Boy Allies with Haig in Flanders; Or, the Fighting Canadians of Vimy Ridge

by Clair W. Hayes

  CHAPTER VIII

  HAL GETS THE LIST

  When Hal and McKenzie stopped in the entrance way upon finding that thedoor was locked, Hal took from the little grip he carried a longskeleton key. This had been procured for him by Mrs. Schweiring, andHal knew that it would unlock almost any door.

  To gain entrance to the house, therefore, was but the matter of aninstant.

  From his grip again Hal produced a small flashlight, with which helighted their way. Thanks to the lad's previous visit to the house, heknew right where he was going, so there was no time lost in search.

  Straight to the large safe in the general's private office Hal led theway. There he passed the light to McKenzie and placed the grip on thefloor.

  "No chance it has been left unlocked, I guess," the lad muttered."However, I'll try it."

  He shook the handle. The safe was locked.

  "As I thought," said Hal. "Well, the rest will take time. Turn thelight on the lock, McKenzie."

  McKenzie obeyed.

  From his grip Hal took an ordinary cake of soap. This he proceeded torub around the lock and stuff into the cracks. This done to hissatisfaction, he stepped back and surveyed his work.

  "All right, I guess," he said. "I never tackled anything like thisbefore, but I think I know how it's done."

  The next article he produced from the grip was a small vial. One looktold McKenzie what it was. It contained nitroglycerine. This Halpoured under the edge of the safe. Then he attached a fuse and lightedit. Immediately he threw a heavy blanket, which was the last articlethe grip contained, over the safe to muffle the sound of the explosionthat would occur in a few moments.

  "Get back in the corner and crouch down, McKenzie," said Hal, and didthe same thing himself.

  At that moment there was a crash in the adjoining room. Hal's revolverleaped out, as did McKenzie's, and both dashed into the room. McKenzieflashed the light across the floor, and there, just getting to herfeet, was Gladys.

  "Quick! You must fly!" she cried. "General Rentzel is on his way andwill be here at any moment."

  The fuse in the other room was burning fast, as Hal knew. The laddetermined, in that instant, that he would not leave the house withoutgetting the list for which he had come.

  He pulled Gladys back into the room where the fuse was fast burning tothe safe. McKenzie followed, and the three crouched down.

  A moment and there was a muffled explosion, followed by a flash offire. Smoke filled the room. With a cry to the others to stay wherethey were, Hal dashed to the safe. It was as he hoped. The door hadbeen blown clear.

  Quickly Hal explored the contents of the safe. Then he gave a cry ofdelight. His hand encountered what he felt sure was the book hesought. He ran across the room with it to where McKenzie held theflashlight and by its glow examined his prize.

  It was the list he sought.

  Hal hesitated one moment, and then he pressed the book into the handsof Gladys.

  "Quick!" he said. "Out the window with you. Give this to Chester andtell him to get out of Berlin at once. Tell him he will be followedbut that he must get through."

  "But you--"' protested Gladys.

  There came the sound of rapid footsteps in the next room. Hal pickedGladys up in his arms, carried her to the window, and dropped her tothe ground as he said in a low voice:

  "To hesitate means failure. Do as I say and quickly."

  He returned to McKenzie's side. When he reached there McKenzieextinguished his light.

  "Well, we've got the list," he said quietly.

  "We have," Hal agreed, "but our lives probably will pay the forfeit.We must stay here until we are discovered. To follow Gladys would meanher capture."

  "We won't have to wait long," said McKenzie grimly. "Here they come."

  It was true.

  Footsteps came toward them. Suddenly the room burst into light assomeone pressed an electric, light button. General Rentzel strode intothe room.

  His eyes fell upon Hal and McKenzie immediately. He said nothing, butgazed about. Then he saw the shattered safe. He dashed forward with acry and examined the interior, carefully. Then his face turned whiteas he faced Hal.

  "The list," he said in a hoarse voice, "where is it?"

  Hal smiled.

  "Where you will never get it, I hope," he replied quietly.

  General Rentzel strode forward with a shout.

  "They are spies! Seize them, men!" he cried.

  Hal's right arm shot out and the chief of the German secret servicesprawled on the floor.

  "To the stairs!" Hal cried to McKenzie.

  The Canadian needed no urging. Two German soldiers fell to the floorunder his quick blows and then McKenzie joined Hal on the steps whichfled upward from the rear of the room.

  Hall produced a revolver. McKenzie did likewise.

  "The first man who moves dies!" cried Hal, as he moved his revolverfrom side to side.

  The men below, of whom there were perhaps a dozen, stood still.Apparently each was afraid to make the first move.

  General Rentzel sat up and wiped his face with a handkerchief.

  "Shoot them!" he cried.

  From the rear of the crowd there was a flash of fire and a report. Abullet sped over Hal's head. McKenzie's revolver flashed and a Germanfell to rise no more.

  At this moment McKenzie took command.

  "Up the steps!" he cried.

  Hal realized that to hesitate meant instant death. He was, perhaps,two steps above McKenzie, and he covered the rest in two leaps. Therehe stopped and covered the room. He was in position to protectMcKenzie's retreat.

  McKenzie also leaped to the top step, and there, for a moment, theywere out of the line of fire. To reach them it was necessary for theGermans to stand directly in front of the steps, and there was no manbelow who felt called upon to face this certain death, in spite of thehoarse commands of General Rentzel.

  But in a situation like this could not last long. Other officers andsoldiers, aroused by the explosion appeared on the scene. Hal realizedthat their predicament was desperate. With a cry to McKenzie, Haldarted back along the hall, turned into the first room he saw, flungopen the window and leaped to the ground.

  McKenzie was close behind him.

  Hal led the way along the street at a rapid walk, with McKenzie at hisheels. The lad turned down several side streets, doubling occasionallyon his tracks in an effort to throw off possible pursuers. As theydrew farther away from the house where they had been discovered theyencountered fewer and fewer people. Apparently the sound of theexplosion had not reached here.

  They were safe for the moment and Hal breathed easier.

  "Hope Chester has a good start," he said to McKenzie in a low voice.

  "He should have by this time," was the reply. "They figure, of course,that we have the list."

  Hal would have replied, but as they passed a house at that moment a manstepped from the door. Hal uttered an exclamation of pure amazement.

  The newcomer was dressed in costume that he had worn since the warbegan. He looked much as upon the night that Hal first saw him. Hepaid no attention to Hal and McKenzie at first, but Hal brought himabout with a word.

  "Stubbs!"

  It was indeed the little war correspondent of whose presence in GermanyHerr Block had told the three friends before they left Holland.

  Stubbs wheeled sharply. He saw Hal and turned pale.

  "Hello--hello, Hal," he gasped. "Wh--what are you doing here?"

  "Is that your house?" demanded Hal, indicating the one from whichStubbs had just emerged.

  "Yes; why?"

  "Then we'll go in with you," said Hal quietly.

  "But I don't want to go in," declared Stubbs.

  "But we do," said Hal. "Meet my friend, McKenzie, Stubbs."

  "I don't want to meet him," declared Stubbs. "I tell you I'm in dangerhere."

  "So are we," said Hal. "That's the reason we're going t
o takeadvantage of your hospitality. Come on in, Stubbs. We've got to getout of this country."

  "I'll never get out alive now that you've showed up," Stubbs mumbled.

  But he led the way inside.