The Boy Allies at Verdun Part 42

"Well, I'm not," declared Stubbs. "I know where our aeroplane is and that's where I'm going right this minute. I don't know how to fly the thing, and if you fellows go fooling around that ammunition depot I'll probably have to hunt another pilot; but Anthony Stubbs is not going to be blown up with his eyes open when he can help it."

"Better wait here, Stubbs," said Chester.

"Not me," returned the little man, decisively. "You'll find me at the plane when you get there; or if you get there, I should say."

"But there is nothing sure that the building contains ammunition," said Hal. "I just guessed at it, Stubbs. Come and have a look."

"Oh, it contains ammunition, all right."

"How do you know?" demanded Chester.

"Well, if it didn't you fellows wouldn't have spied it. You call it good luck. I call it hard luck. I tell you that every time I go any place with you I risk my neck. Sure the building contains ammunition! It was put there for the sole purpose of having you blow it up. That's the way it looks to me. But I can see all the fireworks I want to from a distance.

Good-bye."

"All right, Stubbs, if you are such a coward," said Chester, somewhat nettled.

"I'd rather be a live coward than a dead fool," was Stubbs' reply.

He walked off.

"Come on, Chester," said Hal. "We'll have a look at this place."

He led the way close to the building. Going slowly and cautiously they advanced to within a short distance of the building without being observed, although they could see an occasional dark shape as it moved about in front of the building.

"Guards there," said Hal, briefly.

"Sure," said Chester. "I believe you have guessed right. I am sure the place is filled with ammunition. Now if we could just dispose of the guards and place a time fuse--"

"It would be a hard blow to the Germans," Hal agreed. "We'll try it."

Still cautiously they approached. A guard arose from in front of the building. He stretched his arms. Apparently he had been asleep. Then he sat down again.

"We'll wait a minute," Hal whispered. "Perhaps he'll doze again."

Fortune was with the boys. A few moments later there came the sound of a gentle snore. The man was asleep. Immediately the lads sprang to action.

Quickly they dashed across the open s.p.a.ce to the side of the large building, which was made of wood and seemed to be nothing more than a huge barn.

Chester stopped beside the guard and raised his revolver. He hesitated a moment and then lowered the weapon.

"Let him be," he muttered. "He won't be with us long anyhow."

Hal, in the meantime, had been exploring the barn. Coming back he picked up the guard's rifle.

"I can pry a board loose with this," he told Chester, in a whisper.

This proved easier work than it looked. The board came loose without much trouble. Hal disappeared inside.

"Ammunition?" Chester asked, as he poked his head in.

"Yes," Hal whispered back.

"Find a fuse?" asked Chester.

Again Hal's reply was in the affirmative.

"Stretch it out here then, and hurry," ordered Chester.

Hal appeared on the outside a moment later, carrying a fuse. One end still remained in the barn. The other Hal carried some distance.

"Guess you'd better dispose of that guard first," he said. "He might wake up and extinguish the fuse."

It was the work of but a moment, much as Chester hated to perform it.

Then Hal struck a light, shielding the match with his cap. He applied the match to the fuse. Then he sprang to his feet and called to Chester:

"Run!"

CHAPTER XXVIII

FLIGHT

Both lads fled through the night knowing that their lives depended upon it. For safety's sake it was absolutely necessary that they put as great a distance as possible between them and the barn.

According to Hal's calculations, the spot where the aeroplane was hidden was far enough away so that the machine would not be disabled by the force of the explosion; and it was for this point that the lads made at full speed.

They reached there safely; and still there had been no explosion.

"How much time did you allow, Hal?" asked Chester.

"Ten minutes, as nearly as I could judge," was the reply.

"Then we still have a few minutes, I guess. Had we better wait here until after the blast, or shall we run out the machine and get up in the air."

"We'd better stay here," returned Hal, positively, "I don't know how much ammunition there is in that barn. It's going to kick up a terrible fuss.

My advice is that we lay flat on the ground, hold our ears and bury our faces. Immediately after the blast we'll run the machine out and get up as swiftly as possible."

"I can imagine the effect of the explosion," said Chester.

"Well, I can't," returned Hal; "nor can you. How many men it may kill, how many it may maim and what damage it will do cannot be estimated. But one thing sure, immediately afterwards every sleepy German soldier within fifty miles will be on the alert. The Germans will know it was not an accident. They will attribute the explosion to a bomb dropped from the air. We may have trouble reaching our lines."

"I wish you hadn't done it, Hal," mumbled Stubbs, whom the lads had found hiding beside the aeroplane. "It will dig a hole a mile deep in the ground. Rocks, guns and everything will come down like hail. We may be killed."

"Quiet, Stubbs!" ordered Hal. "Flat on the ground with you now. Hold your ears and bury your faces until I tell you to get up."