Chapter 21

ESCAPED PRISONERS

When Jimmie's toe prodded the Kaiser's horse in the ribs, that animal gave a mighty spring and bounded from his position. Usually a tractable, though mettlesome beast, the horse was greatly surprised at the treatment he was receiving, and it is not surprising that he made every effort to escape the punishment.

At the first movement of his comrade, Dave had urged his own horse forward in the expectation that Jimmie would attempt escape.

So swiftly had the movement been executed by Jimmie that none of the officers near by had been able to intercept the flight of the three.

Before the Kaiser could check the mad rush of his mount and bring the noble animal to a quivering stop, considerable distance had been covered. Jimmie rode on the Kaiser's right Hank, his own horse's shoulder close to the other's saddle. Dave followed immediately behind Jimmie so close that when the halt was made he fairly crowded Jimmie beside the Kaiser. He was still mystified when they stopped.

With a face livid with wrath at the treatment, the Kaiser turned toward Jimmie. The next instant he began a forceful speech. It was never delivered. Jimmie slipped from his horse and began to drag the other from his mount. He was too excited for coherent speech.

"Young man--," began the other in a severe tone.

"Shut up!" stormed Jimmie. "Get off your horse, quick! It's coming!"

As he spoke, the boy, looking earnestly into the face of the man he had pursued, pointed toward the French lines and in the direction of the spot where the hasty flight had begun.

Dave glanced back to see a knot of officers and Uhlans closely packed about the very spot where the three had stood a moment before. As he looked he shivered slightly. A huge black object was hurtling through the air. It landed in the center of the group, bearing down with a shriek of agony a horse and its rider.

Instinctively Jimmie and Dave had thrown their arms up to cover their faces. By this means they had protected themselves in a degree from the force of the flying scraps of earth that stormed upon them like hail. They were covered with dirt to a woeful degree.

As the rain of dirt ceased Jimmie looked up at the man he had tried so hard to rescue. His face bore a look of solicitude.

"I tried to get you out of there," he said. "I saw it coming."

"A pretty story!" stormed the other. "What conduct is this?"

In amazement Jimmie drew back a pace. He grasped the bridle reins of his horse in his left hand. Looking keenly at the mounted man, the lad recognized the fact that his intentions had been misunderstood. Without another word the lad mounted his animal.

"Where are you going, Jimmie?" asked Dave anxiously as Jimmie wheeled his mount. "What are you going to do now? Shall we make a break?"

"I guess we've made break enough," replied Jimmie with set jaw. "Here I go and rescue one perfectly good Kaiser from a dropping shell that he don't see, and now he gets sore at me for doing it. I'm going back to the position where I was ordered to stand, and they can all be shot to pieces next time for all the help they get from me!"

"Then I'm going with you!" declared Dave. "Come on!"

Gravely Jimmie returned to the very rim of the crater that had been dug in the solid earth by the bursting of the gigantic shell. Here he halted, drew himself erect in the saddle and waited. Dave drew alongside.

In another instant the two were surrounded by officers and Uhlans.

"Dismount at once!" ordered an officer.

Jimmie glanced quickly at the man and discovered him to be none other than von Liebknecht, the man who had been so closely concerned in Jimmie's recent experiences. Not deigning a reply, the lad obeyed. His action was quickly followed by Dave.

Following an order rapidly given in German, one of the Uhlans urged his horse forward and grasped the reins of the two horses. He fairly jerked the leathers from the hands of the boys and led the two away.

"My word!" declared Dave with emphasis. "We're in for it now!"

"I wonder just what they're going to do?" asked Jimmie in a whisper.

"Firin' squad at sunrise, most likely!" said Dave. "We're now, as I understand it, criminals of the worst sort."

"I don't get you," puzzled Jimmie. "What's the big idea?"

"We've committed one of the worst crimes in the calendar!" declared Dave. "As I understand it, we've meddled with the person of the Kaiser, and that's only one degree less awful than saying horrid things about him. That's what I've been told, at any rate."

"Great frozen hot boxes!" ejaculated Jimmie. "Is it a crime to save a man's life when you get the chance?"

"I can't just say how they'll look at it," replied Dave. "But here comes the old top himself. Maybe he'll have a word to say."

Von Liebknecht began what seemed to the lads to be an apology, but was cut short by the Kaiser, who gave a command in German. Without attempting to complete his unfinished speech, the Captain repeated the command to an aide standing near, and he in turn addressed two Uhlans.

Much to their surprise, the boys were confronted by their old acquaintances, Otto and Fritz, who gave their orders in a single word.

"Vorwarts!" came the command in crisp tones as the two crowded their horses almost upon the two lads.

"That means 'Hike!'" explained Jimmie, turning to Dave.

"Here goes, then," returned Dave, stepping out bravely.

"I say, Otto," began Jimmie presently, "where are we going?"

"Verboten!" came the only answer the Uhlan would offer.

"Ha!" cried Jimmie. "I know what that means. I've seen a good many signs with that word on it. It means that we are forbidden to walk on the grass, breathe, live, eat, or do anything else without permits."

"No, no, Jimmie," explained Dave. "He means that he is forbidden to tell you where we are headed for. Isn't that it?"

"I don't know and don't much care!" was the other's reply. "They are welcome to start a goat farm any time they wish. They've got mine for a starter. Of all my going a-fishing, this is the limit."

After about half an hour's walk they found themselves near a building that had evidently been a farm residence. In common with many other rural establishments of Germany, this place had been built with the barns attached to the dwelling house.

Into what had been the cow stable the boys were conducted by their guards. A ladder stood in one corner, leading up through a trap door to the fodder loft above. Up this ladder the boys were directed.

"Fine little old prison!" declared Jimmie contemptuously.

"Well, it might be worse," said Dave consolingly. "We're here yet."

"Yes, and if I ever get another chance at the Germans," declared Jimmie with vigor, "I'll punch their heads as hard as I can!"

"We might as well make ourselves comfortable," suggested Dave.

"Not on your life!" cried Jimmie heatedly. "From now on I'm going to make every move in the calendar to get out of this place and away from those Germans. If I ever get back to America I'll never eat another bit of sauer kraut as long as I live!"

Dave could not repress a laugh at this outburst. He could sympathize with Jimmie's attitude, for he felt that they were being unjustly treated.

"How are we going to give them the slip?" asked Jimmie, beginning a systematic search of the place. "Are there any windows?"

"There are two on the east side," answered Dave.

"Now, then, let's tear up the bed sheets and knot them together," was Jimmie's next suggestion, delivered in a half jesting mood.

"A rope would be better," offered his companion. "Let's look for one."

Presently he gave a cry and stooped to pick up an object at his feet.

"What do you think of this?" he said gleefully as he held aloft the end of a line nearly as thick as his finger. "Isn't that luck?"

"My word!" said Dave heartily. "That's the silver lining, all right!"

"Now to get a cleat or something across that window so we can take the rope with us!" urged Jimmie. "Hurry, Dave, hurry!"

They lost no time in doubling the line and passing the ends out of the window. The loop which they still held was caught beneath the corners of the window frame so that it would remain in position until the end was loosened by the person descending.

Ahead Jimmie could make out the outlines of an aeroplane in an open space. Following Dave's pointing finger, the lad saw a man in Uhlan's uniform rapidly running through the wood in the direction of the barn.

A noise in advance of their position attracted his attention. He gripped Dave's arm warningly and pointed to three figures in Uhlan uniform moving about in the growth of underbrush.

Dave quickly unslung the coil of line from his shoulder and proceeded to reeve a slip noose in one end. When he had adjusted the noose to his satisfaction the lad moved silently forward, crouching as he went.

With a dexterous throw the lad sent the loop of line over the three figures standing close together. Jimmie lent a hand to drag it tight.