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CHAPTER XIX
THE HUNT FOR THE WIRE

While it was thus possible to make out the faint tracery of the high trestle and its attendant bridge, objects were not so very plain after all; and even youthful eyes had to undergo considerable of a strain in order to succeed at all.

Remembering what Rob had said with regard to their object in searching for the wire that would in all likelihood run between the hidden mine and the lurking place of the plotters, every one was excessively vigilant. It might happen that with great luck they would be able to discover this connecting link in the start. Such a piece of good fortune would simplify matters wonderfully, for they understood just what the intentions of the scout master were.

In a nutshell, then, to make the facts plain to the reader in the start, they anticipated severing connections so that when the fatal moment arrived and the lawless breakers of neutrality sought to consummate their act, they would not meet with any sort of success, for with the conductor of the electric current broken the mine could not be exploded.

They had not gone very far, always approaching closer to the embankment near by the commencement of the trestle, when Rob stopped short. Every one had the customary thrill; indeed, that would hardly apply because one of these little spasms seemed to follow so close upon the heels of another that they were in an almost constant state of apprehension.

Rob must have made some sort of discovery or he would not have called a halt in this fashion. Donald was at his side now, and had also come to a pause, so the others brushed up against them, making a compact clump as they crouched there, and strained all their faculties.

Now, the three members of the old Eagle Patrol had been together so much, and passed through so many adventures in common, that long since they had agreed on a system of signals whereby they could communicate without any outsider being aware of what was going on. Thus a faint twitter, resembling a sleepy bird protesting at being pushed on its perch, would indicate that something had been seen that ought to be taken into consideration. A low grunt, after the manner of a hedgehog hunting for succulent roots, meant that retreat would be in order, though to be undertaken with the utmost circumspection.

There were a number of other ways in which the scouts could communicate without anyone being the wiser. Rob’s warning indicated that he had made a discovery, which they, too, would be able to hit upon if they used their ears to the best advantage.

Ah! now it came stealing up to them. Even Tubby knew that it was not the grumble of a burrowing animal, but the low mutter of a hoarse, excited voice. It came but faintly at best, and certainly would never reach the hearing of any one located several times as far away as the crouching boys and Zeb were at the time.

Accustomed to practicing such things as the scouts were, they had no difficulty at all in picking out the exact spot from which this hoarse whisper came. Even Tubby could do that, for he was far from a tenderfoot, having been in harness quite as long as his two mates.

This tell-tale whisper informed them where the men whom they had set out to balk, were hiding. Yes, it was far enough away from the railway embankment to allow them to escape any possible evil results when the climax arrived and the mine was sprung, and yet sufficiently close to let them see the train as it swung down upon the high trestle, perhaps slowing up for the passage of the bridge.

Rob made a mental calculation as quick as a flash. He was thus enabled to get his bearings, and could figure out just about how that wire was likely to run. Thus it was possible, by making a little half-circuit, for them to cut across the line midway between the two ends, or perhaps still closer to the trestle. This would increase their own peril in case events moved more swiftly than they had been calculating.

Even more than at any previous time the utmost secrecy was necessary. Tubby felt that he was placed on his mettle. A stumble now would excite suspicion, and that, in turn, might influence the wary schemers, fearful of being caught. Rather than have their evil plans balked they would naturally prefer to explode the mine even before the train arrived.

Rob may have considered Tubby’s customary clumsiness, and made provision to take as little chance as possible. That would be the natural conclusion to be drawn from the fact that he now sank still lower, until on his hands and knees, and in this ungainly but practical position they were all creeping along.

Tubby heard that low grumble of a fretful, impatient voice no longer. Perhaps the incautious member of the invading party had been suppressed by a fierce shove. Tubby wondered if their presence in the vicinity could have been discovered, or even suspected. He was preparing his nerves against a sudden terrific roar, as the valuable railway property came crashing down. He also fervently hoped that none of the heavy timbers would carry over to where they were creeping along.

Tubby was not feeling over-happy, but nothing would have induced the boy to forego the excitement. Perhaps, his nature being slow, Tubby might hold back longer than such impetuous fellows as Andy and some of the other Eagles. Once he enlisted in an undertaking he could not be easily “frozen out.”

Rob had evidently gone as far in a line parallel with the trestle as he intended. He commenced to gradually swing around. He was bent on making that half-circuit, so as to cross the direct line of communication between the hiding place of the plotters and the railway.

They faced the west from this point on. That fact might seem of little moment, and yet it proved its value, for only because their faces were turned in that direction did they make a sudden discovery.

Something far distant was creeping up the heavens. It looked like a faint line of fire, and only for the fact that it mounted higher and higher instead of descending, Tubby would have believed it to be one of those erratic shooting stars or meteors, such as he had, like all boys, frequently watched darting athwart a summer sky at night-time.

But this was something quite different. Tubby guessed its nature even while the fiery finger still crept upward toward its zenith. It was a sky-rocket. Some patriotic Canadian was celebrating, for some cause or other, though Tubby did not happen to remember whether this was King George’s birthday, or the anniversary of the late lamented Edward’s natal day. Possibly good news had been received from across the sea. The stanch Canadian soldiers in the war trenches might have once more covered themselves with glory, and – then Tubby felt as though a frozen hand had come in contact with his heart, such was the mighty shiver that ran through his system. He had suddenly conceived another and more significant fact.

Why should that not be a signal rocket? He remembered that when abroad with his two chums, and visiting the French in the trenches, they had seen such fiery tracery against the night heavens, and understood that some commander was giving his orders; or else a spy far back of the enemy’s lines was trying to communicate some important information he had picked up.

That altered the complexion of everything, Tubby thought. These desperate men must realize what a tremendous, as well as dangerous, job they had undertaken; and consequently they would try to cover every possibility, so there might be no fluke or miscarriage of their plans.

Yes, they undoubtedly had some trusty confederate waiting at a certain station on the railway, miles to the west, whose duty it was to signal them the fact that the million-dollar munition train had just left that point, and could be expected at the bridge within a certain time, which information would allow them to have everything prepared for the grand spectacular event.

They had neglected nothing, apparently, except taking into consideration the fact that a few members of the Eagle Patrol of Boy Scouts chanced to be up in that particular section of country at the time and, as so frequently happened, were bound to get mixed up in any excitement that came along, often to their own honor and glory.

There, the rocket had burst, and yet so quickly had Tubby grasped the situation, being considerably worked up at the time, that he had arrived at a conclusion before this took place.

He plainly saw the fiery stars scatter, and imagined he could even detect the faint boom of the rocket’s bursting in midair, though Tubby would never affirm this fact positively.

Now they were moving on again, as before, every fellow feeling as he went, and hoping to be the lucky one whose itching fingers might come in contact with the wire. How this was to be severed when found, Tubby did not know, but he was willing to leave all that to Rob. Why, so well prepared did the scout master usually go that Tubby more than half believed he must be carrying with him a little pair of wire-cutters – at least he had a hazy remembrance of having once seen a minute sample of such a useful tool among Rob’s traps. Even though this did not turn out to be so, trust him for making a good use of his knife, with its largest blade in condition to do the ripping and sawing of the small insulated copper wire; why, Tubby himself had many a time bent and twisted such a delicate strand, yes, and parted it, without any sort of tool, when he was fixing the electric doorbell at home, or making and arranging a bell connection so that his mother could summon the servant from the kitchen by pressing her toe upon a button concealed under the rug and table of the dining-room.

How beautiful this blind confidence on the part of Tubby! It is ever a delight to have a chum upon whom you can always fully depend when the storm clouds gather and danger presses around! Rob had ever been such a stanch rock to his comrades in times past. They had reason to throw their troubles on his shoulders without scruple.

Perhaps only two or three minutes had gone by since first they discovered that the enemy was concealed near by, yet the time seemed much longer than that to the anxious hearts of the wire searchers. Donald was listening with all his might. He dreaded lest he catch the sound of an approaching train while their important errand was still unfinished; and thinking thus he burned with undiminished zeal as he went groping amidst the small weeds that covered the ground over which they were crawling.

Indeed, Donald was not alone in his ambition to accomplish something, for Rob and Andy themselves would have called it the happiest event of their lives could they have made the discovery for which every one yearned.

By now they had reached a point far enough away from the danger zone to permit with safety of a hurried consultation between Rob and Donald, provided it was carried on with the utmost discretion, each in turn placing his lips close to the ear of the other. Rob had ceased creeping. At first those behind hoped he had found what they were looking for, but in this they were soon undeceived, for they saw him putting his head against that of the Canadian boy and could just manage to catch a breath of the sibilant whispered conference that began.

It was at this very moment that a slant of the light breeze brought the rumble of the oncoming heavy freight train to their ears. To the imaginative Tubby it seemed as though it must proceed from a spot only a mile or so distant. With that elusive wire still unfound the prospect did not look very encouraging, Tubby was bound to admit, though still trying to bolster up his courage.

CHAPTER XX
THE MUNITION TRAIN’S APPROACH

“Do ye not hear it comin’, Rab?” Donald asked in the other’s ear. “Something must be done, or it will be too late!”

“We will find the wire, Donald,” the scout master assured him.

“Oh! ay, but will it be in time?” begged the other.

Rob understood what doubts and fears were racking that faithful heart. He also had a plan whereby Donald might make assurance doubly certain. The time had apparently arrived when a division of their forces would appear to be the best policy.

“Listen, Donald,” said Rob, still in that low whisper that even the other fellows could not catch, though they tried very hard to do so, “you must climb the bank, and, perhaps, find one of the guards. Failing that, you can run back along the track so as to warn your father of the danger. You know how to do that, and here is my little torch you might use, also some matches, my red bandanna to put over the light as a danger signal, and a part of a newspaper. Do you get my meaning clearly, Donald?”

“Oh! ay,” said the eager boy, as he clutched all that Rob was thrusting into his hand. “Shall I go the noo, Rab?”

“Yes, be off with you,” came the command. “Be careful how you stand up when you reach the top of the embankment. The enemy are hiding down here, and would outline you against the sky. Crawl all you can, Donald. Good-bye, and good luck go with you. Meanwhile, depend on us to find that wire!”

A fervent clasp of the hand. Donald crept hastily away, heading so as to reach the bank at the terminus of the trestle; for, of course, he could not hope to climb the latter itself.

Andy was able to partly guess what mission Rob had given into the keeping of the young Canadian. Possibly Andy would have liked being sent forth on such an exciting errand himself, but then he recognized the fact that Donald really had a superior claim to such a task. He was at home on his native heath, and could better make the Canadian guards understand, if he had the good luck to come upon any of those in whose care the bridge had been placed by the authorities. Then, again, it was his father whose life was in danger. Another thing satisfied Andy that Rob knew what was best in selecting Donald for action – being brought up in a railroading family he was apt to be much better acquainted with the ways by which signals are given calculated to stop trains. Yes, Donald was the proper one to be chosen, Andy concluded, and, as usual, Rob had wisely placed “a round peg in a round hole.”

After their force had been diminished, the rest of the party continued their hunt for the hidden wire. Rob knew just about how it would be staked down as close to the earth as possible, by means of metal staples, or wickets like those used in the game of croquet, only much more diminutive. This would be done in order to prevent any passer-by from catching his foot in the wire, and thus bringing about an astonishing discovery that would break up all the plans of the plotters.

So Rob was feeling very carefully. He did not mean to miss anything while engaging in the search. He was also positive that they ought to run across the wire at any second.

But once more the breeze brought the sound of the approaching train more plainly to their ears. It was coming fast, they understood. In imagination Tubby could see the glare of the headlight in the west, though a second look convinced him he was probably mistaken, and that it was only one of the largest planets about setting below the horizon. After that he breathed freely again.

If Donald were only successful in meeting one of the guards, and could explain matters in a great hurry, a man might be sent down the track to wave a red lantern and thus stop the oncoming train. Failing in that, Donald must do the best he could with what Rob had provided for the purpose.

But even though this were done, the costly and invaluable bridge would not be saved unless that necessary wire were quickly discovered. Rob himself was beginning to feel a little worried over the matter. He thought they should have come upon it before then, unless his calculations were all awry. At the same time this did not mean he was ready to quit and call the game off, for that was hardly his way of doing things. They took more desperate chances with every foot that they drew nearer the threatened trestle, for it was impossible to say how far some of the timbers might be hurled when the explosion came, if it eventually did. That would depend altogether on the amount and concentrated energy of the explosive used; those men undoubtedly meant to do the most damage they could while about it.

Rob, in the start, could easily have covered three times as much ground as he did, and also discovered what he was looking for, had he dared use that wonderful little torch of his, which he had given to Donald. But this would have been utterly out of the question. It must have excited the suspicions of the concealed invaders, and caused them to hasten the culmination of their plans; or even, failing that, the attention of the armed guards above must have been attracted to the spot; and they were under orders to send a volley first at any moving object, and investigate afterward.

Foot by foot they continued to thoroughly comb every bit of territory over which they crept. If Rob failed to happen on the wire possibly Andy, or Zeb, or even Tubby might be the lucky one. They knew enough to understand that such a discovery was to be instantly communicated to the leader, so that he might start trying to sever communications.

Rob managed to cast frequent glances up toward the spot where he knew the solid ground was banked by a concrete wall, and the heavy beams of the trestle began. He wondered whether Donald would be as careful as he had cautioned him about showing himself, or if the boy, in his eagerness to save his father, would betray his presence by standing upright when on the embankment. So Rob was kept in a nervous state. Once he felt sure he heard a small stone rolling down the bank, possibly dislodged by the foot of the climber. He hoped that its descent had not been noticed by those men waiting in the clump of bushes toward the south; or that a vigilant member of the bridge guard would not come hurrying to the spot, ready to blaze away down the slope.

Andy had advanced a little after Donald’s departure. He was now almost alongside his chum and leader, ready to receive any necessary communication that Rob would think fit to pass along. Apparently the other saw no necessity for any exchange of opinions. He said not a word as he went on, foot by foot, feeling the dead grass, and the weeds that grew in profusion along the lower level close to the river’s verge, always hoping that the next movement would bring success.

It was Andy clutching his coat that caused Rob to look sideways, for the chum chanced to be on his left. This caused him to see what evidently Andy had reference to. Another rocket was swiftly climbing upward into the heavens; he could follow its yellow flight by the line of fire that trailed behind.

Even as he looked it described a beautiful turn and started earthward again, only to suddenly burst and discharge a swarm of writhing serpents that went wriggling this way and that until they disappeared from view.

Plainly, then, a second confederate of the plotters, on duty at another station still closer to the bridge, was endeavoring to let them know the doomed munition train was passing there, and was on its way eastward. The change from stars to serpents was significant in the eyes of Rob. But after all what did it matter, when they already knew that much? The sound of the heavy train reached them continuously, now rising higher, and anon falling to a lower pitch, but constantly in evidence.

The lay of the land compelled a closer approach to the embankment as they advanced, though Rob would much rather have kept a fair distance away, taking as little chance of danger as he consistently could. He did not yet give up hope of succeeding in his mission. At any second they were likely to discover what they sought.

Rob had it all planned out, how to cut the wire and balk the game those sneaking plotters had arranged. Perhaps he even gripped his wire-cutters in his hand, or at least knew where he could clutch them instantly when needed.

It was at this interesting time Rob felt certain he saw a dim object roll over the top of the embankment, much as a dog might do on occasion. Unless one were intently observing the particular spot where this took place the scout master did not believe Donald’s action would be noticed.

The Canadian lad had gained the goal of his hopes, and if the spirit moved him he was in a position to hurry along the up-track, so as to meet the train. Rob wished he would do this. He was sorry now he had not embodied this in his orders to Donald, instead of leaving it to his discretion. If he started to look for one of the bridge guards he was apt to waste valuable time. He also ran a great risk of being fired upon before being able to explain who he was, and tell about the amazing thing that had brought him there in the darkness of night.

Still, Rob rather fancied that this would be Donald’s plan. The great affection he bore for his father would overcome all his scruples while he climbed the bank. Rob had actually left it all to his discretion, and love would bias him along the line of least resistance. Yes, Rob believed more and more now that this was what Donald would conclude to be his duty. It gave the scout leader considerable satisfaction to think so.

After the danger was past, with the munition train halted before it reached the beginning of the trestle and the mine prevented from being discharged by the wire being cut in two – that would be time enough to explain things to the guard, running toward the stalled engine to find out what had happened to cause the sudden stop.

If all worked well, victory would be in their grasp pretty soon now; but, oh, Tubby found himself oppressed with a dreadful fear that there might come a hitch in the beautiful program, which would mean a disastrous end to all their hopes.

Was there a wire at all, he asked himself? Could it be possible for those clever German sympathizers to make use of some cunning method for discharging the mine by means of wireless? All sorts of wonderful things were cropping up every day Over There where nations were engaged in the death grapple. Who could say what might not be accomplished? Tubby remembered reading how a Yankee had proved that he could control a torpedo spinning through the water by electrical appliances similar to wireless, so that he could send it to the right or to the left as he willed and cause it to hunt after an object a mile or more distant, just as a magnet is attracted toward the North Star by some mysterious unseen power. Tubby was in a condition to believe anything, no matter how amazing.

Then the fat scout noted that once more Rob – yes, and Andy, too – had stopped short. They appeared to be examining something on the ground, and Tubby’s heart commenced to thump like mad as he speculated upon what this meant. Was it the wire they had been so industriously hunting all this while? Oh, he would willingly give all he possessed in the way of boyish treasures, could he only be assured of this and know that Rob had severed the same.

Tubby heaved a sigh of genuine relief. He had heard a low chirp, peculiar in itself and yet not at all calculated to arouse any suspicion. It was the most welcome sound that could have reached the hearing of the anxious, nerve-racked Tubby. By it he became aware that success had indeed rewarded their patient efforts. The copper wire was located at last!