The Boy Allies in Great Peril | Page 9

them.
And at this moment a newcomer entered the room. He was a young man, thin and tall, and his face showed the marks of hard service. He was attired in the uniform of a French major. He, too, took a hand in attempting to separate the combatants.
As the five struggled about, Hal caught a glimpse of the newcomer's face, and he gave a cry of wonder, uttering a name that caused Chester to release his hold upon the Italian officer and step back in surprise and pleasure.
"Major Derevaux!" exclaimed Hal.

CHAPTER V.
A NEW RECRUIT.
The French officer also stepped back in surprise, for until that moment he had not had time to glance at the two lads. He, too, gave vent to an exclamation of pleasure and held out both hands.
"Hal! Chester!" he cried.
Each lad seized upon a hand and wrung it heartily. General Ferrari and Colonel Fuesco stood back and eyed them curiously. Finally the general spoke to the Frenchman.
"You know these boys?" he asked.
"Know them!" repeated Major Derevaux. "Well, I should say I do. They are Lieutenants Paine and Crawford, of His British majesty's service, sir."
"Then they are not German or Austrian spies?"
"What! These lads German spies! If you but knew of what invaluable service they have been to the cause of the Allies, you would be proud to shake hands with them. Why, let me tell you," and forgetting all other matters for the moment, Major Derevaux plunged into an account of the boys' triumphs since joining the allied forces.
At the conclusion of this recital, General Ferrari extended a hand to each of the boys.
"I am indeed glad to know two such gallant lads," he said. "I felt sure when I first saw you that there must be some mistake in your cases."
"But they stole my paper!" cried Colonel Fuesco.
"That is not true," said Major Derevaux. "I can vouch for their loyalty."
"But who can vouch for you?" demanded the colonel. "How is General Ferrari to know that you, too, are not a spy, coming to him with false credentials?"
"I can answer that question," replied the general. "As it happens, I have known Major Derevaux for years. He has often visited at my home, he and his parents. You owe these lads an apology, colonel."
"He knocked me down," replied the colonel, pointing to Chester.
"So he did," said the general, "and you deserved it."
Chester now approached the colonel and extended a hand.
"I bear you no ill will," he said.
The officer glanced at him searchingly for a moment, and then took the hand.
"I have done you and your friend an injustice," he said. "I am sorry."
"Say no more about it," replied Chester.
Colonel Fuesco also shook hands with Hal.
"But what of my paper?" he demanded of the general.
"I can give you a description of the man who took it," said Hal, and did so. When he mentioned that the man had a scar on his face, the two Italian officers uttered a cry.
"Hans Robard!" they exclaimed.
"You know him, then?" asked Chester.
"Rather," said the general dryly. "He is an Austrian, and attached to the Austrian embassy here. Of course there has as yet been no formal declaration of war between Italy and Austria, but it has been known for days that war was sure to come. Colonel Fuesco here has been entrusted with important documents relating to troop movements, and it is this document that Robard has stolen. It must be recovered."
"We are willing to help all we can," said Chester. "With a little forethought we should have been able to recover it ourselves. Robard made monkeys of us."
"He made a monkey of me, too," said the colonel ruefully.
"The thing to be done," said Chester, "is to get track of him."
"That's easy enough," was the reply. "He can be found at the embassy; but he will deny that he has the paper. Also, we cannot arrest him. Being a member of a foreign embassy, in times of peace he is immune from arrest."
"And he will take the paper with him when he leaves Italy," said Major Derevaux.
"It was stolen once," said Hal thoughtfully. "Why cannot it be stolen again?"
"What do you mean?" asked Colonel Fuesco.
"Just what I say. Robard stole the document from you. Some one must recover it from Robard without his knowledge."
"An excellent idea!" exclaimed General Ferrari. "But who will do this work?"
"We shall be glad to undertake it, your excellency," said Hal.
"You! But you are so young for such a piece of work."
"Don't you believe it, general," Major Derevaux interrupted. "If the papers can be recovered, these lads can get them. You could not put the mission in better hands."
"But the danger--"
"We have been in danger before, sir," said Chester quietly.
The general considered a moment, and then brought a hand down on his desk with tremendous force.
"So be it!" he exclaimed.