CHAPTER V.
CAPTURED.
All morning the journey through the woods continued. At intervals the big trees became more sparse, and the party took all precautions against being seen, as they flitted through the open places.
About noon, Lieutenant Anderson made a foraging expedition, and returned with a basket of food, which he had purchased from a nearby farmhouse. Hungrily the five disposed of it, quenching their thirst from a sparkling brook of cool water. Then they resumed their march.
Night was falling when the travelers at length emerged from the woods.
Half a mile ahead could be seen the lights of a town.
Lieutenant Anderson called a consultation.
"If I mistake not," he said, "those lights indicate the town of Stettin. We shall have to be very careful. They are bound to be on the lookout for us."
"Has anyone a plan?" he asked, after some further talk.
"I think I have one," returned Hal. "It might work out all right"
"Let's hear it," demanded Chester.
"Yes," chorused the others, "what is it?"
"Well," said Hal, "my idea is that it would be much better for us to separate. If we all approach together we are sure to be recognized. Our number alone would give us away. But, if we go singly, or by twos, from different directions, we stand a chance of gaining the city without being challenged."
"A good idea," exclaimed Captain Derevaux; "I heartily approve of it."
"And I, too," declared the young lieutenant; "and I recommend that we put the plan into execution at once."
The lone dissenting voice came from the wounded chauffeur.
"I don't know your plans, gentlemen," he said; "and I don't want to know them. I have had trouble enough. I am a German, and, from what I have heard, although I know I should look upon you as enemies of my country, I do not believe you mean any harm. Besides, you have treated me well, and I will not betray you. But I must ask that you leave me here. I will make my way into the town some time during the night I shall be perfectly safe."
"Had we not better make him go with us?" questioned Chester. "Is he not likely to betray us?"
"No; I am sure he would not," said Hal.
"And I," agreed the French captain.
"I am a little inclined to doubt the advisability of leaving him behind," said Lieutenant Anderson, "but—"
"Sir!" broke in the chauffeur. "I am just as much a gentleman as you are, and my word is my bond!"
The young Englishman's face flushed.
"Forgive me!" he exclaimed, extending his hand. "I am sorry for my unreasonable doubts. I am sure that you can be trusted."
"I believe that our friend's decision simplifies matters exceedingly," declared Hal.
"In what way?" demanded the lieutenant.
"In the first place, it makes one less of us. And, again, it does away with the necessity of one of us approaching the town alone, which is also a good thing. While for two to approach the town is much better than four, under the circumstances, two are also better than one, for the reason that they can give a good account of themselves should occasion arise."
"Which is good reasoning," declared Captain Derevaux. "I agree with you."
"I suggest," said Lieutenant Anderson, "that one of the boys go with you, captain, and the other with me. I shall go back a short distance into the woods, make a detour, and enter the town from the west."
"Another good idea," replied the captain. "Hal and I will wait here half an hour after you have gone, and will reach the town from this side at about the time you and Chester arrive."
"Where shall we meet?"
"I believe the best plan would be to meet in the hotel. Whichever of us arrives first will wait for the others."
"Good," said the lieutenant. "The best part of that idea is that, providing we get into the town safely, the hotel will be the least likely place our pursuers will look for us. They probably will figure we will sneak along the outskirts."
"Sure," broke in Chester. "But how are we to get out of the town? Won't the other side be so closely guarded that we can't get through?"
"Yes, I suppose they will be laying for us, all right, but we shall have to leave that to luck. The thing to do now is to get in. We will get out as best we may."
"Right," declared Hal; "and I guess that, as long as we are going, we might as well go now. The sooner we start the better, is the way I look at it."
Chester and the lieutenant said good-by to the chauffeur, and then
Chester turned to Hal and held out his hand.
"In case—" he said, as they gripped, and a moment later he and the young lieutenant were gone.
Hal, Captain Derevaux and the chauffeur reentered the woods, where they sat down to wait the half hour agreed upon.
As his chum's form disappeared from sight, striding rapidly along beside the gallant lieutenant, Hal experienced a peculiar sinking sensation in the region of his stomach, while his heart throbbed jerkily, and he turned faint. For almost the first time he realized the real seriousness of the situation.
"Good old Chester!" he said to himself. "I hope nothing happens to him. I wish I could take all the danger upon my own shoulders."
In vain did he try to shake off the feeling of uneasiness that oppressed him; and it was with a heavy heart at the absence of his friend that he found himself bidding the chauffeur good-by, when Captain Derevaux roused him from his reverie and announced that it was time for them to be on their way.
Striking out from their shelter, the two approached the town boldly. They walked silently and swiftly.
It was now quite dark, but the gleam of a full moon made their figures plainly discernible. At the edge of the town they unconsciously breathed easier and quickened their step.
Just passing the first house inside the city, they heard the sound of running footsteps behind them. Hal looked over his shoulder. A uniformed figure was hurrying after them.
"Run!" cried Hal to his companion, and he suited the action to the word.
The captain also broke into a quick run.
A command of "Halt!" behind them went unheeded, and the two friends sped over the ground, heading for the friendly shelter of the first cross street that was now but a few yards away.
Slackening their speed but a trifle, they rounded the corner just as the sharp crack of a rifle rang out. Around a second corner they dodged, and another, and still another.
Stopping a moment to gain a much-needed breath, they could hear the sounds of great confusion, and again they broke into a quick run.
"The whole town will be aroused and on our track in a few minutes," panted Hal. "We will have to lose ourselves some way awfully quick."
Luckily, the streets they had traversed so far had been deserted. But as they rounded another corner they saw a crowd of men coming rapidly toward them.
"I guess it's all up," exclaimed Hal, and the two slowed to a walk.
The crowd moved rapidly, and they advanced to meet it.
"No use running," said the captain. "We will try to bluff it out."
The first man of the crowd to reach them stopped.
"What's the row back there?" he asked.
"Just a street fight, I guess," replied Hal. "We didn't stop to see."
"More than likely some Frenchman has been rounded up," said the man.
"Better come along and see the fun," and he broke into a trot again.
"We had better make a bluff at going," said Hal to the captain, as he noticed that some of the crowd eyed them queerly.
Turning, they joined the crowd, and began to retrace their steps. They went slowly, however, and the crowd gradually drew away from them. At last, finding themselves behind the last man, they turned suddenly into a side street and broke into a run again.
Turning another corner, they slowed down to a walk.
"We had better get away from here," exclaimed the Frenchman. "They will be back after us in a minute."
They continued their walk, still stepping along at a rapid pace, and at length emerged, without further difficulty, into a brilliantly lighted street, which, they learned, was the main thoroughfare of the town. Mingling with the crowd, they were soon comparatively safe.
"The thing to do now is to find out where the hotel is," said the
Frenchman.
Stopping in an open shop, Hal made an inquiry.
"Two blocks ahead," was the reply, and following directions, Hal and the captain soon came upon a large, though unpretentious, hotel. They went in and sat down in the rotunda. Chester and the lieutenant had not arrived, and once more Hal felt that queer sinking sensation in his stomach.
"If anything has happened to Chester," he mused, "I don't know what I shall do."
But his anxiety was soon set at rest, for a few moments later Chester and
Lieutenant Anderson appeared in the doorway.
Hal jumped to his feet and seized Chester by the hand.
"I was afraid—" he began in a queer voice, but the lieutenant silenced him with a gesture.
"Careful!" he whispered.
Hal returned to his seat and Chester and the lieutenant also sat down.
Hal recounted the experience he and the captain had had, and the lieutenant said:
"Then we have no time to waste. We must leave here at once."
Rising, the four companions left the hotel.
"We must get something to eat before we go," declared the Frenchman, and accordingly they dropped into a little restaurant, where they treated the inner man to his entire satisfaction. Then they went to the street again.
"The best thing we can do is to go straight through the town and out on the other side—if we can," said the lieutenant, and they turned their steps toward the north once more.
They reached the northern extremity of the town without difficulty and just as they were congratulating themselves on their good fortune, Hal gripped lieutenant Anderson by the arm and whispered:
"Look!"
Not two hundred yards ahead could be seen a line of army huts, extending on either side as far as the eye could see.
"Ummm," grunted the lieutenant. Then: "Doesn't look like much chance of getting through here."
At the same instant there came from the rear the sound of the footsteps of a large body of men approaching with confusion.
"The crowd!" cried Hal.
The lieutenant was a man of action, as already has been seen.
"Follow me!" he exclaimed, and dashed to the right. His three companions ran after him.
Suddenly the lieutenant stopped and pointed ahead.
"Horses!" he whispered. "Good!"
He advanced more slowly, the others closely behind him.
"If we can cut out four horses," explained the lieutenant, "we will have a chance. We'll make a dash and trust to luck and the darkness."
Silently they approached the horses, which stood quietly a few yards away. A sentry passed nearby, and the four companions dropped to the ground. Fortunately, the sentry did not look in their direction.
"That's what I call luck," whispered Hal.
From behind the sounds of confusion became more audible, indicating the rapid approach of the crowd. At the same time lights flared up in the huts, and an officer stepped to the entrance of one only a few feet from the four friends.
He espied them on the instant, and then the lieutenant acted.
"Quick!" he cried, and jumped toward the horses.
A revolver cracked, and a bullet whined over Hal's head even as he leaped forward.
With a bound all four fugitives were among the horses, and almost with a single movement each threw himself into a saddle.
But at that moment the camp came to life. Armed men sprang up on all sides.
In the very act of digging his heel into his horse's flank, the lieutenant pulled up.
"It's no use," he said quietly to his friends. "To move is certain death."
Then came a voice from right before them.
"Surrender!" it cried. "Surrender or you are dead men!"