Air Service Boys Flying for Victory; Or, Bombing the Last German Stronghold
anticipating a day of reckoning that was coming--a day when old scores
would be wiped out and the slate be made clean for a new deal.
More than ever Jack was determined that little Helene should not be left
in the charge of such an ill-tempered man. If General von Berthold could
show such spleen because his man servant displeased him slightly he was
apt to treat a child cruelly.
But the coast being clear, Tom issued forth and beckoned to his
companion to come along. They hastened up the broad stairs of the
chateau, reaching the second floor without mishap.
Here they found a maze of passages that would have puzzled any one
lacking the ability Tom possessed for solving riddles.
"Which way next?" Jack whispered in dismay, as he turned from one to
another of the various passageways branching off from the main hall.
"Always keep to the right," answered his companion. "Remember that wing
is the only one saved from the wreck."
He himself was looking at the floor, for there was sufficient light to
enable him to see. Jack's eyes followed those of his chum, and he could
not keep from uttering a low exclamation of admiration as he
comprehended the system Tom was following.
When the vandals had attempted several times to wreck the chateau in a
general spirit of destructiveness, the dust had settled heavily over
everything. They had noticed it down below, and on the stairs as well,
as they came along. It was up here, too, on the floor of the main hall,
as well as those in various passages leading into unknown depths of the
great building.
Tom was selecting that passage which he could see from the multitude of
footprints had been most generally used. It was indeed a clever idea of
the air service boy's, and one that promised to be crowned with success.
"We'll go this way, and try it out," he told Jack, commencing to move
along as he spoke.
Jack, for a wonder, was silent. Truth to tell, he found himself lost in
admiration of the cleverness shown by his chum, and of the plan which he
felt certain would never have occurred to him.
When the light became dim Tom was provided with a supply of matches,
which fact further surprised and humiliated Jack, because on
investigating his own pockets he could produce only two matches.
They went down several steps, only to mount again to the same level a
few minutes later. Jack could easily believe they must have reached the
extremity of that extensive right wing. He caught the sound of heavy
voices in discussion, coming from exactly below; which told him the
dining-hall must be in that quarter.
So far they had fortunately met no one. Jack wondered what would happen
if they should come upon a sentry standing guard, perhaps over the
apartment where the general slept when he could tear himself away from
his pleasures and his work. But his confidence in Tom had mounted to
such heights by now that he expected his pilot would be equal to even
that occasion.
Then Tom stopped short.
He seemed to be examining something at his feet, for he had struck one
more of his matches. Jack, seeing him look at a closed door, fancied
that their search was in a fair way of coming to a successful end.
No sooner had the match expired than Tom gently tried the door. He did
not seem very much surprised to find it locked. Bending down he next
proceeded to examine the lock, for it seemed to be provided with one,
though many of the other doors were not, such things not being in
general use in the centuries back, when this ancient pile of stone was
built.
He turned to his companion and whispered encouragingly.
"She must be in that room, for many feet have passed in and out. Among
the footprints close by here are several small, childish ones. We are
surely on the right track, Jack."
"H'm! but the door seems to be fast. And I suppose the key is in von
Berthold's pocket right now. How in the wide world are we going to get
in there to save Helene?"
"We'll settle that," snapped Tom. "There's always a way to do a thing.
On either side there's a door. Let's see if one of those happens to be
unfastened."
The very first trial brought success, and Jack began to feel a glow of
coming good fortune. If they were not interrupted in their work he
believed that nothing could long withstand such a determined spirit as
Tom always injected into anything he undertook. It accounted for his
successes in school sports, and he carried the same characteristic with
him into army service.
They passed into the dark recesses of the room that seemed to adjoin the
one of the locked door. Jack could see a window ahead, for a certain
amount of light filtered through the small dusty diamond-shaped panes of
glass. He even noted a tree without, its branches moving in the breeze
that crossed this ridge elevation, though they had not felt it down in
the valley.
Tom closed the door after them. Then again he struck a match, eager to
survey their surroundings before attacking the problem that now
presented itself.
Some old-time furniture could be seen, but in a dilapidated condition,
as though vandal hands had used an ax on the rare wood, regardless of
its value. Dust lay everywhere, dust that may have come from the
frequent explosion of grenades used in the process of demolition.
The match went out, leaving Jack still staring about him. It seemed like
a strange dream to him, anything but a reality. But there was Tom
shuffling across to the window. Jack began to get a grip on the probable
scheme that had appealed to his chum, and also a grip on himself, for he
suddenly realized that he had not been doing his part.
Why, of course, the only possible way of reaching that other room would
be through means of a connecting link; and this could be furnished
through the windows.
Tom was already leaning out, and investigating affairs. It was a
precarious moment and the decision to be arrived at was important. But
having come this far, and taken such desperate chances, they must keep
going until success had crowned their efforts, or it was proved that
absolutely nothing could be accomplished.
Tom turned and beckoned to his comrade.
"It can be done, don't you think, Jack? But we must be very careful,"
came in softest tones. "There's a narrow projecting ledge that will
serve us for a footing; but we must make sure of every step, because a
tumble would break our necks."
Jack peered out and looked carefully about.
"Yes," he finally announced, "this is our only chance. But as Jeanne and
Helene are my especial care I'm going first, Tom. I've already imposed
on you and not done my full share since entering the chateau."
With these words Jack crawled out of the window.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE ONLY WAY
AS Tom leaned out of the window he could just manage to see the figure
of his chum flattened against the stone wall of the chateau. Jack was
clinging close, like a human fly might have done, clutching some object
which allowed him to move his feet along the slender ledge.
"Come on; it's all right!" floated back in a whisper.
Tom was not waiting to be assured on that point. Already he had pushed
his body halfway over the window-sill, and his groping feet sought the
friendly ledge. Then he, too, started to shuffle along, finding some
means for holding himself there.
Of course it was not pleasant to contemplate a fall. The air service
boys knew there was a considerable depth lying below, and it might be
that hard stones lay there.
They refused, however, to allow themselves to think of such a
possibility. Besides, it was only a matter of a dozen feet or so, when
the adjoining window would be within their reach.
Why, there was Jack crawling over the sill even as Tom was fairly on the
way, proving that the feat was an easy one after all.
Tom, following in Jack's footsteps, had one thrill when his foot slipped
and for a brief space of time he actually feared he was about to take
the downward plunge. Fortunately he had a desperate hold with the hand
just thrust forward, and this kept him in place until he could search
out another hand-grip.
It caused him to pant with the extra exertion, and he was breathing like
a spent runner when he too crept into the room. Here Jack's voice was at
his ear whispering:
"Some one asleep here, for I can hear soft breathing over yonder, where
I think there's a cot." He proceeded to draw Tom after him, though both
were down on their knees at the time, with groping hands extended in
front of them.
Now Jack knew he was alongside the cot, for the sleeper had stirred
restlessly. Then the regular breathing was resumed, though Jack believed
he had heard something akin to a sigh well forth.
He put out his hands and gently felt to make sure that it was a child,
for any mistake at this stage would prove most serious.
"Helene!"
Jack uttered the name softly, but the breathing still continued. Again
did he speak, this time raising his voice slightly. He knew that he must
have succeeded in awakening the little sleeper; doubtless she was lying
there wondering whether it might be all a dream. Perhaps she even
thought it was her mother calling her from her slumber.
Tom now ventured to approach a little nearer, ready to act on the spur
of the moment should the child be frightened and start to scream.
"Helene, we are friends of your sister Jeanne," Jack said. "She is in
good hands, and on her way to Paris. We have come to try to take you to
her. Do not be frightened, Helene. We are two American boys, and if you
will only trust us we promise to carry you away from here. Have courage
and tell me that you are not afraid to go with us to Jeanne."
The sympathetic Jack found a little hand, for the child suddenly sat
upright. This he continued to pat gently even as he and Tom continued to
reassure her. Perhaps his manner of doing this influenced Helene even
more than their words, which of course she could hardly understand as
yet, after being so suddenly awakened.
"Oh, I am so glad you have come from Jeanne," she finally managed to
say, though her childish voice vibrated from the effect of her recent
alarm.
"And will you gladly go away with us, Helene?" asked Jack. "You are not
happy here with your uncle, are you?"
"Oh, no, no! He is so unkind," she said with a shudder that Jack could
easily detect. "He even whipped me because I cried for my mother and
Jeanne. So I will go with you, and do anything you say."
How understandingly she talked for one so young! Jack had marveled that
Jeanne should show such remarkable qualities and appear so self-reliant;
and apparently Helene was like her. But, alas, war had aged even the
babies caught in its snare.
"Listen, Helene," Jack went on to say, "do you think you could dress
yourself without having a light?"
"Oh, yes, m'sieu, I am sure I can!"
That caused Tom to chuckle with relief, for he felt pretty certain that
neither he nor Jack could have managed that, even if given all the
illumination heart might wish. And, moreover, Tom felt that he, at
least, did not want to try.
"Then get your clothes on just as fast as you can, Helene," said Tom.
"We will be waiting, and trying to figure out what the next move shall
be."
His last words reminded Jack of the fact that they were now faced by
another knotty problem. If the door was locked and the key safe in the
possession of the gruff old general below, how then could they take the
child away?
He knew it would be utterly impossible to get her to the other window by
means of that ledge; for the task had been difficult enough when both
hands were free.
But evidently resourceful Tom had already conceived a plan for he was
busying himself with the cot from which Helene had so recently arisen
and now called to Jack.