It still lacked a few minutes of 7 o'clock on the morning of November 10 when Hal and Chester turned out, greatly refreshed by a good night's sleep. They strolled from the house where they had spent the night, and for perhaps an hour took in the sights about the German city. Then they returned to their temporary quarters, for, as Hal said, "there is no telling when we shall be wanted and it is just as well to be there."
It was half an hour later when a German officer appeared and instructed them to follow him. This the lads did without hesitancy. Their guide led them to a distant part of the village, where an extraordinary array of tents told the lads that they were near important personages in the German ranks. The guide showed them into a tent somewhat smaller than the rest, where he left them.
After they had been alone perhaps twenty minutes, Hal explored.
"Well," he said, "if these fellows don't hurry they won't get back to Marshal Foch's rendezvous until too late."
"Oh, I guess they'll get there in time all right," replied Chester. "At least they will if they know what's good for them."
Meanwhile Hal, peering through the canvass door at one end of the tent, ascertained that the door of the second tent in some unaccountable manner had been left open. Also, the lad perceived that the tent was filled with uniformed figures.
"Something going on," he said to Chester in a low voice.
Chester stepped forward and peered over Hal's shoulder.
"There certainly is," he agreed. "Wonder if we will be able to hear what they say?"
"I guess we can," said Hal. "I don't like to eavesdrop, but we might learn something that will help."
"I guess the end will justify the means," said Chester.
They became silent.
It was clear to both lads that the figures in the tent were awaiting the arrival of another person. And presently the latter came; and when he entered, the tent both lads stifled exclamations of surprise with difficulty.
"Well, what do you think of that!" Chester ejaculated.
"By Jove! I didn't know he was in this part of the field," said Hal.
For the man who had just entered the tent was none other than the German Emperor, Wilhelm II.
Gazing more closely, the lads made out other familiar figures. There was, first, General Ludendorff, chief of the German staff; General Von Hindenburg, and newly created Chancellor Ebert. Also the tent was crowded with other notables, both military and civilian.
It was the kaiser who spoke first. Straining their ears, the lads were able to catch every word that was uttered.
"Well, gentlemen," said the kaiser, "I am here at your request. What is it you desire of me?"
It was General Ludendorff who replied.
"Your majesty, it is my painful duty to acquaint you with the terms laid down by the enemy commander-in-chief."
"What are they?" demanded the kaiser briefly.
In as few words as possible, General Von Ludendorff outlined the terms of an armistice as Marshal Foch had presented them to the German envoys.
The kaiser fidgeted impatiently until his chief general had concluded. Then he burst out:
"We shall accept no such terms."
General Ludendorff bowed.
"As I supposed you would answer, your majesty. Nevertheless, it again becomes my duty to acquaint you with other unpleasant facts."
The German emperor appeared surprised.
"Explain, sir," he said briefly.
Again General Ludendorff bowed.
"Well, your majesty," he said, "it must be plain to you that the war is lost to German arms."
"Not at all," said the kaiser. "I still have millions of men in the field, and there are others who yet may take up arms."
"Very true," said General Ludendorff, "they may be able to take up arms if they will. The trouble is, your majesty, that they probably will decline longer to wage a losing fight."
The German emperor started back.
"What!" he exclaimed in a loud voice. "The German soldier refuse to obey my commands?"
"Exactly, your majesty," said General Ludendorff.
"Any such men shall be instantly shot," declared the kaiser.
"That would be all very well, Sire," said General Ludendorff, "if there remained any to carry out the sentence of execution."
The kaiser began to catch a glimmer of the true situation.
"You mean," he asked in a low voice, "that my men will refuse to fight longer?"
Again General Ludendorff bowed.
"Precisely, your majesty," he said quietly.
The kaiser dropped abruptly into a chair.
"I should have been warned," he muttered. "I should have been warned. For years I have seen this coming, and yet I would not take heed."
He rose to his feet again.
"Tell me," he said to General Von Ludendorff, "what are your sentiments in this matter, General?"
"The same as the sentiments of the soldiers, your majesty."
"You mean that I must accept the enemy's terms?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"Well, I won't do it."
"There is yet an alternative," said General Ludendorff slowly.
"And that?" demanded the kaiser, his voice hopeful.
"Abdication," said General Ludendorff quietly.
"What!"
The kaiser stepped quickly forward and raised his right hand. General Ludendorff stepped quickly back several paces.
"I should strike you down where you stand," said the kaiser, lowering his arm and letting his hand play with the hilt of the sword that he wore at his side. "Give up my throne, and throw my people upon the mercy of the enemy?"
"The people would be very glad to be thrown upon such mercy," said General Von Hindenburg, now stepping forward. "Your majesty, let me add my voice to that of General Ludendorff. I have fought for you as best I know how, but it has been a losing fight, as we have known, almost from the first. Something must be done, and that at once."
"Then you, too, general, urge that I renounce the throne?"
"I do, Sire, most emphatically."
The kaiser's face grew grave. Apparently such a thing as abdication had never entered his head.
"Well, gentlemen," he said at last, "I shall give my decision when my son, the Crown Prince, arrives, which should be in a very few moments."
The officers in the tent bowed low. Wilhelm II was still emperor, and would be until he had signed a formal decree of abdication. As officers of the emperor it was the duty of every man present to serve him.
As the kaiser had predicted, the Crown Prince, known more familiarly in allied circles as the "clown prince," because of his peculiar appearance, entered the tent.
He slapped his father familiarly on the shoulder.
"What's the matter?" he demanded. "Have the allies taken Berlin?"
The kaiser smiled feebly.
"Even worse, if possible, son," he said. "These gentlemen here," and he swept the interior of the tent with his arm, "ask that I renounce the throne of Germany so that my people may have peace."
The Crown Prince stepped back as though he had received a blow in the face. He recovered himself quickly, however, and said quietly.
"Please repeat that again, Sire."
The kaiser did so, and for a space of perhaps five minutes there was silence in the tent. Then the Crown Prince said:
"Well, Sire, what are you going to do?"
"Abdicate," said the kaiser briefly. "I shall abdicate in your favor. You may treat with the enemy."
"Hold on," ejaculated the Crown Prince. "You don't need to abdicate in my favor, sir. I don't want to be emperor, not under present conditions."
"Are you afraid?" demanded the kaiser sternly.
The Crown Prince was not to be bluffed like that.
"Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not," he said doggedly; "but I'm not going to be left in any such plight as this. You may wager on that, sir. If you abdicate in my favor, I shall follow suit, your majesty."
"As you will," said the kaiser. "I, at least, shall abdicate, and that at once. General Ludendorff; how soon can you have the necessary papers prepared?"
"I have already had them prepared, your majesty," was General Ludendorff's response. "I had hoped that you might see the light."
"Play the coward, you mean, eh?" said the kaiser. "But no matter. Put the paper before me and I shall sign."
From his pocket the general produced a long parchment, which he laid on the table. As his officers gathered about him, the German emperor read the paper carefully.
"You don't seem to have had much doubt about how I would act," he commented dryly. "Well, perhaps it is for the best."
He seized a pen and scrawled his name across the paper. He stepped back and looked at General Ludendorff.
"Perhaps," he said, "you have Had a similar paper drawn for the Crown Prince to sign?"
"I have," said General Ludendorff briefly. "I have overlooked nothing, Sire."
"So it would seem," said the Crown Prince angrily, "but I shall sign just the same."
He attached his signature to a second paper produced by General Ludendorff.
And thus ended the rule of the family of Hohenzollern.