Kitabı oku: «Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube; or, Four Chums Abroad», sayfa 6

CHAPTER XI
UNDER FIRE ON THE RIVER

Later on the four boys made themselves as comfortable as the conditions allowed, and tried to settle down for the night. Buster had carried out his words, and managed to gather enough shavings to make a soft bed on the floor, using his blanket to cover the same. Josh imitated his example, but the others were satisfied to occupy their old places in the boat.

None of them slept soundly, and for good reasons. The recent excitement made such an impression on their minds that they could not for a long time stop thinking about the visit of the mob.

Then again there was always the chance that some of the wilder spirits might think they had been cheated out of some fun, and come back in the small hours of the night to renew the trouble.

Several times, when some sound was heard that at another time would hardly have been noticed, one or more of the seeming sleepers would raise his head to listen, proving that sleep had been remote at the time. Buster in particular was uneasy, and even after he managed to get asleep Josh declared he tossed about and muttered to himself at a fierce rate.

But, after all, their fears proved groundless. The townspeople had accepted them at their face value, and did not mean to bother the strangers again. No one came prowling around the boatshop during the balance of the night; and with the arrival of dawn the boys were all up, ready to cook breakfast and clear the shop so that the proprietor could get busy.

They had a simple meal, only coffee, boiled eggs and buttered toast; but every one ate all he wished, so there was no complaints coming.

Then came the owner of the boatyard and shop, who was greatly surprised when he learned what had happened on the preceding night. He seemed indignant at first, but calmed down when he heard how the mob had changed from enemies into friends after finding that the boys were from America.

He told Jack that he could give a surmise as to what had prompted the attack. Strangely enough, it concerned that story of the four desperate young Serbians who, according to accounts, were said to have started for Vienna with the avowed intention of depriving Austria-Hungary of their beloved old emperor, just as some other wild spirits had murdered the heir apparent and his wife.

Apparently this story was believed by all who heard it. Those Serbians were getting very bold of late, and nothing seemed to be beyond them. They were also earning the mortal hatred of the Hungarians, Jack could see.

When the assistant worker arrived the two of them began to overhaul the engine of the powerboat. George stood around every minute of the time and watched, as well as asked innumerable questions. The others, however, made him promise not to offer to render the least assistance. They knew George’s failings, and feared that if he once got to pottering with that engine it was surely doomed.

Apparently the man knew his business thoroughly. Jack, after seeing how he went at matters, felt sure the trouble would soon be located and remedied, when they might go on their way rejoicing.

It was about ten o’clock when the engine was started up and responded handsomely. Buster gave a whoop of delight, while Josh swung his hat above his head, and the others also smiled in satisfaction.

“Everything is lovely and the goose hangs high!” Josh announced, as he jumped up and chinned himself against a handy rafter of the low shed.

“We can all see that without your telling us, Josh,” George chuckled.

Of course, every one was in a fine humor now. Their stop had not proven so serious after all, since they had only lost a few hours. As to the sum asked by the machinist, that did not bother them at all, since there was plenty more where that money came from.

As there was now nothing to delay them, they said good-by to their friend of the boatyard and were soon moving down the river again, delighted at their good fortune.

“Another odd experience, that’s all,” sang Josh, as they took their last look back at the town on the point before turning another bend that would hide it entirely from view.

“But at one time, I tell you, it promised to be pretty serious,” Buster asserted. “We’ve got one asset, though, that never fails us.”

“What’s that?” asked George.

“The Stormways luck!” laughed the fat chum. “In fair weather and foul, and through storm and stress it can always be depended on to bridge over all difficulties and drag us out of every old mud-hole or swamp. If you look back to our past career you’ll find that what I’m telling you is nothing but the honest truth. It’s better to be born lucky than rich any day.”

Jack only laughed at hearing this. He knew that luck alone is rather a flimsy foundation to pin confidence on, and that there is something more needed; but it was not for him to say as much. If his comrades believed it all a matter of accident, they were welcome to the delusion.

Somehow they enjoyed the sensation of freedom more than ever on this day. Perhaps that came from the unpleasant experience of the preceding night, when they found themselves in danger from the angry mob.

It was not long before Josh broke out in song and amused himself for a spell, entertaining his chums as well, for he had a pretty good voice. When they were passing through a hilly region, with rather abrupt walls on either shore, it was a peculiar experience that befell them.

“Somebody’s mocking you, Josh!” cried Buster indignantly, when they all heard a voice distinctly repeat the last few words of the song Josh had finished.

Jack smiled to see the other three look hastily around, for he guessed the secret immediately.

“Try again, Josh, and see if he keeps it up,” he went on to say, and when once more the same mocking call came back to them Josh began to grow quite “huffy.”

“Think yourself smart, don’t you?” he shouted, shaking his fist toward that point from whence it seemed the taunting voice hailed.

“Smart, don’t you!” came immediately back at him.

Then Buster must have seen a great light, for he gave a loud laugh.

“Say, don’t feel like hitting him, Josh, because it’s only an echo!” he gurgled.

“Don’t you believe it!” snapped George. “No echo could ever repeat words as plain as that.”

“Try it yourself and see, George,” advised Jack, and, realizing that he was in a poor minority, George did give a shout, only to have it sent back with an abruptness and energy that startled him.

The doubter was apparently convinced, though he kept saying that he never would have believed it possible for an echo to repeat such things. As they were speeding along with the current they quickly passed beyond the magic range, and hence Buster received no answer when he shouted lustily at the rocky hillside.

As they had lost so much time that morning, it was decided not to make any stop at noon. They could manage on some cold lunch, and wait until night came along to do their cooking.

They frequently saw other boats on the river. Many of these were clumsy affairs and evidently owned by farmers, who were in the habit of getting their produce to market in this way. Occasionally they passed a small pleasure boat loaded with people, who, like most excursionists, waved their hands and handkerchiefs at the four comely lads aboard the chugging motorboat.

Seeing Jack, who had temporarily handed the wheel over to George, examining his little chart of the river, procured in Vienna, Josh came and dropped down beside him.

As usual, Josh bristled with interrogation points. He came of Yankee ancestry and never could pick up enough information to satisfy himself. There was always a yearning to “know” whenever Josh came around, and he would go straight to the heart of the matter without any beating about the bush.

“Making pretty good time, eh, Jack?” he went on to say as a prelude.

“Splendid, Josh, and I’m thinking that overhauling is going to pay us fairly well in the end. It certainly has increased the speed capacity of the boat by a mile an hour, according to my reckoning.”

“Bully for that!” ejaculated the other; “and provided we keep this same pace up for five or six hours more, whereabouts do you think we might stop over night?”

Jack must have been doing a little figuring along those same lines himself, for as Josh leaned over he put the point of his lead pencil close to a cross he had made on the chart further along.

“Providing all goes well, that’s about where we ought to fetch up on this day’s run,” he told Josh.

“Looks like we might get to the Serbian border then by another night, eh, Jack?”

“That’s possible, unless we have another accident, or get held up some way or other. While we may figure as much as we please, it’s never wise to count your chickens, Josh, before the eggs are hatched. There’s always a big IF confronting us, because we’re doing this thing under peculiar conditions, you know.”

“By that I suppose you mean the plagued old war that had to break out just when we got well started on our way?” complained Josh.

From one subject he launched into another, until he had pumped Jack dry – at least the other laughingly told him so as he scrambled to his feet, after replacing his chart in his pocket, and went over to relieve George.

The long afternoon was wearing away, and so far everything seemed to be going on all right. Buster called attention to this fact every little while, as though it occupied a prominent place in his mind.

He even allowed himself to remember that he had promised to try and duplicate his fishing feat and supply the party with a change in breakfast food.

“Josh,” he went on to say, “are you game to run another race this evening with the balance of our grubs? They’ve kept alive all right, and ought to be good for a mess of fine fish.”

“I’m your meal ticket,” cheerily announced the other. “Count me in the game if the chance opens up; and I hope we have as good luck as that other time. But say, there’s a queer looking boat away down the river that I don’t seem to be able to make head or tail of. Somebody take a look and tell me what you think.”

At that there was a general craning of necks. Then Buster announced his opinion.

“Whatever she is, I think they’re anchored in the stream, because I can’t see any movement at all.”

“But that looks like smoke coming from a stack of some sort,” George observed, as he cupped both hands in order to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight, in this way securing better results.

“Strikes me it’s a cheese box on a raft of some sort,” Josh gave as a hazard.

“Why, Josh, that was the name the Confederates gave the Monitor in our civil war, you know,” burst out Buster; “the single round turret was built on a low deck just a little above the water, and I suppose it did look like a cheese box, such as you can see in the grocery stores at home.”

“Between you,” said Jack just then, “you’ve guessed it.”

“Do you mean it’s really and truly a monitor?” demanded George skeptically.

“I’ve understood that Austria had a number of these river gunboats down here, and I think they all mount pretty big guns, as well as being armored,” Jack went on to say.

“But what use would they be?” queried George.

“Well, you must know that this eternal Balkan question is forever bobbing up, and within a few years there have been two serious clashes south of Austria. The first was between Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece against Turkey. They knocked the Sultan’s forces out and took a lot of territory away, which they divided. Then Bulgaria got a notion she could lick the other two and seize more territory; but the shoe was on the other foot, because she had to cry for quarter, and lost a good portion of land that had come to her from Turkey. Ever since there has been bad blood between them all, Rumania also.”

“But how does Austria come in with their petty quarrels?” continued George.

“Do you remember the old fable of the lion and the bear fighting over the game they had taken until they were exhausted, and then the sly fox walking off with it? Well, Austria got hold of a monstrous slice of territory in something the same way – Bosnia and Herzegovina. And there’s a big scheme afoot, I believe, for the Teuton allies to take Serbia and unite the German-speaking countries with Turkey.”

“Oh, I remember reading that Germany had eyes for Persia and all that rich Eastern country,” admitted Josh.

“Well, they are figuring on great things out that way,” Jack continued. “As for these river monitors, they are here to threaten little Serbia with. You see, it’s unfortunate that the capital, Belgrade, lies just across from Austrian heights, and always in reach of hostile batteries.”

“Shucks! that was foolish of the Serbians,” said Josh disdainfully, after the manner of one who knew it all. “Long ago they should have moved their capital to Nisch, nearer the middle of the state. Then they could defend it a heap better.”

As they approached closer to the singular craft anchored there near the shore of the river the boys eyed it curiously. They could see many men aboard, doubtless the crew. There was also an officer using a pair of binoculars, for they could catch the gleam of the sunlight on the glasses as he moved his hands.

Without the slightest warning, when they were almost opposite the anchored monitor, there came a puff of smoke and a reverberating boom. The boys saw the water splash high in the air about twenty feet in front of their little boat, showing that it had not been blank shot after all.

Buster was at once in a panic. He really believed that in another moment they might be the target for one of those big guns that could be seen projecting from the movable turret aboard the monitor, and at that close range the result must be the total annihilation of boat and passengers.

CHAPTER XII
NEARING THE SCENE OF WAR

“Pull up, Jack; that’s a plain invitation to hold our horses!” shrilled Josh, being the first one to find his voice.

Jack already knew this. He shut off power and then started to reverse, for the impetus of the craft, not to mention the swift current, was carrying the boat forward at a good pace, and any sign of disobeying that naval summons might cost them dear.

“There, he’s beckoning to us to run over alongside,” said Josh. “Mebbe we’ll be given a chance now to see what one of these same river monitors look like.”

“Huh! like as not we’ll be given a chance to see what a musty old dungeon under some Austrian fortress looks like!”

Of course, it was George who made this last gloomy prediction; but then the others were so accustomed to his ways that no one paid the least attention to him.

Jack was already heading the boat toward the anchored vessel. All of them had a very good chance to observe what a monitor looked like as they approached, and if they failed to accept their opportunity, that was their fault.

Coming up from below, they bumped against the armored side of the bulky war vessel. Buster looked with something of awe at the gaping guns of large caliber that projected from the turret close by.

When Josh, coached by Jack, had tossed a rope to some of the waiting crew of the monitor, they prepared to go aboard. Jack might have limited the number to himself and perhaps Josh, but then he knew the others would always be sorry they had not been given the privilege of saying they had once been aboard a fighting warship while war was on; so he allowed both George and Buster to trip after.

It could be seen that the officer was plainly surprised when he saw them at close quarters. Instead of the local boys whom he might have expected to meet, he now realized that the tiny flag floating from the stern of the motorboat stood for something.

“Who are you, and where do you come from?” he asked in excellent English, doubtless realizing that it was useless to ply them with Magyar.

“We are American boys, sir, as you can see from our flag,” Jack told him. “It is the only one we happen to have along with us.”

He thought that the captain looked very much interested, and that his manner became immediately a shade more cordial, which proved that he knew considerable about the country across the ocean.

“But this is a strange place for four American boys to be taking a cruise, you must admit,” he told Jack.

That gave the boy a chance to begin explanations. He went over the same ground as before and told how as members of a motorboat club they had planned to voyage down the Danube, and only learned of war breaking out when on the way.

When he mentioned the matter of passports the officer indicated that he should like to see them, at which once more Jack called upon his chums to produce their papers.

“You will find them all correct, sir,” he assured the other; “and besides, here are some letters from home which we received from our folks. They reached us in Budapest, you can see. I would like you to glance over them so that you may know we are just what we claim to be.”

The officer seemed to be pretty well satisfied after he had examined the passports. At the same time he looked at the boys in an amused fashion.

“Which one of you is George Rollins?” he asked, somewhat to the astonishment of that worthy, who did not know what might be in store for him, honors or captivity.

“That’s my name, sir,” he spoke up, and, to the further surprise of the boys, the Austrian commander thrust out his hand.

“I want to shake hands with you, George,” he said.

“Y-yes, sir,” replied the other, still groping in the dark, and fearing that he might be perilously near the edge of a precipice.

“You wonder why I single you out from your companions,” continued the other, as George accepted his hand and received a cordial squeeze in return. “I’ll have to explain, I suppose. Did you ever hear your mother speak of a cousin who had married an Austrian gentleman many years ago?”

Then George found his tongue.

“Oh, yes, I certainly have heard her speak of her cousin Lucy, and the name of the gentleman she married was – let me see, Stanislaus!”

As George burst out triumphantly with this declaration he found his hand once more shaken and squeezed, while the commander of the monitor beamed upon him.

“Well, I am Captain Stanislaus, and my mother was that same Cousin Lucy you have heard about. So you see, my boy, we are kin. I am very glad to meet you, even under such singular conditions.”

George turned toward his companions. His face was one broad smile. He doubtless had a pretty good sense of his own importance just then.

“I want to introduce my three chums to you, Cousin Stanislaus,” he went on to say with an air of importance. “The one you have been talking with is Jack Stormways, our leader; the stout one is Buster Longfellow, and the other is Josh Purdue, all of them the finest fellows under the sun, and my pards.”

The officer gravely shook hands with each of the boys in turn. He seemed to be duly impressed with the recommendation given by his newly discovered relative.

“See, here is a letter from my mother, sir,” continued George impulsively and with a deep motive back of his actions. “Her name is Alice, and she is first cousin to your mother. How pleased she will be to learn that I ran across you in this remarkable way! And because we are related, as it seems, I hope you will allow us to continue our voyage down the river, for it would be a great disappointment all around if we had to give it up now.”

Jack felt like clapping George on the back when he heard that naive appeal. Evidently George believed in making use of his relatives. What was the use of blood ties if favors could not be obtained through them?

All of them waited anxiously to see what the commander of the monitor might say. Ties of relationship might be all very well, but there was such a thing as duty to the Government to be considered. Of course, he knew very well that nothing was to be feared from these American boys, who would not have any reason for carrying news to the hostile Serbians. Hence it was really only a matter of their taking unnecessary risks in trying to pass the disputed portions of the Danube where opposing batteries might be bombarding each other.

The officer looked from one to another. He saw only appealing glances that undoubtedly must have made him weaken in his first resolve to order the boys back and end their adventurous voyage then and there.

“We are accustomed to looking out for ourselves, believe me, sir,” Jack thought fit to say just then, hoping to be able to influence the commander, who seemed to be what Josh would call “on the fence.”

“All we expect to do,” George went on to say, “is to slip past some night when it happens to be cloudy, and, once by the Iron Gate, the way is clear for us on to the mouth of the Danube. We have spent a heap of money to have this trip, and it would break us all up if we had to quit.”

The officer laughed at that.

“Well,” he went on to say, “I suppose, after all, it is none of my business, and I could allow you to proceed without any risk that you would carry important news of troop movements to the enemy beyond the Danube. It is with regard to your mother, George, I am thinking most of all.”

“Oh, don’t you fear about her, sir!” cried the boy enthusiastically. “She knows I’ve always been able to paddle my own canoe and find some way to get out of every sort of scrape. Please say that you will wash your hands of us and let us go about our business.”

“Very well, let it be just as you will have it, George. I do wash my hands of the whole business. You see, I have been young myself not very long back, and know what it means to a fellow to be terribly disappointed. Only promise me on your word of honor that you will not run any unnecessary risks in trying to pass Belgrade in the night time.”

Of course, George was only too glad to do this, and so they were allowed to go aboard the motorboat again, parting from the Austrian commander with mutual wishes for good luck.

George was about the happiest fellow going during the next hour. He seemed to be beaming with good nature.

“Did you ever hear of such a remarkable thing happening in all your life?” he demanded of Buster, whom he had cornered. “To think that, with the whole of this big country of Austria-Hungary to choose from, we should have picked out the Danube River for our cruise, and that just at the same time my second cousin with his warship should be stationed down here! Then again, remember how he fired a shot across our bows to bring us to, and, seeing my name on my passport, realized that we were actually blood relations!”

“It was queer, for a fact,” agreed Buster.

“Queer, you call it, do you, Buster?” cried George. “Why, I think it the most astonishing coincidence that ever happened. I’m sure none of us have even run across its equal. And then, what’s more, he let us proceed just because I was his cousin twice removed. Don’t forget that, Buster, will you, some time when you and Josh feel like giving me a dig or two? Oh, I’m of a little consequence once in a long time.”

“You’re of a whole lot of consequence plenty of times, George,” said Josh just then, “and we all acknowledge the corn; but for goodness’ sake please give us a change of tune now. We’ve been hearing about Cousin Stanislaus until even the swallows swinging past seem to be chirping the name; and I expect the fish will give it to us, too, if we catch any to-night.”

George looked a little hurt in his feelings at this thrust, but he subsided all the same, going off by himself where he could ponder upon the freaks of fortune that had thrown him in contact with this relative at the other side of the world, so to speak. From time to time he would smile as though his thoughts were pleasant ones; but none of the others interrupted his meditations.

The day drew near a close, and as they had really come up to Jack’s expectations it might be set down as possible that they would camp somewhere close by the place marked with a cross on the chart.

That would mean only one more day’s journey before they must find themselves in the vicinity of battle scenes, if, as they suspected, the Austrians had started to bombard Belgrade and were being answered shot for shot from their fortifications by the valiant Serbian gunners.

They were fortunate enough to find a particularly good camp site. It was in the midst of some trees that offered them all the comforts they could wish for. At the same time they had no reason to believe they were anywhere near a town, and the river in this spot looked quite lonely and deserted; at least there was no other war monitor in sight, from the deck of which their movements might be observed and deemed suspicious enough to warrant a visit of investigation.

As evening drew on they tied the boat securely and built a fire close by. Buster, as usual, insisted on taking charge of the cooking, while the rest lay around or gathered fuel for the fire.

It was while moving about with this latter purpose in view that Jack suddenly came upon a crouching figure in the brush. At his exclamation the unknown party struggled to his feet. Jack had been alarmed at first, not knowing but what there might be bandits in that vicinity. He quickly saw, however, that he had a peaked looking and very hungry fairly well grown boy to deal with.

Not wishing to let the other see that he had been startled, Jack immediately demanded to know who he was and why he was spying on them. The other made motions to let Jack understand he could not speak English. He then went on to say something in rapid tones, but it was all Greek to Jack.

However, from his appearance and the motions he made to his mouth, as well as showing how empty his stomach was, it was easy to judge that it was the smell of the cooking supper that had drawn him.

“Stay with us, then, and share our meal,” suggested Jack, mostly in pantomime; and evidently his gestures must have had a convincing way of their own, for the hungry boy immediately nodded his head, said something in a fervent tone, and, to Jack’s embarrassment, proceeded to kiss his hand violently.

“Hey, what’s all this going on here?” asked Josh, just then coming on the scene, no doubt attracted by the sound of a strange voice.

“Here’s a poor tramp of a boy who gives me to understand he’s half dead with hunger,” Jack went on to explain; “and as we can’t turn him away in that condition, we’ll have to let him stay to supper with us, I suppose.”

Josh, of course, was exceedingly surprised. He looked the strange boy over and saw that he undoubtedly had a hungry appearance.

“Sure we’ll share our supper with him, Jack,” he hastened to say, being one of those fellows who could never see any one suffer when he had a chance to offer assistance; “who knows but what we may be entertaining an angel unawares, like we read about. Tell him to come along up to the fire right away.”

Buster and George were also somewhat astonished at this increase to their number. Still the poor chap looked so woebegone that Buster immediately saw to it that an extra portion of food was prepared. George, too, did not have the heart to show his objecting nature. He thought this to be a real case of necessity.

The strange boy was fairly well grown, though slender. His face was dark and he had a mass of heavy black hair. His eyes were dazzlingly bright, and, although there was an uneasy look on his face, he could smile cheerily when he saw that any of them were looking at him.

Josh watched him from time to time, as though some notion had come into that shrewd head of his. Supper was getting along nicely when Jack saw Josh beckoning to him cautiously at a time the stranger happened to be looking another way.

Then Josh strolled off a short distance and seemed to be bending down, as if looking at something that interested him.

“What’s in the wind?” asked Jack softly, as he joined the other.

“I don’t know exactly, to tell you the truth, but I’m uneasy over something, and wanted to have a little chin with you,” came the reply.

“You’re suspicious, that’s what, Josh?”

“Oh, well, I admit as much,” replied the other. “You see, in these times we’ve got to be careful. Instead of an angel we may be entertaining one of the other kind.”

“Now get it out of your system, and tell me what you’re thinking about,” demanded Jack.

“First of all, he turns his head and looks every little while in a certain direction. I’ve got a good notion the boy must have friends hidden somewhere near by.”

“Yes, go on, Josh; what else?”

“Then, if you come to think of it, he doesn’t talk the same lingo as these Hungarian Magyars we’ve met. I’m not dead sure about it, but I’ve got a hunch he must be of another nationality. Well, what nation are we closest to below here? What but Serbia? Are you following me, Jack?”

“I am, so keep going,” the other informed him.

“You remember the story we were told by that polite Hungarian officer, about the four desperate Serbian youths who had sworn to have the life of the aged Austrian emperor – well, according to my notion, our guest is one of the batch; and his three tough cronies are hidden close by, waiting for some signal!”