CHAPTER VI.
THE OLD CASTLE.
Lieutenant Anderson raised a hand.
"We surrender," he said quietly.
The officer approached, a revolver held ready for instant use.
"Dismount!" he ordered shortly.
The four companions slid to the ground. A squad of soldiers surrounded them.
"Search them for arms," was the next command, and they were relieved of their weapons.
"To the castle!" ordered their captor. "Forward, march!"
With the four prisoners in the center, the soldiers moved away.
"Looks like we were into it pretty steep this time," said Hal, as they were being led away.
"Silence!" came the sharp command of the German officer.
They moved along for several minutes without a word except for an occasional command from the officer.
At length a grim, gray wall loomed before them in the darkness, and without a stop the prisoners were hurried across a little bridge, led across a courtyard and escorted within the structure.
A fear-inspiring place it was, but the four captives entered without a tremor, their heads held high and their step firm. Any spirit of foreboding they may have felt was not manifested in their carriage.
Down dark and dirty corridors they were led, and after many sharp turns, their guards stopped before what appeared to be a hole in the side of the wall. Into this opening the prisoners were thrust without ceremony, and a door behind them was closed with a bang.
It was several minutes before the four companions could accustom their eyes to the semi-darkness, but finally they were able to make out the few objects that furnished the cell, for such it proved to be.
There were three broken chairs and two dirty-looking mattresses, one of the latter at each end of the cell. Also there was a small table.
"Pretty dismal looking place, this," remarked the doughty French captain, after a hasty glance about.
"Dismal and dirty it certainly is," said Hal.
"How long do you suppose we shall have to stay here?" asked Chester.
"Until they get ready to let us out," replied the young English lieutenant dryly. "Which may not be a very satisfactory answer, but it's the best I can do."
"What do you suppose they will do with us?" queried Hal.
"You've got me. If they don't take us out and shoot us as spies, we are likely to lie here till we rot."
"Surely they would be afraid to do that."
"Don't fool yourself that they are afraid to do anything."
"But we can prove we are not spies."
"Can we? How? With the trouble we have made, they won't be able to kill us off quick enough."
"Well," said Hal hopefully, "maybe something will turn up that will enable us to convince them."
"I hope so. But if it doesn't turn up soon, we are gone goslings, just as sure as you're a foot high," and Lieutenant Anderson threw himself down on one of the evil-looking mattresses, remarking: "Might as well take a little snooze, anyhow."
"This doesn't look to me like a time to sleep," remarked Hal to Chester, although he almost envied the coolness with which the young Englishman accepted his perilous situation.
"Looks to me more like the time to try and find a way out," agreed
Chester.
Captain Derevaux, however, also flung himself upon one of the mattresses and he and the lieutenant soon were fast asleep.
In spite of the fact that they had been more than twenty-four hours without sleep, the two boys were in no mood to close their eyes. As Hal said, now seemed to be the proper time to expend whatever energies they had in getting out of their prison.
The boys looked around. There were two small windows to their cell, but it was plain they were too small to permit of a human body being squeezed through. Besides, they were barred. Beyond, across a courtyard, could be seen another wing of the castle. It appeared to be almost in ruins.
Looking from the other window, the boys could discern the bridge which they had been led across. The bridge spanned a moat, which at one time had been filled with water. Now it was a mass of growing weeds.
Hal shook the bars at the window through which he was peering, and one came away in his hand. It had grown loose through age. Still, however, it was impossible for a man to pass through the window. The opening was too small.
"No chance of getting out here," remarked Hal, turning to Chester, who stood at the other window.
"Nor here," was the answer. "I couldn't squeeze through to save my life."
"What are we to do, then? I certainly won't let them take me out and shoot me without a fight."
"No more will I," declared Chester. "I would rather be killed fighting than to be taken out and stood up against a wall."
"Then if it comes to the worst we will pitch into the guards when they come to take us out and fight until the end," said Hal.
"We will," agreed Chester. "It would be a much more pleasant death. I don't think much of walking out and standing over my own grave and letting somebody shoot at me without a chance to fight back."
They continued their conversation well into the night.
As the first rays of sunlight filtered into their cell a key turned gratingly in the rusty lock of the door. Captain Derevaux and Lieutenant Anderson, who now appeared to have been sleeping with one eye open, were on their feet immediately, and the four friends faced the door.
Slowly the huge door swung outward and a grinning apparition appeared in the doorway, carrying a vessel of water and a loaf of bread. It was an old, old negro, and he shuffled forward haltingly. Just outside the door could be seen half a dozen German soldiers.
Hal and Chester stared at the old negro in speechless amazement. The sight of the old darky carried them back across the sea to the home of Hal's Virginia uncle. They forgot their danger for a moment, gazed at each other and broke into a laugh.
The old negro looked at them in surprise, and with ruffled dignity. He placed the water and bread upon the table, and drawing himself up, pointed to them and then commanded:
"Essen!"
It was too much for the two lads and they broke into another loud guffaw.
"Well, what do you think of that!" exclaimed Chester. "Here's what looks like an old plantation negro, and he speaks German."
"Funniest thing I ever heard," gasped Hal between bursts of laughter.
At their words, an expression of amazement passed over the old negro's face.
"Lawdy! Lawdy!" he exclaimed, a wide grin spreading itself over his features; "if dese two chilluns ain't 'Mericans," and advancing toward them he demanded:
"What yo'al doin' hyah? Dey tol' me dey dun captured fo' spies!"
Hal explained briefly.
The old negro rolled his eyes in gaping wonder at the recital.
"Can't you help us, uncle?" asked Chester, as Hal completed his story.
Frightened, the old darky looked around; then began slowly to back toward the door of the cell, just beyond which stood the line of soldiers.
"Yo'al jes' wait," he spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Ol' Uncle Billy'll see what he c'n do."
He backed out of the cell as he finished and the door clanged behind him.
"It seems that we have at least one friend," remarked Hal, after Uncle
Billy had gone.
"But what can he do to help us?" demanded the young French captain.
"I don't know," replied Hal; "but you may be sure he will do anything he can. He will not desert us. He is that kind, and I know the kind well."
"You can bet on that," Chester agreed. "He'll be back before long."
It was nearing the hour of noon when the cell door again swung open. Believing that Uncle Billy had returned, the two boys jumped to their feet. But they were disappointed. An officer, whose shoulder straps proclaimed him a lieutenant, entered. Behind him stood the inevitable line of soldiers.
He beckoned the prisoners. "Follow me!" he commanded.
"Where to?" demanded Lieutenant Anderson.
"General Steinberg desires your presence."
He stood aside as the captives filed from the cell. Outside the line of soldiers fell in step behind them.
Our four friends were marched out of the castle and across the field to the army camp. They were led to a hut rather larger than the rest, which proclaimed it the headquarters of the commanding officer. They were ushered inside and their military escort fell back.
General Steinberg sat at a table surrounded by several officers of his staff. He looked up as the prisoners entered, and unconsciously Captain Derevaux saluted.
General Steinberg jumped to his feet.
"So!" he exclaimed. "A soldier, eh? And an officer, besides. I thought so! What rank, and to what command are you attached?"
Captain Derevaux drew himself up to his full height.
"Captain of French Rifles!" he said defiantly.
"And what are you doing within our lines in civilian clothes, may I ask?" demanded the general, with a sneer. "Spying, eh?" he continued without waiting for a reply. "I thought so. Are your companions also spies?"
"We are not spies," declared the captain vehemently. "I was stranded in Berlin and was trying to make my way out of the country so as to join my regiment."
"And why should we allow you to leave the country and join our foes? Did you report yourself to the authorities in Berlin when war was declared?"
"No."
"And why, may I ask?"
"Because I had already received orders to join my regiment, and I did not propose to be detained."
The general waved him aside and turned to Lieutenant Anderson.
"And you are also an officer, perhaps, eh?" he questioned.
"I am," replied the lieutenant boldly. "I hold his British majesty's commission as a lieutenant of Dragoons."
"Another spy, eh?"
"No; I am no spy, and you do not dare treat me as one."
"I don't? You shall see. Stand aside!"
The general turned to Hal and Chester.
"And you," he said, "you both look over young to be taking the risk of spies. How do you come to be mixed up in this business?"
Hal explained.
"Why did you not submit to arrest in Angermunde?"
"Because we feared we would be detained."
"And is that a sufficient cause for attacking a squad of German troops?"
"We considered it so," replied Hal.
"Enough!" exclaimed General Steinberg. "It is my belief you are all spies. You shall be shot to-morrow at sunrise!"
Turning to the officer who had escorted them to his hut, he commanded:
"Return them to their cell and see that they are well guarded!"
"But, general," the young captain spoke up, "these boys are in no way to blame. They are perfectly innocent!"
"Shoot us if you like, but spare them," pleaded the lieutenant.
"Bah!" exclaimed the general. "One is as guilty as the other!"
With a wave of his hand he signified that the interview was ended.
"Take them away!" he ordered.
"It's all my fault!" exclaimed Captain Derevaux when they were back in the cell once more. "I should not have permitted you boys to accompany us."
"It is not!" denied Hal and Chester together. "Whatever may befall us is no discredit to you. Had we not come with you, we probably should have tried to escape the country alone."
"But if you had not been captured in our company you would be in no danger of being shot," declared Lieutenant Anderson. "I cannot forgive myself that I consented to your coming."
"Never mind that," said Hal. "You tried to help us, and that we go to our deaths to-morrow morning is not due to you."
"Fool that I was!" cried the Frenchman. "Had I kept my presence of mind in Steinberg's hut our position would not be so desperate. It was my salute that caused all this trouble."
"Come, come, never mind that," soothed Chester. "It couldn't be helped. Besides, I am sure he had his mind made up to shoot us, anyhow. Let's not think about it."
It was perhaps an hour later that the huge cell door once more swung slowly open. Uncle Billy stepped quickly inside and closed the door after him.
"Sh-h!" he whispered, holding up a warning finger and coming close.
Silently he went to the table and, one after another, produced from some place about his person four revolvers.
"When I brung yo'al yo' dinnah t'night," he explained, "I'se gwine ter leave de' door open. I'se gwine ter p'tend ter lock it, but it ain't gwine ter be locked.
"At nine o'clock t'night de' watch am changed, an' fer five minutes there ain't no guard in de' hall. That am when yo'al slip out an' sneak down de' hall. When yo'al gits out o' de cas'le, jes' yo'al sneak roun' to de right, an' dere'll be frien's dere."
Uncle Billy again put a warning finger to his lips.
Hal opened his mouth to ask a question, but with a soft "sh-h" Uncle
Billy silenced him.
Then, after several furtive glances about, the old negro stole quickly from the cell, closing the door softly behind him.