Part 26 (2/2)

They looked once more in the direction of ”Captain Frank d.i.c.kerson,”

as he had called himself. He had folded up his papers and was about to rise from the log.

”Duck, fellows! He's looking this way!” hoa.r.s.ely whispered Bob, and the boys dropped behind a fallen tree.

The officer in the German uniform did, indeed, look toward the woods, but he made no advance that way, and presently walked off in the direction taken by the searching party which had been so close to the three former captives, evidently without knowing it.

”And now we'll make tracks the other way,” decided Jimmy, and they put some distance between themselves and the man they believed a spy before they halted to eat.

”I'm glad I didn't have my five thousand francs with me when we fell into the hands of the Germans,” said Sergeant Jimmy, as they sat and rested after the rather meager meal.

”Why?” asked Bob. ”Maybe you could have bought some food, by bribing a guard.”

”Not a chance!” was the answer. ”The Huns would have taken every cent.

No, I don't mind Maxwell having it--even if he's skipped with it, or if he's missing with it in his pockets. That's better than having German jailers take it. But I guess we'll never see the sergeant or the money again.”

”It doesn't look so,” agreed Roger. ”Well, it's the fortune of war, I reckon. But have we any chance of seeing our friends again?”

”We'll make a big try,” declared Jimmy.

Of the miseries of the next two days the Khaki Boys never like to talk afterward. They ate all their food, and were still hungry. They managed to find some raw turnips which they devoured, declaring, in their hunger, that they were the best meal they had ever eaten.

Fortunately they managed to find water, though they had to drink it by stealth for they were like hunted animals, making their way through a country held and devastated by a cruel foe. They hid most of the day and traveled by night, not knowing whether or not they were going in the right direction.

But they kept moving, though, at times, Bob, who seemed worse off than either of his chums, said he must give up. But Jimmy and Roger fairly dragged him on.

One day, when it seemed that they must lie down in a field and give up, they saw, coming over the top of the hill, a party of soldiers. It was getting dusk, and they could hardly distinguish the uniforms.

”If it's Germans I'm too tired to run,” said Bob, weakly. ”Let 'em take us!”

”I will not!” declared Jimmy fiercely. ”I'll fight 'em with stones, and die fighting, rather than go back to a prison camp!”

”I'm with you!” cried Roger, and this att.i.tude on the part of his chums seemed to rouse Bob.

Each one selected a large stone, though whether they really would have used them in their desperation I can not say. But in a moment all was changed.

The three figures, standing together in the field, attracted the attention of the officer leading the party of soldiers. He gave a sharp command, and at the sound of the words Jimmy cried:

”They're Englis.h.!.+ They're Englis.h.!.+ Hurrah, fellows! We're with friends once more!” And he ran forward followed by his chums.

It was true. A party of English soldiers, sent out to get some information, had come upon the three escaping prisoners, and, a little later, Bob, Roger and Jimmy were being well cared for while they told their story of what had happened.

”And so we blew their nasty dump to bits; eh, lad?” asked an English lieutenant, or ”leftenant,” as they are called.

”Yes,” a.s.sented Jimmy.

”A little bit of hall right, I call that!” commented a c.o.c.kney sergeant.

So weak and exhausted were our friends that they had to stay in the English billets several days before they could be sent under escort to their own command. And you may imagine better than I can describe it the joy of Franz and Iggy when they welcomed their Brothers once more.

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