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Read Ebook: The Boy Allies at Liège; Or Through Lines of Steel by Hayes Clair W Clair Wallace
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Ebook has 2023 lines and 48320 words, and 41 pages
"There are four of us here," returned Hal, "and we ought to be good for that crowd; but, instead of standing here, when they attack again, let's make a break and fight our way through. There will be more of them along in a minute, and it will be that much harder for us."
"Good!" returned the second stranger in French. "Here they come!"
"Are you ready?" asked Hal.
"All ready," came the reply from the other three.
"All right, then. Now!"
At the word the four rushed desperately into the throng, which was pressing in on them from three sides. Taken by surprise, the enemy gave way for a moment; then closed in again.
Blows fell thick and fast for the space of a couple of minutes. Then, suddenly, Chester fell to the ground.
Turning, Hal fought his way to the other side of Chester's prostrate body. Then, bending down, he lifted his chum to his feet.
"Hurt much?" he asked.
"No," replied Chester, shaking his head like an enraged bull. "Let me get at them again!"
He rushed in among his assailants with even greater desperation than before, and two young hoodlums fell before his blows.
In the meantime the strangers were giving a good account of themselves, and the enemy were falling before their smashing fists.
Hal ducked a blow from the closest of his assailants, and, stepping in close, struck him with all his power under the chin. The youth fell to the ground.
As he did so the ruffian nearest him, with a hiss of rage, drew a knife, with which he made a wicked slash at Hal. Hal did not see the movement, being closely pressed elsewhere, but Chester, with a sudden cry, leaped forward and seized the hand holding the knife, just as the weapon would have been buried in Hal's back.
"You would, would you, you coward!" he cried, and struck the young German in the face with all the strength of his right arm. The latter toppled over like a log.
All this time the crowd of assailants continued to grow. Attracted by the sounds of the scuffle, reinforcements arrived from all directions, and it is hard to tell what would have happened had not the sudden blast of a whistle interrupted the proceedings.
"The police!" yelled someone in the crowd. "Run!"
In less time than it takes to tell it, Hal, Chester, and the two other young men were alone, while racing toward them, down the street, were several figures in uniform.
"Run!" cried the young Frenchman. "If they catch us we will all go to jail, and there is no telling when we'll get out. Run!"
The four took to their heels, and, dodging around corner after corner, were soon safe from pursuit.
"Well, I guess we are safe now," said the Englishman, when they stopped at last. Then, turning to Hal:
"I don't know how to thank you and your friend. If you had not arrived when you did, I fear it would have fared badly with us."
"No thanks are due," replied Hal. "It's a poor American who would refuse to help anyone in trouble. Shake hands and call it square!"
The Englishman smiled.
"As modest as you are bold, eh? Well, all right," and he extended his hand, which Hal and Chester grasped in turn.
But the Frenchman was not to be put off so easily. He insisted on embracing both of the boys, much to their embarrassment.
"I'm Lieutenant Harry Anderson, of the Tenth Dragoons, His Majesty's service," explained the Englishman, and then, turning to his friend: "This is Captain Raoul Derevaux, Tenth Regiment, French Rifle Corps. We were strolling along the street when attacked by the gang from which you saved us. In the morning we shall try to get out of Germany by way of the Belgian frontier. If now, or at any other time, we may be of service to you, command us."
"Yes, indeed," put in the Frenchman, "I consider myself your debtor for life."
Hal and Chester thanked their newly-made friends for their good will, and, after a little further conversation, left them to continue their way, while they returned to the hotel, much to the relief of Mrs. Paine, who had become very uneasy at their long absence.
A PERILOUS SITUATION.
"Come on, Hal. Let's stroll about a few minutes. We've lots of time before the train pulls out."
It was Chester who spoke. Mrs. Paine and the two boys were sitting in their compartment of the Brussels express, in the station at Berlin. It still lacked ten minutes of the time set for departure.
"You don't mind, do you, mother?" said Hal.
"No; if you do not go too far," was the answer.
The boys descended from the car, and wandered toward the entrance of the station. Just as they were about to step on to the street, a German military officer swung into the doorway. Hal, who was directly in his path, stepped aside, but not quickly enough to entirely avoid him.
With one outstretched arm the officer shoved him violently to one side, and then stopped.
"What do you mean by blocking my way?" he demanded. "Do you know who I am?"
Hal's temper was aroused.
"No, I don't; and I don't care," was his reply.
"Well, I'll give you something to care about," and, raising his hand, the officer made as though to strike Hal across the face.
"Don't you strike me," said Hal quietly. "I'm an American citizen, and I give you warning."
"Warning!" sneered the officer. "You young American upstart! I'll have you whipped!" and he turned as though to call someone.
At that moment there was a sudden cry of "All aboard!" and the officer, after taking a threatening step toward Hal, made a dash for the train.
"I guess that is our train, Hal," said Chester. "We had better hurry."
The lads retraced their steps toward their train. Reaching the shed, they saw the German officer disappearing into a compartment on the train.
"That looks like our compartment to me," said Hal. "I hope we don't have to ride with him."
"I hope not," agreed Chester, and then broke into a run, as he shouted:
"Hurry! The train is moving!"
It was true. The boys had wasted too much time.
The door to one compartment was all that stood open, and that was the one in which Mrs. Paine could be seen gesticulating to them.
"We just made it," panted Hal, as they reached the open door, and started to climb aboard.
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