Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-13
CHAPTER Y

NTHEN the German soldiers fled before the
w attack Of the hornets Jonathan Hardfst
stood looking after them in dazed sort of
way Then to Peggys dismay. he keeled over
in sudden collapse. The strain on mis-
nerves had been too much.
Peggy shiVered. The Germans would be
back in a moment Unless Jonathan Hard
fs; fled in a hurry, he would not get another
chance.
But Billy Belgium was on the job. He ran
out of the basement door. and in a moment
he had dragged Mr.. Hardest TO his feet. He
pulled and he tugged until he got the stricken
man into tn" cellar and through the door of
the ventilator.
Then Billy Belgium ran back to finish his
work. He wasn't going to e, the Kaiser
have the s25o,a0o in the Hardfst treasure
chest with which to buy guns and ammuni-
ton for his army. Billy Belgium wanted
that S250.O0h for Uncle Sam.
Billy tried to drag toe chest from the auto
mobile where it had been placed by the Ger
mans in readiness to be carried to Berlin, but
it was too heavy for him He could not bulge
il. Would he have to leave II for the Ger
nlHnS after all?
Billy Belgium had head on his Young
shoulders When he found he couldn't move
the chest. he determined to move the money
and jewels out of the chest. Near the auto
mobile stood the Hardfist family garbage can.
recently empted and cleaned Billy jerked
off the cover. and hurled into the can the
bags OF money and gems that filled the chest.
Before he finished. Peggy. looking over the
tops Of the high shrubbery from her post in
the attic window saw the German soldiers
returning Their faces were swollen and
they looked as il they had been through an
awful battle. The hornets had made it
mighty hot for them
At any other time Peggy would have
Iaughed-they looked so badly stuug. But
now she was filed with fear for Billy Bel
GUM. Despite the risk to herself il the Ger
mans her she leaned from the window
to shout warning:
Run. Billy, The Huns are coming back. ''
Billy slammed shut tie empty treasure
chest and leaped from the auto. He didn't
have time to reach the house so he popped
into the garbage can, and pulled the cover
down over his head
4 rifle banged below. and bullet "pnged
into the window casing beside Peggy. A
Hun had seen her and fred Peggy lodged
back. and ran to another window where she
could see without being seen.
The Germans searched the courtyard for
Mr. Hardfst. and about TO enter the
house when shouts Of alarm distracted their
attention. The officer ran into the garden.
took look down the hill toward the west,
then ran back at top speed. jumped into tn"
auto, started the engine, and with a shouted
order. drove away at fun speed. Some Of the
soldiers -aped into the auto, and the others
fed after il.
Billy Belgums head came up out of the
garbage can for all the world IKE .Tack.n-
ihe-bO Y. lie looked so IunnN. fegRS coulun l
help g!ggling.
But the glggi. ended in gulp, for coming
up the hill were more so'diers--a dashing,
yelling. fighting bunch. Whether friends or
foes Peggy could not tell.
Look out More soldiers 80 she shouted
to Billy Belgium. He scrambled out of the
| can. slammed on the cover, and fed full tilt
for the house.
Before he got there, the door opened and
out came the German general in a great hur-
Ruh. n L, t1l,-
took one look at the general. then quick n
flash lowered his head, and charged into the
Huns fat stomach.
"Ach," grunted the general. doubling up
like a jack-knife and tumbling over back =
ward. Before he could catch his breath,
Billy grabbed up the rope h" had intended
to Use to !asso Mr.. Hardfst, and wound il
around him. In trice the German leader
was prisoner-the prisoner Of Billy Bel
gium.
I'm the nert chapter orH be toM hoc
the american soldiers drirc the Germans
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