Adventure, August 1917 — page 97: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Contraband Matrimony Landsturm man, who probably found such lonesome work not at all to his fancy and was thinking more about the wife and kinder in some Friesian town than his pres- ent duties. | McConaughy and Jock popped up before him like two Jacks-in-the-box. McCon- aughy relieved him of his rifle with one hand, laying it dexterously on the grass, and with the other encircled his ankles in an iron grasp. Jock seized him around the shoulders and pressed a mammoth paw across his mouth, pending application of the gag that was ready in the Scotchman’s pocket. The two of them had the poor man trussed and helpless before his dazed wits comprehended the situation. A hiss from McConaughy brought the rest of the party to their side. He told off two men to escort the prisoner back to the dory, then they pressed on, heading this time inland, toward the rear of the fortifi- cations and the barracks of the garrison. As they advanced, the scrub growth grew heavier, but they followed a well defined path which fifteen minutes later debouched between two dunes upon a narrow valley in the sand-hills. Shacks, houses and tents lined its bottom. Close to them was an ammunition dump, boxes of shells cloaked in tarpaulins and covered loosely with boards. Lights gleamed in one building, which McConaughy took to be the guard- house. He summoned Jock and Evan to his side and discoursed briefly his plan. “‘Rememberr, Evan,” he concluded, “ye will waste no time about your retreat. Jock an’ I will tak’ care o’ the raid worrk. Two men will be enough for ye, the rest will come wi’ us.” ==. | THEY split up, Evan approaching oN the ammunition-dump, McConaug- hy and the others advancing at a trot upon the guard-house, their feet making no sound in the soft sands. Out- side this building McConaughy halted again. He looked in at a window. Half- a-dozen soldiers sat or lay about a wood- stove—a sergeant scratched at a heap of papers at a desk. McConaughy turned to his party. “Smarrtly, men,’ he ordered. ‘‘Rifles at the ready, shoot any man that raises a hand. Now!’ He threw open the door and his men filed in after him. Their rifles covered the 95 bewildered Germans, some of whom were scarce awake. “Ye are prisonerrs,’ said McConaughy calmly. “I ha’ taken the forrt.” He walked up to the sergeant. ‘‘Where is the commanderr?”’ The sergeant stared at him blankly. “The commanderr?” repeated McCon- aughy impatiently. “Commanderr? Command-err?”’ The man pointed dumbly out of the door. A glance over his shoulder showed McCon- aughy that the sergeant indicated a build- ing more pretentious than any of the others which stood nearly opposite. “‘Guarrd these men,” he told Jock. ‘Tak’ what paperrs ye find in yon desk.”’ He motioned for two of his crew to follow him and ran across the street. The door of the house was unlocked and he stepped into a dark hall, flashing his electric light about him. A door to one side looked in- viting and McConaughy opened it. On a camp-bed was stretched a sleeping man. The dazzling light awakened him and he sat up, rubbing his eyes, just like the yawn- ing privates across the way. “Wo ist das?” he asked. McConaughy’s answer was to motion to his men to pinion the officer. The struggle that followed was short and bitter. The German gave one cry of surprise, then was throttled into submission and bound with his own bedclothes. “Tak’ him back to the dorry, ye two,” McConaughy ordered his men. “Stay, though. I wouldna send ma worrst enemy onto the sea a raw night like this 7’ his bed- clothes. Here’s his uniform. He can ha’ it when he gets on boarrd. Quick, men.” As the German was escorted from the room, McConaughy forced the lock of a field-desk, stuffing papers, maps and plans into his pockets as fast as possible. A ticking watch on the desk said three, and he knew his time was scant. Drawer after drawer he smashed open with the butt of his automatic. He was searching for more documentary loot when the sound of a shot startled him. A glance proved that it came from the guard-house. McConaughy fairly hurled himself through the door. He found a scene of hubbub and confusion and in one corner of the guard-room the body of the sergeant. Jock and his men were occupied in clubbing Comiclsoo (© 5}