Army Boys in France; or, From Training Camp to Trenches
Page 5
CHAPTER V
A VANDAL PUNISHED
A crowd rose magically from nowhere. People came running, shouting,jostling, demanding an explanation from their neighbors, who, in turn,demanded it of them.
"It's Frank Sheldon!" shouted someone, above the uproar.
"He's making hash of a Hun!" yelled another. "Come on and see theshow, fellows--admission free!"
Through all this confusion, Bart, who had been on his way back to theoffice when attracted by the hubbub, pushed and elbowed his way throughto the first line of observers.
"What's the row, Frank?" he yelled. "Stop kneeling on that fellow'sneck and tell us about it. Look out!" as the fellow made a quick moveas though to wrench himself free from Frank's grasp. "Don't let himput one over on you."
"Don't worry!" Frank's face was grim as he rose to his feet draggingthe now thoroughly cowed German after him. "There's not a Hun in thiscountry or the old that'll be able to get away from me once I get myhands on him--not after this day's work. Do you know what he did?" Hegave his captive a ferocious shake and glared about at thestill-increasing mob. "Do you know what this yellow dog did, righthere in the country that's made him?"
"No, give it to us," shouted someone in the crowd, and the rest took itup impatiently.
"Yes, give it to us, Sheldon," they cried. "Get to the point!"
"Look at those flags," Frank cried in answer, pointing with quiveringfinger to the sullied emblems that lay in the dust where the German hadleft them. "Those are the flags of liberty, justice and right, andthis dog," his fingers tightened in the man's collar till the cravencried out with the pain of it, "dragged them down, threw them in thedust, stamped upon them--stamped upon them, fellows! And our flag, OldGlory, is among them! Do you hear that? Old Glory is among them!"
An ominous growl went up from the crowd which had been listeningbreathlessly and with growing indignation to Frank's words, and now itsurged threateningly forward.
"What are we going to do with him?" cried Frank, his eyes afire. "Whatwould you do with a cur like this?"
"Tar and feather him!" cried someone, and a score of voices took it up.
"Tar and feather him! tar and feather him!"
"Ride him out of town on a rail!"
"Aw, that's too easy," yelled another, making a megaphone of his handsso that his voice soared above even that deafening babel. "I've got agood tough rope, fellows, tough enough even for this hog here. What doyou say?"
"Lynch him! lynch him!" the cry arose deafeningly and the crowd surgedforward once more closing in upon Frank and his quivering, terrifiedcaptive.
"Out of the way, Sheldon!"
"Let's get at him!"
"Oh, mein Gott!" wailed the German, sinking on his knees and gazing upat Frank with terror-stricken face. "You will not let dem murderme--like dis--in gold blood--you will not--"
"There's not much cold blood about this," said Frank, with a glint inhis eye and another tightening of his fingers. "However, we'll let youlive a little while yet. You're not fit to die."
"Lynch him! lynch him!" the cry still rose menacingly. The crowd wasbecoming impatient.
"Wait a minute;" shouted Frank, straightening himself to his fullheight and holding up his hand compellingly. "We're not going to lynchthis man. We're going to punish him worse than that."
The German's face, which had grown hopeful at the beginning of Frank'sspeech, resumed its terrified expression and he sank back despairingly.
The shouts and cries of the crowd had settled down now to a muttering,murmuring, undertone so that Frank's voice rose clear and determinedabove it.
"First of all," he said, while the crowd surged forward in mingleddisappointment and eagerness, "he's going to pick up the flags he hasdared insult, dust them off carefully and restore them to their formerposition."
The crowd shouted its delight at the suggestion, while the German'sface grew sullen and he looked stolidly at the ground.
"I vill not do it," he muttered.
"What's that?" queried Frank politely, while his knuckles dug deep intohis captive's neck. "I'm afraid I didn't quite understand you. If youwill repeat--"
"I said I vould not do it," cried the German, with a sudden flare up ofhis old rage and hatred. "Und vat I say I mean."
"But I'm sure you will change your mind," Frank answered still gently,while the crowd watched eagerly. "Within the next minute I am almostsure you are going to pick up the flags, dust them off neatly and putthem back where you found them. If a little pressure is needed, why, Iam always willing to oblige."
A sharp twist of the collar he held brought a guttural cry of pain fromthe Prussian and a crow of delight from the crowd.
"More yet?" queried Frank with another twist that brought the man tohis knees whimpering. "Or will you do what I suggested?"
"I will do it," growled the German, hatred and pain in the glance heflung his captor. "Led me go und I vill do it."
"Good," said Frank. "I'll let you do it but I won't let you go. Ilove you too much. Right this way."
The crowd gave way before the advance of captor and captive, and beforethem all the German was forced to pick up the flags, dust them to theentire satisfaction of his gleeful audience, and, with Frank's knucklesstill urging him on, replace them to the best of his clumsy ability ashe had found them.
With the flags of the triple alliance floating once more proudly in thebreeze, the throng sent up a mighty shout. Hats were thrown in the airand cries were heard.
"That's Old Glory for you! The more they try to down her the higher upshe flies!"
"That's what the whole German nation's going to do when we get our boysover there!"
"We'll make 'em tremble in their boots!"
"And now," cried Frank, "our German friend will stand at salute andsing the Star Spangled Banner with all the expression I know his lovefor our country will prompt."
The German balked again but under the same gentle pressure as beforesang in husky tones and guttural accents the stirring measures of ournational hymn.
"And last of all," shouted Frank, while the throng, wild with delight,surged forward once more, "our dear enemy will, with all the reverencedue the greatest flag in the world, kneel here in the dust and kiss theStars and Stripes. Now then, kneel."
"I vill not," cried the German, trying to wrench himself free. "Youcannot force me--"
"We'll see about that," said Frank, while the crowd grew threateningonce more. "Will you do it--or shall I make you?"
"I will not do it," the Prussian reiterated stubbornly. "I have doneall the rest but dat I vill not."
"Kiss the flag," cried Frank, now thoroughly aroused, his knucklesshowing white as they gripped his captive's collar. "Come on--we'rewaiting."
Slowly and relentlessly he forced the German to his knees, and drivenby pain and fear of the mob his captive finally touched his lips to theflag.
"And now," cried Frank, flinging the Prussian from him and dusting offhis hands as though they were polluted, "make yourself scarce. Butremember after this to respect the American flag. Americans are behindit!"
The crowd pushed and jostled the disheveled vandal as he slunk away andthen, after cheering Frank, gradually dispersed.
"Boy, it was neat work!" cried Bart, as the two friends crossed thestreet together. "Coming on to the office?"
"No, I've got to see mother first and straighten my tie," grinnedFrank. "I'll probably catch up to you though. So long."
Frank found his mother awaiting him with outstretched arms.
"Oh, my boy," she cried, "you were splendid! If you will wait just alittle while till our affairs are more settled I will not say a word toyour joining the army. If all Germans are like that--"
"They are, Mother," replied Frank, grimly. "Germany is a nation of menlike him. What he did to our flags the whole Prussian empire is tryingto do to the world."
"Then you must go!" cried his mother, holding him from her andregarding
him with flaming eyes. "Because I love my son, I will givehim--for my dear France and for America!"