“both of you boys come with me,” the british captain told them, evidently capable of acting on the spur of the moment. “i’ll see that you get to headquarters all right.”
his actions told that he was a man who knew what to do in an emergency. first of all he stepped between the boys, and put an arm through theirs. then he commanded a batch of passing soldiers under a subaltern to swing around them, so that on every side they were protected from the crowd.
after that they started off briskly. jack looked at his chum and nodded his head as if to say that it was more than fortunate for them they chanced to come across such a level-headed officer in their time of need.
a crowd started to follow after them, and seeing[257] this the resolute captain gave a sharp order that caused the guard to turn and make threatening gestures with the bayonets on their guns. after that, as though recognizing the fact that such an officer was not to be trifled with, the mob fell back and scattered into fractions.
the danger was evidently past, at least so far as that quarter was concerned. it remained to be seen how they would get on with the general. having the utmost faith in the talisman they carried, neither jack nor amos felt much fear. in this crisis of the country’s history none but sensible men would be in command of the king’s forces in the field; and they could depend on just treatment, which was all they asked.
there was evidently no desire in those days of hovering zeppelins and hostile aeroplanes capable of dropping dangerous bombs, to make headquarters in any way conspicuous. no flags decorated the humble building to which the american boys were now taken. in fact, unless the steady flow of messengers and orderlies were noted one would never dream a general[258] high in authority had taken it over for his personal quarters.
“remain here while i see if the general is in and can give you a few minutes,” was what the captain told them, with which he vanished beyond the two grim sentries who guarded the doorway.
“let me tell you we’ve been mighty lucky to have such a friend bob up when we needed one,” remarked jack, as they awaited the reappearance of the officer.
“i kind of think he’s taken quite a fancy to you, jack,” the other observed. “he must have a soft spot in his heart for americans. every time he looked around at one of us he’d sort of smile. i’m going to ask him if he ever lived across the water in our country. here he comes. i think it’s all right, and the general will see us, because he looks as ‘pleased as punch,’ as these britishers say.”
amos guessed rightly, for the captain nodded his head as he came up to them, still surrounded by the men in khaki.
[259]
“you are to come in with me, boys. the general has a few minutes of leisure, and will listen to what you have to say,” he told them, as he dismissed the men.
“i hope you’ll excuse me, captain,” said amos, bent on satisfying his curiosity on the spur of the moment. “something seems to tell me you know america. am i right about that, or is it a bad guess, sir?”
“i spent several years in washington as an attaché to our embassy there,” the officer confessed. “it happens that i married an american woman, so i can assure you i have a great many good friends over there, two of whom i happen to know are in the foreign legion that was organized in paris to fight prussian militarism. but come with me, as the general’s time is precious. whatever your errand may be over here i wish you good luck.”
“thanks, captain, and the same to you!” exclaimed amos, as he gave jack a wink, desiring to call his attention to the fact that for once his guess had hit the bull’s-eye.
[260]
a minute later and they were ushered into the presence of the general. amos felt immediately that they would not have any difficulty in gaining the good will of this high functionary. he had a keen eye, and surveyed the two american boys curiously, as though finding it difficult to understand why they should have been allowed to roam almost at will over these fighting zones, when other non-combatants were swept far to the rear for many reasons.
“captain sperry informs me you wished to have a brief talk with me,” was what the general said in quick, terse tones that denoted unusual energy. “first of all tell me who you are, why you are here, and how in the name of all that’s wonderful you have been allowed safe conduct through this war-torn region.”
as was usually the case, jack took it upon himself to do the talking. amos always admitted that he was not in the same class with his cousin when it came to making a good use of his vocal organs. in other words, to use the words of some of their boy friends across the water, jack[261] had the “gift of gab,” and had often been put in the “spell-binder” division.
so jack introduced amos and himself. he went right at the root of the matter, telling how frank turner had left home under a cloud, and then how some years later his complete innocence had been established so strangely.
having in this fashion interested the general, who was human even though a stern soldier, perhaps a martinet in his way as well, jack explained how they had been given a letter of introduction to lord kitchener, and that the father of his chum had once been a warm friend of the great soldier in the soudan.
in somewhat of a dramatic fashion jack told how they had been given a paper by the british war minister, and then presented the well-worn document to the astonished general. he examined it eagerly, and then looked at the two boys. the stern expression on his strong face had changed to a friendly smile, owing to first of all the spell of jack’s boyish oratory, and then the sight of that honored signature.
[262]
“you are fortunate indeed, my young friends,” he told them, “in having such a backing. i do not wonder any longer that you have been able to penetrate our lines, and see much that has been going on, which other eyes have not been able to observe. but i sincerely hope you may never fall into the hands of the germans, for that wonderful paper would seal your fate. they would convict you as spies sent out by lord kitchener. now tell me what i can do for you?”
this was just what jack was waiting for. accordingly he explained how in various ways they had come to firmly believe that the missing frank turner had taken up aviation, and that at the breaking out of the war had joined the british aerial corps under the name of frank bradford.
jack was watching when he said this, and, just as he anticipated, the general and captain, the latter of whom had been asked to remain in the room during the interview, showed immediate signs of renewed interest, proving that they[263] recognized the name as belonging to one of their most daring air pilots.
“if it turns out as you believe,” said the general, after jack had gone on to explain how they seemed to be chasing after a will-o’-the-wisp, since frank bradford was heard of first in one part of the country and then in another more remote region—“you have every reason to be proud of that missing brother. he has been a bulwark of insurance for our cause. there is hardly another aviator who has proven such a thorn in the flesh to the enemy as frank bradford. i had not learned that he was really an american. how about you, captain?”
“oh! yes, i was told so, general, though as a rule it was not generally known. i have never met him, though other pilots have spoken of him to me, and all seem to admire his wonderful nerve and skill.”
“do you happen to know where he could be found at present, captain?” asked the commanding officer, bent on assisting the two brave boys as far as he could.
[264]
“i heard some one say,” the other replied, “just a few days back, that he ran across frank bradford at the front with your aerial squad, general.”
“of course, i would hardly have known of it,” remarked the commanding officer, “because these men are modest, and hide their light under a bushel, being often designated only by a number. it is too bad that you boys did not know this when you were close to the front.”
“we watched a number of aviators flying and sending signals,” jack explained; “and my cousin even suggested that one of them might be his brother; but we had no means of knowing, and thought the only way to find out would be to make direct for headquarters, general.”
amos looked bitterly disappointed. to think that they may have been so close to the one they were seeking and then miss him was aggravating, to say the least.
“if you are so bent on finding him,” said the general, as though he could tell from the look on jack’s face there was no thought of letting a[265] little thing like this discourage them, “i will do what i can to help you out.”
“it is very kind of you to say that, general!” declared jack, his face beaming with a broad smile as he turned toward amos and winked.
the commanding officer drew a pad of paper toward him and hurriedly wrote several lines upon a sheet, after which he signed it.
“that will allow you to continue your search, my lads,” he said, as he handed the document to jack, who folded and carefully placed it in an inner pocket without reading what the other had written. “i deplore the necessity that will take you once more through the dangerous zone of fire, because it would grieve me to hear that any accident had befallen you. we british know how to admire valor in boys; and i rejoice to know that our american cousins across the sea possess the same manly spirit we love to see in our own kith and kin at home.”
the general actually held out his hand to them, which jack reckoned to be an unusual thing for a commanding officer to do. but of course he[266] could unbend his dignity when dealing with boys, and this meeting must have been a refreshing break in the monotony of strictly military doings.
“the best of luck attend your search,” he told them at parting. “while i may sympathize with the sacred object of your mission, deep down in my heart i am hoping your brother will consider it his duty to stick by his task. the allies can ill afford to lose so brilliant a pilot at just this critical stage of the terrible game of war.”
jack knew that the busy general had given them much more of his valuable time than common prudence would have dictated. that was because he had taken an interest in their fortunes, and also in themselves as typical representatives of young america. so jack bowed and backed away, in which he was imitated by amos.
once again they were in the open air, with the deep muttering of the battle coming from the front. the captain now held out his hand as though to say he had pressing duties to attend[267] to, and could not spare further time to accompany them.
“we may be ordered to take our places in the line at almost any minute,” he explained, “and i should be with my men, who are chafing at the delay, being wild to get in action. so i will echo all the general said. the best of luck attend you both, my lads. i have two boys at home, and i assure you they love the country of their mother as well as that to which their father owes allegiance.”
when they found themselves free to act the first thing jack did was to take out the paper given into his charge by the commanding officer and examine it, with amos leaning over his shoulder.
“brief and to the point, as a soldier’s communications always should be,” observed jack; “but it covers the ground, and will keep any british or belgian patrol from interfering with our movements. i hardly think such liberty has been granted to any other non-combatant in this[268] war. on the whole, i can see where it’s going to help me out in my letters to my paper.”
“and now we’ve got to cover the same ground again, do we?” asked amos.
“pretty much so,” he was told by his comrade. “only with this paper from the general we may look to have all sorts of favors granted to us. who knows but what we may get a ride part of the way in an automobile, or on a motor truck going for the injured? i mean to make an effort, if a chance comes along.”
