"Oh, no, no! He is so unkind," she said with a shudder that Jack could easily detect. "He even whipped me because I cried for my mother and Jeanne. So I will go with you, and do anything you say."
How understandingly she talked for one so young! Jack had marveled that Jeanne should show such remarkable qualities and appear so self-reliant; and apparently Helene was like her. But, alas, war had aged even the babies caught in its snare.
"Listen, Helene," Jack went on to say, "do you think you could dress yourself without having a light?"
"Oh, yes, m"sieu, I am sure I can!"
That caused Tom to chuckle with relief, for he felt pretty certain that neither he nor Jack could have managed that, even if given all the illumination heart might wish. And, moreover, Tom felt that he, at least, did not want to try.
"Then get your clothes on just as fast as you can, Helene," said Tom.
"We will be waiting, and trying to figure out what the next move shall be."
His last words reminded Jack of the fact that they were now faced by another knotty problem. If the door was locked and the key safe in the possession of the gruff old general below, how then could they take the child away?
He knew it would be utterly impossible to get her to the other window by means of that ledge; for the task had been difficult enough when both hands were free.
But evidently resourceful Tom had already conceived a plan for he was busying himself with the cot from which Helene had so recently arisen and now called to Jack.
Close by the child could be heard moving about, as her nimble little fingers secured first one article of apparel and then another, spurred on by the wild hope of once more seeing her dearly beloved sister.
Jack, pushing forward, found his chum had turned the cot over, and seemed to be working swiftly at something.
"What have you found, Tom?" he asked.
"As luck would have it, Jack, this cot has a rope under the mattress in place of the usual spring. And it seems to be a good stout rope in the bargain, I"m glad to tell you."
"Now I get you, Tom! Good! We can slip down that way."
"If the rope turns out to be long enough. I can put Helene in your arms and drop you down. Then I can follow. I"d rather go about it some other way, but with this locked door we haven"t any choice."
"Why, I think it a cracking good scheme," said Jack.
"Listen!" exclaimed Tom. "Doesn"t it strike you that there"s talking going on outside now?"
"You"re right," agreed the other, almost immediately. "I do believe those Hun officers are making a move at last. Now there"s going to be some fun let loose when they find that both cars are shy on gas."
"That may be," muttered Tom. "But I wish they"d chosen to hang on for just another half hour. I"d ask nothing better. Helene, how are you getting on, child?"
"I am almost ready, m"sieu," came back in a childish voice that quite thrilled Jack"s heart. "I have only to slip my shoes on now and then I shall be ready."
Jack followed his chum over to the window, for by this time the entire rope had been secured from the cot. Tom tested its strength as well as he was able, and found reason to believe it was stanch enough to bear a double burden if necessary.
Loud talking now came from in front of the chateau. Evidently the general had gone out to see his guests off. The chauffeurs could be heard cranking their cars desperately, sounds which gave Jack considerable delight. Apparently their ill success had already begun to arouse suspicions in the minds of the two drivers that something was amiss, for the cranking suddenly ceased, and the watchers from the upper window of the chateau could see feeble lights moving about.
These they knew were matches held by the soldiers while they looked over the motors of their cars. After darkness had come again loud cries arose to tell that the alarming discovery had been made that tanks which the chauffeurs swore had contained a fair amount of petrol at the time they drew up before the chateau, were now most mysteriously empty!
The officers chimed in with expletives that came splutteringly from their lips, so that altogether it was a scene of confusion and excitement which was taking place in front of the old building. One particularly rasping voice Jack fancied must belong to the general himself. He pitied those two wretched chauffeurs, who would be apt to feel the displeasure of their superiors in some way altogether unpleasant.
What the outcome of the affair might be Jack had no idea, nor did he care a particle. All he asked was to be given a chance to make off with Helene while the row was in progress. Once they reached the waiting plane, he felt they could snap their fingers at not only General von Berthold but the entire Hun army as well.
Jack wondered whether this sudden outbreak, and the change in conditions in front of the chateau, would make any difference with Tom. Fortunately that tree afforded partial shelter, and besides, those on the road had but meagre means for striking a light, so it seemed reasonably safe for them to proceed.
"Be brave, Helene," Jack said in her ear, as Tom pa.s.sed the rope out of the window, having meanwhile fastened one end to an anchorage inside the room. "It is for Jeanne"s sake, remember. Do not be afraid that I will let you fall. And above all things keep from crying out, or he will hear you and hold you with him always. Will you let me take you in my arms, Helene?"
"Oh, yes, yes! I am not afraid. See, m"sieu, I can put my arms about your neck this way, and clasp you tight. For Jeanne I would do anything!
You will not hear me say one word, no matter what happens, m"sieu!"
CHAPTER XXIV
TOM KEEPS HIS WORD
THE air service boys did not hesitate.
Tom had mapped out the course, to which Jack had agreed, and they were ready to undertake the task set before them.
Tom hastened to help lift the little girl, so that his chum might get a firm clasp with one arm around her. He also knew that Helene"s instinctive action in clinging to Jack"s neck would greatly a.s.sist matters.
Now Jack was sliding down. Tom"s heart seemed to be in his throat with suspense. Would the rope hold? He hoped age had not weakened the strands, so that a sudden extra strain might cause it to part. Still he had tested as best he could. It would hold--it must hold.
The seconds slipped by, though if Tom"s feelings had been consulted they might be said to drag; for it seemed an age before he knew that Jack had safely landed by the sudden slackening of the rope.
How eagerly did Tom clamber over the window-sill and start downward! It was a mere nothing to him, accustomed to all sorts of athletic action.
He quickly found himself alongside the crouching figure of Jack, who still held the child in his arm as if to rea.s.sure her.
Louder than ever came the babel of voices from the road. The officers had, it seemed, finally come to believe what the chauffeurs were saying.
Some unknown prowler had stolen their petrol while they waited for the coming of their officers. The thought was demoralizing. The loud, sharp whistle that now came to the ears of the air service boys must mean a general alarm. There must be a body of troops in camp somewhere back of the chateau. These would be quickly on the scene, ready to scour the whole neighborhood, in the hope of ferreting out the spy who had been trying to discover the subject of the consultation, or council of war.
Tom now took the lead. The sooner they made off the better for their chances of ultimate escape. Delay now might lose them the game, for it was to be expected that with the alarm once given all avenues of escape would be closed, and a cordon of troops thrown around the chateau, in hope of enmeshing the prowler.
This getting away required some clever work, because if they were discovered it would be next to impossible to slip through, with Helene to be carried, for of course the child could not run fast enough. Jack clasped the child in his arms and followed close on Tom"s heels.
Dodging, and taking advantage of such cover as presented itself they succeeded in pa.s.sing beyond what seemed to be the danger point. If equally successful in eluding any soldiers who might be running toward the chateau in response to the imperative summons of the general, they could call themselves lucky indeed.
"Somebody coming ahead there, Tom!" gasped Jack suddenly, as he caught the hasty patter of footsteps.
"Into these bushes, and get down on all fours!" Tom ordered, setting the action himself.
Hardly had they succeeded in leaving the road and concealing themselves in this way than several bounding figures came into sight. They were German soldiers without doubt, their spiked helmets could be seen and also the glitter of guns in their hands could be caught.
Once they had rushed past, Tom again took to the road. The danger from such sudden encounters was great, but there was no other way for them to proceed. And in order to escape it was necessary that they reach the cemetery where the big bombing plane awaited their coming.
Once again did they have a thrill. This was when a figure crashed out of a thicket without warning, and came face to face with them. He, too, was a soldier, who had possibly taken a short cut through the thickets in order to reach the road the sooner.
He uttered a startled exclamation. With the shrill sound of the alarm whistle still echoing through the valley below, of course his suspicions would be aroused by seeing two figures clad in the garments of aviators, and bearing away with them the child he, in common with his fellows, may have noticed playing near the chateau on sunshiny days.
His actions were so hostile that Tom, acting instantaneously, gave him a blow with the weighty club he had picked up a moment before.