CHAPTER XVII
A QUEER SITUATION
"Somebody following us, Hal!"
"That so?" said Hal; "and why should we be followed along here?"
"I don't know," was Chester's reply, "but I have noticed a shadow following us wherever we go."
"We'll see about it," was Hal's rejoinder.
It was the night succeeding the day on which the lads had taken part in the defense of Thiaumont farmhouse. They had returned to their quarters late in the day, had reported to General Petain and had been relieved of duty until the following morning. It was now after 8 o'clock and they were strolling about the camp.
They had made their way well back into the heart of the armed settlement when Chester had made the announcement that they were being followed.
With Hal to reach a decision was to act. Chester let his friend do the leading in this instance.
Hal quickened his steps and walked quickly down the row of tents, which, well back of the trenches, were laid out in the form of streets, and which, in fact, were called streets by the soldiers themselves. Chester followed.
At the first cross street, for so they may be called, Hal led the way sharply to the left and stopped suddenly. A moment later a figure came slinking around after them. Hal reached out an arm and grabbed him.
"Here," he said, "what are you following us for?"
The man tried to free himself, but Hal held him tight.
"If you'll let me loose, I'll explain," he said finally.
Hal considered this a moment; then with a shrug of his shoulders released his hold.
"Stand behind him, Chester," he said.
Chester followed Hal's injunction, but the man made no effort to escape.
"Well?" said Hal, questioningly.
The man thrust a hand into his pocket.
"Hold on there!" cried Hal, sharply, producing his revolver. "No tricks now."
The man smiled and withdrew his hand from his pocket.
"I wasn't after a gun," he said.
He opened his hand and in the palm Hal saw a little round object.
"Can you match that?" the man demanded.
Hal peered closer and made out the nature of the object in the man's hand.
"A black pea!" he exclaimed. "Yes, I can match it."
He thrust a hand in his pocket and produced a black pea, which not many days before had rolled from the pocket of Jules Clemenceau.
The stranger looked at it closely.
"All right," he said. He turned to Chester. "And you?" he demanded.
Chester's reply was to produce his black pea, which he exhibited to the man.
"Good!" said the stranger. "Follow me."
"Follow you where?" Chester wanted to know.
"Yes; what's all this funny business, anyhow?" demanded Hal.
The man smiled enigmatically.
"Best to be careful," he said. "Come on."
Chester looked at Hal and the latter nodded.
"Might as well see what it's all about," said the latter.
They fell into step behind the stranger.
With many turns and twists the man walked for perhaps half an hour.
Apparently he was bent on beclouding the lads' sense of direction.
"I say!" Hal called a halt finally. "Where are you taking us?"
"It's not much farther," the man protested, "and I have been instructed to bring you."
"Instructed to bring us?" echoed Chester, "and by whom?"
"You'll learn that later," was the stranger's response. "Are you coming?"
Again Hal and Chester exchanged glances. The latter shrugged.
"We've started; may as well see it through," he said.
"All right," Hal agreed and turned to the stranger, "but cut out all this winding about," he demanded. "There is a quicker way of reaching our destination, wherever it may be."
The stranger smiled, but made no reply. He moved off and the boys followed him, and at last they came to their journey's end.
Before an army tent the man stopped a few moments later.
"In here," he said.
He entered and Hal and Chester paused long enough to look at each other.
"I guess it's all right," said Hal. "Can't much happen right in the heart of the camp. Come on."
He entered the tent with Chester close behind him.
Within powerful arms seized them and dragged them down; and before they could cry out gags were stuffed in their mouths. In vain the lads struggled to free themselves. They were soon safely bound.
Up to this time the tent had been in darkness, but now someone struck a light. Hal and Chester gazed at their captors. All were attired in regulation army uniforms, but their faces were masked. One man, who seemed to be the leader, was short and chunky. The others were taller. The small man approached the lads and spoke.
"If you will give me your words to make no outcry, I shall have the gags removed," he said in a shrill, quavering voice, plainly disguised.
Hal considered this point a moment; then nodded his head in token of assent. Chester did likewise.
"All right," said the little man and beckoned the others to remove the gags.
Their mouths free of the evil-tasting cloths, Hal and Chester breathed easier.
"Now," said Chester, "perhaps you will explain what this is all about."
The little man shook his head.
"No," he replied, "all I can tell you is this! You shall be kept confined here until your removal to Paris can be arranged. Then you will be sent to London and put aboard a vessel for New York. That's all I can say."
"But what for?" demanded Hal, angrily.
"That you will not be told," was the reply, "although I guess you don't need to be told."
"By George!" exclaimed Chester, "I don't know what you are talking about, but you can take my word that somebody is going to suffer for this night's work. How long do you intend to hold us here?"
"I can't say. Possibly a day or two; at all events, until your removal can be arranged."
"Do you know who we are?" demanded Hal.
The little man nodded.
"Perfectly," he replied.
"You know that we are attached to the staff of General Petain?"
Again their captor nodded.
"And still you've got the nerve to hold us here?"
"Yes, I've got the nerve."
"Don't you know you shall suffer for this?"
The man shrugged his shoulders.
"At least I shall have done my duty," he replied.
"Duty! Great Scott! Duty! What are you talking about?" demanded Hal, angrily. "Are you a German sympathizer?"
"No, my sympathies are French," was the reply.
"Well, if you call this doing your duty," said Chester, sarcastically, "let's hope you don't have too many duties to perform in the service of France. For if you do, the Germans certainly will win."
"Well," said their captor, "I guess I shall have to leave you now. I must make my report."
"Who are you going to report to?" demanded Hal, suddenly, thinking to take the man off his guard.
The latter only grinned.
"I'm too old a bird for that trick," he said, showing that he understood what had been in Hal's mind. "I'm going to report to the proper person."
"Improper person, I guess you mean," Chester growled.
"At any rate, I must report," said their captor. "Now if you'll promise to make no outcry while I'm gone, I will not have the gags replaced in your mouths. Otherwise, I am afraid—"
He closed with a shrug of the shoulders.
"You put one of those things in my mouth again, and I'll make you eat it—some day," said Chester.
"Not for some time to come, I'm afraid," was the little man's rejoinder. "I believe I can guarantee you will be kept out of mischief for the duration of the war."
Hal had been gazing at the little man closely.
"Seems to me," he said at last, "that I have seen you some place before.
There is something familiar about you."
"You've probably seen me," was the reply. "I've been around here for some time."
Chester was now struck with a sudden thought.
"Is Matin mixed up in this thing?" he demanded, believing that, after all, the capture might have been concocted by the French soldier who had sought to kill Hal.
"Matin? Who is Matin?" asked their captor.
Chester explained.
"No, he has nothing to do with it," was the reply.
"Then, in the name of the Great Czar, what's it all about?"
"I can't tell you," was the firm reply.
Chester groaned.
"Of all the fool predicaments," he said, "this is the worst."
The little man had now moved toward the door of the tent.
"I go now," he said, "to make my report. Pleasant dreams to you."
"Hold on a minute," shouted Hal.
"No; I think I had better go. Good-bye, boys!"
There was such a familiar ring to these words that Hal was struck with a great light. He uttered a loud exclamation, so loud, in fact, that the little man came running back in the tent.
Even Chester was surprised—but for a moment only—for the words that escaped Hal were these:
"By all that's holy! If it isn't Stubbs!"