The Boy Allies at Verdun Part 29

"And what do you think of General Pombrey?" asked the young Frenchman, his face s.h.i.+ning.

For a moment Hal considered what was best to say. Should he try and convince Jules that his present course was wrong; that there was to be considered the honor of his country rather than the opinion of General Pombrey? The lad decided on the side of caution.

"A good man," he replied quietly. "A man who will face a firing squad without a tremor, secure in the belief he is dying for a good cause."

"And do you not think the cause good, and just?" demanded Jules, anxiously.

"If not, why should I be the bearer of a pocket-full of black peas?" was Hal's reply.

Jules, apparently, was satisfied.

Alone in their own quarters later Hal and Chester discussed the situation seriously.

"To tell the truth," said Chester, "I am half inclined to agree with General Pombrey. But if for no other reason, there is one thing that would make me reveal this plot to General Petain."

"And that?" asked Hal.

"That," said Chester, "is the fact that General Pombrey and the others engaged in this conspiracy are lacking upon the German troops to throw down their arms and refuse to fight at the same moment the French and British do."

"Well?" asked Hal, but he was beginning to catch Chester's drift.

"Well," said Chester, "you and I know the Germans won't do that. It's a ten to one bet that the German general staff knows all about this conspiracy. The peace talk has been carried from one army to the other by the prisoners. The Germans will take advantage of it. Should the French really follow General Pombrey's plan, they would be slaughtered by the thousands. The Germans could not keep faith. You know that."

"Yes, I know it," said Hal with a nod of his head. "They have never kept faith in this war, save in individual cases. It doesn't seem to be in them."

"Exactly," agreed Chester. "Then, if for no other reason than to save these deluded French and British soldiers, the matter must be brought to the attention of General Petain, that he may act promptly and not only save them, but the whole army of France; and the cause of the Allies."

"Good!" Hal agreed. "Then we shall see that it's brought to his attention."

"The first thing in the morning," said Chester.

"Right you are, Chester. The first thing in the morning."

CHAPTER XX

UNDER ARREST

It was morning. Hal and Chester, refreshed by a good night's rest, had just completed their toilets and were about to repair to the quarters of General Petain, there to report for the day's duty and also to inform the French commander of what they had learned the night before. But, as it transpired, their good intentions were to go for naught and they were to be ushered into the presence of General Petain in a manner that neither would have believed possible.

Came the sound of many footsteps approaching without. They stopped before the boys' tent. A French officer thrust his head in the entrance.

"Lieutenant Crawford! Lieutenant Paine!" he said sharply.

"Sir!" exclaimed both lads in a single breath.

They stepped from the tent.

"You are under arrest!" were the French officer's next words.

Hal and Chester stepped back in complete bewilderment.

"Wha--what's that, sir?" asked Hal, believing that he could not have heard aright.

"You are under arrest," was the sharp reply. "I am ordered to conduct you before General Petain at once."

Both lads had recovered themselves by this time; they stepped forward coolly enough, in spite of the fact that their hearts were fluttering strangely.

"The general might have spared himself the trouble of sending for us,"

said Hal, quietly. "Even now we were about to report to him."

The French officer said nothing. He motioned to the file of soldiers whom he commanded and Hal and Chester stepped in between the men.

"One moment," said the French soldier.

He approached the lads.

"I must ask for your swords and revolvers," he said.

Without a word the lads surrendered their weapons.

"Good!" said the French officer. Then to his men: "Forward, march!"

And in this manner Hal and Chester came before the French commander at Verdun. The latter was busy with a pile of papers when they entered his quarters and did not look up immediately. For perhaps fifteen minutes the lads stood there, firmly erect, their eyes upon the general.

Suddenly General Petain wheeled about.

"Leave these men with me," he instructed the French officer who had escorted the lads to his tent; "but attend me outside within call, Captain."

The French officer saluted and withdrew.

General Petain gazed frowningly at Hal and Chester for perhaps a full minute. The lads returned his look without flinching, though there was nothing that might be construed as defiance in their manner; rather, nothing but respectful attention.

"So!" said General Petain at last. "So! I find you two lads, whom I have trusted, among a band of conspirators, eh?"

"Among them, sir," said Hal, quietly, "but not of them."

"What's that?" demanded the general. "You admit you were with them and then claim innocence? Impossible!"

"I beg your pardon, sir," said Hal, "but it is not impossible. It is the truth."

"But I have it on high authority," returned the general, "that you have been the possessors of the emblem of the conspirators for some days now."

"That is true enough, sir," Hal agreed; "but we came into the possession of those black peas accidentally and with no thought of their significance."