by E. J. Craine
CHAPTER XXIII
OFF FOR GERMANY
Whether it was Tom's news or Jack's natural health was not made clear,but something certainly caused Jack Parmly to recover strength much morerapidly then the surgeons had believed possible, so that he was able toleave the hospital soon after Tom's visit.
"And now I want you to explain what you meant by saying we were to goover the Rhine," Jack insisted to his chum. "I've been wondering andthinking about it ever since you mentioned it, but none of them wouldtell me a thing."
"No, I reckon not," chuckled Tom.
"Why, you old sphinx?"
"Because they didn't know. It's a secret."
"Can you tell me?"
"Sure! Because you're going to be in it if you are strong enough."
"Strong enough? Of course I'll be! Why, I'm feeling better every minute!Now you go ahead and relieve my anxiety. But first tell me--have you hadany news of your father?"
Tom shook his head.
"Not a word," he answered. "I'm beginning to feel that he has beencaptured by the Germans."
"That's bad," murmured Jack. "And now, have you heard anything about--"
"Bessie and her mother?" finished Tom, breaking in on his chum'squestion with a laugh. "Yes, I'm glad I can give you good news there.They are all right, and I have a letter from Bessie for you. She wantsyou to come and see her."
"You have a letter? Why didn't you give it to me before? You fish!"
"It just came. And so did news about their safety."
"Then the spy didn't get 'em after all."
"Oh, yes, he got 'em all right! But he bungled the job, or rather,Bessie bungled it for him. They were rescued, and the spy was locked up.We're to go to Paris to see them. They'll tell us all about it then."
"But what has that to do with our going over the Rhine?"
"Nothing. We're to go to Paris for a rest, and to get in shape for a bigeffort against the Germans. I'll tell you about it."
"Forge ahead, then."
Tom got up to look at the doors and windows of the French cottage backof the lines, where Jack had been moved to complete his recovery. Tomand Jack, after the sensational raid, had been given leave of absence.
"I just want to make sure no one hears what I say, for it's a deadsecret yet," Tom went on. "But this is the plan. The French have severalof the biggest and newest Italian planes--planes that can carry half adozen men and lots of ammunition. Our aerodrome is going to be shiftedto the Alsace-Lorraine front, and from there, where the distance toGerman territory is shorter than from here, we are to go over the Rhineand bombard some of their ammunition and arms factories, and alsorailroad centers, if we can reach 'em."
"Good!" cried Jack. "I'm with you from the fall of the hat!"
"First you've got to build up a little," stated Tom. "There is no greatrush about this Rhine-crossing expedition. A lot of plans have to beperfected, and we've got to try out the Italian plane. And, before that,we are to go to Paris."
"Who says so?"
"Major de Trouville. He's greatly pleased with the result of the raid onthe big German guns, and says we're entitled to a vacation. Also heknows I want to make some more inquiries about my father. But I fearthey will be useless," and Tom sighed.
"And are we to go to see Mrs. Gleason?" asked Jack.
"Yes. And Bessie, too. They'll tell us all that happened."
A few days later, having received the necessary papers, Tom and Jackwere once more on their way to the capital. And this time they did not,with others, have to suffer the danger and annoyance of the long-rangebombardment. It was over for a time, but there was no guarantee that theGermans would not renew it as soon as they could repair the damage doneto their giant cannons.
The boys found Bessie and her mother in lodgings in a quiet part ofParis, and were met with warm greetings. Then the Gleasons told theirstory.
They had been inveigled out of their lodgings by the false note from theboys, and had immediately been taken in charge by the spy, who, it wasproved, was an agent of the infamous Potzfeldt. But Bessie, afterseveral days' captivity in an obscure part of the great city, managed todrop a letter out of the window, asking for help.
The police were communicated with, and not only rescued Mrs. Gleason andher daughter, but caught the spy as well, and secured with him paperswhich enabled a number of Germany's ruthless secret service agents to bearrested.
It was because of the necessity for keeping this part of the work quietthat no word of the rescue of Bessie and her mother was sent to the boysuntil after the big gun raid.
There was much to be talked about when the friends met once more, andMrs. Gleason said she and Bessie were going back to the United States assoon as they could, to get beyond the power of Potzfeldt.
As Tom had feared, there was no news of his father, but he did not yetgive up all hope.
"If he's a prisoner there's a chance to rescue him," he said.
The time spent in Paris seemed all too short, and it came to an endsooner than the boys wished. Jack was almost himself again, though helimped slightly from one of the German bullets in his leg. There wasevery hope, however, that this would pass away in time.
Good-byes were said to Bessie and her mother, and once more the two AirService boys reported to their aerodrome. There they found not one, buttwo, of the big Italian machines, which are capable of long flight,carrying loads that even the most ponderous bombing plane would beunable to rise with.
Preparations for the bold dash into the enemy's country went onsteadily and swiftly. Tom and Jack were trained in the management of thebig birds of the air, and though it was essentially different from whatthey had been used to in the Nieuports and the Caudrons, they soonmastered the knack of it, and became among the most expert.
"I believe I made no mistake when I picked them to be part of theraiding force," said Major de Trouville.
"Indeed you did not," agreed Lieutenant Laigney. "Their work indiscovering the big guns, and their help in silencing them, showed whatsort of boys they are."
And finally the day came when those who were to take part in the raidacross the Rhine were to proceed to a point within the French lines fromwhich the start was to be made.
Other Italian planes would await them there, and there they wouldreceive final instructions.
They bade farewell to their comrades in Camp Lincoln, and were givenfinal hand-shakes, while more than one, struggling to repress hisemotion wished them "_bonne chance_!"
This raid against one of the largest and most important of the Germanfactory and railroad sections had long been contemplated and detailselaborately worked out for it. The start was to be made from the nearestpoint in French-occupied territory, and it was calculated that the bigItalian machines could start early in the evening, cross the Rhine,reach their objective by midnight, drop the tons of bombs and be backwithin the French lines by morning.
Such, at least, was the hope. Whether it would be realized was a matterof anxious conjecture.
At last all was in readiness. The final examinations of the machines andtheir motors had been made and the supplies and bombs were in place.
"Attention!" called the commander. "Are you ready?"
"Ready!" came from Tom, who was in command of one machine.
"Ready!" answered Haught, who was in charge of the second.
"Then go, and may good fortune go with you!"
There was a roar of the motors, and the big, ponderous machines startedfor Germany.
Would they ever reach it?