CHAPTER XII. At the War Office.
For only a moment the newcomer stood at attention, then quickly crossing the room, he extended a hand in greeting. His frank countenance beamed with pleasure as he shook hands with each of the four boys.
Jimmie broke the silence which followed by saying:
"Well, Scout, I see by your badge that you're a Hawk!"
"Yes," slowly answered the lad. "I belong to that Patrol."
"We're Black Bears and Wolves," volunteered Jimmie. "We're all from New York. We just came over here on a little pleasure trip!"
"Oh!" returned the newcomer, in a tone of interest. "You are a long way from home. I hope you are enjoying yourselves."
"We don't like the hotels here very well," returned Jimmie. "The sergeant here is going to give us a nice room in the 'Hotel de Flop!'"
"I don't understand," puzzled the boy, "where is the 'Hotel de Flop?'"
"Right here in the cooler!" explained Jimmie. Then noticing that he had not simplified matters, he continued: "The gentleman at the desk is going to put us in the 'pen' for the night. In the 'dungeon'!"
"Now I understand!" laughed the other. "That would be disagreeable," he went on. "Perhaps we can arrange it some other way!"
"Well, if you've got a 'pull' with His Honor," Jimmie stated, "we'd appreciate it highly, I can tell you! We don't like the outlook!"
"Perhaps the better way to begin would be by introductions," suggested the lad. "My name is Francois Poincaire. I reside in Paris."
"Glad to meet you, I'm sure!" declared Jimmie, again extending his hand. "My name's Jimmie McGraw, of New York." Then, indicating his companions, he named them in turn. "Now I guess we're acquainted."
"Thank you," acknowledged Francois. "Just let me make a note of the names. I can remember them better if I write them down."
With this he drew from a pocket a memorandum book and pencil. As he was searching for a blank page, Jimmie nudged Ned. Drawing down one eyelid the lad took from a pocket the note that had been found on the Grey Eagle. Carefully unfolding the paper, Jimmie compared it with the pages of the memorandum book in which Francois was inscribing their names.
Nodding his head the lad rapidly conversed with Ned in the mute language used to great advantage by the boys at various times.
"It looks like the same kind of paper!" he signaled.
"That looks rather strange!" returned Ned in the same manner.
"Maybe he's in league with The Rat!" Jimmie ventured. Then as Francois looked up with a pleasant smile from his task, the lad said:
"Well, Mr. Neighbor, we got your message all right, but we couldn't see our way clear to stay away from Paris!"
A puzzled look came over the face of Francois. He shook his head.
"May I take a look at your handwriting?" requested Jimmie, reaching out a hand for the memorandum book which was handed to him.
Quickly running over the leaves Jimmie soon found what he sought. Drawing from his pocket the message he fitted it to the stub of a torn page. Flushing with hardly suppressed excitement, he turned to Francois:
"So that's the kind of a Boy Scout you are, eh? In league with The Rat, are you? Well, all I've got to say is that you're in mighty poor business! It's a funny thing you should happen to leave this note and then happen to drop in here just at this time! Can you explain it?"
Jimmie's disgust was apparent to all. His rather uncertain temper was rapidly getting the better of him as he considered what seemed to be evidence of the guilt of their newly made acquaintance.
Touching Jimmie on the arm as a warning of caution, Ned said:
"Your handwriting is remarkably like the signature of this message. Perhaps you may be able to tell us something about it."
"Yes," laughed Francois with ease. "I didn't have time to do more than leave that message and the 'signs in stones.' In fact, I had barely time to do that! I felt sure you would understand!"
"We interpreted the message correctly, I believe," answered Ned, "but we attributed the authorship to another person. You were a stranger to us when we found the message and we believed it was written by another."
"I see now the mistake I made," ventured Francois soberly. "If I had it to do over again I should take a different course. But my time was limited and I did the best I could under the circumstances."
"Did you pile up those stones?" asked Jimmie, still ruffled.
"Yes," was the frank admission. "I tried my best to warn you not to come to Paris. I knew the dangers in store for you!"
"Maybe you didn't know the dangers we were in at that time!"
"No, I didn't. After we had gotten some distance away, I looked back and saw smoke rising from the barn. Did it burn?"
"If it didn't burn, I don't know what to call it!" declared Jimmie indignantly. "Who set it afire, anyhow? Do you know anything about that?"
"No, but I suspect a person. I am very sorry that I did not remain to assist you, for I understand now that you were in peril. At that time I believed you were in danger only from the person to whom I refer."
"Why did you sign the note Jean Voisin?" asked Jimmie.
"I thought you, being aviators, would recall the word and would know what it meant. Jean, of course, was simply added to make a complete name. I did not think that you do not understand French."
"You're progressing!" declared Jimmie. "Now, if you'll tell us how you happened to be on the spot, we'll be much obliged to you!"
"I am interested in aviation and hope soon to be able to qualify as an army aviator," answered Francois. "Today I was making a trial flight with a man who is conducting a school for aviators. We had proceeded to Havre early in the day and intended to return to Paris in the afternoon. While at Havre my instructor was approached by a man who offered to pay well for being carried to Paris. We did not like his looks, but money is always acceptable and it was decided to accept him as a passenger."
"Did he say why he wanted to get to Paris?" inquired Jimmie.
"No. Later in the day he came to us and said that he would go part of the distance with another aviator who intended to race with a new aeroplane. We were to follow and be prepared to pick him up if a landing were made. He offered to pay extra for this service.
"Accordingly we noted the direction taken by your machine and the one following. We proceeded more slowly and arrived after the departure of the one which had chased you. As we landed I saw that you were being held prisoners in the barn. I had already learned that you were Boy Scouts and my instructor had told me that this man intended harm if you followed.
"Thinking only to warn you as you came from the barn after your captor had departed, I placed the hastily written message and the stones. I had barely time to regain my place when we were again in flight."
"Well," decided Jimmie, "I guess you're a good scout after all and I want to ask you to overlook my suspicion of your intentions."
"I can readily do that," smiled Francois, "if you'll agree to forgive my stupid neglect of you when you were in peril."
"Let's forget that part entirely," urged Jimmie. "The thing to do now is to get this fellow who came to Paris with you. We want him!"
In answer to Francois' puzzled look Ned explained briefly the reason why they were seeking "The Rat" and ended with a description of their present plight. The boys all felt that Francois could be trusted.
"Wait a moment and I will see what can be done," the boy offered.
Turning to the sergeant who with the officers had been waiting at a respectful distance, he spoke rapidly in French. A brief conversation ensued, following which the sergeant again made use of the telephone.
This time Francois himself conversed with the party at the other end of the line and seemed to be urging compliance with his request. Evidently satisfied with the result of his efforts, he returned to the boys with beaming countenance. He was eminently pleased at the outcome.
"We will proceed at once," he announced, "to the War Office, where we will be met by some officials who wish to listen to your story. They consider it important enough to bring them from their homes!"
"How did you do it?" inquired Jack. "Have you influence?"
Francois only smiled in reply. He seemed anxious to start at once and was impatient at the short delay necessary in assigning an officer to accompany the lads, for they were still in the hands of the police.
After a brisk walk of short duration the lads were conducted into a great building and shown to a suite of handsomely appointed rooms. Here, seated at a large table, were several distinguished looking men.
As the lads entered, accompanied by the police officer, they paused a moment. All eyes were turned in their direction.
At a silent signal from Ned all stood at attention and gave the Boy Scout salute. A faint smile showed for an instant on the faces of those about the table. Returning the salutation with a military salute, they acknowledged the boys' greeting. Seats were indicated for all.
"Since it is understood that you young men do not understand French," began a gentleman at the head of the table, "it has been decided that we will carry on these proceedings in the English tongue."
"Thank you!" Ned spoke up. "We regret very much the fact that we cannot understand your language. We hope you will not be inconvenienced."
"Scarcely," smiled the gentleman. "English is familiar to all assembled here, even to the stenographer who will make notes of what is said."
"Gee!" whispered Jimmie, somewhat awed by the surroundings and the men before him. "This is going to be a regular court!"
"Looks like it," answered Jack, who sat near by. "We're all right, though. Those men look very friendly and we are on the side of right!"
Once more Ned was required to detail their experiences and the causes that led up to their trip to Paris in quest of the man whom they believed to be an enemy of their country. His statements were listened to with interest by all. As he spoke of the desire of himself and comrades to prevent the United States becoming involved in trouble with another nation, quick glances were exchanged. The lad's earnest manner was evidently making a favorable impression upon his hearers.
"And so," concluded Ned in his recital, "we feel that we are asking a great deal if we request you not to buy those plans which he is alleged to have stolen, but for the sake of international peace we do it."
"My lad," spoke up one of the men, "have you considered what we might do with the plans you mention should they come into our hands?"
"Of course," Ned replied, "we boys all understand that the most friendly relations exist between your country and ours and we cannot believe that you would purchase the plans from the alleged thief for any purpose. They might be valuable, however, to a country at war with the United States."
"But think for a moment that France was on the Isthmus of Panama long before your country took over the work of building the canal. Is it not probable that we already have topographical maps from which we could determine very accurately just where defenses of the canal might be placed?"
"That's true enough," admitted Ned.
"Even were we disposed to make war upon your country," continued the gentleman, "such plans would not be necessary to our ends. It seems to us scarcely necessary to secure information in such an undesirable way as the one which the man of whom you speak is about to offer us."
"I'm glad to hear you say that!" Ned responded in a tone of relief. "Now, if we could get this fellow and start him back, we'd feel better."
"We will hear what he may have to say," announced the man.
Turning in his chair he indicated to an officer standing near that he might bring in a visitor. In a moment "The Rat" entered the room.
"We understand that you wished to interview us," began the man who had questioned Ned. "Will you kindly state the purpose of your visit?"
A quick glance about the room seemed to satisfy the visitor that he might expect little success from any attempt to dispose of his wares in that market. Guessing full well that the boys had been given an opportunity to tell their story, he said with a short laugh:
"I have an important communication to make, but I think it can wait. I will return in the morning when there are no Germans present!"