Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube Part 3

"Bet you they're suspicious of us right away, and mean to order us to go back," said George disconsolately.

"Rats!" scoffed Buster. "Don't you see they're only admiring our little flag?--that's all. I've got the same fastened in the stern, where it can show well. I only wish it was five times as big, that's all. But it stands for what we are--true-blooded Americans, every one of us."

The officers even leaned over the parapet of the bridge to stare at the boat as it pa.s.sed under. When the boys looked back a minute or so later they saw that the uniformed Hungarians had hurriedly crossed over and were now gazing after them.

"Shows how seldom Old Glory is ever seen in these parts," said Josh, "for they hardly know what to make of it. If I had my way, can you guess what I'd do? Make the flag of the free so well known and respected that everywhere people'd kowtow to the same and take off their hats."

"Now they're hurrying off the bridge, seems like, as if they'd just remembered an engagement somewhere," reported Buster.

"I only hope they don't start any sort of trouble for us, that's all,"

George went on to say, but, finding that no one seemed to be paying any sort of attention to his grumbling, he stopped short, as his kind always do.

Jack held the wheel and guided the boat along through the numerous mazes of moving river craft. He was a skillful pilot and could be depended on to mind his business every time. Unlike George, Jack was plain and practical, whereas the other never seemed satisfied with what he had, but was always trying to better conditions, often to his own and others'

discomfort, as well as possible delay.

By degrees they were now leaving the twin cities behind them, and the river began to appear more open and free to travel. The boys, as usual, were calling each other's attention to such features of the landscape that attracted their admiration, or it might be some of the buildings they pa.s.sed.

All of them were on the watch for special sights, and in this way the time pa.s.sed rapidly. The little motor was a very good one, and chugged away faithfully as it had continued to do hour after hour ever since the start, which was made far down the river below Vienna.

They overtook other vessels frequently, since the Danube is navigable for the greater part of its long course. Rising away over in Germany near the border of Luxemburg, it winds its sinuous way through the greater part of Germany and Austria-Hungary, strikes the Serbian border, turns sharply to the east, and then touches Bulgarian territory, forms the dividing line between Rumania and Bulgaria, then crosses the former monarchy, and serves as a border between Rumania and Russia, to finally empty into the Black Sea.

It is by long odds the greatest river in Europe, and in all the world there can be found no stream upon whose borders live so many different nationalities. That was one reason Jack Stormways had yearned to cruise down the Danube; and he was even now trying to get all the pleasure possible out of the trip, though the clouds had arisen so early in the venture.

Budapest was now far in the rear, though they could see the smoke that arose in a few localities, coming from certain factories producing articles for which the Hungarian capital is famous.

Josh happened to notice about this time that George seemed to be amusing himself by shading his eyes with one hand and looking backward.

"What now, old croaker?" he ventured to say. "Do you imagine you see a patrol boat chasing after us hotfooted, with orders to bring us back and throw us in a black dungeon, charged with being desperate spies?"

"Laugh as much as you want to," retorted George stubbornly, "but all the same there _is_ a boat hustling along after us."

"You don't say!" gibed Josh, without bothering to turn his head to look.

"Well, since when have we taken out a mortgage on the Danube, please tell me? I guess it's free cruising ground for anybody who can afford to own a steam yacht, or even a common little d.i.n.ky motorboat."

"She certainly is coming hand over fist after us," a.s.serted Buster.

"Well, the river is sure wide enough for two, and when she comes up we'll give her a chance to pa.s.s us by. Whew! but I'm sleepy, if you want to know it," and Josh yawned and stretched, but still declined to bother turning his head.

A little while later George again made a remark.

"Now that they're coming closer, I believe I can see several people in uniforms aboard that swift little boat."

Jack took a look on hearing this.

"You're right there, George," he a.s.sented; "but then there's nothing to hinder Magyar officers going on the river when they choose. In fact, I imagine they pa.s.s plenty of their time that way when off duty."

Josh could not hold out after that any longer, but condescended to lazily turn and indifferently survey the approaching craft.

"Oh, she's a dandy for speed, all right," he frankly admitted, "and could make circles around our old tub if the skipper wanted. Yes, those are soldiers on board, I'll admit, but how can you decide that they want to overhaul us, I'd like to know?"

"I'm only guessing when I say that," acknowledged George; "but now that I look sharper it strikes me one of those officers is the tall chap wearing the feather in his hat that we noticed on the bridge. How about it, Jack?"

"He looks like that man, but then there are probably scores in Budapest who wear that same kind of hat, Alpine style. He's probably an officer of the mountaineer corps, those fellows from the Carnic Alps who can do such wonderful stunts in scaling dizzy heights."

"Well, we must soon know if there's going to be any sort of a row," said George, "because in ten minutes or less they'll overtake us."

"There must be no row, remember, boys," advised Jack. "If we attempted to resist arrest we'd soon be trapped, for they would send word down-river way about us by telegraph or telephone, and officers would be on the watch for us all along the route. Don't forget that."

"Paste it in your hat, George," advised Josh, "for I reckon you're the only one in the bunch liable to make trouble. If they want to take me back and give me free lodging, I'll go as meek as Mary's little lamb.

But whatever you do, George, _please_ be careful how you fling that German of yours around loose. If you called one of those fiery Hungarian officers a _donkey_ by mistake I think he'd want to run you through the ribs with his sword."

"Huh! wait and see. That German you pretend to make so much fun about may some day keep you from being hung or stood up against a blank wall.

Stranger things than that have happened, let me tell you, Josh Purdue."

"They keep pus.h.i.+ng us right along," announced Buster, beginning to feel quite an interest in the affair by this time.

"Get ready to give them the right of way, Jack," jeered Josh. "We wouldn't want to act greedy, you know, and claim the whole river. And when they whiz past look out you don't get splashed, Buster."

"Goodness! I hope you don't mean to say they might swamp us away out here in the middle of the river. But there, I know you're only being true to your name, Josh. Who's afraid? You don't get me to worrying any if I know it."

"Look again and see what's happening!" suddenly snapped George, with a ring of triumph in his voice.

"They're waving to us, for a fact!" admitted Buster. "Now what d'ye suppose that can be for, Jack?"

"Just saluting our little flag, mebbe," suggested the unconverted Josh.

"They are demanding that we pull up and wait for them, that's what!"

a.s.serted George, with a superior air that he liked to a.s.sume on occasions like this.

"Is he right there, Jack?" asked Buster eagerly.

"I think that's what is meant," a.s.sented the pilot and engineer of the powerboat the boys had chartered. "They are suspicious of us, and mean to have a look in before allowing us to proceed."

"But why should anybody be suspicious of four honest-looking boys out for a little fun?" demanded Josh. "We've met heaps of other people before now, and they acted just as nice as you please. I don't understand it."

"Well, you must remember," admonished Jack, "that something _terrible_ has happened since yesterday morning. Every military man in Germany and Austria has been on needles and pins about this war business ever since Serbia defied Francis Joseph and some of her adventurers murdered the heir apparent to the Austrian throne. And now that war has broken out, they are all eager to show their fidelity to their country."

"But will you stop for them, Jack?" asked Josh.

"It would be foolish not to," he was told, "because you can see it's only a matter of ten minutes at most when they will have overhauled us.

It pays to be courteous, especially, I'm told, when dealing with the military authorities over here. Besides, in war times they rule the roost."

"I guess they do all the time," muttered Josh; "but then you're right about it, Jack. We must get ready to show them just who and what we are.

If they're sensible men they'll let us go on down the river as we've planned."

"And supposing they happen to be unreasonable men?" queried Buster.

"Oh, some of the dungeons may be large enough to hold you, perhaps,"