wego over the top!"
Tensely they stood waiting for the order. It never came.
Suddenly, as if by magic, the terrific noise ceased. Where a momentbefore there had been a crashing as if of whole worlds smashing intocollision in vast space, now there was a quietness that was startling.
"Cease firing!"
The order came just as the hands on Jimmy's watch pointed to eleveno'clock.
What did it mean? And then, faintly at first, but gathering momentumlike a mighty wind, the word went up and down the trenches.
"_The armistice is signed!_"
"That means the war is practically over," said Bob.
"Maybe not," returned Jimmy. "There may still be much for us to do."
And that he was right will be learned by reading the next volume ofthis series, to be called, "The Khaki Boys Along the Rhine; or, Winningthe Honors of War."
THE END
* * * * *
THE KHAKI BOYS SERIES
BY CAPT. GORDON BATES
_All who love the experiences and adventures of our American boys,fighting for the freedom of democracy in the world, will be delightedwith these vivid and true-to-life stories of the camp and field in thegreat war._
THE KHAKI BOYS AT CAMP STERLING _or Training for the Big Fightin France_
Two zealous young patriots volunteer and begin their military training.On the train going to camp they meet two rookies with whom theybecome chums. Together they get into a baffling camp mystery thatdevelops into an extraordinary spy-plot. They defeat the enemies oftheir country and incidentally help one another to promotion both infriendship and service.
THE KHAKI BOYS ON THE WAY _or Doing Their Bit on Sea and Land_
Our soldier boys having completed their training at Camp Sterling aretransferred to a Southern cantonment from which they are finally sentaboard a troop-ship for France. On the trip their ship is sunk by aU-boat and their adventures are realistic descriptions of the tragediesof the sea.
THE KHAKI BOYS AT THE FRONT _or Shoulder to Shoulder in theTrenches_
The Khaki Boys reach France, and, after some intensive training insound of the battle front, are sent into the trenches. In the raidsacross No-Man's land, they have numerous tragic adventures that showwhat great work is being performed by our soldiers. It shows what makesheroes.
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
* * * * *
THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES
BY LESTER CHADWICK
BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS _or The Rivals of Riverside_
Joe is an everyday country boy who loves to play baseball andparticularly to pitch.
BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE _or Pitching for the Blue Banner_
Joe's great ambition was to go to boarding school and play on theschool team.
BASEBALL JOE AT YALE _or Pitching for the College Championship_
Joe goes to Yale University. In his second year he becomes a varsitypitcher and pitches in several big games.
BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE _or Making Good as aProfessional Pitcher_
In this volume the scene of action is shifted from Yale college to abaseball league of our central states.
BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE _or A Young Pitcher's HardestStruggles_
From the Central League Joe is drafted into the St. Louis Nationals. Acorking baseball story all fans will enjoy.
BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS _or Making Good as a Twirler in theMetropolis_
How Joe was traded to the Giants and became their mainstay in the boxmakes an interesting baseball story.
BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES _or Pitching for theChampionship_
The rivalry was of course of the keenest, and what Joe did to win theseries is told in a manner to thrill the most jaded reader.
BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD _or Pitching on a Grand Tour_
The Giants and the All-Americans tour the world, playing in manyforeign countries.
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
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