The Boy Allies with Haig in Flanders | Page 6

if we reach Berlin safely. Besides, we have been there before, and are somewhat familiar with the city."
"Yes," said Chester grimly, "we've been there several times before. I recall that we went there once very much against our will -- prisoners."
"Well, we didn't stay very long," said Hal.
"Let's hope we don't stay for keeps this time either," said Chester. "To tell the truth, I don't think much of this spy business myself."
"Somebody has to do it," Hal declared.
"Of course, but I am not very fond of that sort of work."
"If you don't want to go -" Hal began, but Chester interrupted.
"Of course, I want to go if it must be. I am ready to do what I can for my country in whatever way I may."
"I knew it," said Hal; "I was only fooling. Come, we will acquaint McKenzie with his work. And if he comes safely through this, I feel confident he will not remain long in the ranks."
The found McKenzie, the erstwhile Canadian sergeant, in his tent.
"McKenzie," said Hal, "you are about to take a trip, I see."
"That so, sir? I hadn't heard of it."
"Yes," Hal continued. "I heard a man say you were about to go to Germany."
"And the man," said McKenzie, "was --"
"General Pershing, McKenzie."
"Very well, sir," said McKenzie, to whom the few words told the story of important work to be done.
"In that event, I presume that General Pershing has seen fit to allow me leave of absence."
"He has, McKenzie. I shall present the order to Captain O'Neill at once. In the meantime, see that your guns are cleaned, and that you have an extra supply of cartridges. We may need them. Also, leave any papers or other marks of identification behind. When you are ready, come to my quarters."
"I shall be there in half an hour, sir."
Hal and Chester made their way to Captain O'Neill's quarters. Hal presented the papers, granting leaves of absence to the three.
"Hm-m," muttered Captain O'Neill. "Something up, eh? Well, I wish I were going with you." He extended a hand.
"Good luck," he said quietly."
CHAPTER IV
INTO GERMANY
"We'll have to have a leader for this party," said Hal, "one whose word shall be law. I'm agreeable to Chester."
"I'd rather have you," said Chester.
McKenzie also voted for Hal, who already had done him some service. This agreement, stood.
"All right," said Hal. "Now that I'm in command, I'll outline the course of procedure. We'll go from here to the Dutch border."
"How about passports?" Chester wanted to know.
"That's simple enough. You remember the time when we drew up a set of fake passports representing ourselves to be correspondents of the New York Gazette? We'll follow the same plan, except that we each will be represented as correspondents of different papers. See, I've already drawn, them."
"I see," said Chester, "but American passports won't be honored in Germany now."
"But they will be in Holland," said Hal. "We'll see what can be done about having them changed there. Now, let's see if we know who we are."
He passed the fake passports to the others.
"I'm Barney McCann, eh?" said McKenzie, gazing at the paper he held in his hand. "Oh, well, I guess I can talk Irish as well as German if I have to. And I represent the Chicago Mail."
"I'm still Chester Crawford," said Chester, "and I represent the New York Gazette."
"I'm Hal Paine, and I represent the Philadelphia Globe," said Hal. "We'll probably have to change our names when we go over the German border, but these should answer their purposes in Holland. Fortunately, we have learned a few things from Stubbs, so we are not unfamiliar with the workings of a newspaper."
"Guess we had better get out of these uniforms," said Chester.
"Right. We'll don suits of plain khaki, such as Stubbs wears, and we'll equip ourselves with the necessary paraphernalia."
This was a simple task, and several hours later, horseback, the lads made their way toward where British troops, supported by French, were close to, the border of The Netherlands.
They showed their passports, prepared by Hal, to the British military authorities, and were permitted to pass.
Holland, although not a participant in the great war, nevertheless, soon after the outbreak of hostilities, had felt herself called upon to mobilize her military forces that she might protect her borders should one of the belligerents attempt to overrun her, as the Germans had overrun Belgium at the outbreak of the war. Therefore, when the three travelers reached the border, they were held up by the military.
Hal presented his fake American passport, and Chester and McKenzie did likewise. The officer who had accosted them turned them over to his superior.
"Your intentions," said the officer, "I hope are such as not to break Holland's neutrality?"
"We're perfectly peaceable, sir," returned Hal with a smile.
"Very well. This is a neutral country, and you