Boy Allies in Great Peril; Or, With the Italian Army in the Alps

  THE BOY ALLIES IN GREAT PERIL

  Or, With the Italian Army in the Alps

  By

  CLAIR W. HAYES

  Author of "The Boy Allies at Liege," "The Boy Allies on the Firing Line.""The Boy Allies with the Cossacks," "The Boy Allies in the Trenches."

  1916

  CHAPTER I.

  THE BREWING STORM.

  "Did you ever see such a mob, Hal?"

  The speaker was an American lad of some seventeen years of age. Hestopped in his walk as he spoke and grasped his companion by the arm.The latter allowed his gaze to rove over the thousands upon thousandsof people who thronged the approach to the king's palace at Rome,before he replied:

  "Some mob, Chester; some mob."

  "Looks like a real army could be recruited from this bunch," continuedthe first speaker.

  "Rather," agreed the other. "And unless I am mightily mistaken that iswhat will be done. Most of them are soldiers anyhow, you know."

  "True. I had forgotten we were in Italy, where military service iscompulsory. Then you think that Italy has at last decided to enter thewar?"

  "I certainly do. The Chamber of Deputies has done its best to keep Italyfrom becoming involved, but the voice of the people must be heeded sooneror later. I believe the time has come."

  "I am sure I hope so," said Chester. "Italy's army, entirely ready forany eventuality, should turn the balance in favor of the Allies."

  "And I believe it will," said Hal.

  "Do you believe the announcement of a state of war between Italy andAustria will be formally made to-day?"

  "I do--and so, apparently, do the others here," and Hal swept his armabout him in a comprehensive gesture. "Hear them shout!"

  For a mighty cheer had suddenly risen upon the air. Wildly excitedItalians--men and women from all walks of life--seemed to have gonesuddenly mad. A deafening roar filled the air. Caps and hats, canes, andother articles ascended and descended in a dense cloud.

  "Can you doubt, after that, that Italy is for war?" asked Hal, when atlast he could make himself heard.

  "I guess not," replied Chester grimly. "But why should the crowd havegathered in front of the palace rather than before the Chamber ofDeputies?"

  "You forget that the premier is closeted with the king," returned Hal."In all probability, the first word of a definite step will emanate fromthe palace, though unofficially, of course."

  "I see," said Chester. "Well--look there, Hal!"

  "What's the matter?" demanded the latter, eying his companion insome surprise.

  Chester seized his friend's arm with one hand and with the other pointeddirectly ahead. Hal gazed in the direction indicated. He saw at once whathad caused Chester's sudden exclamation.

  Not five yards away, right in the center of the dense crowd, but still inview of the two boys, stood an Italian army officer in full uniform. Hewas gazing straight ahead toward the palace steps, paying no heed tothose who pushed and jostled him. He stood erect, with arms folded uponhis breast.

  Even as the two boys looked, an arm came from behind him, and reachingacross his shoulder, a hand crept cautiously into the pocket of theofficer's military cloak, which he had thrown open because of its warmth.

  Hal uttered a low exclamation and was about to step forward when therecame a sudden shout from the crowd, which surged in about him, cuttingoff his view of the Italian officer. For a single instant Hal turned hiseyes toward the palace and there took one look at a second uniformedfigure, who stood upon the top step and waved his arms about violently.

  "I guess war has come," the boy muttered to himself, as he took a stepforward and elbowed his way toward the spot where the other Italianofficer stood.

  Chester came close behind his friend.

  By dint of hard pushing and shoving, which drew ugly remarks from some ofthe bystanders upon whose feet they trod, the boys at last came to thespot they sought. They had made good time and the invisible owner of thehand that had explored the officer's pocket was just withdrawing it. Andin it Hal saw a white paper flutter.

  He uttered a cry and dashed forward in spite of the crowd. At almost thesame moment the officer came to life. Instinct must have warned him thatthere was something wrong. He clapped his hand to his pocket, and thenuttered a fierce ejaculation in his native tongue.

  He wheeled about with a cry, and his arm shot out. There was a struggle,and then the officer fell to the ground. A blow from his adversary's fisthad laid him low. Hal, who was a few leaps ahead of Chester, reached outto seize the man, who, he could see, still held the bit of white paper inhis hand, but the other was too quick for him.

  With a sudden backward leap he was among the crowd, which, apparently,had failed to grasp the significance of the trouble. Hal uttered a quickcry to Chester and also dashed into the crowd. Chester followed him.

  Ahead, but almost hidden by others of the crowd, which pressed forwardthe better to see what was going on upon the palace steps, Hal could seehis quarry squirming his way through the dense mass of humanity.

  "Stop him!" he cried, raising his voice to a shout.

  The crowd paid no heed. The people were too wrapped up in what was goingon before the palace to notice the three who were trying to force theirway through. Again Hal cried out, but the result was the same.

  For a brief instant the fugitive glanced over his shoulder, and he waveda hand at Hal. It was the first time the lad had seen his face, and heknew that he would recognize it again wherever he saw it.

  "I'll get you yet," declared Hal to himself between tightly shut lips."I'll get you if it takes a year."

  He pressed on, with Chester close at his heels.

  Turning and squirming and twisting their way, the lads managed to plod onthrough the dense crowd at a snail's pace. Ahead of them, however, Halcould see that the fugitive was making about the same progress. His hopesrose, and he called over his shoulder to Chester;

  "Keep coming; we'll get him!"

  Chester made no reply, for he knew none was expected. He kept closebehind his friend.

  Now, suddenly, the fugitive reached the edge of the crowd. For a singlemoment he paused, and gazed back at his pursuers. Once more he waved ahand at Hal, and then, turning, started off at a run.

  Hal, seeing that his quarry was about to make good his escape, suddenlygrew angry. Bringing some tactics learned on the football field intoplay, he dashed forward, hurling spectators to right and left. Inanother moment he, too, had reached the edge of the crowd and, with acry, dashed ahead.

  He did not pause to see whether Chester was behind him. All he thought ofwas to overtake the fugitive.

  Chester, in attempting to follow his friend, stumbled over anoutstretched foot and fell heavily to the ground. He was not badly hurt,but he had struck on his face and for a moment he was dazed. He draggedhimself quickly to his feet and moved forward again. Some distance aheadhe saw that Hal was gaining upon the fugitive.

  Down the wide street ran the fugitive, with Hal close behind and gainingat every stride. As the sound of pursuing footsteps became plainer, theman looked back over his shoulder. Then he redoubled his efforts; butstill Hal gained.

  Suddenly the man dashed around a corner. Three seconds later Hal did thesame. As he did so he caught sight of a big man before him. Hal tried tocheck his pace, but it was too late.

  Something bright flashed in the sunlight and Hal felt a sickening thudupon his head. In vain he tried to keep his feet. He sank slowly to theground and then fell forward on his face. And even as he lostconsciousness, he thought to himself:

  "What a fool I was. I s
hould have suspected a trap. So he hit me with thebutt of a revolver. I'll get even yet."

  Above the fallen lad the man stood with a grim smile of satisfaction. Hestirred the prostrate form with his foot and then put his revolver backin his pocket. He turned to go.

  At that moment Chester dashed around the corner. The lad and the fugitivetook in the situation at the same moment. Chester pulled himself up shortand reached for his revolver, which he always carried in his coat pocket.But the other was too quick for him. He leaped suddenly forward andChester's arm was seized in a vise-like grip.

  In vain the lad struggled to free himself. He could not move the powerfulfingers that gripped him. He kicked out with his right foot and thiseffort was rewarded by a cry of pain from his opponent.

  "Kick me on the shins, will you?" cried the latter in German.

  His free hand found the revolver in his pocket and it flashed in thesunlight once more. He attempted to reverse the weapon and seize it bythe barrel, and as he did so he unconsciously loosened his grip uponChester's arm.

  The latter swung himself about suddenly and with a sweep of his arm sentthe man's revolver clattering to the ground. The other uttered anexclamation of rage, and stepped back.

  Chester again reached for his own revolver, but once more the other wastoo quick for him. He came forward with a jump, and his right fist shotout. Chester ducked this blow, but he was unprepared for the left-handedblow that followed.

  As he came up after ducking the first blow, the second caught himsquarely upon the point of the chin, and he toppled over. It was aclean knockout.

  "I guess that will settle you," said the victor, as he surveyed theprostrate forms of his two enemies. "I guess that will teach you not tointerfere in other people's business. Hello, one of them is moving."

  He gazed curiously at Hal, who at that moment opened his eyes. The manstood undecided a moment. Then he took a step toward the boy, butstopped again.

  "No," he muttered. "What's the use? Let him be."

  He swung upon his heel and made his way down the street. A moment laterhe was lost to sight around a corner.