Part 31 (1/2)

For what the general had written was a safe-conduct for both lads to the Belgian lines; and the signature at the bottom was that of General Count Von Moltke, commander-in-chief of all the German armies!

Hal stepped forward.

”General,” he stammered, ”we--I--we don't know how to thank you.”

The general raised a hand and said gruffly:

”Never mind that.” The faint shadow of a smile flitted over his stern countenance. ”I suppose,” he continued, ”that you are wondering why I do this, after what occurred in the station at Berlin. It is so, is it not?”

”It is very strange,” muttered Chester, and Hal nodded his head in a.s.sent.

”Well, I'll tell you,” said the general. ”You remember when I pushed you away from the train?” he queried, turning to Hal.

Hal nodded.

”When I turned round after that, feeling greatly pleased with myself, I noticed, for the first time, the presence of a lady in my compartment.

She looked at me in the greatest contempt. It confused me; and I am not easily confused.

”Then she told me that she was your mother, and, you may believe, berated me most wonderfully. She didn't cry, nor go into hysterics, which made a great impression on me. Most mothers would. I felt decidedly uncomfortable.

”I realized that I had acted like a boor. We had gone some distance, but I had the train stopped and backed into the station. You were not there.

I telephoned your amba.s.sador. You had been there and gone. We were unable to find you.

”I prevailed upon your mother to continue her journey to Brussels. I issued an order to all my generals to keep a lookout for you and give you safe-conduct into Belgium. It seems, however, that none of them recognized you, or that you kept out of sight.

”I promised your mother I would get you out of the country in some way, and she was greatly relieved. She knew I would do it. That's all there is to the story. Now, I don't know what you lads were doing when you were captured, and I don't want to know. If you are mixed up in this war in any way, I don't want to know anything about it; but, if you are, take my advice and go home to America. As I say, I don't want to know what you have been doing since you left Berlin. It might force me to change my att.i.tude. I promised your mother I would get you out of Germany, and I shall do it.”

Hal and Chester were greatly surprised by this recital, and both boys thanked the general as well as they could.

The general stepped to the entrance of his hut, and raised his hand. An officer entered and came to a salute.

”I have given these two lads safe-conduct into the Belgian lines,” said the general. ”See that they get there in safety.”

”Yes, general,” said the officer.

The general turned to the two boys.

”You would better go now,” he said.

He extended his hand, and both boys grasped it heartily.

”Good luck to you,” he called, as they followed the officer from the hut; ”my regards to your mother.”

And that was the last the boys saw of the commander-in-chief of all the armed hosts of Germany.

Straight through the great German camp the officer led the boys swiftly.

At the farthest outposts he halted, and signaled another officer.

”Lieutenant,” he commanded, ”take a flag of truce and escort these boys to the Belgian lines. They have been given safe-conduct by General Von Moltke.”