CHAPTER IX.

Off to the south.

The following morning Captain Anderson bade the boys good-by and set out to find his own regiment.  Stubbs also said good-by, announcing that he must be moving in his search for news.  He had been given credentials days before and, representing as he did one of the greatest newspapers in the world, was one of the few correspondents to have the freedom of the allied lines.

Hal and Chester idled about the greater part of the day.  There had been a lull in the fighting, and, although they had reported to General French, no duties had been assigned them; but along in the afternoon they were again summoned to headquarters.

“I have here,” said General French, placing a document in Hal’s hand, “a communication that must be placed in the hands of General Joffre with all possible dispatch.  I have selected you to deliver it.  General Joffre has his headquarters near Soissons.  You should have no difficulty in reaching him.  Take an automobile and make haste.”

The lads saluted and left the tent, actually disappointed that they had not been selected for some more strenuous work.

“Anybody could carry this,” said Hal.

“There is certainly no danger,” agreed Chester.  “All we have to do is to stay within our own lines.”

Half an hour later found them speeding southward, well in the rear of the great battle line.  Hal himself was at the wheel and Chester sat in the tonneau of the machine.  Through Ypres, Douai and many smaller towns the huge car sped without a stop.  At Roy they halted for a fresh supply of petrol, and immediately resumed their journey.

But the lads were not entirely familiar with the lay of the land, and this fact resulted in throwing them into great danger once more.

Just south of Roy the long battle line—­which had previously stretched straight southward—­swerved suddenly to the east.  The lads turned with it all right, but too soon.  Instead of going straight south to the banks of the river Aisne, as they should have done, they turned eastward some distance north of this river, and were in trouble before they realized it.

Neither lad thought anything of the fact that they were pushing straight through the mass of French troops in this region, and it was not until they had come into an isolated region—­an opening between the two great armies—­that Chester surmised there was something wrong.  The desolate appearance of the land spelled suspicion to him, and, leaning forward in his seat, he shouted to Hal: 

“Slow down, quick!”

Hal obeyed without question and then turned to his chum to ascertain the reason for this abrupt command.

“We must have gone clear through our own lines,” Chester explained.  “If we hadn’t, certainly there would be troops about.  I believe we must be right between the two armies.”