"What were you trying to do?" asked Jimmie as he noted that Dave was able to stand alone and even to walk a few steps.

"Why, we were trying to give you a chance to get out of this mess,"

replied Dave. "If it hadn't been for the rotten luck that German marksman had in cutting the line by which we hung, we'd have made it, too!"

"And then the German army would surely have been defeated," put in Jimmie with a broad smile, "for without this valuable addition to his fighting forces the Kaiser would never be able to conduct this war at all properly. They need me here in the army, it seems."

"It begins to look to me as if they'll be needing me, too," added Dave.

"I'll wager a pretty penny they won't let either of us go now!"

"We'll see about that," confidently replied The Wolf. "We may have a word or two to say in our own behalf. We'll try, anyway."

"What shall we do now?" asked Dave as he brushed a bit of dust from his uniform. "We can't very well take French leave just now."

"We'd better report to von Liebknecht, who is in command here. He'll be apt to make us carry garbage away from the kitchen, but we'll have to submit to that until the opportunity for escape appears. Here he comes now. Just keep a stiff upper lip and leave the talking to me."

But von Liebknecht spared both Jimmie and Dave the necessity of making explanations. His men had already reported fully the attempted rescue of their red-headed recruit by those in the aeroplane.

A sharp order was given, and instantly the boys were being escorted toward the stables. There they were a.s.signed to tasks under the watchful eyes of certain soldiers, amongst whom Jimmie noted his erstwhile friend Otto. In the hurry and excitement of breaking camp conversation between the newly made chums was impossible.

From that moment the boys noted preparations for the departure of the regiment. Far into the night they worked side by side with the soldiers of the Imperial Kaiser, loading horses and various items of baggage and supplies into a train waiting not far distant from the camp.

By the time that the last horse had been properly placed in the cars and the last item of baggage was correctly stowed, the lads were so weary and exhausted they were glad to lay themselves on a pile of forage. In another moment they were both fast asleep.

Jimmie was wakened by the stopping of the train. He reached out a hand and touched Dave on the arm. As Dave turned and was about to rise, Jimmie slid his hands over the other's lips.

"Hush-sh-sh!" he whispered in a scarcely audible tone. "I don't know where we are. Maybe we'll have a chance to make a getaway."

"Let's try to find out where we are," replied Dave, instantly wide awake and using the same cautious tone employed by The Wolf.

Carefully the boys rose from their position and proceeded to a position where they could look from the car.

"No use!" declared Jimmie as he peered forth. "They've got the track lighted up all along the train, and there are about 'steen billion or so of soldiers patrolling the blooming train!"

"I can count up to seventeen million myself," added Dave in the same spirit. "After that I lose count on a fat one. I don't know whether to count him as two or whether I'm seeing double."

"I guess you're not seeing double at all, at all," replied Jimmie. "I think I see the same guy myself. He's certainly some big gun!"

"Which one do you mean?" queried Dave, trying to locate the one Jimmie referred to. "I can't quite make him out right now."

"That fellow over there," answered the other, pointing toward the forward end of the train. "Can't you see the big automobile that just pulled up? I saw that big guy get out of it just now."

"Sure enough!" declared Dave. "I can see the auto now, and I think I can see the man, too. Wonder who he is and what he wants."

"Probably he's only a station master or something," said Jimmie with feigned unconcern. "Maybe it's the Kaiser himself for all we know. If it is he, I'm going to scold him roundly for deserting all the perfectly good sausages in Berlin and coming way out here just to stop our perfectly good little train. Wonder what he wants."

"There they come now," went on Dave excitedly. "They're all coming along this way, and it looks as if he's going back to the caboose.

Maybe he's going to ride with us a little way."

"Can you see what they're trying to do now?" asked Jimmie.

"In just a minute I will," was the answer. "Let me get a good hold here and I'll lean out a ways from the car."

Dave grasped the side of the door and leaned far out from the carriage in which the boys were riding. Had he not done so the result might have been far different. Jimmie had only time to utter a single word of caution before he saw that his chum was slipping.

With a cry Dave tried to regain his lost balance. Finding that it was impossible to draw himself back into the car, the lad chose the only other possible course and leaped into the air in an effort to land squarely on his feet as he left the car.

In this he was successful. He came down beside the track upon his feet, turning just in time to face the approaching group.

Jimmie gazed in wonderment and amazement upon the features of the man he had previously noted. For a moment he stared speechless.

"Well, I'll be sold for a cent!" he declared as he observed the individual closely. "If it isn't the Kaiser I'll eat my hat!"

It was indeed none other than the Kaiser himself! Jimmie had recognized the man because he had seen so many pictures of the notable person who was directing the fighting forces of a great nation.

Instantly the lad recognized the fact that he was committing an act of extreme incivility in thus shouting out the ident.i.ty of so august and important a personage. Yet he also knew that it was too late to retract his statement. He therefore, with his usual air of unconcern, determined to face the matter and make the best of it.

Without waiting for further preliminaries the lad dropped to the ground and placed himself beside his comrade.

Drawing himself to his full height, the lad faced the Kaiser and saluted, using the well-known form adopted by the Boy Scouts.

Much to his astonishment, his salute was gravely returned by the other, and the party came to a halt.

"What can I do for you?" inquired the Kaiser in a not unkindly tone, dropping his hand again to his side.

"Well," began Jimmie, scarcely knowing just how he should address the man, "in the first place, we are not spies, and then, besides, we'd like to get back to the United States without any trouble."

"So?" inquired the other. "And why do you wish to go to the United States, may I ask? Is your business urgent there?"

"Not at all," replied Jimmie. "Nothing urgent about it except that we understand you are having a war over here and we don't want to get mixed up in it. That's all, and it's enough, too!"

"And you declare that you are not spies. Who has said you were?"

"Well, it seems to be the pretty general opinion that because I was found in Peremysl with a Cossack uniform on that I am a Russian," went on Jimmie. "Mr. von Liebknecht, here, seems to think that I am trying to get back to the Russian army with a lot of information that I haven't got and--oh, a whole lot of things!"

So great was the lad's excitement at an opportunity to unburden his grievances that he spoke rapidly. As he paused for breath the other looked about the group of officers. Then he said:

"This is indeed a strange circ.u.mstance. Just now the regiment is moving westward, and it is not proper that they should be delayed.

Orders have been given for their departure, and they must be obeyed.

If you will come with me we will inquire into the merits of your case and decide what shall be done. Will you do that?"

"Yes, sir, we'll be glad to," replied Jimmie, turning to Dave for confirmation. "We'll go with you."

CHAPTER XIV

BAFFLED PURSUERS