The huge German camp was asleep, for the hour was after nine and the soldiers always turned in early except when they were on night duty or a night attack by the French was antic.i.p.ated; but they slept on their arms.
"Which way?" asked Chester of Hal, in a low voice.
"I don"t believe we had better try for the river," was the reply. "We had better strike straight west."
"Suits me," declared Chester, and the boys set off through the sleeping German camp at a fast walk.
Row after row of tents they pa.s.sed through, walking along the improvised streets until they were well beyond the main camp. Here they were still in the midst of the enemy, but the tents were more scattered. Suddenly they slackened their speed.
A German sentry was approaching them.
Perceiving the two shadowy forms, the sentry brought his rifle to his shoulder, and cried:
"Halt!"
The lads obeyed, and the sentry came close to them. Perceiving that the figures he had accosted were attired in women"s clothing, he dropped his rifle and demanded:
"What are you doing here?"
"We have been selling apples to the soldiers," replied Hal in French in a shrill voice.
The soldier understood French and replied:
"Where are your baskets?"
Hal replied as he had been instructed by the little war correspondent.
"Well," said the sentry, apparently satisfied, "you have no business around here at this hour of the night. Go quickly."
The lads needed no further urging, and, bearing off a trifle to the north, continued their journey.
Their shoulders stooped and their shawls thrown over their heads so they could barely see, they went on with slowly shambling steps.
"When we get back to America," whispered Chester, "I am going on the stage as a female impersonator."
"After this," Hal whispered back, "I am inclined to believe that we would both make good."
All night they continued toward the northwest, and when morning dawned they were still within the German lines.
"We shall have to be more careful now," said Chester, as it began to grow light.
"On the contrary," said Hal, "we may go forward more boldly."
"How do you make that out?" demanded Chester in surprise.
"Why," Hal explained, "two apple-women strolling about the enemy"s camp in the night would attract more attention, should they be discovered, than in broad daylight, when they might possibly have some business there."
"Right," agreed Chester. "I hadn"t thought of it in that way."
Accordingly they proceeded more boldly now.
Here and there troops of German cavalry now came to life. The lads also pa.s.sed regiment after regiment of hurrying infantry; but they were not so much as challenged. Old apple-women, such as the lads appeared to the enemy, were plentiful in the German lines, and no attention was paid to them.
Suddenly the lads beheld a sight that caused them to start back in astonishment and dismay.
Directly ahead of them they saw a long trench, stretching out on either side as far as the eye could reach--and it was filled with German soldiers.
"Great Scott!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Hal. "I had forgotten that the Germans were probably intrenched along here. How on earth are we to get through?"
At that moment the two lads beheld three old women coming toward them, and Hal exclaimed:
"I wonder if we look like that?"
In their hands the women carried large baskets, and even from where the lads stood they could see that they were chockfull of bright red apples.
Chester was struck with a sudden idea. Stepping out of view behind Hal, he quickly lifted his skirts and thrust his hand into his pocket. He pulled forth a handful of gold and silver, from which he extracted several German pieces. Then he advanced toward the old women, Hal following him in surprise.
Chester accosted the women in French.
"How much do you want for your basket of apples?" he asked, addressing one.
The old woman named a sum.
Chester counted it out and dropped it into her hand, much to her surprise, and relieved her of her basket. Then he turned to a second and repeated the operation, pa.s.sing the second basket to Hal.
"Now, we"ll see how business is," he said, and led the way directly toward the trenches.
In the midst of the German soldiers, the lads did a thriving business, and, although they did not know it, the reason was because they were offering their wares at a much lower price than had been customary.
The soldiers joked with them and resorted to flattery in an attempt to cause them to reduce the price of the apples even more. The lads, talking in shrill, wheedling tones, joked back, and made quite a hit with the men in the trenches.
At last, having disposed of all their apples, and having come to a place somewhat more secluded than the rest, the lads sat down to wait. As they looked around, they observed that for some reason this short section had not been dug to fit in with the rest of the trenches. As a result they were out of sight of either side.
Becoming conscious of voices from beyond the little wall of earth to the right, the lads became silent and listened.
"Then everything is in readiness for the grand advance?" asked a voice.
"Yes," replied a second.
"And where will the a.s.sault be made?"
"At Soissons. The French are secure in their belief that a concerted attack will not be made for some time--at least not until the Kaiser, who, as you know has been very ill, returns to the front."
"I thought that myself."
"Well, you are right, to a certain extent. What the French don"t know is that the Kaiser will be on the firing line the day after to-morrow."
"What! So soon?"