<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI<br/> <span class="cheaderfont">AN ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THE EMPEROR</span></h2>
<p>Alan, Bob and Buck were nearly frantic with
worry over the still-missing Ned by the time
darkness closed in.</p>
<p>“If any harm has come to that boy,” vowed
Buck fiercely, “I swear that I’ll leave no stone
unturned until I find out the guilty parties and
punish them!”</p>
<p>Bob bit his lip gloomily.</p>
<p>“We’re all hoping for the best, of course,”
said he, “and really I believe that Ned can take
care of himself all right.”</p>
<p>“A knife in the back—a blow from a dark
doorway as he passed—any of a score of possibilities
here,” muttered Buck.</p>
<p>Alan shuddered and made a desperate effort
to change the conversation.</p>
<p>“What are we going to do to frustrate this
plot on the Emperor’s life!” he asked. “If
we do anything on that, it must be pretty soon,
because time is flying, and I recall that Ned
overheard them say at that other table that the<span class="pagenum">[210]</span>
meeting hour had been set for eleven o’clock.”</p>
<p>“That’s right,” chorused the other boys.
“We mustn’t let our anxiety for Ned permit us
to neglect the other thing. How shall we go
about it?”</p>
<p>They missed their chum’s ready foresight in
planning a course of action then, but, on the
whole, did succeed in mapping out a pretty fair
course of procedure. It was Bob Russell’s idea.
He said:</p>
<p>“Ned stated that some of the servants in the
chateau had been bribed into sympathy with the
conspirators and will admit them secretly into
the house. The man with the big black beard
and he of the twisted mouth were to slip into
the sleeping Emperor’s bedchamber through a
window reached by a ladder against the wall.
The Emperor was to be strangled.</p>
<p>“Now what I suggest is that we use the
<em>Ocean Flyer</em> to get there. Landing some distance
away so as not to be heard from the chateau, we
can then lie in wait hidden by the lawn shrubbery
until the miscreants arrive. We can then pounce
upon them and nip the murder right in the bud.”</p>
<p>“Would it not be better first to warn the
inmates of the chateau of what is afoot?” asked
Alan.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[211]</span></p>
<p>“No, that wouldn’t do at all, because neither
we nor the Emperor know which of the attendants
are faithful and which are treacherous.
We’ll have to play this game single-handed,
boys.”</p>
<p>So finally it was agreed to adopt the scheme
as originally suggested by Bob. Their preparations
for departure at that hour of the night
were noted with great curiosity by the other
aviators from the Austrian hangars, and Capt.
von Schleinitz, the young officer who had driven
to the hospital with them and told them about
local conditions when they first arrived, said
casually:</p>
<p>“You choose a peculiar hour for starting off
again, gentlemen.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Bob answered him, “we are only
going on a small flight. Mr. Napier is not
returned yet, so we will, of course, be back for
him.”</p>
<p>“How I wish that I might be privileged to
accompany you on one of your flights!”</p>
<p>Alan and Buck overheard his remark, and after
excusing themselves for the seeming discourtesy,
took Bob aside.</p>
<p>“Listen, Bob,” Alan whispered. “Why not
take Captain von Schleinitz along with us on<span class="pagenum">[212]</span>
to-night’s expedition. He impresses me as a
brave, good fellow, and the presence of a regular
Austrian army officer aboard might prove of
great help in several ways. Patrolling military
aeroplanes might stop us with all sorts of questions
once we get into the air.”</p>
<p>“I guess you’re right, Alan,” said Bob
thoughtfully. “Let’s take him into our confidence
then and explain the whole matter.”</p>
<p>This was accordingly done. The Austrian was
horrified by the revelation of the plot and urged
all possible haste. By ten-thirty the <em>Flyer’s</em>
engines were started and the short flight to
Schoenbrunn was begun. No lights were shown
aboard as the boys were anxious to avoid all
unwelcome attentions.</p>
<p>No attempt was made to hinder their progress,
and a landing was made almost noiselessly not
far from the enclosed gardens of the chateau.</p>
<p>No one of the boys was willing to be left
behind in charge of the airship while the others
went forward into the adventure, yet it was
imperative that someone should stay. After
considerable heated discussion it was finally
decided to draw lots. This method determined
upon Buck as the one to remain behind, which he
submitted to with much disappointment.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[213]</span></p>
<p>Alan, Bob and Captain von Schleinitz gripped
his hand hard in a last good-bye, and slipped
stealthily away into the darkness. Buck was
left alone.</p>
<p>There was no moon visible that night. The
sky lowered with the threat of storm, streamers
of clouds scudded as if frightened before the
strong wind. In a near-by marsh the frogs and
crickets made melancholy music. Afar off to
the right somewhere a dog howled mournfully.</p>
<hr class="tb" />
<p>Nine cloak-shrouded figures stood in close
conference at the Spvodka turnpike, a bare ten
minutes’ walk from the Chateau Schoenbrunn.
Their manner was mysterious, sinister. They
were impatiently waiting for someone.</p>
<p>Far down the road the purr of a motor could
be heard, growing rapidly lower. Suddenly it
ceased altogether and a tenth sepulchral figure
stalked towards them through the gloom.</p>
<p>A subdued murmur of satisfaction greeted his
approach.</p>
<p>“At last you are here, Count Polnych—”</p>
<p>A quick hand was clapped over the mouth of
the big black-bearded man who spoke.</p>
<p>“Hush, you fool! No names here!”</p>
<p>The newcomer did not address the others, but<span class="pagenum">[214]</span>
with a finger to his lips enjoining silence, he led
them towards where the high walls enclosing the
grounds of the Chateau Schoenbrunn loomed up
through the darkness.</p>
<p>Tiptoeing close to the huge iron gates, the
leader of the band shoved gently. The ponderous
gate swung inwards upon hinges that had been
freshly greased to preclude all danger of squeaking.
Just inside the gates a sentry lay securely
bound and gagged on the damp grass. The
chateau servants had earned their blood money.</p>
<p>Alan, Bob and von Schleinitz were crouched
behind the thick shrubbery so near that they
could have reached out and touched the stealthy
intruders. Revolvers were held ready for
instant use.</p>
<p>“Look!” whispered Bob. “The huge bearded
man there is the one whom Buck trailed down.
There is the thug with the twisted mouth. That
fat little man shivering in the wind is the
Grand Chancellor and—yes, by Jove! That
fellow there who seems to be giving them directions
is the very man whom Ned set out to follow.
If he is here, where is poor Ned?”</p>
<p>The tall man whom the conspirators had
addressed as “count” did very little talking.
At a signal from him, Black-beard and Twisted<span class="pagenum">[215]</span>
Mouth slipped away around the corner of the
chateau, and the remainder of the band slunk
noiselessly over the grass to where the silent
black pile of the building showed through the
trees.</p>
<p>Alan, Bob and von Schleinitz skulked close at
their heels, dodging from bush to tree-trunk, to
shrub. It was harrowing work.</p>
<p>Once a stone crunched under Bob’s foot as he
darted across a gravel path.</p>
<p>“What was that?”</p>
<p>The group of conspirators had whirled about
in consternation, weapons shining dully in their
hands. Only a deathly stillness rewarded their
listening, however. Finally the little fat man,
who was chancellor of the realm, laughed
nervously.</p>
<p>“Bah! It was nothing! We are unstrung
to-night,” he said in a low tone. “But
to-morrow—”</p>
<p>Evil anticipation lit up the faces of his
companions.</p>
<p>“Ready now!” whispered he whom they had
called “count.”</p>
<p>The ten of them slipped through the unlocked
door into the house where the aged Emperor
slept all unconscious of the hands at his throat.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<p><span class="pagenum">[216]</span></p>
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