It was a daring adventure, but after a fight and chase, the four had managed to seize the airship in which we now find them and had at last fought their way clear. They had then held a council of war and decided that it was best to head for the Balkans, rather than to run the gauntlet of the Austrian flying craft which kept constant vigil in the direction of the Italian lines.
Hal and Chester, typical American lads, were large and strong for their ages, which were within a year of each other, seventeen and eighteen now. In the rough lumber camps of the north, the two had had considerable experience in the use of firearms and the art of self-defense—fists. Also, during the school term each had practiced the use of the sword until, though by no means experts, they could give a fair account of themselves with this weapon—as each had done more than once.
Fortunately, both lads had made a study of languages and spoke French and
German fluently. They never had trouble on that score.
The great war up to this point had not gone as successfully as the Entente Allies had hoped in the early days. The German lines on all fronts were seemingly stronger than ever before. Even the entrance of Italy into the war on the side of the Allies had failed to turn the balance, as it had been confidently expected it would. East and west, the German lines held, while in the Balkans the enemy was even now advancing against the heroic little Serbian army, which, before many days, was to be forced to relinquish its country to the iron heel of the invader. Montenegro, the smallest factor in the war, still was fighting hard—the rugged and gigantic mountaineers giving a good account of themselves upon all sides.
This was the situation, then, as the airship containing Colonel Anderson,
British officer, Anthony Stubbs, American war correspondent, and Hal
Paine and Chester Crawford sped southward over Austria.
Several hours after the sinking of the Austrian aeroplane Chester spoke.
"Where do you suppose we are now, Hal?" he asked.
"I believe we must have crossed the frontier," replied Hal. "However, we'll wait another half hour before descending to have a look."
The half hour up, Hal sent the airship lower and lower. Soon, a faint gray speck below became visible, assuming larger and larger proportions, until all aboard made out the ground beneath.
And then, half a mile ahead, a body of troops were seen. Hal checked the speed of the craft immediately.