Produced by Chris Curnow, Lindy Walsh, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net TWO DARING YOUNG PATRIOTS Or, Outwitting the Huns BY W. P. SHERVILL Author of "Edgar the Ready" _Illustrated by Arch. Webb_ BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY [Illustration: LIKE A WHIRLWIND THEY FLUNG THEMSELVES UPON THE HATED FOE] Contents I. Trouble in the Crew II. The Races III. Max Durend at Home IV. The Cataclysm V. The Fall of Liege VI. A New Standpoint VII. A Few Words with M. Schenk VIII. Treachery! IX. The Opening of the Struggle X. Getting Ready for Bigger Things XI. The Attack on the Power-house XII. The Attack on the Munition-shops and its Sequel XIII. The German Counter-stroke XIV. Schenk at Work Again XV. The Dash XVI. In the Ardennes XVII. Cutting the Line XVIII. Reprisals XIX. A Further Blow XX. Across the Frontier XXI. The Great Coup Illustrations Like a whirlwind they flung themselves upon the hated foe Both lads began to hurl the great stones upon the German soldiery A cloth was clapped over the soldier's nose and mouth "It's all right; we're friends" The two watchers gave a loud full-throated British cheer TWO DARING YOUNG PATRIOTS Or, Outwitting the Huns CHAPTER I Trouble in the Crew "Here come Benson's!" The speaker leaned over the edge of the tow-path and watched an eight-oared boat swing swiftly round a bend in the river a hundred yards away and come racing up to the landing-stage. "Eee--sy all--l!" came in a sing-song from the coxswain, perched, for better sight, half upon the rear canvas, and eight oars instantly feathered the water as their boat slanted swiftly in towards the shore. "Hold her, Seven." With almost provoking sloth, after the smartly executed movements already described, Number Seven dug his oar deeply into the water, making up somewhat for his tardiness by the fierceness of the movement. The nose of the boat turned outwards almost with a jerk, and the craft slid in close to and parallel with the landing-stage. "Seven's got the sulks again, Jones," commented the watcher on shore, a middle schoolboy named Walters, as he eyed the proceedings critically. "His time's bad. It's just as well they get to work to-morrow." "Yes," assented his companion. "But, you know, it beats me why they didn't put Montgomery at stroke instead of seven. He's a far better oar than Durend--the best in the school--and it would have upset nobody."