Bewteen the lines in France; a boys' story of the great European war

Preface

In the first book of this European War Series I had the pleasure of taking the young reader through some of the thrilling scenes that marked the progress of the Kaiser’s vas.t army across Belgium. It is the purpose and aim of the present volume to follow the adventurous career of the little party who expected to tour Northern France in an automobile, with a French chauffeur.

Of course they, in common with nearly all other American tourists, had heard vague rumors of the impending trouble between the Great Powers; but supposed that, as had happened many times before, it would all end in a mere “ flash in the pan.” Imagine their desperate situation when they suddenly found themselves stranded in the hilly section of Northern France, with the knowledge that the long smoldering war fire had burst into a fierce flame.

The very hour that the order for mobilization went out by wire every passenger and freight train in the Republic passed into the service of the French Government. Travelers found themselves set adrift at the first station reached; while the cars were used for the speedy concentration of troops

Preface and munitions of war. With the life of the Nation at stake private interests were not considered.

When in addition to this difficulty it is remembered that every motor car worth having was immediately commandeered for the use of the army, it is not to be wondered at that tourists quickly found themselves in desperate straits.

It is the intention of the writer to not only arouse the reader’s interest by a narration of stirring adventures but at the same time to base many of these incidents upon features connected with the Great War that are historically correct.

I trust that every boy and girl who reads this book, as well as the preceding volume, will obtain considerable knowledge of the European conflict, with its lights and shadows, and that it will thus be discovered how every nation, great and small, may have its patriotic heroes, ready to sacrifice their all for their beloved country.

Franklin T. Ames.

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I The Streets of London i

II Crossing the Channel n

Chapter I

“ Oh ! well, what’s the use of denying it? I did think at first it was a live officer. Now, laugh as much as you please, everybody ! ”

“ They say you begged the wax Bobby’s pardon for stepping on his toes ; is that so, Lucille ? ”

“ Now, Uncle Alvin, that’s carrying the joke too far, for I never said a word.”

“ Well, anyway, she opened her mouth to apologize, like the little lady she is, when Mart spoiled the whole thing by telling us to look at the makebelieve policeman.”

This chatter sprang from a merry party of sightseers in London on a warm summer day. They walked along near the Marble Arch of Hyde Park in squads, though keeping close enough in touch to exchange friendly remarks, amidst considerable merriment and laughter.

There were three groups, consisting of four par-

i ties each, and all of the tourists hailed from the Land of Liberty across the Atlantic. Although friends of long standing in America, they had different objects in view when making this trip to Europe during vacation time.

The Dorrs intended spending most of their time in Belgium, whence their family had come originally. They had a relative somewhere off toward the German border who had extended a warm invitation to them to pay him a long visit. Besides Mr. Dorr and his good wife there were two boys, Martin, and Harvey his cousin, in this group.

Then came the Maillards, three of them, Uncle Alvin, Tom, a sturdy chap over sixteen at this time, and Lucille, his sister, about a year his senior. They purposed enjoying an automobile tour through Northern France, visiting several famous sections which had more or less to do with the Maillard family history.

The Caslons numbered three also, Paul and Henry, twins, about the same age as Tom Maillard, and their mother, who was a widow. Austria was the field they meant to explore, though first intending to cross to France in company with those who were headed for Paris.

Last of all were the Bartletts, Frank almost a man grown, and Thomas just turned seventeen. Heading first of all for Hamburg they expected to make their way to the wonderful country of the

Rhine, and see everything worth looking at in that section of the German Empire.

As this story will deal in the main with the three Maillards it is only proper that we should describe Tom, his lively sister, and their uncle at further length.

Tom was a wideawake boy, able to see nearly everything that occurred within range of his vision. He had shown himself fairly clever in everything he undertook, from running an automobile, to picking up what useful knowledge a boy is supposed to learn, if he takes advantage of his opportunities.

At home Tom had for two years been connected with a Boy Scout troop, and had worked himself up from a mere tenderfoot to the position of first-class scout. He was particularly fond of outdoor life, and able to shift for himself to a remarkable degree. Indeed, his chums used to say that if Tom were dropped in the midst of an interminable forest, with just three matches, a knife, some cord for a bow, and a little salt in his possession, he would be able to live royally for a week, always provided there was game to be found, to be caught in the snares he would set.

Such an enterprising and resourceful lad can get along almost anywhere ; and even in a strange land these qualities were apt to stand him in good stead.

His sister Lucille, although older than Tom, was rather diminutive in size. What she lacked in stature, however, she made up for in activity. Lucille also loved Nature, and was so fond of walking and horseback exercise that she presented the picture of health. Tom at times called her his “ pal,” and indeed, a boy might go a long way before meeting a better all-around chum than Lucille Maillard.

As for Uncle Alvin, he was about the best old fellow a boy and girl could hope to have with them on a foreign tour. In his way he was quaint, but always good-natured. He had a faculty for getting into trouble, though nothing could force him to see anything but the silver lining to the cloud. In Uncle Alvin’s opinion things could always have been much worse than they were; and when Tom, who was a little given to complaining, vented his ill-humor it was Uncle Alvin who always cast oil on the troubled waters.

He was not very robust, and subject to occasional dizzy spells; but so full of humor and merry sayings that all the young people were delighted to be in his company.

They had done London pretty thoroughly in the short time they could spare. With motor cars to whisk tourists around in these modern days much more can be seen in a limited time than formerly.

As their chatter would indicate, they had recently visited the famous Madame Taussaud’s Museum and Waxworks, where almost every important person in the world’s history has been represented.

Here numerous traps set to deceive visitors had given the young people cause for amusement. Lucille was not the first person by many thousands who had been deceived by the mock policeman, or other images suddenly come upon in life-like attitudes.

They were now on the way to their hotel, since the pilgrims bound for Belgium had to get ready to go to their boat. The party would break up into three sections in London, though they planned to get together again later on, if possible, in Rome, and cross to New York on the same steamer.

Needless to say these plans were sadly disarranged by events which few people at the time suspected were hiding just below the horizon.

Harvey Dorr had been taking a number of photographs with a little camera that he had received as a present from a relative, and which contained the finest lens money could buy. He had arranged it cunningly so that in reality it looked very much like an humble little package of lunch, covered with coarse brown paper, and tied with a rough cord.

By manipulating this in a certain way Harvey was able to take a great many pictures that might not otherwise have been possible. He called it true art to be able to catch an urchin’s pose without the subject knowing that he was having his picture taken.

This concealed camera was the object of considerable boasting on the part of its owner, and naturally one thing led to another until finally Tom Maillard scoffed at Harvey’s declaration that he would get numerous forbidden snapshots of forts and all such things, while visiting in Belgium.

“ You’ll land in jail in a big hurry if you try that sort of game,” Tom told Harvey, “ because these Germans and French and English and Belgians are always suspicious of spies; and any one seen taking a picture of military subjects is put in the lockup on the run. Take my word for it you’ll not be able to show three of that kind of snapshots when we meet in Rome; and if you keep your camera you’ll be lucky.”

Of course that led to more warm talk, and ended in a wager being laid. This was to the effect that Harvey should be able to have on display at least a dozen pictures of such forbidden subjects as fortresses, warships, troops at maneuvers, air craft, and other matters pertaining to a country’s defenses.

“ I’m real sorry for you, Harvey,” Tom would remark at every chance he got.

“ Oh, don’t waste your sympathy,” the Dorr boy would retort, not one whit dismayed by all these gloomy predictions of trouble ahead; “you’ll need it all for yourself when you begin to have your motor troubles in that rough country you expect to tour through. I’ve fixed it all so that nobody would ever dream I had a camera.”

“ So much the worse for you when they do find it out/’ jeered Tom, “ because then they’ll be dead sure you are a German spy. Haven’t I heard you spouting what little you know of the German language? When we eat that dinner at Rome we’ll think of you, Harvey, and shed a tear or two ditto.”

“ How about us over in Germany? ” asked Frank Bartlett. “ Do you think we will get into any trouble because Thomas here is carrying a pair of marine glasses that were made in Paris ? ”

“ I’d scratch the maker’s name off if I were you,” Tom Maillard told him, jokingly; “you see the Kaiser doesn’t want anything French around him these days. Even down in Alsace and Lorraine, the provinces taken from France after the War of 1870, they forbid the use of that language, trying to make over the people into good Germans.”

They were now on the Strand, which as usual was a crowded thoroughfare, being in places almost impassable. Only for the efforts of the “ Bobbies ” and the frequent “ isles of safety ” in the middle of the thoroughfare it would have been next to impossible for the party to cross from one side to the other.

The boys never grew weary of watching the vehicles worm their way along. Since the coming of the motor ’bus the old time stages with their horses had disappeared; but the jam was even worse than before.

Upon these public conveyances there were an unlimited number of flaming advertisements, almost completely hiding the sides in some cases. This was a new departure to the travelers, since it has never been carried to such an excess across the water; and they were never tired of making all manner of fun at some of the grotesque signs displayed.

Upon the tops of the motor ’buses they saw numerous people who amused them by their appearance. Possibly it was because they were set up in such plain sight, as though on parade, for there were other spectacles all around just as amusing had they chosen to observe them.

“ Oh ! look at that funny little man and the big woman he’s with! ” exclaimed Tom Maillard, pointing to a ’bus that was passing at the moment. “ There’s your chance for a dandy snapshot, Harv. He’s certainly a character ; and say, I’d like to know if that’s his wife along with him.”

“ Oh ! I’ve got him tied down all right,” remarked Harvey, carelessly, as he dropped his hands containing the seemingly innocent-looking brown paper package ; “ and that’s going 'to be a bully picture, because the light was just right.”

“ There,” said Lucille, suddenly, “ now he’s looking back this way as if he wonders why on earth so many savages from across the big pond have come to dear old London. Oh! mercy! did you see the way she gave him a shake then, and made him face front ? Why, she must be a regular Tartar, I should think.”

“ Well, the fact of the matter is, Lucille,” said Paul Caslon, with a wink at the rest, “ the lady must have noticed that there was a pretty girl in the party, and she objects to her poor henpecked husband turning to look back. But Pm sorry for that little man ; he must be led a dance by such a wife.”

Although the incident gave them occasion for a little merriment, neither Tom Maillard nor his sister dreamed that they would ever set eyes again on the subjects of Harvey’s latest snapshot. Nor could they suspect what a remarkable and thrilling setting the picture would have when, by sheer accident, they once more found themselves gazing on that illy-assorted pair.

“ I’m sorry we have to break up our party so soon, just when we were having the time of our lives,” Uncle Alvin said, as they prepared to cross to the opposite side of the Strand, because their hotel happened to be situated close by in that quarter.

“ But all of us are anxious to commence the real object of our trip across to this side,” Mrs. Caslon remarked. “ Seeing London, after all, is simply an incident of the journey. And we are looking forward to a most enjoyable summer, some in Belgium, others in France and Germany, as well as the Austrian Tyrol.”

io Between the Lines in France

“ What wonderful things we will have to tell when we meet again ! ” ventured Mr. Dorr, “ and if Harvey is successful with his pictures we expect to find pleasure in looking over his collection.”

At that Tom Maillard was heard to give a scornful laugh; and Harvey frowned in his direction, well knowing what was in the other’s mind. Undoubtedly Tom fully expected that the ambitious amateur photographer would indeed have some thrilling adventures to relate, if he could ever convince the authorities that he meant no harm in breaking their strict injunctions against carrying a camera into military reservations.

“ Now’s our chance to get over! ” called out Uncle Alvin, a little excitedly, as the officer waved back the seemingly never-ending procession of every kind of vehicle known to London street traffic, thus giving the cross stream a chance to move forward.

The party began to head for the other side, when there must have been some misunderstanding of signals; for some of the stalled vehicles started moving again. The two ladies uttered little shrieks of alarm, though possibly there was really no danger of their being run over; and the boys immediately seized upon them so as to ferry them safely across. Then Mr. Dorr called out at the top of his voice :

“ Look to your uncle, Tom; he’s been seized with one of his fainting spells, and may be run over by that motor ’bus ! ”

Chapter II

As it happened, just at that critical moment none of the boys was within reaching distance of Uncle Alvin. They had bustled up to assist Mart’s mother and Mrs. Caslon across so that the stricken man was almost under the oncoming motor ’bus when a; gentleman sprang forward and snatched him from the imminent peril.

It was done so deftly that Tom Maillard, who had attempted to hurry back to render what assistance he could, found his uncle safely deposited on the pavement.

The stranger was a rather pleasant looking man, with a remarkably keen eye, and a business-like air. Somehow he did not impress the party as an Englishman and when he spoke they were more than ever convinced that he must be a foreigner.

“ Can I do anything further for you, sir?” he asked Mr. Maillard, who was already fast recovering from his swooning spell.

“ Nothing, thank you,” weakly replied the old gentleman, with one of his rare smiles that always charmed people. “ I am subject to an occasional attack of this kind. It couldn’t have taken me at ii a more unfortunate time; but fortunately you were the friend in time of need, sir. I thank you very much for your assistance/’

The others had gathered around, and Mr. Dorr, liking the looks of the stranger, as well as feeling under obligations to him on account of what he had so cleverly done, proceeded to introduce the whole party.

“ My name is Armand — Gustave Armand,” the gentleman informed them, as though he considered it only right he should meet their friendly advances thus far at least. At the same time he handed Uncle Alvin his card.

Apparently he had become quite interested in the party, whom he could see were from the great country to the west of the Atlantic; and America is a land of considerable fascination and yearning to many millions of Old World people.

After he had been told how they were bound for various Continental countries on sight-seeing trips, Mr. Armand proceeded to inform them further of his own affairs.

“ It happens that I, too, am bound for La Belle France, sir,” he said to Uncle Alvin, “ where just at present I have an important mission to fulfill. It would be very pleasant if a good fort j should throw us together somewhere there.”

“ I should be glad indeed to meet you again, Mr. Armand,” returned Uncle Alvin. He really meant every word of what he said. There was something peculiarly attractive about the new acquaintance, even though some of them afterwards gave it as their opinion that he seemed a little mysterious.

He was very cordial, and shook hands all around before tipping his hat as the most polite Frenchman might, and walking hastily away.

“ Wouldn’t it be strange if we should happen to meet him again over in France? ” remarked Lucille, as she tripped along at the side of Mart Dorr and Thomas Bartlett.

“ As much chance of finding a needle in a haystack as that happening, I should say,” Mart declared; “though of course queer things do come along sometimes. I’ve heard of two men who were next door neighbors in New York for ten years, and only knew each other by sight, coming face to face on top of one of the pyramids in Egypt.”

“ Yes,” continued Tom, laughingly, “ and the chances are they were so glad to see a familiar face that those two men shook hands on the spot as though they had been life-long friends.”

By this time they had arrived close to their hotel. The subject of the mysterious stranger seemed to be lingering in the minds of some of the travelers, for Ht.ixy Caslon was heard to say to Harvey Dorr:

“ Do you know it wouldn’t surprise me a little bit if our new friend turned out to be a Government spy. Didn’t he say he had to go over to France on a mission? And don’t we hear lots of talk about German spies over in England, even if both countries are at peace? He looks just like what I’d picture a real foreign spy to be.”

“ Oh ! that’s owing to your bump of imagination, Henry, which they say is abnormally developed,” Mart told him, carelessly. “ He looks just like an average gentleman to me ; and I reckon he’s only an agent for some French automobile factory, trying to sell a big order for his firm over in Great Britain.”

“ He seemed a very pleasant gentleman to me,” added Lucille, who with her brother Tom, was close enough behind to overhear the subject of their dialogue. Somehow this haphazard suggestion on the part of Henry Caslon sank deep in the mind of Tom Maillard. It was fated to recur many times to him in the near future, when he found himself on historic French territory.

Always the answer to that question, “ who can Monsieur Armand be? ” seemed to dance just before his grasp; just as a will-o’-the-wisp in lonely graveyards or marshy places keeps tantalizingly out of one’s reach.

As soon as dinner had been dispatched the whole party took conveyances to the station to wish the Dorrs a hearty farewell.

They expected to start by train for the boat that was to carry them across the lower part of the

North Sea, direct to the city of Antwerp on the River Scheldt in Belgium.

As might be expected there was the usual merriment as they saw their friends enter the compartment that had been reserved for them, and after the guard had locked as well as closed the door.

Just before the train pulled out the last handshakes were exchanged amidst all manner of laughter and promises.

“ Be saving of your spare cash and spending money so as to settle for that dinner when we meet again in Rome,’ , warned Tom Maillard, crooking a finger at the scornful Harvey, who was leaning from a window and apparently holding that brown paper package in his hands, though they knew he was trying a parting snapshot.

“ I’d advise you to take your own advice, because you’ll need it,” Harvey called back, as the train began to move off.

There were waving handkerchiefs from the carriage windows until those who remained in the station lost sight of the train back of other lines of cars. Although those who had thus started for the interesting country of Flanders anticipated having an enjoyable time there, of course they could not dream of the remarkable vicissitudes of fortune they were fated to endure before meeting these dear friends once more.

What those strange adventures were has been told in the pages of the first volume of this series of war stories ; and if you wish to follow the fortunes of Mart and Harvey Dorr, as well as learn what success the latter had with his cunningly concealed camera, you can do so by reading, “ Between the Lines in Belgium.”

Since they chanced to be caught in that country when war was suddenly declared by Germany, and the wonderful army of the Kaiser started across the neutral territory of Belgium in order to strike a swift blow at France, it can be understood that the Dorr boys must have encountered many thrilling adventures.

The rest of the party expected to start before nightfall, two for Hamburg, while the others headed for France. They had all their baggage ready, and being wise travelers carried as much with them as possible; since it is not as easy to send a trunk abroad as in our own country, no checks being given, and every one being expected to identify his own property from time to time.

“ I’m afraid we’re going to have a rough passage across the Channel to-night,” Uncle Alvin told the rest as they once more headed for the station towards train time, having said good-by to the Bartletts, who were to make a start from another quarter.

The party was now reduced to just one-half of the original number, with Uncle Alvin in supreme command. This position of authority afforded him plenty of opportunities for pretending to be a severe captain, when everybody knew he was the mildest and most lovable old fellow that could be imagined.

“What makes you say that, Uncle Alvin?” demanded Lucille, looking anything but pleased; for while she had not been very sick on the voyage across the Atlantic, she had heard terrible stories about that trip of a few hours on the Channel, where even old sailors often have to give up and admit that they feel squeamish.

“ There are indications of bad weather, I understand,” the old gentleman replied.

“Not a storm, I hope?” the girl continued, uneasily. “ Oh! wouldn’t it be too bad if after all we met with a shipwreck, just when we were within sight of the shores of beautiful France?”

Tom laughed the idea to scorn.

“ Piffle ! ” he exclaimed, for occasionally Tom was known to indulge in certain forms of slang, though as a rule not addicted to the habit, because Lucille would not allow it; “that storm business is all moonshine. Why, the English Channel is only a little stretch of water at the best. They say on a clear day you can see the white cliffs of Dover from the French side. What’s twenty miles? They’ve got big guns that can throw a shell almost that far.”

All the same, the fact that it was a windy and gloomy night impressed some of the travelers unfavorably. When later on, as they were about to board the steamer at Dover, they saw a party turning back, saying they would wait for the next boat, Lucille cast an uneasy look at her uncle.

“ Do you suppose they are afraid it’s going to be too stormy outside the harbor ? ” she asked him, at which the old gentleman smiled, and hastened to re-

ply:

“ Well, it might be they’ve decided to wait for smoother water; people often pick their time that way in crossing the Channel. But they may also have some other reason for changing their minds.”

“ Why, yes,” broke in Paul Caslon, “ I think I heard them speaking as though they were disappointed in some one not showing up here. I guess they mean to go to a hotel, and wait for him to come. No storm that blows could make me give up a trip, if the captain was willing to take the chances.”

Paul had always been reckoned a regular water duck, and never suffered in the slightest degree from sea sickness. That kind of people never understand how others less fortunate feel when the vessel commences to reel upon a choppy sea.

So they went aboard, and made themselves as comfortable as the conditions allowed. It would only be for a short passage, and then they expected to be carried on to Paris, where the following morning would find them ready for more sight-seeing before the party finally broke up.

“ Now we’re off ! ” said Paul, joyfully, as the last commands were given, and the Channel steamer began to move away from her landing stage.

The young folks were all at the rail watching everything that went on ; but Mrs. Caslon and Uncle Alvin, being experienced travelers, had discreetly found seats in the saloon cabin, where they could be comfortable, and resist the dreadful feeling they anticipated would soon be gripping them.

Even in the harbor it was anything but steady. Lucille showed that while she had always been reckoned an unusually brave girl, she was not a born sailor.

“ It’s getting worse all the while, don’t you think?” she asked, as the boat began to rock violently, and some of the numerous passengers started to seek places where they could lie down, since they were less likely to suffer when in that position.

“ Oh! it’s a joke to hear you talk that way, when I’m just beginning to really enjoy things,” said Paul Caslon. “ Let the old wind blow, and crack its cheeks if it wants ; and the seas roll as high as mountains, too. This is a bully little boat, all right, and she’s stood some corkers of storms in her day, they say.”

“ But she must be old now, and not nearly so well

able to stand up against a st oh ! dear, what a

terrible lurch that was! Do you think she could have sprung a leak, Henry? That sometimes happens, I’ve read, when a ship’s timbers are strained too hard. Is that sound I hear every once in a while the men manning the pumps ? ”

Paul acted as though he wanted to laugh louder than ever, but he saw that Lucille was really nervous, and he thought too much of Tom’s pretty little sister to be rude.

“ Well, so far as I know, Lucille,” he told her, “ I don’t think they ever have to put the crew at the pumps on board a steamer while the donkey engine is able to do the work. And on nearly all boats they often keep taking the bilge water out of the hold. There’s a certain amount of seepage all the time, you must understand. I wouldn’t worry about it, Lucille.”

“ I’ll never be satisfied unless I can get the captain to tell me himself that this isn’t much of a storm,” the girl continued, still holding on to her seat as though she feared she might be suddenly hurled overboard.