The Boy Allies in Great Peril Part 21

"Go ahead, sir," said Hal.

Uncle John climbed to the sill, and then lowered himself until he hung by his hands.

"Here I go," he said.

He dropped.

"He's safe enough," said Chester, peering down, as Uncle John got to his feet and brushed himself off. "You next, Hal."

Hal climbed into the sill, lowered himself and dropped.

"All right," he called up to Chester.

Chester climbed to the sill.

"Here I come," he called; and just as he was about to lower himself a figure dashed suddenly into the room and seized him by the leg.

Chester gave vent to a cry of vexation.

"Hey," he called to Hal and Uncle John, "one of the big Austrians has grabbed me by the leg."

"Kick him in the face," cried Hal, dancing excitedly about, and making vain attempts to jump up so he could reach the sill.

Chester attempted to follow Hal's advice, but it was no use. Slowly he was dragged back through the window, and landed on the floor with a thud.

When he was able to get to his feet, he faced a revolver held in a steady hand. He was caught and he knew it.

"He's got me, Hal," he shouted. "Hurry! Never mind me! Give the warning!"

For a single moment Hal hesitated after hearing Chester's voice. Then he took Uncle John by the arm.

"Chester is right," he muttered hoa.r.s.ely. "Come on, sir, or we shall be captured, too."

Uncle John seemed about to protest, but Hal led him down the street at a rapid gait.

"What is one to many?" he asked.

CHAPTER XIII.

CHESTER MISSES A CHANCE.

Chester surveyed his captor with a slight smile on his face, although the bitterness of disappointment had touched his heart.

"Well, you've got me," he said quietly. "Now what are you going to do with me?"

The Austrian returned his look with a sour scowl.

"That is not for me to decide," he said. "Come with me."

He waved his revolver in the general direction of the door, and Chester walked out of the room. The Austrian followed closely, keeping his revolver close to the back of the lad's head. Evidently he had decided to take no further chances with him.

Chester smiled faintly to himself.

"Guess he'll hang on to me pretty tight this time," he muttered.

A moment later he found himself back in the same room the three had been locked in when first brought to the house. The lad threw himself down dejectedly when the captor left the room and locked the door behind him.

"Well, I'm in for it now," he told himself. "Hal and Uncle John will warn the Italian general in time, and when Robard fails in his plot he'll come back to deal with me. I hope I am able to give a good account of myself.

However, a fellow can never tell what is going to happen, so in order to be prepared, I'll try and get a little sleep."

He lay down and closed his eyes; and in spite of the seriousness of his situation, and the hard floor upon which he lay, he was soon asleep.

Meanwhile, Hal and Uncle John made all haste toward the headquarters of the Italian general staff, which at the moment were in Venice. It took Hal some moments to convince several subordinate officers that it was essential he see the commander himself, but after some explanations the lad, accompanied by Uncle John, was ushered into the presence of the general.

Hal laid bare the details of the plot in a few words, and the Italian commander eyed him incredulously.

"How am I to know you are telling the truth?" he demanded.

"For one reason, because I don't lie," replied Hal. "Besides, if you doubt me, sir, it would be well to be on the safe side, anyhow. It can do no harm to take the necessary precautions."

"What you say is true," replied the general.

"A wire to General Ferrari might tell you we are to be relied upon,"

continued Hal. "We were so fortunate as to be of some slight service to him recently."

The Italian commander glanced at his watch.

"It is best to be on the safe side," he said. "I shall take the necessary precautions, meanwhile wiring to General Ferrari, as you suggest. In the meantime, I fear I shall have to detain you, at least, until I receive a reply to my wire."

"But, sir," Hal protested, "I would like to go back and find my friend."

"I cannot permit that," was the reply. "How do I know that you are not spies yourselves and have concocted this story for some reason of your own--a reason that precautions I might take against the plot you have outlined might throw my troops into more serious difficulties? No, I shall keep you under guard. That is final."

Hal realized the futility of further protest and subsided. Not so Uncle John.

"This is an outrage, sir," he exploded. "I repeat, this is an outrage.

Here we are, three of us, who have gone out of our way, to do the Italian army a service, and the best we get is trouble, fights and insults. I--"

The Italian commander raised a hand.

"I trust that you are telling the truth," he said turning to Hal, and ignoring Uncle John. "But I must make sure. You say you are a soldier.

You can appreciate my position."

Hal nodded affirmatively. But Uncle John refused to be appeased.