Читать книгу: «The Boy Scouts at the Canadian Border», страница 12

CHAPTER XXIII
IN SWIFT PURSUIT

Tubby grunted.

He immediately understood that Rob did not mean to include him in the party that was to try and cut the invaders off before they could recross the boundary line. Really, Tubby did not know whether to be glad or sorry. To be sure, he always wanted to have a hand in everything patriotic that was going on, which might reflect credit on the scout uniform; and in one way he would have dearly delighted in being present, should those unknown plotters be brought to book. But then it promised to prove an arduous undertaking, since all possible haste must be made; and this would necessitate driving through the brush with utter disregard as to who was tagging along at the rear of the procession, a place Tubby occupied about ten times out of ten.

Well, to be philosophical, Tubby concluded to calmly abide by whatever decision Rob arrived at. As scout leader he ought to know what was best for all concerned, and really it would be much more comfortable sitting there with the bridge guards and chatting, rather than butting up against unseen trees and getting “the map of Ireland” scratched on his face by a score of thorny bushes.

The train conductor could not think of accompanying them, though he generously told Rob to keep the lantern; this trifling sacrifice was the least thing he could do to show his deep gratitude, for it looked as though his life might have paid the penalty, only for the valor of these three scouts and Donald.

The engineer had to return with him, too, and there was an affectionate parting between Mr. McGuffey and his boy; for, despite his lame leg, Donald – that stubborn Scotch blood showing again – had concluded that he, too, wanted to be in the chase.

So Rob, Andy, Zeb and Donald, together with the lieutenant and two of his men, started off in hot haste. Too many precious minutes had already been taken up with this hunt for the hidden mine; the panic-stricken fugitives by now must be well on their way toward the border, and unless the pursuers were smart they would never overtake them in time.

One thing was in their favor: The men from the other side could not be very well acquainted with the locality. They had been able to reach the vicinity of the trestle and the bridge which they had doomed for destruction by making use of the map drawn and the aerial photographs taken by the pilot of the aeroplane, that had hovered over the railway embankment on that occasion witnessed by the scouts; but now that this near-panic had gripped them, there was a chance of becoming twisted in their bearings and losing their way.

Tubby went back to the bridge, and, making friends with several young fellows, he quickly won a way to their regard by his chummy manner. Tubby never lacked for friends because his warm heart quickly aroused a feeling of reciprocation. He was soon seated, with a number of deeply interested fellows in uniform, telling of the amazing things he, Rob and Merritt Crawford had seen – yes, and been engaged in also – when across the water in the fighting zones of Belgium and France. As none of these sturdy sons of Canada had as yet crossed, and they were all deeply interested in everything connected with the ferocious warfare going on over the sea, it can be readily understood that Tubby soon lost his humorous aspect in their eyes, induced by his rotund figure, and became a genuine hero.

Meanwhile the train had once more started, crossing the bridge in safety, thanks to the work of Rob and his chums. It was soon miles away from the danger point, heading toward the blue sea, to have its million-dollar cargo stowed in the holds of various steamers bound for the direction of the fighting fronts.

Since Rob had elected to accompany the hunting party, it must be our duty to keep track of the doings of this detachment. Donald and Zeb were called upon once more to exercise their judgment with regard to reaching the border by the shortest possible route. This would be the very path over which they had come; and in a short time Rob, upon using the lantern, decided that the fugitives had made use of another route, for there was no sign of tracks heading south. He could easily pick out their own footprints, especially those plain ones made by Tubby; but in no instance were they superseded by fresher tracks.

This did not discourage them in the least. In fact, Donald declared he felt sure he knew how the fugitives would go, as there was only a choice between two trails, unless they lost themselves and wandered aimlessly to and fro.

Somewhere close to the border he declared it would be possible for them to make a swift turn and cut across to the other trail, upon hearing which the officer displayed considerable satisfaction.

“That sounds well to me, Donald,” he told the engineer’s son. “Put us where we can lie in ambush and surprise those fiends, and you will be doing your country the greatest possible service. I would willingly give five years of my own life for an opportunity to take those rascals and show the curs who plot to ruin our cause what it means to invade Canada from a friendly country.”

Rob, in a measure, could feel for the officer. His own indignation had kept growing the more he considered what the probable result of an explosion must have been, with that train on the trestle at the time. Yes, while scouts were not supposed to take sides with either party in the great war being waged – and Rob had shown on several notable occasions that he had a warm feeling for the German people, much as he hated the methods by means of which their leaders were conducting the campaign of frightfulness – at the same time he considered that these plotters had by their action placed themselves outside the pale of scout law. Rob looked upon them not as heroes daring deadly perils for the sake of their beloved Fatherland, but in the light of cowardly schemers who would creep up and do a terrible crime without taking any great risk themselves.

As haste was the chief object now, everything else had to give way to this one thing. It was entirely different from their former advance along this trail – when they did not know what dangers lurked about them and were compelled to move along in the semi-darkness, almost groping their way at times. Now with that lantern showing them all obstacles they made rapid progress. Besides, it almost seemed to Rob as though he were familiar with the route.

Then again a little later Rob came around to look at things in still another light. He was not inclined to be bloodthirsty, as a rule, and since the great plot had failed, perhaps it might be just as well if the men escaped. They could spread the disastrous story among their kind in the States, and thus discourage any renewal of similar activities.

They were making good time. Even Donald, limping along, managed to keep his proud position as leader of the expedition. The praise that had come his way of late, from his own father as well as others, had acted like a bracing tonic upon his entire system, and encouraged him to make further drafts upon his physical strength.

Andy, leaving all the labor of following the path to those in the lead, devoted himself to keeping a wary eye upon the surrounding forest. He cherished a faint hope that possibly the fugitives, having become lost, might think to go into camp; and if they were incautious enough to start a fire Andy wanted to be the one to spy it out first.

Nothing happened up to the time when they glimpsed that rocky cairn which marks the dividing line between Canada and the United States.

“Here is the border, sir,” said Donald to the lieutenant, “and ye ken the ither trail lies yonder toward the east. If so be we gang awa’ ower that way it is probable that we may run across the wretches.”

“Then let us start without any more delay, Donald,” decided the officer.

“Do you think, Donald,” ventured Rob, “that you can take us there without the use of this lantern? If we keep on as we are going, I’m afraid they will glimpse the light and give us the slip. How about it, Donald?”

“Oh, ay, it will nae be so verra hard, I ween,” instantly replied the confident young Canadian, as the scout master anticipated he would. So the light was “doused,” and they continued their forward movement with only the stars to afford any illumination.

They turned abruptly to the left, and headed into the east. Donald assured them that about this point the other trail did not lie more than two-thirds of a mile away; and he felt pretty positive they would be able to make it before the fugitives, stumbling along in the half-darkness, could get there.

At first they found it rather difficult walking, for their eyes had become accustomed to the assistance given by the train conductor’s splendid lantern, and there were more or less frequent collisions with trees and stumps and unseen rocks. But by degrees this difficulty was removed, and the accidents became less numerous.

Andy was once more feeling that prickly sensation commencing to chase along his spine, such as approaching excitement always engendered. Andy was not thinking along the same lines as Rob. He really yearned to see the rascals pay the penalty. Andy would not have been at all concerned could he see them fall into the hands of the military authorities of Canada, even knowing that in times of war they must be taken before a court-martial and in all probability would be condemned to be summarily shot by a firing squad.

Once again Andy was using his eyes in the endeavor to make some sort of pleasing discovery. He wanted to shine more in the limelight; thus far circumstances had not been kind to him, for he had not been permitted to take a leading part in anything that had occurred; and Andy was ambitious.

They had been moving on for some time without anything happening, when he suddenly had a distinct thrill. What could that faint glow mean that he had just discovered ahead? It was true that it lay somewhat to the right, and Andy imagined this might mean American territory instead of that belonging to Canada; but then who would know the difference, and if the prisoners were carried back to the railway there would never be any proof that they had been taken on foreign soil.

Andy had a brief struggle in his mind over this, and then he decided that under the circumstances it would be easily justifiable; at any rate, far be it from him to venture to call the circumstance to the attention of the officer in charge of the pursuit. If the lieutenant chose to take it upon himself to consider that they were still north of the line, why, so it must go on the records.

Having salved his conscience in this rather elastic fashion, which was quite wrong in a scout, though Andy would not allow himself to believe it, the boy concluded to direct the attention of his companions to the glow as soon as he detected it again.

This happened a minute or so later, and Andy, having figured out his course, hastened to remark eagerly:

“Rob, look over there to the right, will you? That must mean a camp fire is burning back of some mound or clump of thick brush, wouldn’t you think?”

Every one looked. It was evidently the consensus of opinion, to judge from the various remarks that arose, that Andy was correct. Undoubtedly a small fire was burning in that quarter, and what more likely than that the fugitives, believing themselves safe across the border, had decided to halt and repair such damages as they may have suffered during their mad flight through the dark woods?

CHAPTER XXIV
THOSE WHO SAT BY THE FIRE

“They must have made better time than we gave them credit for,” Andy went on to say, in his conclusive fashion, as though there could be no doubt about the matter. “But,” he continued, with a queer chuckle, “after all, they’ve been silly enough to stop short and go into camp. Now’s our chance to give ’em the greatest surprise going.”

Apparently Andy had convinced himself that the fire was on the Canadian side of the line. Since it was more or less of a mythical division, how were they to know the exact point of separation? Besides, those scheming men, who never once regarded the sacrifice of human life as worth weighing in the balance, when trying to strike at Great Britain in such a cowardly way, deserved little, if any, consideration.

If any doubt existed in Rob’s mind regarding the situation he said nothing about it. With that lieutenant present Rob felt in no way responsible for affairs. He, too, was under orders now, and the success or failure of the plan of campaign rested wholly on the young officer’s shoulders.

“We will try to surprise them,” remarked the other; “and no time should be lost in going about it. If you three boys will keep alongside me as we advance, we can arrange a plan, for I shall certainly be glad of your efficient help.”

Rob thought that was nicely put. It looked as though the military defender of the bridge had indeed radically altered the first opinion he entertained in connection with the scouts. Well, Rob Blake was the last fellow in the wide world to bear any animosity toward another on account of first impressions, which he knew only too well were often wrong.

Accordingly they made a start, but a warning was also issued begging every one to be extra careful how he stumbled, lest the unwonted sound reach the ears of those by the fire, and as they would naturally be suspicious of every unusual noise, the consequences might be disastrous to their success.

When he came to discuss the merits of the situation with the lieutenant, and in turn was told what the other meant to do, Rob conceived a growing admiration for the young fellow. He really believed the other must have a most capable head on his shoulders; and it was also apparent to observing Rob that he showed positive signs of considerable military genius. In private life he may only have been a bank clerk in Montreal, or a Government employee in Ottawa; but after being called out in defense of his country he had plainly taken it upon himself to sink all else in the one overpowering fact that he was now a soldier, and must give up his whole mind to studying military tactics.

He really laid out quite a neat little plan of attack, whereby Zeb and the two soldiers could creep around to the other side of the fire so as to cut off any possible escape on the part of the fugitives brought to bay. Rob understood why the Maine guide had been selected in this manner; apparently the officer felt that Zeb would know just how to lead the two privates, so that they might manage to get around on the longer route without creating an alarm. He may himself have had experience with woods guides, and appreciated their accomplishments.

So Zeb and the two men went off. The others were to loiter a bit in order to give them a chance to cover the extra ground. A simple code of signals had also been arranged between the two parties, so that they could communicate with one another. In this fashion the officer had taken it upon himself to be in a position to order a general advance on both sides, when he thought the proper moment had come.

Rob heard all this, and his admiration increased. He was pleased to serve under such a smart head. Some upstarts, vested with a brief authority by the circumstance of war, would have strutted, and posed, and tried to show how consequential they could be; but this chap was of the right sort. Rob was willing to wager that he must come from good stock, and that some of his immediate ancestors had won their spurs on the field of Waterloo, or some place where British soldiers fought stubbornly and with bulldog courage against great odds.

As they advanced the fire began to be seen more frequently, though the undulating nature of the intervening ground often caused it to remain concealed for a brief stretch of time. Andy and Rob, as well as Donald, were greatly interested in what they were about to see. They had had these plotters in their minds so much of late that naturally a most intense curiosity had been aroused concerning their identity.

Andy had invested them with almost supernatural powers and attributes. If all the thoughts that flitted through his active mind could be condensed into a concrete whole, those by the fire were apt to assume gigantic proportions indeed, and prove pretty dangerous customers for even half a dozen armed aggressors to attack.

But when Andy showed a disposition to hurry on faster than prudence would dictate, he was gently but firmly repressed by the lieutenant, a fact Rob noted with satisfaction.

They did not speak any more than was absolutely necessary, and then only in the softest of whispers. It was no time for comparing opinions, even Andy understood that much; consequently he was compelled to hold all his communications with himself.

Then there came the time when they began to detect moving figures about the fire, and this increased their interest. They could manage to make out just two men, one inclined to be tall, and as swarthy as an Indian, the other rather portly, though also of a generous size.

Well, so far as that went the boys had guessed before then that the number of those actually engaged in the work of trying to dynamite the railway span would turn out to be two, though they might have confederates scattered around the country, instructed to send them signals, it might be, or advise of any suspicious fact going to tell that the authorities were extra vigilant, as if having been warned that special danger menaced the bridge.

The closer they drew the more violently did Andy’s heart pump. His excitement kept on growing by leaps and bounds. This, then, was to be the culmination of the remarkable adventure that had come to them so unsolicited during their visit to the woods of northern Maine. He wondered whether these two men were going to resist arrest, even when outnumbered three to one. That they were desperate characters went without saying, and they must know what their fate was likely to be, once the military authorities of Canada had them in their hands.

So Andy fingered his gun, and made up his mind how far he would be justified in using it under the conditions. As a scout, he had no business to seek glory such as a soldier would seek to attain; and yet there may be occasions when even a peace-loving scout, bound by the vows of his order, must display loyalty and courage, and be ready to defend the weak against a bully. He should also, Andy felt confident, be prompt to stand up for the laws of neutrality, and consider it his bounden duty to aid the authorities of a neighboring community to stop any bold raid that threatened to disrupt the peace.

Yes, it must be admitted that impulsive Andy was about ready to make stern use of his gun, if the occasion demanded such a necessity. He could aim so as to only wound the fellow at whom he fired; that was the extent his activity in the affair ought to reach, Andy decided, though for that matter, if the conspirators were bound to be set up before a firing squad anyhow they would be no worse off if they paid the full debt now.

The lieutenant interrupted his reflections, grim as they were becoming, nor was Andy sorry for it. Drawing their heads close together, the officer gave his last orders in the ears of his three followers. He had decided that they would stand a far better chance of advancing close in, without the risk of discovery, if they veered a little to the left, and then continued to creep up.

Rob saw that the scheme was a good one, for in that quarter lay a fringe of bushes that seemed dense enough to effectually conceal their movements. Once behind this barrier, they would feel more free to move as they pleased. It seemed that these accommodating bushes kept right on until only fifty feet away from the fire itself.

Really nothing better could have been devised. If he had had the management of the scheme in his own hands, Rob did not see how he could have improved upon the lieutenant’s plan of action.

By now it was probable that Zeb and the two privates were nearing their post, having crept around the camp as ordered. In good time the signals arranged for could be exchanged, to make sure that all was ready; then the command to rise up and advance would be next in order – after that it depended on the state of desperation that would assail the fugitives whether any fighting must ensue, or the capture be carried out without bloodshed.

As the quartette of creepers drew near the terminus of the bush fringe they grew more and more cautious. By now they had reached a point so close to the fire that they plainly heard some one give vent to a laugh. This would seemingly indicate that while the plotters might be a desperate lot, at the same time their recent escapade had not entirely demoralized them. Andy felt a strange sensation creeping over him. He knew it could not be fear, because Andy always boasted that he had never experienced such a silly thing in all his life; and certainly there was no occasion for it now; indeed, the boot was on the other foot, and it should be these two trapped rascals who hovered near a condition of collapse after their recent narrow escape, and with peril still overshadowing them.

When Andy first peered out between the bushes he anticipated seeing a pair of desperadoes who, by their fierce appearance, would have shamed all the villains depicted on the screen at the movies. He had quite a shock when he discovered that nothing of the sort greeted his vision. In fact, had Andy happened on this camp by accident, knowing nothing about the bold raid across the border, he would never have suspected that two such dreadful villains could masquerade under such ordinary exteriors.

One of the men was tall and dark, with straight black hair, and a certain dignified way of doing his menial duties, for he was actually washing up a few tin dishes at the time – no, Andy corrected himself, for a second look told him these were of aluminum ware, the most expensive outfit any camper can purchase, and much preferable to any other on account of extreme lightness.

Well, at any rate, those terrible German sympathizers knew a good thing when they saw it, Andy decided. They had come prepared to stay out in the woods for days, if need be, until they received word, perhaps by aeroplane messenger, that an unusually heavy shipment of munitions had started east, and would arrive at a certain night in the neighborhood of the threatened bridge. Oh, it was very easy for clever Andy to figure all this out, and he secretly admired the way in which the two men had arranged things. They had prepared this camp beforehand, meaning to fly to its shelter after accomplishing the destruction of both bridge and train.

As to the second man, he puzzled Andy the most. The dark-faced member of the pair looked capable of any sort of crime, but that other chap certainly must be out of his element when engaging in such a dastardly act; for he laughed heartily and looked most genial as he sat there with his hands locked about his knees and watched the other handling the camp cooking outfit.