Ned, Bob and Jerry on the Firing Line Part 29

The long night pa.s.sed. Sentries were changed, a watch was kept to forestall any attack on the part of the Germans, but none came. Save for the occasional clash of a night patrol, or the false alarm of some one on listening post, there was little action during the hours preceding the great offensive.

Their tour of duty ended, Ned, Bob, and Jerry sought rest in the dugout. There, with but few more comforts than in the trenches, they waited until the time should come again for them to go out and take a "mud bath," as Ned called it.

For it rained often, and the trenches never seemed to dry. Still at this stage of the war there were more comforts for the men on the firing line than when France and England first opposed the advance of the gray hordes.

"When does the big show start?" asked Ned, as he and his chums came out of the dugout for a few hours' stay farther behind the lines. "I thought the bombardment was to begin this morning."

"Must be delayed for some reason," said Jerry with a yawn. "Come on, let's go somewhere and sit down. We'll know when it's time for the shindig to start."

"Let's see if we can find the professor," suggested Bob. "We may have hard work to get word to him after the fighting begins."

This seemed a good plan, and it was followed. Professor Snodgra.s.s was billeted temporarily in a farmhouse on the edge of a little French village near which the boys were on duty. Thither they went, and found their friend poring over books and papers.

"Well, how goes it?" asked Jerry, after they had all shaken hands.

"Well, indeed," was the answer. "I have not yet found the young ladies, but I expect to, soon. I have heard that Mr. Schmouder, the father of the janitor, who was looking after them, and who knew something of their plans, moved from his home town, outside of Metz, lately, and started farther back into Germany."

"Then I should think it would be harder than ever for you to trace them," suggested Ned.

"No, I think it will be easier," said the professor, but he did not explain how.

"Getting the results you expected from the insect noise campaign, Professor?" asked Jerry.

"Yes, my boy. It is a complete success. I even have some moving pictures taken with my new machine that helped me capture the Germans.

Wait, and I will show you."

He seemed as cheerful as though no cloud of financial trouble hung over his head and as though the World War were being fought to give him opportunity to test the effect of noise on the crickets. He turned to a table in his room, and began delving in a ma.s.s of things. To get at something he wanted to exhibit to the boys, he set in the middle of the floor a small, black box.

Just as he did that a soldier, evidently an officer of some kind in the French army, stepped into the room, and in a mixture of French and English asked if Professor Snodgra.s.s was there.

"I am he," answered the scientist.

"Ah, zen you will please come with me," said the soldier. "You are wanted at ze headquarters."

"Wanted at headquarters!" repeated the professor. "What for?"

"Zis will explain," and the officer handed a note to Professor Snodgra.s.s.

As the professor read it a smile came over his face.

"Ah, I understand," he said. "I will come at once. Boys, we will let the insect pictures wait a minute. Perhaps you will be interested in my latest discovery. Come, I am ready to go," and he picked up the black box from the floor and stood in waiting.

The officer looked a little dubiously at the object in the professor's hand, and then at the three boys.

"My orders did not include--_zem_!" he said, indicating Ned, Bob, and Jerry, "nor--_zat_!" and he pointed to the box.

"This has to come," replied the professor. "It is part of what I proposed. As for my friends, I will be responsible for them."

"Very well, sair!" and the Frenchman bowed and led the way.

Wonderingly the boys followed Professor Snodgra.s.s, and presently found themselves at field headquarters. A company of French soldiers were standing about, and while waiting for the summons to the presence of the headquarters officer who had sent for him, Professor Snodgra.s.s set down on the ground the black box he had brought.

Then he suddenly saw a curious insect crawling along and became intent on its capture. The boys were watching him and paid no attention to the black box until they heard some one yell:

"Look out, boys! It's an infernal machine in there--a bomb! He's a spy and he's going to blow up the whole place. It's an infernal machine--I can hear the buzzing of the battery inside."

An American soldier, who had approached the box and had leaned over to inspect it, leaped away and began running as he cried out his warning.

There was consternation among the officers and men outside the headquarters building, and Professor Snodgra.s.s, pausing in his search for the elusive insect, gazed up in surprise at the commotion.

"What has happened?" he asked.

"Some one says there's a bomb in that black box of yours," explained Jerry.

"If there is, get it out of the way! Douse it in water. Throw it away.

Look out!" yelled several.

One or two soldiers started for the black box, and others with ready bayonets for the professor, for there had been a number of spies discovered of late in that sector.

"Don't touch that box!" cried the professor. "Don't open it! Keep away from it!"

And, as he hurried toward it, the soldiers leaped back.

CHAPTER XXVI

A DISAPPEARANCE

"Halt!"

It was the ringing voice of one of the officers speaking, and so sharp was the tone that even Professor Snodgra.s.s paused in his movement toward the black box.

"Don't go any further," went on the officer, who stood dominating the scene. "Some one secure that man, and then we'll dispose of the box.

Take good care of him!" and he pointed to the scientist.

Ned Slade, Bob Baker, and Jerry Hopkins looked in astonishment at one another. What could it all mean?

"Zere must be some mistake," said the French officer who had escorted the professor to headquarters.

"Mistake? No!" exclaimed the American officer who had ordered a halt in the proceedings. "But it would be a mistake if we let him get near that black box. I heard all that was said. If that is a bomb the best way to let him carry out his plan would be to set it going, even if he destroyed himself. Some spies are capable of that."

"Spy!" cried Jerry, instinctively, forgetting that he was speaking to a superior officer. "Professor Snodgra.s.s isn't a spy!"

"No, I am sure he is not!"

This was another officer speaking, one well known to the professor, and who knew him. In fact, it was this officer who had summoned the former instructor of Boxwood Hall to headquarters.