The Boy Allies in the Trenches | Page 9

I finally became afflicted with St. Vitus' dance, and later with
a queer ailment that wouldn't allow me to keep still. I'd hop out of bed
and wander about, with the surgeons or nurses on my heels, and then
I'd fall down in a fit. This continued for several days, and finally they
became tired of following me about, figuring, I suppose, that a man in
my condition couldn't go very far, anyhow."
"This was what I had been waiting for, but I didn't put the plan I had
decided upon into execution at once. I waited for a good chance. At last,
it came. The surgeon was a young chap and smooth shaven, which was
lucky for me. Also he was about my build, and there was some slight
resemblance between us. This day he was with me alone. Not a soul
was present save us two. As he turned his back to look into his
medicine case, I struck him heavily in the back of the neck.

"He toppled over without a sound. Quickly I exchanged clothes with
him and put his body in my bed, after which I picked up his case and
walked boldly out of the hospital."
"Great Scott!" cried Chester. "You had plenty of nerve!"
"Well," continued the captain, "no one interfered with me and I walked
about at will. I kept edging closer and closer to the firing line, figuring
that I would make a break for liberty at the first opportunity. It came
sooner than I expected.
"There had been a big battle, and all surgeons and nurses were rushed
to the front to look after the wounded. I went along. The battle was
over, and we immediately went forth to attend to the wounded. Again I
went along, only this time I didn't stop going. When I figured I was far
enough ahead I broke into a run.
"But I wasn't to get away so easily. A surgeon who had been near me
saw me take to my heels, and instead of attending to the wounded as he
should have done, he raised an alarm. Immediately a troop of horsemen
dashed after me. I managed to reach a little woods directly ahead of me
in safety and climbed up a tree. The Germans were unable to find me,
so when night came I descended from my perch and continued my
journey.
"Soon after daylight I came upon a house, where I asked for food. I still
wore the German surgeon's uniform, and here this worked to my
disadvantage."
"How was that?" asked Chester.
"It seems that the family were Belgians, and I hadn't thought of that.
They gave me food and drink all right, but they spilled a little drug of
some kind in the drink. The next thing I knew I was bound and gagged
and was looking down the muzzle of a revolver held by a
ferocious-looking Belgian peasant. He informed me my time had come.
I told him I was English, and explained my capture and escape. He
listened patiently, but when I finished he informed me that he wasn't

going to take any chances. I had just five minutes to live, he said."
"Great Scott!" cried Hal. "That was pretty close. How did you escape?"
"More by good luck than anything else," was the reply. "There was
some kind of a noise behind the peasant and he turned to investigate. At
that moment I kicked out with my foot and the toe of my boot caught
him squarely under the chin. He went down with a thump. I don't know
whether I killed him or not."
"But how did you free your hands?" asked Hal.
"Well, I had quite a little trouble, but I managed to drag my chair over
to the fire, and held my hands over the blaze until the cord was
burned."
"And didn't you burn your hands?"
"A little," was the quiet response; "but it had to be done. Then I untied
my legs and removed the gag, after which I took to my heels as fast as I
could. I didn't care for any more Belgian hospitality to one who wore a
German uniform.
"In the road I came upon a dead British soldier. I took his uniform and
discarded that of the German surgeon. I now began to feel that I was
reasonably safe, and I lay down at night and slept like a log, in spite of
the cold.
"I was awakened a little before daylight by the sounds of approaching
footsteps. I saw the marchers before they saw me, but still not quite
quick enough. They were the same men from whose hands you rescued
me only a short while ago.
"I had been confined in that hospital so long that