World's War Series Volume 2

FACING THE GERMAN FOE

by

COLONEL JAMES FISKE

Illustrated by E. A. Furman

The Saalfield Publishing Company Chicago Akron, Ohio New York Copyright, 1915 by The Saalfield Publishing Co.

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I Serious News 11

II Quick Work 27

III Picked for Service 45

IV The House of the Heliograph 65

V On the Trail 81

VI The Mystery of Bray Park 99

VII A Close Shave 117

VIII A Friend in Need 127

IX An Unexpected Blow 143

X A Good Witness 153

XI The First Blow 163

XII The Silent Wire 173

XIII A Treacherous Deed 185

XIV The Trap 195

XV A Daring Ruse 205

XVI The Cipher 213

XVII A Capture from the Skies 223

XVIII Vindication 233

Facing the German Foe

CHAPTER I

SERIOUS NEWS

"As long as I can't be at home," said Harry Fleming, "I'd rather be here than anywhere in the world I can think of!"

"Rather!" said his companion, Dick Mercer. "I say, Harry, it must be funny to be an American!"

Harry laughed heartily.

"I'd be angry, Dick," he said, finally, "if that wasn't so English--and so funny! Still, I suppose that's one reason you Britishers are as big an empire as you are. You think it's sort of funny and a bit of a misfortune, don't you, to be anything but English?"

"Oh, I say, I didn't quite mean that," said Dick, flushing a little. "And of course you Americans aren't just like foreigners. You speak the same language we do--though you do say some funny things now and then, old chap. You know, I was ever so surprised when you came to Mr. Grenfel and he let you in our troop right away!"

"Didn't you even know we had Boy Scouts in America?" asked Harry. "My word--as you English would say. That is the limit! Why, it's spread all over the country with us. But of course we all know that it started here--that Baden-Powell thought of the idea!"

"Rather!" said Dick, enthusiastically. "Good old Bathing-Towel! That's what they used to call him at school, you know, before he ever went into the army at all. And it stuck to him, they say, right through. Even after Mafeking he was called that. Now, of course, he's a lieutenant general, and all sorts of a swell. He and Kitchener and French are so big they don't get called nicknames much more."

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: Facing the German foe, by Colonel James Fiske
• 2: We Boy Scouts aren't soldiers in any way
• 3: Grenfel had passed on to speak to some of the others
• 4: Cricket's all right if you can't play baseball
• 5: And that was enough for Grenfel
• 6: Fleming did not even yet believe that war was sure
• 7: And the scoutmaster took them out into his garden
• 8: Grenfel smiled as the cheers were given
• 9: And whose motto is Be prepared
• 10: Then every scout there shook hands with John Grenfel
• 11: He gathered the scouts about him
• 12: A smiling sergeant came up to Franklin
• 13: Suppose you were living in Berlin
• 14: In which he had served with Grenfel
• 15: And was unquestionably a splendid scout
• 16: Harry stopped at the ticket window
• 17: The train pulled into Ealing station
• 18: Waterloo station is closed to all civilians
• 19: Or anything happens to his papers
• 20: Where the cabs stood in a long row
• 21: I'm carrying these young gentlemen from Waterloo to Ealing
• 22: I think he'll take us straight to Ealing now
• 23: Pick out another scout to go with you
• 24: The Flemings found many friends there
• 25: I've requisitioned motorcycles for you
• 26: But he looked ruefully at the spy
• 27: With the heliograph the flashes are centered
• 28: But Harry silenced his protest
• 29: They did not go near the hilltop at all
• 30: The two scouts exchanged glances
• 31: But even Harry could think of no more precautions after that
• 32: Collapsible wireless installation
• 33: They carried pocket flashlights
• 34: Without passing too near Bray Park
• 35: He could even see the gleam of their flashlights
• 36: He carried a flashlight himself
• 37: For his ankle pained him a good deal
• 38: I've always been suspicious of the people who took Bray Park
• 39: The cache is in a straight line
• 40: Jack sprang to the other motorcycle
• 41: Harry went scooting off into the night on his machine
• 42: Two of whom were also mounted on motorcycles
• 43: With papers and motorcycles alike gone
• 44: He's the oldest man in these parts
• 45: Won't Gaffer Hodge be in bed and asleep
• 46: CHAPTER XITHE FIRST BLOW To Harry
• 47: The reservoir had been blown up
• 48: His question was addressed to a sleepy private
• 49: And that German spies really own Bray Park
• 50: Do you know where the telephone wire runs
• 51: There's where the wire starts from the garage
• 52: The other lineman recognized Jack
• 53: I know a scout in your troop Graves
• 54: The usefulness Bray Park might have
• 55: If you really want to see Colonel Throckmorton
• 56: Giving up all secrecy and pretence
• 57: Just then the leader's foot touched Dick
• 58: It was just outside of Bray Park he remembered it now
• 59: His men were mounted on cycles
• 60: On the tram car he was fairly safe
• 61: Now what on earth do they want petrol for
• 62: Von Wedel is a commander of some sort that's plain
• 63: And the ceaseless hum of insects
• 64: He loosened the ropes about the aviator's feet
• 65: He had been investigating the Bleriot
• 66: A little later Jack said good bye in earnest
• 67: Then flew straight for Bray Park