G. Harvey Ralphson

“ Far below on the ground a missle fell. A dull boom came up. A cloud of smoke rising from the spot indicated that the missle had been a bomb remarkably well aimed. They realized that only by a narrow margin had it missed them.
"Plenty close enough," gritted Jimmie between his teeth. "Rise, if you can, Ned, and give us a chance at them with our guns."
From his seat Ned glanced quickly downward and observed the cloud of smoke about the spot where the bomb had landed.
"Give them another one, Dave," he cried, righting the Eagle and altering the rudders so as to drive the machine higher. ”

“ They will still be in the deep shadow and we will be in the brighter sunlight."
"I guess you're right, Harry," replied Ned, "and your suggestion is a good one. Suppose we do seek a lower level, Jack."
"All right, hang on to your eye teeth and we'll get onto the toboggan," replied the lad at the levers. "Going down!"
"It's plain we'll have to run quite low from now on," said Ned, as he laid aside the binoculars. "Daylight is coming on rapidly."
"We'll have to find a spot uninhabited enough for us to hide during the daytime," ventured Harry. "We can't let them see us." ”

“ In a flash the boy realized that von Liebknecht had been giving instructions for the transportation of troops by rail, and that Cracow would be the next stopping point, where he guessed that the horses would be detrained for water and rest if possible.
Mentally making a note of this fact, Jimmie raised his glance fearlessly to meet the cold blue eyes of the German officer. In that glance Jimmie comprehended the fact that he could expect little mercy from a man whose whole ambition in life seemed to be unquestioning and unwavering devotion to his Emperor. ”

“ No time was lost by the soldier who had Jimmie in charge. He went directly to the spot where Captain von Liebknecht's tent was pitched. A sentry paced up and down the narrow limits of his beat, carrying his rifle in the prescribed position. In accordance with regulations, he was equipped with his full outfit, including a vicious looking sword bayonet and bandoliers of cartridges that gave forth a silent message which to Jimmie's troubled mind spelled a most gloomy and forbidding prospect for the immediate future. ”

“ Jimmie's only reply was a wrinkling of his freckled nose in a grimace of extreme disgust and contempt. Even had he been so minded, the condition of his wrenched neck and strained muscles prevented sprightly conversation. He winked rapidly to clear his tear-filled eyes, and indulged in another wrinkling of the nose.
"So," continued the other, paying no heed to Jimmie's motions of contempt. "And this is why we have not had better success in our campaign. We must fight not only the enemy in their trenches, but we must also contend with traitors in our own camps!" ”

“ If they get angry at us they might do anything, and we can't stand it to get shot to pieces just now. Remember, Jimmie and Dave need us."
"All right, then, Old Fox," was Jack's reply in a resigned tone, "we'll just trot along as meek as lambs and leave the Eagle to their tender mercies. I tell you, though, I hate to do it."
"Hark! I hear the others coming through the hedge!" said Harry.
"There's quite a bunch of them, to judge by the sound."
"Well, the more the merrier," declared Ned. "In numbers there is strength, I've heard, and perhaps in numbers will come our chance. ”

“ I'm mighty glad Otto and Fritz came along just as they did to bring us these spark plugs and rifles!" Jimmie announced as the Eagle soared over the surrounding woods.
"It was rather kind of them," answered Jack. "It looks like we might need them, too, if those are German planes up there."
"Wouldn't it be a good idea to rise as high as we can, Ned?" asked Harry. "If we get well up, we'll be able to see where we are and can have some idea where we are going."
"Up we go," agreed Ned at the levers, as he tilted the planes for an ascent. "I'm sure we need to get some idea of our location." ”

“ Harry climbed up to a favorable position and was about to pour the gasoline into the fuel tank while Ned, in his haste to be off, was priming the motors.
Suddenly all three were startled to hear a voice from the rear of the machine they were occupying.
"Halt!" they heard. "Come out of that machine or I fire!"
"Who's that?" asked Jack, pausing in the operation of emptying the fuel. "What do you want and how did you come there?"
"Give her the gas, Ned!" urged Harry. "We're all ready to go and he's on the ground. He can't catch us in a million years." ”

“ In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Jimmie maintained a mental reservation that little less than contradicted his words so recently spoken. He felt that it would be only policy to obey the orders of those in superior force, since he could see no advantage to be gained by a flat refusal. His thoughts rapidly compassed the situation, and he recognized the fact that the invading horde of Germans were in no mood to consider dispassionately the matter of a boy more or less who was found under the circumstances in which they had discovered Jimmie. ”

“ The good people here are not so ready to forgive as you may imagine. If you have information that would help them to safety and do not give it, could you blame them if they felt rather unfriendly toward you?"
"Now see here, Mister—whatever your name is—," began Ned, slightly nettled, "we came here only to find a place to buy some gasoline and some food. We are not in this country as spies, and we have repeatedly declined to give information to either side. ”

“ Perhaps the German officer will listen to reason when he returns."
"Yes," scorned Jimmie. "Perhaps the sun will shine at midnight, or water will start running uphill, or something like that will happen!"
"You don't seem to have much faith in the German ability to change the mind?" inquired Jack. "Maybe this fellow'll be different."
"No, sir!" pursued Jimmie gloomily. "The average German is a pretty decent fellow in a great many ways, but when it comes to changing his mind—why, it 'can't be did,' because it's impossible."
"Hush!" commanded Ned. "Here he comes. I'll talk to him." ”

“ He wanted me to try to straighten out some of his wrongdoings."
"Then this does not refer in any way to information that might be of value to our enemy?" questioned the Kaiser, looking keenly at the lad.
"Not in the least!" declared Jimmie, returning the other's gaze frankly and fearlessly. "You are a good enough judge of human nature to determine whether I'm telling you the truth or not." ”

“ Harry deposited the burning shavings upon the floor, where the fire was soon transmitted to the larger piece of wood Jack had used in whittling.
As the boys saw that the matter of fire was assured, they glanced first at each other, then let their gaze wander about the apartment.
"Goodness, the rats don't seem to be much afraid of fire!" exclaimed Jack, pointing toward a horde of rodents swarming about the place.
"What's that on them?" asked Harry wonderingly.
"I declare it's red!" exclaimed Ned. "It looks like blood!"
"Where'd they get blood from, I'd like to know!" protested Harry. ”

“ A circle of flame from the searchlight in David's hand was his reply to this request. It fell upon the damp, slimy walls of the tunnel, illuminating a small space in their immediate neighborhood. The boy swung the searchlight to a position where it would give them a view of the area through which they had just come.
An appalling sight met their eyes. The explosion had wrecked the roof and sides of the narrow space. Heaps of broken rock and other debris choked the passage. Beneath one of the lumps projected the feet of a man. ”

“ It isn't often we meet up with fellows as full of grit as you."
"I haven't done anything at all yet," replied Dave modestly. "In fact, I only made a bally mess of what I attempted. But you wait—"
"Listen!" commanded Jimmie, interrupting what Dave was about to say.
"I'm listening, don't you know," replied Dave.
"What do you hear?" asked The Wolf, with his head on one side.
"Why, bless my heart, it sounds quite like the exhaust of a motor. Now I wonder what it can be. It's a petrol motor, too!"
"I know what it is!" Jimmie almost cried out loud. "It's an airship!" ”

“ Perhaps they intend paying you a little visit before we start to Verdun," he added.
"They sure are headed this way," the lad said. "And the fellow underneath is riding that way on purpose. I wonder why?"
"Who can tell why a boy does anything?" was Fritz's comment.
"I can tell you why Boy Scouts do a great many things," declared Jimmie vehemently. "They do the things that are right and square because it is best and because they are living up to the rules of conduct that they are taught. That's why they do those things!"
"And do the Boy Scout rules teach them to be spies?" ”

“ I see several tents."
"That's an aviation camp just like the one we saw when we came through France and gave General Joffre his fast ride!" declared Jimmie.
"Sure enough!" declared Ned. "They have painted the tops of the wings that peculiar color so that they cannot be readily seen from an enemy air craft. That's rather a good idea, too!"
With scarcely a bump the Eagle settled to the earth and was at once surrounded by French soldiers, some garbed in the well-known suits and helmets of aviators, others dressed as ordinary infantrymen, while still others wore greasy overalls and jumpers. ”

“ CHAPTER VIII FRUSTRATED PLANS
"Good night!" was David's ejaculation as the boys saw Jimmie at the hilltop being captured by the German. "That ends it, I suppose!"
"No," protested Ned, "it just begins the work. Up to now we have been only playing, but here's where the real work starts."
"What do you mean—'real work'?" was Jack's anxious inquiry.
"Why," replied Ned, "they've got Jimmie enlisted in that Uhlan regiment, and you can plainly see how closely they are watching him. If we get him away from those fellows it means real work for all."
"Aw! Go on!" put in Harry. ”

“ Obediently the lad followed his new guide. Past groups of soldiers who were, by their fair hair, round cheeks, blue eyes and general stocky build, members of the German army, the boy and his conductor took their way.
Not far down the street they came upon several wagons in charge of a commissioned officer, before whom the guide stopped with a very formal salute. After receiving a recognition of his salute the guide explained his errand. A laughing response greeted his explanation of circumstances. The officer called one of his aides, and the work of outfitting the erstwhile Cossack began. ”

“ He realized, however, that he could gain nothing by a loss of temper. It was with a great effort that he controlled his temper and forced himself to watch the flight of the aeroplane. Deep in his heart the boy was hoping ardently for the success of those in the machine, for he was now fully convinced that it was Ned and his comrades who had attempted the flight. He watched every movement with great interest.
When he saw the figure of his friend hanging to the truss rod beneath the Eagle, Jimmie's heart almost stopped beating, so great was his anxiety for the other's safety. ”

“ Harry's question brought Ned and Jack to a realization of the fact that the room they had so recently quitted was occupied by the soldiers from whom they had tried to escape. Footsteps echoed along the stout floor, and the boys could hear sounds indicating that pieces of furniture were being hurriedly overturned.
"Uh!" grunted Jack as he suddenly bumped into Ned. "Wonder you wouldn't blow signals when you're going to cross ahead of a fellow." ”

“ I thought you were asking me about the German troops and their movements."
"So I was," went on the man. "I wanted to know so that the good people of this stricken village could be prepared."
"How could the people of this village resist the Germans?" asked Ned wonderingly. "I don't see any fighting men about."
"That's just the point," pursued the other. "All the men and boys capable of carrying weapons or doing anything like a man's job at any kind of work have been drafted by the Germans."
"Then what's the excitement about?" put in Jack impatiently. ”