Air Service Boys Flying for France/Chapter 12
CHAPTER XII
SAFELY LANDED
The destroyers were coming under forced draft, those aboard having received a wireless message and also heard the sound of distant firing. The satisfaction of the commanders was great when they heard that another submarine had been beaten at its own game, and would he in wait for passenger and munition-laden steamers no more.
Besides, by rights, the destroyers should have met the vessel early in the morning, since the day was the most dangerous time. An accident had delayed their coming; but since everything had ended well no one felt like complaining.
Cheers arose from the fighting crews of the convoying boats when the news was told. As their chief business nowadays was hunting the elusive German submarine the men rejoiced at hearing that another undersea pirate had been put to rest.
Soon the night descended on the sea. The ship was heading directly for port, and was going at full speed. During most of the night this would continue, the liner being kept in almost absolute darkness as an additional precaution. On either side, at some little distance away, ranged a protecting destroyer; and every time the passengers looked in the direction of these slender and speedy little gray vessels, they seemed to breathe more easily.
There was little sleeping done that night aboard the steamer. The exciting time through which the passengers had so recently passed had its effect on their nerves. Then again anxiety played its part, for the daring marauders of the seas had been known to follow a steamer almost into port before making an attack.
But there was no alarm, and toward dawn the two chums, both of whom had managed to secure some sleep at odd times, knew from the commotion that they were entering port.
They turned over, as did many others aboard the liner, with sighs of relief, and went to sleep again, satisfied for the first time in three days that they could find rest without the chance of being aroused by the crash of a torpedo as it struck home.
Finally the air service boys found themselves ashore in England and waiting for a train that would carry them to London.
As neither of them had ever been out of the United States before it w»s only natural that they should feel an interest in everything around them. The England of to-day, from one end of the country to the other, is like an armed camp.
The boys were thrilled to see men in uniform and sailors from the fighting ships everywhere they looked. For the first time they began to feel that they were now getting near the front. Everything seemed to bespeak action. Artillery moved through the streets; while great tractors that were armed and looked like moving monsters, crawled along the roads, heading for the docks, to be shipped to some fighting field.
The boys saw everything with the deepest interest. Their enthusiasm instead of flagging grew more and more intense.
"All this makes me crazy to be over in France and finishing my education as an aviator," Jack cried, as they saw some crates being placed aboard a vessel; crates which they could see contained parts of airplanes.
"Given three more days, and our wish will have been granted," Tom told him.
"We ought to be in London before noon today," continued Jack.
"And if all goes well we'll be on our way by to-morrow night," Tom added quickly. "We ought to spend just one night and a whole day in London, you know."
"I've always wanted to roam around the big city," Jack sighed, "but this is no time for sight-seeing, they say. London looks like a besieged city, and strangers have a pretty hard time getting around, being watched, and challenged wherever they go, especially if they look anything like Germans."
"I wonder how our friends Adolph Tuessig and Carl Potzfeldt will be able to move around London?" ventured Tom, as if a little amused at the thought.
"We don't know for certain whether Adolph was aboard our boat, do we?" Jack suggested.
"Well, we saw a man all muffled up come ashore, and take a taxi as soon as he could pass the customs officers. And somehow he seemed to strike me as just about as tall as Tuessig."
"I'm glad I had a chance to wave good-bye to Bessie Gleason. I wonder if we'll ever meet her again?"
"You never can tell. Queer things sometimes happen in this world. Neighbors who lived side by side for years in New York City and never even spoke to each other, have met face to face on the top of the pyramids. Yes, and almost hugged each other, they were so tickled to see somebody from home."
"Anyway, she told me how a letter to her would be apt to reach her sooner or later," Jack said, with a grin. "I like that little girl. She's a smart one! But I'm afraid she's bound to have a hard time of it with that scowling guardian."
In due time the two chums reached London. They had been posted as to what they should do and had already engaged a room at a good small hotel.
London is in some ways pretty much the same to-day as in years past. There is the noise of the streets, and the great crowds to be met with everywhere. Of course the one remarkable change lies in the multitude of uniforms and the constant sight of wounded soldiers who have been sent over from the Continent to recover from their injuries.
All that afternoon the two young Americans went about to see what they could of the vast human bee-hive, of which they had heard so much. Jack in particular seemed never satisfied; the more he saw the greater his appetite for further experiences, and their time was fully occupied in this way up to twilight.
When they returned to their hotel, hungry and tired after a most energetic day, intending to dress before going to the restaurant for dinner, a sudden fresh feeling of alarm took possession of Jack.
"Oh! I wonder if they have everybody on a war ration in London!" he exclaimed. It must be terrible to feel as empty as I do now, and then find you're limited to a couple of thin slices of war bread, without butter, a cup of weak tea, and some stewed prunes—I just hate prunes, you remember, Tom!"
Tom only laughed at him.
"Humbug, Jack! You'll find that even over in Berlin, where the pinch is a heap stronger than in London, the man who has the price can get plenty of food. We're going to have some mutton chops for dinner, and plenty of other good things in the bargain. As for a drink, I prefer coffee, even at a shilling a cup."
It turned out exactly as Tom had said. They went to a restaurant where foreigners still congregated, and were able to order a plentiful and satisfying meal; though certain articles usually on the bill of fare seemed to be tabooed on that particular day, and prices were certainly very high.
Jack, his fears set at rest, was soon feeling much better, both in body and mind, so that he was able to sit and look around at the other guests with some degree of curiosity.
"Wouldn't it be strange now," he remarked between bites, "if Carl Potzfeldt and pretty Bessie Gleason should drop in here while we were eating?"
"I hardly think that is likely to happen," Tom replied. "Still, I can't seem to get it out of my mind that that man at the corner table, who keeps his face hidden behind his newspaper has a familiar look. Adolph Tuessig is, we believe, in London, and he has to eat just the same as we do."
"Suppose we hurry along then with our meal, Tom, and when that fellow starts to pass out we can manage in some way to jostle him, so as to get a look at his face. Of course we couldn't have him arrested, or anything like that; but I'd like to know from curiosity if nothing else, whether he was aboard our steamer."
"Agreed," Tom replied, hurrying his eating, while he kept one eye on the table in the corner where the man under suspicion sat, his face concealed behind a copy of an evening paper.
"I wonder whether we'll keep on running across that Tuessig when we get over there in France," continued Jack, as though the idea disturbed him somewhat.
"Nothing would please me better," his chum told him between his set teeth. "Because in that event I might have a chance, sooner or later, of examining his pockets, and finding out if he is still carrying that stolen paper around with him."
"You seem to believe he didn't turn it in to the German Embassy at Washington, from the way you talk."
"I imagine he counts it only a bite," Tom continued, reflectively; "and feels that they would blame him for not securing the entire design while about it. So he keeps the paper on his person, and continues to hope he may yet be able to find the rest—perhaps by robbing me. There may be another way of looking at it though."
"How?" asked Jack, still munching away..
"Adolph Tuessig may have his orders direct from the Wilhelmstrasse headquarters in Berlin. Perhaps he's on his way there now to make his report, and deliver over his finding. If that happens to be the case I hope he never arrives there—that either the British or the French discover his double character, and arrest him."
"What do you suppose they'd do with him, Tom?"
"If the proof of his being a spy could be found he'd be executed without any doubt. That's the way they do things over here these days, Jack."
"There, he's lifted up his check to look at it, Tom, still keeping his face turned partly away. I believe he's preparing to slip out by passing among those tables on the further side of the restaurant. Shall we try to waylay him, and get a look at his face?"
Tom picked up their own check quickly.
"There he goes, now, and if you follow me I'll fix it so we can rub up against him near the exit. We can't do anything to bring about his arrest but it'll be a little satisfaction to let the slippery rascal understand we're up to his game."
They hurried around, keeping the retreating man under observation. The latter reached the cashier's desk and stood there a brief time paying his account. Then he made for the exit. Tom threw down more than enough change to pay for their meal, after which, with Jack at his heels, he kept after the object of their pursuit.
Just as the door was reached, held open by an employee of the restaurant, the two young fellows passed one on either side of the man who kept his face so well hidden. First Tom jostled his elbow, causing the subject to glance hastily that way, to receive a muttered apology. Then Jack did just the same on the other side.
The man hurried outside where he immediately lost himself in the crowd; but he acted as though considerably annoyed by the encounter.
Tom and his chum made no attempt at following him. They had attained their object, which satisfied them both.
"It was the slippery scamp, all right!" chuckled Jack.
"Yes, no other than Adolph Tuessig," added the second young aviator. "I saw his face plainly, and although he's changed his looks more or less, so as to appear like a Swiss citizen perhaps, I easily recognized him. And if anything else were needed to settle the matter, he had a decided limp as he hurried off."
"Which I suppose you lay to the teeth of that splendid bulldog of yours, eh, Tom?" laughingly added the other.
As both of the air service boys were exceedingly tired, and there did not seem to be much worth looking at going on in London, once night had settled down over the great English metropolis, they returned to their hotel. Here they sat around for a while and then sought their room, bent on securing a good night's rest, the first they had had an opportunity to enjoy since entering the danger zone.
Once again it chanced that they counted without their host. They forgot they were under a London roof, instead of in peaceful Bridgton, more than three thousand miles away across the broad Atlantic. They also neglected to take into consideration the important fact that London was not so far distant from German shores, from which flocks of great airships were accustomed to setting sail at certain periods, for a raid over England.
It was just at midnight when both boys were aroused by a tremendous clatter outside. They heard the discharge of guns, and loud shouts, and bouncing out of bed rushed to the window to see what was happening, while the noise increased with each passing second!