Title:  The Boy Allies in the Balkan Campaign The Struggle to Save a Nation

Author:  Clair W. Hayes

Release Date:  July 2, 2004 [EBook #12805]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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The boy allies in the Balkan Campaign

Or

The Struggle to Save a Nation

By Clair W. Hayes

Author of “The Boy Allies in Great Peril,” “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.

In the air.

“And how do you feel now, Mr. Stubbs?”

Hal Paine took his eyes from the distance ahead long enough to gaze toward that part of the military aeroplane in which three other figures were seated.  It might rather be said, however, that two of the others were seated, for the third figure was huddled up in a little ball, now and then emitting feeble sounds.

In response to Hal’s question, this huddled figure straightened itself up long enough to make reply.

“I feel sick,” came the answer in a low voice.  “How long before we can get back to earth, so that I may die peacefully?”

“Oh, I guess you won’t die, Mr. Stubbs,” said Hal, chuckling a bit to himself.

He turned his eyes ahead again and gave his entire attention to guiding the swiftly flying craft.

The first streak of dawn had appeared in the east but a few moments before and gradually now it was growing light.  High in the air, it was very chilly and those in the aeroplane had drawn their coats closely about them.

“Where do you suppose we are now, Hal?”

This speaker was another of the passengers in the car, Chester Crawford, chum and bosom companion of Hal.

“Somewhere over Central Austria,” replied Hal, not taking his eyes from ahead.

“I would rather that it were over Serbia, Montenegro or Greece,” said the fourth occupant of the airship, Colonel Harry Anderson of His British Majesty’s service.  “I’m beginning to get a little cramped up here.  I’d like to stretch my legs a bit.”

“You won’t ever stretch them again, you may be sure of that,” said a hollow voice, none other than that of Anthony Stubbs, American war correspondent, who now aroused himself enough to predict dire results.

“What?” said Colonel Anderson.  “And why won’t I ever stretch my legs again?”

“The undertaker’ll do it for you,” groaned Stubbs.  “This contraption is bound to come down pretty quick and when it does it’ll be all off.”