Part 24 (2/2)

”I caught him just right,” he muttered with a touch of compunction. ”I hope I did not hurt him badly.”

When he finally came to the mortars with the mysterious two-wheeled wagons attached to them, he walked around from one to the other, as if he were making a careful inspection to see that everything was all right. It was impossible for him even now to make out what was hidden under the canvas covers. One thing he could see, however, and that was, that from under each there ran a carefully insulated electric cable to the nearest fire hydrant where it was carefully attached.

After inspecting all four, Lawrence turned around and went back to the second wagon, the cover of which he had noticed was not on exactly straight. He hoped to be able to see what was underneath, but he found that the cover was strapped down so tightly that he could get no inkling.

During all this time the officers and men were standing at attention in their proper places, although they followed him with their eyes, an amused expression on their faces.

Finding that it was impossible for him to discover anything while the covers remained on the wagons, he bellowed in a loud and commanding voice, not forgetting to imitate Royalty in its cups:

”Lieutenant!”

And to the young officer who ran up to him he said:

”Why is not that cover on straight? Did you not receive orders that these--” and as Lawrence had not the slightest idea what ”these” were, he subst.i.tuted a loud hiccough for the unknown name, and contented himself with pointing with an unsteady hand. ”Did you not understand these had to be perfectly concealed? Now that one is not perfectly concealed, for I can see perfectly what it is, so take that cover off and put it on straight. And be quick about it or I will report you for untidiness.”

The Lieutenant, who was one of the very young recruits now officering the German Army, feeling overpowered by the presence of Royalty, had given the order, and the men were unstrapping the cover when the Captain came up.

”What are you doing there?” he demanded. Then turning sharply to the young Lieutenant he said in the most brutal manner:

”Don't you know that the orders are not to take these covers off, not until the very last minute, not until everything else has been tried and has failed to bring her down.”

”But His Royal Highness,” stammered the younger officer, ”has ordered this cover off because it is not on straight.”

”But, Your Royal Highness,” expostulated the Captain, although in the most deferential manner, ”don't you think that this cover is on straight enough?”

”What! Do you mean to contradict me?” Lawrence almost screamed. ”I say that the cover is not on straight, and I have ordered this fool to take it off and put it on straight, perfectly straight.”

”But that is impossible,” said the Captain, warily keeping out of reach of His Royal Highness's fists. ”The orders are that these covers are not to come off until the American flying machine makes its appearance, and if it does not appear, the covers are not to come off at all. These are the orders of the General Staff, and Your Royal Highness must realize that they have to be obeyed.”

”Well,” said Lawrence with the persistency of a drunken man, talking at the top of his voice, ”if you do not put that cover on straight I will report you, and you will be court-martialled for insulting a Prince of the Blood.”

All the while he kept swaying as if he were about to fall.

Straightening himself up with much difficulty and a.s.suming a drunken dignity he started to go away; but as if he were unable to free his intoxicated mind from the one idea that obsessed it, he turned and changed his tone to a persuasive one.

”I don't insist that you take the cover off,” he laughed, ”I only insist that it be straightened, because you can see as well as I that it is not on perfectly straight, and your orders were to put these covers on straight, perfectly straight.”

The Captain, now thoroughly amused, and deciding that the best way was to humour him, thought, since his orders were only not to remove, that he would be able to satisfy the Prince without directly disobeying his instructions. He therefore ordered the men to unstrap the cover and pull it around.

Lawrence seemed entirely satisfied with this, and took such interest in seeing that the cover was adjusted to exactly the right position, that he leaned over and took hold of it himself, as if to give his help. As he did so he gave a lurch, and grabbing at the cover as if to save himself, he went down in a heap with it on top of him.

The men helped him quickly to his feet and as quickly readjusted the cover, but not before he had seen that the drum-shaped objects were in fact great wooden spools on which were wound thousands and thousands of yards of large copper wire.

Having seen all that he wanted, he now turned his attention towards getting back to the Emba.s.sy, so taking the Captain's arm, and seeming either to have lost all interest or to have been overcome by his fall, made his way along. He swung and lurched so that it was with difficulty the officer kept him on his feet.

Then when they arrived at the front steps and the Captain was a.s.sisting him up, Lawrence, as if suddenly awaking from sleep, stopped.

”I am too dirty to go in by the front door,” he protested, ”I will go in by the garden. I am much obliged to you, Captain; don't come any farther.”

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