THE BOY ALLIES AT LIÈGE

OR

Through Lines of Steel

By CLAIR W. HAYES

AUTHOR OF "The Boy Allies On the Firing Line" "The Boy Allies With theCossacks" "The Boy Allies In the Trenches"

1915

CHAPTER I. 

THE TWO COMRADES. 

"War has been declared, mother!" shouted Hal, as closely followed by hisfriend, Chester Crawford, he dashed into the great hotel in Berlin, wherethe three were stopping, and made his way through the crowd that throngedthe lobby to his mother's side. 

"Yes, mother, it's true, " continued Hal, seeing the look of consternationon Mrs. Paine's face. "The Kaiser has declared war upon France!"

Mrs. Paine, who had risen to her feet at her son's entrance, put her handupon the back of her chair to steady herself, and her face grew pale. 

"Can it be?" she said slowly. "After all these years, can it be possiblethat millions of men will again fly at each other's throats? Is itpossible that Europe will again be turned into a battlefield?"

Overcome by her feelings, Mrs. Paine sank slowly into her chair. Hal andChester sprang to her side. 

"It's all right, mother, " cried Hal, dropping to his knees and puttinghis arm about her. "We are in no danger. No one will harm an American. Atthis crisis a citizen of the United States will not be molested. "

Mrs. Paine smiled faintly. 

"It was not of that I was thinking, my son, " she said. "Your wordsbrought back to me the days gone by, and I pray that I shall not have togo through them again. Then, too, I was thinking of the mothers and wiveswhose hearts will be torn by the news you have just told me. But come, "and Mrs. Paine shook off her memories, "tell me all about it. "

"As you know, Mrs. Paine, " spoke up Chester, who up to this time hadremained silent, "Hal and I went to the American Embassy immediatelyafter dinner to-night to learn, if possible, what difficulties we werelikely to encounter in leaving Germany. Since the Kaiser's declaration ofwar against Russia all Americans have been preparing to get out of thecountry at the earliest possible moment. But now that war has beendeclared on France, we are likely to encounter many hardships. "

"Is there any likelihood of our being detained?" asked Mrs. Paine inalarm. "What did the ambassador say?"

"While the ambassador anticipates no danger for foreigners, he advisesthat we leave the country immediately. He suggests that we take the earlymorning train across the Belgian frontier. "

"Why go to Belgium?"

"All railroad lines leading into France have been seized by Germansoldiers. Passenger traffic has been cut off, mother, " explained Hal. "All trains are being used for the movement of troops. "

"Yes, Mrs. Paine, " continued Chester, "we shall have to go throughBelgium. Even now thousands of the Kaiser's best troops are marching uponthe French frontier, and fighting is only a question of hours. "

"Very well, then, " returned Mrs. Paine. "We shall go in the morning. So Iguess we would all better go upstairs and pack. Come along, boys. "

While the packing is going on, it is a good time to describe the twoAmerican lads, who will play the most important parts in our story. 

Hal Paine was a lad some seventeen years of age. Following his graduationfrom high school in a large Illinois city the previous June, his motherhad announced her intention of taking him on a tour through Europe. Needless to say, Hal jumped at this chance to see something of theforeign countries in whose histories he had always been deeplyinterested. It was upon Hal's request that Mrs. Paine had invited hischum, Chester Crawford, to accompany them. 

Chester was naturally eager to take the trip across the water, and, aftersome coaxing, in which Mrs. Paine's influence also was brought to bear, his parents finally agreed to their son's going so far away from home. 

Hal's father was dead. A colonel of infantry, he was killed leading acharge at the battle of El Caney, in the Spanish-American war. Hal'sgrandfather died of a bayonet wound in the last days of the Civil War. 

But, if Hal's father's family was a family of fighters, so was that ofhis mother. Her father, a Virginian, was killed at the head of his menwhile leading one of Pickett's regiments in the famous charge atGettysburg. Three of her brothers also had been killed on the field ofbattle, and another had died in prison. 

From her own mother Mrs. Paine had learned of the horrors of war. Beforethe war her father had been a wealthy man. After the war her mother wasalmost in poverty. While too young then to remember these things herself, Mrs. Paine knew what havoc had been wrought in the land of her birth bythe invasion of armed men, and it is not to be wondered at that, in viewof the events narrated, she should view the coming struggle with anguish, despite the fact that her own country was not involved and that there wasno reason why her loved ones should be called upon to take up arms. 

Chester's father was a prominent and wealthy lumberman, and Chester, although nearly a year younger than Hal, had graduated in the same classwith his comrade. The two families lived next door to each other, and thelads had always been the closest of chums. 

For the last three years the boys had spent each summer vacation in oneof the lumber camps owned by Chester's father, in the great Northwest. Always athletically inclined, the time thus spent among the roughlumbermen had given the boys new prowess. Day after day they spent in thewoods, hunting big game, and both had become proficient in the use offirearms; while to their boxing skill--learned under a veteran of theprize-ring, who was employed by Chester's father in the town in whichthey lived--they added that dexterity which comes only with hardexperience. Daily fencing lessons had made both proficient in the use ofsword and saber. 

Among these woodsmen, composed of laborers from many nations, they hadalso picked up a smattering of many European languages, which proved ofgreat help to them on their trip abroad. 

Standing firmly upon their rights from first to last, the two lads neverallowed anyone to impose upon them, although they were neither naturallypugnacious nor aggressive. However, there had been more than onelumberjack who had found to his discomfort that he could not infringeupon their good nature, which was at all times apparent. 

Both boys were large and sturdy, and the months spent in the lumber campshad given hardness to their muscles. Their ever-readiness for arough-and-tumble, the fact that neither had ever been known to dodgetrouble--although neither had ever sought it, and that where one wasinvolved in danger there was sure to be found the other also--had gainedfor them among the rough men of the lumber camp the nickname of "The BoyAllies, " a name which had followed them to their city home. 

It was by this name that the boys were most endearingly known to theircompanions; and there was more than one small boy who owed his escapefrom older tormentors to the "Boy Allies'" idea of what was right andwrong, and to the power of their arms. 

Both lads were keenly interested in history, so, in spite of the mannerin which they tried to reassure Mrs. Paine and set her mind at rest, there is no cause for wonder in the fact that both were more concerned inthe movement of troops and warships than in the efforts the other powerswere making to prevent a general European war. 

Staunch admirers of Napoleon and the French people, and, with a long lineof descendants among the English, the sympathies of both were naturallywith the Allies. As Chester had said to Hal, when first rumors of theimpending conflagration were heard:

"It's too bad we cannot take a hand in the fighting. The war will be thegreatest of all time, and both sides will need every man they can getcapable of bearing arms. "

"You bet it's too bad, " Hal had replied; "but we're still in Europe, andyou never can tell what will happen. We may have to play a part in theaffair whether we want to or not, " and here the conversation had ended, although such thoughts were still in the minds of both boys when theyaccompanied Mrs. Paine to their apartment to pack up, preparatory totheir departure in the morning. 

The packing completed, the lads announced their intention of walking outand learning the latest war news. 

"We won't be gone long, mother, " said Hal. 

"Very well, son, " Mrs. Paine replied; "but, whatever you do, don't getinto any trouble. However, I do not suppose there is any danger to befeared--yet. "

For more than an hour the lads wandered about the streets, reading thewar bulletins in front of the various newspaper offices, and listening tocrowds of men discussing the latest reports, which became more graveevery minute. 

As the boys started on their return to their hotel, they heard a shoutdown a side street, followed immediately by more yells and cries; andthen a voice rang out in English:

"Help! Police!"

Breaking into a quick run, Hal and Chester soon were upon the scene ofconfusion. 

With their backs to a wall, two young men were attempting to beat backwith their fists a crowd of a dozen assailants, who beset them from threedirections. 

As the two boys rounded the corner, the cry for help again went up. 

"Come on, Chester!" shouted Hal. "We can't let that gang of hoodlums beatup anyone who speaks the English language. "

"Lead on!" cried Chester. "I am right with you!"

They were upon the crowd as he spoke, and Hal's right fist shot out withstinging force, and the nearest assailant, struck on the side of theneck, fell to the ground with a groan. 

"Good work, Hal!" shouted Chester, at the same time wading into the crowdof young ruffians, for such the attackers proved to be, and striking outright and left. 

Howls of anger and imprecations greeted the attack from this unexpectedsource, and for a moment the ruffians fell back. In the time that it tookthe crowd to return to the struggle, the boys forced their way to theside of the victims of the attack, and the four, with their backs to thewall, took a breathing spell. 

"You didn't arrive a moment too soon, " said one of the young men, with asmile. "I had begun to think we were due for a trimming. "

"There are four of us here, " returned Hal, "and we ought to be good forthat crowd; but, instead of standing here, when they attack again, let'smake a break and fight our way through. There will be more of them alongin a minute, and it will be that much harder for us. "

"Good!" returned the second stranger in French. "Here they come!"

"Are you ready?" asked Hal. 

"All ready, " came the reply from the other three. 

"All right, then. Now!"

At the word the four rushed desperately into the throng, which waspressing in on them from three sides. Taken by surprise, the enemy gaveway for a moment; then closed in again. 

Blows fell thick and fast for the space of a couple of minutes. Then, suddenly, Chester fell to the ground. 

Turning, Hal fought his way to the other side of Chester's prostratebody. Then, bending down, he lifted his chum to his feet. 

"Hurt much?" he asked. 

"No, " replied Chester, shaking his head like an enraged bull. "Let me getat them again!"

He rushed in among his assailants with even greater desperation thanbefore, and two young hoodlums fell before his blows. 

In the meantime the strangers were giving a good account of themselves, and the enemy were falling before their smashing fists. 

Hal ducked a blow from the closest of his assailants, and, stepping inclose, struck him with all his power under the chin. The youth fell tothe ground. 

As he did so the ruffian nearest him, with a hiss of rage, drew a knife, with which he made a wicked slash at Hal. Hal did not see the movement, being closely pressed elsewhere, but Chester, with a sudden cry, leapedforward and seized the hand holding the knife, just as the weapon wouldhave been buried in Hal's back. 

"You would, would you, you coward!" he cried, and struck the young Germanin the face with all the strength of his right arm. The latter toppledover like a log. 

All this time the crowd of assailants continued to grow. Attracted by thesounds of the scuffle, reinforcements arrived from all directions, and itis hard to tell what would have happened had not the sudden blast of awhistle interrupted the proceedings. 

"The police!" yelled someone in the crowd. "Run!"

In less time than it takes to tell it, Hal, Chester, and the two otheryoung men were alone, while racing toward them, down the street, wereseveral figures in uniform. 

"Run!" cried the young Frenchman. "If they catch us we will all go tojail, and there is no telling when we'll get out. Run!"

The four took to their heels, and, dodging around corner after corner, were soon safe from pursuit. 

"Well, I guess we are safe now, " said the Englishman, when they stoppedat last. Then, turning to Hal:

"I don't know how to thank you and your friend. If you had not arrivedwhen you did, I fear it would have fared badly with us. "

"No thanks are due, " replied Hal. "It's a poor American who would refuseto help anyone in trouble. Shake hands and call it square!"

The Englishman smiled. 

"As modest as you are bold, eh? Well, all right, " and he extended hishand, which Hal and Chester grasped in turn. 

But the Frenchman was not to be put off so easily. He insisted onembracing both of the boys, much to their embarrassment. 

"I'm Lieutenant Harry Anderson, of the Tenth Dragoons, His Majesty'sservice, " explained the Englishman, and then, turning to his friend:"This is Captain Raoul Derevaux, Tenth Regiment, French Rifle Corps. Wewere strolling along the street when attacked by the gang from which yousaved us. In the morning we shall try to get out of Germany by way of theBelgian frontier. If now, or at any other time, we may be of service toyou, command us. "

"Yes, indeed, " put in the Frenchman, "I consider myself your debtorfor life. "

Hal and Chester thanked their newly-made friends for their good will, and, after a little further conversation, left them to continue theirway, while they returned to the hotel, much to the relief of Mrs. Paine, who had become very uneasy at their long absence. 

CHAPTER II. 

A PERILOUS SITUATION. 

"Come on, Hal. Let's stroll about a few minutes. We've lots of timebefore the train pulls out. "

It was Chester who spoke. Mrs. Paine and the two boys were sitting intheir compartment of the Brussels express, in the station at Berlin. Itstill lacked ten minutes of the time set for departure. 

"You don't mind, do you, mother?" said Hal. 

"No; if you do not go too far, " was the answer. 

The boys descended from the car, and wandered toward the entrance of thestation. Just as they were about to step on to the street, a Germanmilitary officer swung into the doorway. Hal, who was directly in hispath, stepped aside, but not quickly enough to entirely avoid him. 

With one outstretched arm the officer shoved him violently to one side, and then stopped. 

"What do you mean by blocking my way?" he demanded. "Do you knowwho I am?"

Hal's temper was aroused. 

"No, I don't; and I don't care, " was his reply. 

"Well, I'll give you something to care about, " and, raising his hand, theofficer made as though to strike Hal across the face. 

"Don't you strike me, " said Hal quietly. "I'm an American citizen, and Igive you warning. "

"Warning!" sneered the officer. "You young American upstart! I'll haveyou whipped!" and he turned as though to call someone. 

At that moment there was a sudden cry of "All aboard!" and the officer, after taking a threatening step toward Hal, made a dash for the train. 

"I guess that is our train, Hal, " said Chester. "We had better hurry. "

The lads retraced their steps toward their train. Reaching the shed, theysaw the German officer disappearing into a compartment on the train. 

"That looks like our compartment to me, " said Hal. "I hope we don't haveto ride with him. "

"I hope not, " agreed Chester, and then broke into a run, as he shouted:

"Hurry! The train is moving!"

It was true. The boys had wasted too much time. 

The door to one compartment was all that stood open, and that was the onein which Mrs. Paine could be seen gesticulating to them. 

"We just made it, " panted Hal, as they reached the open door, and startedto climb aboard. 

At that instant a uniformed arm appeared through the door andpushed Hal away. 

"Go away, you American puppy, " came a voice. 

Hal slipped, and but for the prompt action of Chester, who caught him bythe arm, would have fallen beneath the train. 

The train gathered momentum, as the boys raced along beside it, in vainseeking an open door by which they might climb aboard. There was none buttheir own compartment, and that had passed them. It was impossible forthem to overtake it, and there was not a train guard in sight. 

The boys stopped running and stood still as the remainder of the trainslipped past. 

On ahead they could see Mrs. Paine and the big German officer, bothgazing back toward them, the former gesticulating violently. 

Hal stamped his foot with rage. 

"I'd like to get my hands on that big lout!" he shouted. "I'd--"

"Come, come, old fellow, " interrupted Chester, "never mind that, now. Idon't blame you, but you can see it's impossible. You'll have to wait. "

"You are right, of course, " replied Hal. "The thing to do now is to sendmother a telegram to the first station and tell her not to worry, that weshall be along on the next train. But, just the same, I'd like to get myhands on that--"

"Come, now, " Chester interrupted again, "let's send that telegram andfind out when the next train leaves. "

They found the telegraph office, and Hal prepared a message, which hehanded through the window. 

The clerk glanced at it, and then passed it back. 

"Can't be sent, " he informed Hal. 

"Can't be sent! Why not?"

"Nothing can be sent over this wire but military messages from this timeon, " said the clerk. 

"But we missed the train, and I want to send this message to my mother, so she won't worry, " pleaded Hal. 

"I'm sorry, " the clerk returned kindly, "but it is impossible. I mustobey my orders. "

Hal and Chester were nonplused. 

"What shall we do?" questioned Chester. 

"The only thing I know to do, " replied Hal, "is to take the next trainwithout telegraphing. Mother is sure to be at the Brussels station. Iguess she knows we have enough sense to get there. "

"All right Let's find out when the next train leaves. "

On their way to the ticket window, Hal stopped suddenly. 

"What's the matter" asked Chester. 

"Matter!" exclaimed Hal. "The matter is I haven't any money. All I havewas enough to send that telegram, and that amount won't get us toBrussels. "

Chester reached in his pocket, and a startled expression came over hisface. 

"Neither have I, " he exclaimed, feeling first one pocket and thenanother. "I have lost my pocketbook. All I have is a little change. "

The lads looked at each other in silence for several minutes. 

"What shall we do?" Chester asked finally. 

"I don't know what to do, " replied Hal; "but we have got to do something. I guess the best thing is to go back to the embassy and see if we can'traise the price of a couple of tickets. I am sure the ambassador will letus have it. "

"A good idea, " said Chester. "I guess the sooner we get there thebetter. Come on. "

The ambassador received them immediately. 

"I'm awfully sorry, boys, " he said, after listening to their troubles, "but I am afraid I can do nothing for you. "

"Can't you lend us enough money to get to Brussels?" asked Hal insurprise. "You'll get it back, all right. "

"Yes, I can lend it to you, and I am not afraid of not getting it back. "

"Then why can't you help us?"

"The reason is this, " the ambassador explained, "this morning's train toBrussels was the last upon which foreigners were allowed to depart. TheGerman government has given orders that all foreigners now in Germanymust remain until mobilization is completed. So you see you are upagainst it"

Hal and Chester looked at each other, and both smiled faintly. 

"I see we are, " said Chester. 

"Now, I'll tell you what I can do, " continued the ambassador. "I can letyou have enough money to keep you until such a time as you will beallowed to leave the country; or, better still, you can come and livewith me. What do you say?"

"I'm sure we appreciate your kindness very much, " said Hal, "and wemay be forced to take advantage of it. We shall look about the citythis afternoon, and, if nothing else turns up, we shall be glad tostay with you. "

"Let me hear from you before night, anyhow, " said the ambassador, rising. 

"We certainly shall. Come, Chester, let's go out and look around a bit. "

The boys left the embassy. 

The streets of the city were even more densely thronged than they hadbeen the night before. Thousands and thousands of people paraded up anddown--war the sole topic of their conversation. 

Late in the afternoon, as Hal and Chester were walking along StrassburgaStrasse, a hand was suddenly laid on the former's arm, and a voiceexclaimed:

"I thought you boys were on your way to Brussels. How does it happen youare still in Berlin?"

Turning, Hal perceived that the person who had accosted him was noneother than Lieutenant Anderson, and with him was Captain Derevaux. 

All four expressed their pleasure at this unexpected meeting, and theboys explained their misfortune. 

"How is it you and Captain Derevaux didn't get away?" Chesterfinally asked. 

Captain Derevaux smiled. 

"We were so unfortunate as to be recognized by a member of the Germangeneral staff at the station this morning, " he explained, "and we weredetained. But, " he added grimly, "we are not figuring upon remaining inBerlin overnight. "

"What do you propose to do?" asked Hal and Chester in a breath. 

"Oh, Anderson and I have a little plan whereby we shall make ourselvesscarce on this side of the border, " answered the captain. "We areplanning to get out of Berlin soon after nightfall. "

"How?" asked Hal. 

"Well, " said Lieutenant Anderson, "we haven't perfected our plans yet, but we have an idea that we believe will take us safely out ofGermany. It may be successful, and it may not. But we are going totake a chance at it. "

"Is it dangerous?" questioned Chester. 

"That all depends upon how you look at it, " replied the lieutenant, witha smile. "It may mean a fight, " he added seriously, "but we are preparedfor that, " tapping the pocket of his civilian coat significantly. 

"Yes, it may mean a fight, " agreed the French captain, "but an officer ofthe French army will not shirk an encounter with these Germanaggressors. "

"No, nor an English officer, " declared the lieutenant. "War betweenEngland and Germany has not been declared yet, but it seems only aquestion of hours until it will be. "

Hal was suddenly struck with an idea. He turned to the lieutenant. 

"Why cannot we go with you?" he asked. "We must get to Brussels as soonas possible. If we wait here until after the mobilization of all theGerman forces, and are unable to send a message to mother, she will befrantic. Why cannot we go with you?"

The lieutenant was taken aback. 

"Why, I know no reason, " he said, "except that your presence in ourcompany, if ill fortune should befall us, would probably mean your arrestas enemies of Germany. You might even be convicted as spies, and shot. "

"We are willing to take any chances necessary to get us to Brusselsand put an end to mother's worries, " declared Hal stoutly. "Aren'twe, Chester?"

"You bet we are, " replied Chester. 

The lieutenant turned to Captain Derevaux. "What do you say?" he asked. 

The captain shook his head. 

"It's a bad business, " he replied slowly. "If we are caught it will gohard with our young friends, I am afraid. Of course, I am willing to doanything in my power to aid them, but this--this, I fear, is impossible. "

"Don't say no, " implored Hal. "Just think how mother must be worrying. Why, we would go through anything to save her pain. Besides, you don'texpect to be captured, do you?"

The captain shook his head. 

"You have a good plan of escape, I am sure, or you would not tackle it. Isn't that so?" continued Hal. 

The captain admitted it. 

"Would our presence make it more dangerous for you?"

"No. "

"Then, I ask you again, if you won't allow us to go with you, sharingwhatever dangers may arise. Besides, " and Hal smiled, "you know that fourare sometimes better than two. "

The captain reflected. 

"You are right, " he said at length. "If Anderson is agreeable, I shall beglad of your company; yes, and your aid, " he added, after a pause. 

"I agree with the boys, " said the lieutenant. "Four are sometimes betterthan two, and in an adventure, such as this promises to be, four arealways better than two. I say, let them come with us, by all means. "

And so it was decided. A meeting-place was arranged for eight o'clockthat night, and, with this parting injunction, the officers left:

"Say nothing to anyone. Do not talk, even between yourselves, and, if youcan, buy a revolver apiece, " for the purchase of which the lieutenanttendered Hal a bill. 

CHAPTER III. 

TOWARD THE FRONTIER. 

It was a long afternoon for Hal and Chester, and they waited impatientlyfor the time when they were to meet the two young men who were to betheir companions on the journey. 

After several futile attempts the lads finally gave up their attempt tobuy revolvers, as it caused too many questions, and, in spite of theireagerness to get away, it was with no little anxiety that they made theirway to the rendezvous that night. 

Captain Derevaux and Lieutenant Anderson were waiting when thelads arrived. 

"I am glad you are prompt, " said the former. "We must hurry. Even now wemay be followed, " and he glanced about furtively. 

"Which way do we go?" asked Hal, of the young Englishman, as the fourmoved along the street. 

"North, " was the reply. "We are heading for Kolberg, on the Baltic Sea. From there we will try to get across into Denmark. The thing to do is toget out of Germany at the earliest possible moment, and, with good luckin getting a boat of some kind at Kolberg, that is the quickest route. "

"Won't we have trouble getting a boat?"

"I am afraid we shall; but we must leave something to chance. "

"Well, I guess we won't be any worse off in Kolberg than in Berlin, " saidHal. "How do you figure to get there?"

"Automobile! We have arranged for a car to pick us up on the northernoutskirts of the city, just inside the line. "

"Won't the place be guarded?"

"Of course; but, by a little ingenuity and a bold dash, we should be ableto get through. If not--"

The lieutenant shrugged his shoulders expressively. 

"Well, " said Hal, "I won't object to a little excitement. "

"Don't worry, " replied the young officer; "you will have all theexcitement you want, and more, too, or I miss my guess. "

They continued their walk in silence. 

Beyond getting into Denmark, the young officers had formulated no plan. But, once out of Germany, the rest would be easy. A ship to England, and from there into France for the young Frenchman, and the twoAmerican boys would telegraph to their mother, or continue theirjourney alone. Lieutenant Anderson was bound direct for London, wherehe would join his regiment. 

The officers had decided to make their attempt at escape by way ofDenmark because, in all likelihood, the country between Berlin andKolberg would be less closely guarded than any other part of the GermanEmpire. Troops were being rushed to the French and Russian borders, andthey realized it was practically impossible for them to journey in thosedirections without being captured. Also the southern route offered littlehope of success. 

The streets became more and more deserted as the four friends continuedtheir walk toward the northern outskirts. They passed several detachmentsof rapidly moving troops, but they were unchallenged. 

Suddenly the young Englishman called a halt. 

"The automobile is waiting at the next corner, " he explained. "Justbeyond is the northern limit of the city. Go quietly and we may not bemolested. "

Hal and Chester were greatly excited by this time, but they obeyedinstructions as well as they could, and climbed into the big car that waswaiting for them, without even being seen. The driver immediately startedthe machine, and our boys were on their way at last. 

On toward the city line the big car rushed, and it was just as the fourfriends were breathing a sigh of relief at having passed the first dangersafely, that a harsh voice rang out:

"Halt!"

Almost directly ahead stood a squad of armed men, their rifles leveledstraight at the occupants of the oncoming car. 

"The patrol!" exclaimed Captain Derevaux, as the auto came to a stop. 

An officer approached the side of the machine. 

"Give an account of yourselves, " he demanded. "Your passports, please. "

"We have none, " replied Captain Anderson. "We are just taking alittle spin. "

"You cannot pass here, " said the officer. "Either return at once, or Ishall be forced to place you under arrest. "

There was no use arguing. 

"Home it is, then, " said the young Englishman aloud, and then in awhisper to the driver: "Ahead! Full speed!"

"To the bottom of the car!" he cried, as the machine jumped forwardwith a lurch. 

He dived to the floor of the car, the young Frenchman and Hal followinghis example. 

Chester, however, had been so surprised at the suddenness of thismaneuver, that for a moment he was unable to move; but, while hismomentary inaction placed him in great danger, it nevertheless saved hiscompanions from capture, or even death. 

As the automobile lunged away, hurling the officer to the side of thestreet, the latter shouted a command:

"Fire! Shoot the driver!"

One man only was in a position to obey. The others were forced to jumpfor their lives, as the machine bore down on them. This one man, however, raised his rifle and aimed at the driver, just as the car swept by. 

The muzzle was right at the side of the car, and a miss would have beenalmost impossible. 

But, before he could fire, Chester sprang to his feet, and, leaning out, grasped the barrel of the weapon in both hands. With a desperate effort, he wrenched it from the soldier's hands, just as he was about to pullthe trigger. 

Then, at a second command from Lieutenant Anderson, he dropped beside hisfriends in the bottom of the car, and it was well that he did so. 

A volley rang out from behind. The hum of bullets could be heardoverhead, and there was the sound of splintering wood, as others crashedinto the rear of the auto, but the machine sped on. 

Then came a second volley, and the automobile swerved suddenly to oneside. The chauffeur groaned, but the car immediately righted itself andcontinued on its way. 

Unmindful of the bullets flying about, Hal sprang to his feet andclimbed into the front seat, where the chauffeur was making heroicefforts to keep the car steady, a stream of blood the while pouring froma wound in his head. 

"Give me the wheel!" cried Hal, as the car lurched from one side of theroad to the other, at the imminent risk of turning over. 

He climbed in front of the chauffeur and his strong hands grasped thesteering wheel just as the man's body relaxed and he fell backunconscious. 

Bullets were still flying thick and fast, but the range was too great nowfor accurate shooting. Still, there was always the chance that one of theleaden messengers would hit Hal and end disastrously the career of theflying machine. 

Without even checking the speed of the auto, Hal called to Chester:

"The chauffeur is badly wounded. Pull him into the rear of the car!"

"Slow down!" came the answer. "We can't pull him from beneath you whilegoing at this terrific speed. "

"Slow down nothing!" shouted Hal. "We don't want to be captured afterthis. You'll have to pull him out!"

It was no small task, this driving a flying automobile, while a man inwhose lap he was almost sitting was being pulled from under him by handsfrom behind. 

Once Hal lost his balance. Throwing out one hand, he grasped the side ofthe car, and that alone saved him and his friends, too, for that matter. 

The car swerved to one side of the road, and just at that instant a sharpcurve came into view. 

With a desperate effort Hal regained his balance, steadied themachine, and, without even trying to slacken his speed, took the curveon two wheels. 

"Whew!" he muttered to himself. "That was a close shave!"

By this time the body of the chauffeur had been pulled into the back ofthe car, and Hal slid into his seat. 

"Are you all right?" came Chester's voice from the rear. 

"All right now, " replied Hal. 

"You can slow down a bit, " shouted Lieutenant Anderson. "We are out ofrange. We are safe enough now. "

"We are safe from bullets, but we are not safe from pursuit, " Hal calledback. "Do I keep to this road?"

"Yes, " came the reply, "if you don't run into a ditch or atelegraph pole. "

"Oh, I'll run it, all right; and I'll run it on the road, too, " Halanswered grimly. "I've made a record on a worse road than this. "

"Is the chauffeur badly hurt?" he called back after a few minutes. 

"No, I don't think so, " replied the French captain's voice. "Just ascalp wound. He has lost a lot of blood, and is still unconscious, but Ithink he will come around all right presently. "

Hal settled back in his seat and gave his entire attention to theroad ahead. 

The big car flashed through several small towns, and the dim lights inthe homes looked like a string of brilliant spots, so swiftly did they goby. For almost half an hour the terrific speed was continued, and then, at a shouted command from Lieutenant Anderson, Hal slowed down. 

"We should be nearing Angermunde by this time, " the lieutenant explained, "and it will never do to go through there at this speed. "

"Do you suppose our would-be captors have communicated with theauthorities at Angermunde?" asked the Frenchman. 

"I would not be surprised, " replied the lieutenant; "but we must risk it. One thing I am sure of, however, is that our pursuers are not far behind. They will never rest till we are caught. And, for that reason, we cannotafford to waste much time. "

"You are right, " said the captain. "We must get through Angermunde asquickly and as quietly as possible. "

Then to Hal he shouted: "Don't lose your nerve, and keep cool. Be readyto make a dash if you get the word. "

"Don't you worry about my nerve, " Hal replied grimly. "I'll run rightthrough a thousand Germans, if you say so. "

"I guess that will not be necessary, " broke in the lieutenant, with alaugh, "but you never can tell what may happen. "

Hal reduced the speed of the machine even more, and slowly approached thetown, the lights of which could be seen in the distance. 

It was now nearly midnight, and, as Captain Derevaux suggested, it wouldbe wise to go through the town without attracting attention, if possible. 

But this was not to be. 

The automobile entered the town, and had proceeded some distance, whenHal called back:

"I guess we will get through without any trouble, all right. "

"Don't be too sure, " replied the Englishman. "Always be ready for theunexpected. "

The words were hardly out of his mouth, when, rounding a sharp turn, Halsaw a line of cavalrymen blocking the street some distance ahead. 

"The road is blocked with troops, " he called back to his friends, as hereduced his speed. "Their rifles seem pointed right at us. Shall I speedup and run through them?"

His three companions arose and peered over his shoulder. The cavalrymenwere plainly discernible in the glare of an electric street light. 

"It's impossible, " replied the lieutenant. "We shall have to stop. Theywould shoot us to pieces before we could get through. Here, " turning toChester and Captain Derevaux, "cover up the chauffeur with these rugsand lay him in the bottom of the car. It would never do for an officerto see him. It may be that our friends behind have not tipped off ourpresent enemy, but the sight of this wounded chauffeur would give it allaway. " The car was slowly nearing the line of troops. "Halt!" came thecommand. "Halt, or we fire!" The car came to a stop within a few feet ofthe soldiers. 

CHAPTER IV. 

IN DANGER STILL. 

It was with no small trepidation that the occupants of the automobile sawthe officer in command approach. 

"Keep your wits and say nothing unless you have to, " was the younglieutenant's whispered advice. "Leave the talking to me. "

"Where are you from?" asked the officer. 

"Berlin, " replied the Englishman. 

"Where are you bound?"

"Stettin. "

"Your business?"

"Our business is purely private. Two of my companions are young Americanlads and the third is a Belgian gentleman. I am an Englishman. You willinterfere with us at your peril. "

"In times of war we interfere with whom we choose. A state of war existsin Germany, as you know. "

"There is no state of war between your country and ours. "

"Perhaps not, but I am not sure of it; there may be by this time. Youhave no passports, I take it?"

"We have not. "

"Then I must ask you to leave your machine and come with me. "

"For what reason?"

"Because I command it. You are my prisoners. "

Turning to an aide, the German officer commanded:

"Call a guard of four men!"

The aide saluted and did as he was ordered. Four of the troopers whoblocked the road dismounted and ranged themselves beside the car. 

"Order Lieutenant Myers to take his men and report to Major Von Volk, "commanded the German officer of his aide. 

The troopers, with the exception of the four who guarded the car, wheeledand rode away. 

The officer turned again to the automobile. 

"Leave the car, " he ordered the four occupants. 

"He evidently hasn't been tipped off, " whispered Lieutenant Anderson tohis companions, as they left the machine. 

"No, " Hal whispered back, "but the others are likely to be along in afew minutes. "

"Right, " came the reply. "We must watch our chance, and, if one comes, make the most of it. "

The four stepped from the automobile, and were immediately surrounded bytheir guards. 

"See what they have in the machine, " the officer ordered one of the men. 

"Great Scott!" ejaculated Chester. "We are in for it now!"

Exploring the front of the auto first, the soldier found nothing. Then heturned his attention to the back. He lifted up the rugs that had beenthrown over the chauffeur, and started back with a cry. 

"A dead man!" he exclaimed, and added: "At least he appears to be dead. He has a bullet hole in the back of his head. "

"What!" demanded the officer, and hurried to the side of the car. 

He drew his sword and waved it at his men. 

"Guard them closely!" he exclaimed, indicating his four prisoners. 

"Pretty ticklish situation, " whispered Hal to Chester, who stood besidehim. "We have got to do something. "

"You bet, " replied Chester, "and we've got to do it now. "

He took off his cap, twirled it about a few seconds, and let it fall tothe ground. 

Chester stooped to pick it up. Rising suddenly, he came up under theguard of his nearest captor, and with his head butted him with all hisforce under the chin. 

The blow was more than flesh and blood could stand. The soldier fell tothe ground with a groan of pain, his tongue almost bitten off. Without apause, Chester turned upon another of his captors, and, with twowell-directed blows of his fist, sent him staggering. 

The suddenness of Chester's attack had not taken Hal by surprise. WhenChester dropped his cap, Hal divined his purpose, and, as his friendbutted his first victim, Hal acted. Turning upon his nearest guard, heseized the latter's rifle, at the same time delivering a well-directedkick at his enemy's shin. The man released his hold on the rifle, and, ashe stooped unconsciously to rub his shin, the pain of which was almostunbearable, he met Hal's right fist, which, sent into his face withstunning force, knocked him cold. 

All this happened in the smallest fraction of the time it takes to tellit, and, before the German officer and the soldier who were exploring theinterior of the automobile could realize what was happening and go to theaid of their companions. 

Captain Derevaux and Lieutenant Anderson had acted with almost as muchcelerity as had Hal, in spite of the fact that Chester's attack had takenthem by surprise. Almost at the same moment Hal seized the weapon of hisguard Captain Derevaux closed with the third man, and, with his fingersat his throat, was attempting to choke him into unconsciousness. 

At the same moment the German commanding officer and his troops ran tothe aid of their fellows. 

"Shoot them!" shouted the officer, drawing his revolver and rushing totake part in the fray. He already held his sword in his hand. 

The soldier drew a revolver. 

Hal, having disposed of one enemy, clubbed the rifle he had wrenchedfrom him, and, before either the German officer or his man could fire, was in the thick of the mêlée. Lieutenant Anderson, having picked up arifle dropped by one of the German soldiers, was already there, hisweapon also clubbed. 

The officer and the trooper were unable to bring their revolvers to bear, and rushed into the fight with their weapons clubbed. 

With a single blow Hal crushed the skull of the soldier, and then turnedupon the officer who was engaging Anderson. 

Lieutenant Anderson and his opponent were still battling desperately forthe possession of the latter's gun, and Captain Derevaux and theremaining German trooper were rolling about upon the ground, thecaptain's finger still pressed into his enemy's throat. Chester had goneto the captain's aid. 

Warding off the officer's sword, Anderson suddenly dropped his rifle, and, stepping inside the other's guard, placed the officer hors de combatwith several well-directed and lightning-like blows to the face and jaw. 

At that moment Captain Derevaux's opponent succeeded in shaking off thecaptain's grip, and, springing to his feet, leveled his rifle, which hesnatched from the ground as he arose, squarely at the young Frenchman. 

With a shout Chester sprang forward, picking up a rifle as he leaped, andaimed a smashing blow at the man's head. The clubbed weapon found itsmark with a crushing impact, and the man threw up his arms, spun aroundtwo or three times, and then fell in a heap. 

And it was not a moment too soon. For, as the last German measured hislength upon the ground, there was a sudden shout, and a body of cavalry, attracted by the sounds of the conflict, bore down upon the victors. 

"Quick!" shouted the lieutenant. "To the machine!" And, with Hal andCaptain Derevaux, he made a rush for the auto. 

Chester had stopped to gather up the two revolvers that lay on theground. 

"Go ahead!" he shouted. "I'm coming!" And, picking up the last revolver, he ran up to the automobile and swung himself aboard, just as Hal, whohad climbed into the driver's seat, threw in the clutch, and the machineleaped forward. 

At that moment a volley of shots rang out. The whizzing bullets againflew around the car, and there was again the sound of splintering wood, as they smashed into the rear of the auto. 

All but Hal dived into the bottom of the car, and he bent as low aspossible over the steering wheel. 

Soon the sound of firing became less audible, and finally ceasedaltogether. 

Chester, Lieutenant Anderson and Captain Derevaux arose from the bottomof the car and resumed their seats. 

"That's what I call great work, boys, " declared the lieutenant, puttinghis hand on Hal's shoulder. "If it hadn't been for you, I guess thecaptain and I would be locked up by this time. Isn't that so, captain?"

"It certainly is, " was the reply. "And had it not been for the promptaction of Chester in that encounter, France would have lost a captainof rifles. "

Hal and Chester were embarrassed by all this praise. 

"That's all right, " Hal called over his shoulder. "You would have donethe same for us. "

At this moment the chauffeur, who had been almost forgotten in theexcitement, stirred. 

"Hello, " ejaculated the captain. "Our friend is getting better. Guess wehad better see what we can do for him. "

He raised the head of the wounded man to his lap, and wiped the bloodstains from his face, while the lieutenant prepared a bandage. In a fewminutes the chauffeur had recovered sufficiently to drink a little waterand to eat several sandwiches the lieutenant produced from a small butwell-filled hamper. 

"Well, I guess we are safe for a little while, at any rate, "remarked Hal. 

"It looks like it, " replied the lieutenant; "but, as I said before, younever can tell. "

They rode cautiously along in silence for a long time; in fact, until thefirst streak of dawn appeared in the east. Then, suddenly, the sound ofchug-chugging came from behind. 

Chester turned his head and jumped to his feet with a cry:

"We are pursued! Speed up, Hal! Speed up!"

It was true. Far back could be seen a pursuing automobile, and, even fromthat distance, it was apparent it was gaining. 

Hal "speeded up" and in a short time the pursuing car was out of sight. Nevertheless, the speed was not diminished. 

"I guess they have learned that we can travel some, anyhow, " remarkedHal happily. 

And just at that moment there was a loud explosion--the car rockedcrazily, and Hal brought it to a stop. 

"Tire blown out, " exclaimed the French captain, in despair. "Now we areup against it. What shall we do?"

"Fix it, " retained Chester briefly. 

He got out, and the rest, including the wounded chauffeur, followed suit. 

At that moment Chester bethought himself of the pursuing machine, andsaid:

"We haven't time. Our pursuers will be upon us. "

"You are right, " said the captain, "but I have an idea. "

The place in which they had stopped was shaded upon both sides by greattrees. As far as could be seen the woods continued. A hundred yards backover the road they had traversed was a sharp curve, hiding anyapproaching vehicle from sight. Ahead, the road stretched out in astraight line for a considerable distance. 

"I figure this way, " said the captain hurriedly, "the machine as it is isdoing us no good, is it?"

"It certainly is not, " replied the lieutenant. 

"And, if we wait here long enough to fix it it won't do us any goodeither, will it?"

"Certainly not. "

"Then my idea is this: Head the machine straight down the road, lashthe wheel fast and start her off. If I am not mistaken, it will runalong the road at least to the next curve. Even from here you can seethe steep embankment at the curve. When the machine hits that curve itwill go over. 

"Now, if that embankment is as steep as it looks, the car, when it hitsthe bottom, will be out of sight. In the meantime, we hide here until ourpursuers pass. The chances are they will continue past the curve, neverseeing the wreckage at the bottom of the embankment, believing we arestill ahead of them. Then we can continue our journey afoot. What do youthink of that idea?"

"I think it is first-rate, " declared Hal, and the others agreed with him. 

"But won't they discover, when they reach the next town, that we haven'tpassed through?" asked Chester. 

"They probably will, " was the reply; "but we will cross that bridge whenwe come to it. Besides, there is little doubt in my mind that theauthorities in the next town know of our coming. We couldn't be sofortunate a second time. "

Accordingly the plan suggested was carried out. Hal elected to get in thecar and start it, and, as it took a flying leap forward, he hurledhimself from the machine to the soft grass beside the road. He wasconsiderably shaken up, but not badly hurt. 

Then the five stood and watched the car in its mad flight down the road. 

"I hope that the fact of a tire being bursted won't stop it's sticking tothe road, " said Chester. 

Fortunately the car continued its journey in as straight a line as thebest chauffeur in the world could have driven, and the five companionsstrained their eyes as it neared the distant curve. 

"It's almost there!" cried Hal. "I hope it makes a good jump; and I hopethat embankment is steep. "

"And I hope that she makes her leap before our pursuers heave in sight, which is more to the point, " declared Chester. 

Again they strained their eyes, watching the flight of the mad car. Andthen the car reached the embankment. 

"There she goes!" cried Chester, and the big machine, as though making adesperate leap, hurled itself into space, where it soared for a momentlike a huge bird, and then disappeared from sight. 

"Well, it's gone, " said the lieutenant sorrowfully; "and now it's up tous to hoof it, to the next town, at least. "

The five moved into the woods and just as they gained the first densecovering there was a sound from the road over which they had come. 

Dropping to the ground, they peered between the trees. Presently a secondhuge car, in which could be caught a glimpse of uniforms, rounded thecurve, flashed by, and disappeared down the road. 

"Let's go farther into the woods, " urged Chester. "We might beseen here. "

Going deeper and deeper in among the trees the five continued theirjourney; and, when they felt sure they had penetrated far enough to avoidany chance of detection, they turned their faces northward and set out ata brisk pace. 

CHAPTER V. 

CAPTURED. 

All morning the journey through the woods continued. At intervals the bigtrees became more sparse, and the party took all precautions againstbeing seen, as they flitted through the open places. 

About noon, Lieutenant Anderson made a foraging expedition, and returnedwith a basket of food, which he had purchased from a nearby farmhouse. Hungrily the five disposed of it, quenching their thirst from a sparklingbrook of cool water. Then they resumed their march. 

Night was falling when the travelers at length emerged from the woods. Half a mile ahead could be seen the lights of a town. 

Lieutenant Anderson called a consultation. 

"If I mistake not, " he said, "those lights indicate the town ofStettin. We shall have to be very careful. They are bound to be on thelookout for us. "

"Has anyone a plan?" he asked, after some further talk. 

"I think I have one, " returned Hal. "It might work out all right"

"Let's hear it, " demanded Chester. 

"Yes, " chorused the others, "what is it?"

"Well, " said Hal, "my idea is that it would be much better for us toseparate. If we all approach together we are sure to be recognized. Ournumber alone would give us away. But, if we go singly, or by twos, fromdifferent directions, we stand a chance of gaining the city without beingchallenged. "

"A good idea, " exclaimed Captain Derevaux; "I heartily approve of it. "

"And I, too, " declared the young lieutenant; "and I recommend that we putthe plan into execution at once. "

The lone dissenting voice came from the wounded chauffeur. 

"I don't know your plans, gentlemen, " he said; "and I don't want to knowthem. I have had trouble enough. I am a German, and, from what I haveheard, although I know I should look upon you as enemies of my country, I do not believe you mean any harm. Besides, you have treated me well, and I will not betray you. But I must ask that you leave me here. I willmake my way into the town some time during the night I shall beperfectly safe. "

"Had we not better make him go with us?" questioned Chester. "Is he notlikely to betray us?"

"No; I am sure he would not, " said Hal. 

"And I, " agreed the French captain. 

"I am a little inclined to doubt the advisability of leaving him behind, "said Lieutenant Anderson, "but--"

"Sir!" broke in the chauffeur. "I am just as much a gentleman as you are, and my word is my bond!"

The young Englishman's face flushed. 

"Forgive me!" he exclaimed, extending his hand. "I am sorry for myunreasonable doubts. I am sure that you can be trusted. "

"I believe that our friend's decision simplifies matters exceedingly, "declared Hal. 

"In what way?" demanded the lieutenant. 

"In the first place, it makes one less of us. And, again, it does awaywith the necessity of one of us approaching the town alone, which isalso a good thing. While for two to approach the town is much betterthan four, under the circumstances, two are also better than one, forthe reason that they can give a good account of themselves shouldoccasion arise. "

"Which is good reasoning, " declared Captain Derevaux. "I agree with you. "

"I suggest, " said Lieutenant Anderson, "that one of the boys go with you, captain, and the other with me. I shall go back a short distance into thewoods, make a detour, and enter the town from the west. "

"Another good idea, " replied the captain. "Hal and I will wait here halfan hour after you have gone, and will reach the town from this side atabout the time you and Chester arrive. "

"Where shall we meet?"

"I believe the best plan would be to meet in the hotel. Whichever of usarrives first will wait for the others. "

"Good, " said the lieutenant. "The best part of that idea is that, providing we get into the town safely, the hotel will be the least likelyplace our pursuers will look for us. They probably will figure we willsneak along the outskirts. "

"Sure, " broke in Chester. "But how are we to get out of the town? Won'tthe other side be so closely guarded that we can't get through?"

"Yes, I suppose they will be laying for us, all right, but we shall haveto leave that to luck. The thing to do now is to get in. We will get outas best we may. "

"Right, " declared Hal; "and I guess that, as long as we are going, wemight as well go now. The sooner we start the better, is the way Ilook at it. "

Chester and the lieutenant said good-by to the chauffeur, and thenChester turned to Hal and held out his hand. 

"In case--" he said, as they gripped, and a moment later he and the younglieutenant were gone. 

Hal, Captain Derevaux and the chauffeur reentered the woods, where theysat down to wait the half hour agreed upon. 

As his chum's form disappeared from sight, striding rapidly along besidethe gallant lieutenant, Hal experienced a peculiar sinking sensation inthe region of his stomach, while his heart throbbed jerkily, and heturned faint. For almost the first time he realized the real seriousnessof the situation. 

"Good old Chester!" he said to himself. "I hope nothing happens to him. Iwish I could take all the danger upon my own shoulders. "

In vain did he try to shake off the feeling of uneasiness that oppressedhim; and it was with a heavy heart at the absence of his friend that hefound himself bidding the chauffeur good-by, when Captain Derevaux rousedhim from his reverie and announced that it was time for them to be ontheir way. 

Striking out from their shelter, the two approached the town boldly. Theywalked silently and swiftly. 

It was now quite dark, but the gleam of a full moon made their figuresplainly discernible. At the edge of the town they unconsciously breathedeasier and quickened their step. 

Just passing the first house inside the city, they heard the sound ofrunning footsteps behind them. Hal looked over his shoulder. A uniformedfigure was hurrying after them. 

"Run!" cried Hal to his companion, and he suited the action to the word. 

The captain also broke into a quick run. 

A command of "Halt!" behind them went unheeded, and the two friends spedover the ground, heading for the friendly shelter of the first crossstreet that was now but a few yards away. 

Slackening their speed but a trifle, they rounded the corner just as thesharp crack of a rifle rang out. Around a second corner they dodged, andanother, and still another. 

Stopping a moment to gain a much-needed breath, they could hear thesounds of great confusion, and again they broke into a quick run. 

"The whole town will be aroused and on our track in a few minutes, "panted Hal. "We will have to lose ourselves some way awfully quick. "

Luckily, the streets they had traversed so far had been deserted. But asthey rounded another corner they saw a crowd of men coming rapidlytoward them. 

"I guess it's all up, " exclaimed Hal, and the two slowed to a walk. 

The crowd moved rapidly, and they advanced to meet it. 

"No use running, " said the captain. "We will try to bluff it out. "

The first man of the crowd to reach them stopped. 

"What's the row back there?" he asked. 

"Just a street fight, I guess, " replied Hal. "We didn't stop to see. "

"More than likely some Frenchman has been rounded up, " said the man. "Better come along and see the fun, " and he broke into a trot again. 

"We had better make a bluff at going, " said Hal to the captain, as henoticed that some of the crowd eyed them queerly. 

Turning, they joined the crowd, and began to retrace their steps. Theywent slowly, however, and the crowd gradually drew away from them. Atlast, finding themselves behind the last man, they turned suddenly into aside street and broke into a run again. 

Turning another corner, they slowed down to a walk. 

"We had better get away from here, " exclaimed the Frenchman. "They willbe back after us in a minute. "

They continued their walk, still stepping along at a rapid pace, and atlength emerged, without further difficulty, into a brilliantly lightedstreet, which, they learned, was the main thoroughfare of the town. Mingling with the crowd, they were soon comparatively safe. 

"The thing to do now is to find out where the hotel is, " said theFrenchman. 

Stopping in an open shop, Hal made an inquiry. 

"Two blocks ahead, " was the reply, and following directions, Hal and thecaptain soon came upon a large, though unpretentious, hotel. They went inand sat down in the rotunda. Chester and the lieutenant had not arrived, and once more Hal felt that queer sinking sensation in his stomach. 

"If anything has happened to Chester, " he mused, "I don't know what Ishall do. "

But his anxiety was soon set at rest, for a few moments later Chester andLieutenant Anderson appeared in the doorway. 

Hal jumped to his feet and seized Chester by the hand. 

"I was afraid--" he began in a queer voice, but the lieutenant silencedhim with a gesture. 

"Careful!" he whispered. 

Hal returned to his seat and Chester and the lieutenant also sat down. 

Hal recounted the experience he and the captain had had, and thelieutenant said:

"Then we have no time to waste. We must leave here at once. "

Rising, the four companions left the hotel. 

"We must get something to eat before we go, " declared the Frenchman, andaccordingly they dropped into a little restaurant, where they treated theinner man to his entire satisfaction. Then they went to the street again. 

"The best thing we can do is to go straight through the town and out onthe other side--if we can, " said the lieutenant, and they turned theirsteps toward the north once more. 

They reached the northern extremity of the town without difficulty andjust as they were congratulating themselves on their good fortune, Halgripped lieutenant Anderson by the arm and whispered:

"Look!"

Not two hundred yards ahead could be seen a line of army huts, extendingon either side as far as the eye could see. 

"Ummm, " grunted the lieutenant. Then: "Doesn't look like much chance ofgetting through here. "

At the same instant there came from the rear the sound of the footstepsof a large body of men approaching with confusion. 

"The crowd!" cried Hal. 

The lieutenant was a man of action, as already has been seen. 

"Follow me!" he exclaimed, and dashed to the right. His three companionsran after him. 

Suddenly the lieutenant stopped and pointed ahead. 

"Horses!" he whispered. "Good!"

He advanced more slowly, the others closely behind him. 

"If we can cut out four horses, " explained the lieutenant, "we will havea chance. We'll make a dash and trust to luck and the darkness. "

Silently they approached the horses, which stood quietly a few yardsaway. A sentry passed nearby, and the four companions dropped to theground. Fortunately, the sentry did not look in their direction. 

"That's what I call luck, " whispered Hal. 

From behind the sounds of confusion became more audible, indicating therapid approach of the crowd. At the same time lights flared up in thehuts, and an officer stepped to the entrance of one only a few feet fromthe four friends. 

He espied them on the instant, and then the lieutenant acted. 

"Quick!" he cried, and jumped toward the horses. 

A revolver cracked, and a bullet whined over Hal's head even as heleaped forward. 

With a bound all four fugitives were among the horses, and almost with asingle movement each threw himself into a saddle. 

But at that moment the camp came to life. Armed men sprang up onall sides. 

In the very act of digging his heel into his horse's flank, thelieutenant pulled up. 

"It's no use, " he said quietly to his friends. "To move is certaindeath. "

Then came a voice from right before them. 

"Surrender!" it cried. "Surrender or you are dead men!"

CHAPTER VI. 

THE OLD CASTLE. 

Lieutenant Anderson raised a hand. 

"We surrender, " he said quietly. 

The officer approached, a revolver held ready for instant use. 

"Dismount!" he ordered shortly. 

The four companions slid to the ground. A squad of soldierssurrounded them. 

"Search them for arms, " was the next command, and they were relieved oftheir weapons. 

"To the castle!" ordered their captor. "Forward, march!"

With the four prisoners in the center, the soldiers moved away. 

"Looks like we were into it pretty steep this time, " said Hal, as theywere being led away. 

"Silence!" came the sharp command of the German officer. 

They moved along for several minutes without a word except for anoccasional command from the officer. 

At length a grim, gray wall loomed before them in the darkness, andwithout a stop the prisoners were hurried across a little bridge, ledacross a courtyard and escorted within the structure. 

A fear-inspiring place it was, but the four captives entered without atremor, their heads held high and their step firm. Any spirit offoreboding they may have felt was not manifested in their carriage. 

Down dark and dirty corridors they were led, and after many sharp turns, their guards stopped before what appeared to be a hole in the side of thewall. Into this opening the prisoners were thrust without ceremony, and adoor behind them was closed with a bang. 

It was several minutes before the four companions could accustom theireyes to the semi-darkness, but finally they were able to make out the fewobjects that furnished the cell, for such it proved to be. 

There were three broken chairs and two dirty-looking mattresses, one ofthe latter at each end of the cell. Also there was a small table. 

"Pretty dismal looking place, this, " remarked the doughty French captain, after a hasty glance about. 

"Dismal and dirty it certainly is, " said Hal. 

"How long do you suppose we shall have to stay here?" asked Chester. 

"Until they get ready to let us out, " replied the young Englishlieutenant dryly. "Which may not be a very satisfactory answer, but it'sthe best I can do. "

"What do you suppose they will do with us?" queried Hal. 

"You've got me. If they don't take us out and shoot us as spies, we arelikely to lie here till we rot. "

"Surely they would be afraid to do that. "

"Don't fool yourself that they are afraid to do anything. "

"But we can prove we are not spies. "

"Can we? How? With the trouble we have made, they won't be able to killus off quick enough. "

"Well, " said Hal hopefully, "maybe something will turn up that willenable us to convince them. "

"I hope so. But if it doesn't turn up soon, we are gone goslings, just assure as you're a foot high, " and Lieutenant Anderson threw himself downon one of the evil-looking mattresses, remarking: "Might as well take alittle snooze, anyhow. "

"This doesn't look to me like a time to sleep, " remarked Hal to Chester, although he almost envied the coolness with which the young Englishmanaccepted his perilous situation. 

"Looks to me more like the time to try and find a way out, " agreedChester. 

Captain Derevaux, however, also flung himself upon one of the mattressesand he and the lieutenant soon were fast asleep. 

In spite of the fact that they had been more than twenty-four hourswithout sleep, the two boys were in no mood to close their eyes. As Halsaid, now seemed to be the proper time to expend whatever energies theyhad in getting out of their prison. 

The boys looked around. There were two small windows to their cell, butit was plain they were too small to permit of a human body being squeezedthrough. Besides, they were barred. Beyond, across a courtyard, could beseen another wing of the castle. It appeared to be almost in ruins. 

Looking from the other window, the boys could discern the bridge whichthey had been led across. The bridge spanned a moat, which at one timehad been filled with water. Now it was a mass of growing weeds. 

Hal shook the bars at the window through which he was peering, and onecame away in his hand. It had grown loose through age. Still, however, it was impossible for a man to pass through the window. The opening wastoo small. 

"No chance of getting out here, " remarked Hal, turning to Chester, whostood at the other window. 

"Nor here, " was the answer. "I couldn't squeeze through to save my life. "

"What are we to do, then? I certainly won't let them take me out andshoot me without a fight. "

"No more will I, " declared Chester. "I would rather be killed fightingthan to be taken out and stood up against a wall. "

"Then if it comes to the worst we will pitch into the guards when theycome to take us out and fight until the end, " said Hal. 

"We will, " agreed Chester. "It would be a much more pleasant death. Idon't think much of walking out and standing over my own grave andletting somebody shoot at me without a chance to fight back. "

They continued their conversation well into the night. 

As the first rays of sunlight filtered into their cell a key turnedgratingly in the rusty lock of the door. Captain Derevaux and LieutenantAnderson, who now appeared to have been sleeping with one eye open, wereon their feet immediately, and the four friends faced the door. 

Slowly the huge door swung outward and a grinning apparition appeared inthe doorway, carrying a vessel of water and a loaf of bread. It was anold, old negro, and he shuffled forward haltingly. Just outside the doorcould be seen half a dozen German soldiers. 

Hal and Chester stared at the old negro in speechless amazement. Thesight of the old darky carried them back across the sea to the home ofHal's Virginia uncle. They forgot their danger for a moment, gazed ateach other and broke into a laugh. 

The old negro looked at them in surprise, and with ruffled dignity. Heplaced the water and bread upon the table, and drawing himself up, pointed to them and then commanded:

"Essen!"

It was too much for the two lads and they broke into another loud guffaw. 

"Well, what do you think of that!" exclaimed Chester. "Here's what lookslike an old plantation negro, and he speaks German. "

"Funniest thing I ever heard, " gasped Hal between bursts of laughter. 

At their words, an expression of amazement passed over the oldnegro's face. 

"Lawdy! Lawdy!" he exclaimed, a wide grin spreading itself over hisfeatures; "if dese two chilluns ain't 'Mericans, " and advancing towardthem he demanded:

"What yo'al doin' hyah? Dey tol' me dey dun captured fo' spies!"

Hal explained briefly. 

The old negro rolled his eyes in gaping wonder at the recital. 

"Can't you help us, uncle?" asked Chester, as Hal completed his story. 

Frightened, the old darky looked around; then began slowly to back towardthe door of the cell, just beyond which stood the line of soldiers. 

"Yo'al jes' wait, " he spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Ol' Uncle Billy'll seewhat he c'n do. "

He backed out of the cell as he finished and the door clanged behind him. 

"It seems that we have at least one friend, " remarked Hal, after UncleBilly had gone. 

"But what can he do to help us?" demanded the young French captain. 

"I don't know, " replied Hal; "but you may be sure he will do anything hecan. He will not desert us. He is that kind, and I know the kind well. "

"You can bet on that, " Chester agreed. "He'll be back before long. "

It was nearing the hour of noon when the cell door again swung open. Believing that Uncle Billy had returned, the two boys jumped to theirfeet. But they were disappointed. An officer, whose shoulder strapsproclaimed him a lieutenant, entered. Behind him stood the inevitableline of soldiers. 

He beckoned the prisoners. "Follow me!" he commanded. 

"Where to?" demanded Lieutenant Anderson. 

"General Steinberg desires your presence. "

He stood aside as the captives filed from the cell. Outside the line ofsoldiers fell in step behind them. 

Our four friends were marched out of the castle and across the field tothe army camp. They were led to a hut rather larger than the rest, whichproclaimed it the headquarters of the commanding officer. They wereushered inside and their military escort fell back. 

General Steinberg sat at a table surrounded by several officers of hisstaff. He looked up as the prisoners entered, and unconsciously CaptainDerevaux saluted. 

General Steinberg jumped to his feet. 

"So!" he exclaimed. "A soldier, eh? And an officer, besides. I thoughtso! What rank, and to what command are you attached?"

Captain Derevaux drew himself up to his full height. 

"Captain of French Rifles!" he said defiantly. 

"And what are you doing within our lines in civilian clothes, may I ask?"demanded the general, with a sneer. "Spying, eh?" he continued withoutwaiting for a reply. "I thought so. Are your companions also spies?"

"We are not spies, " declared the captain vehemently. "I was stranded inBerlin and was trying to make my way out of the country so as to join myregiment. "

"And why should we allow you to leave the country and join our foes? Didyou report yourself to the authorities in Berlin when war was declared?"

"No. "

"And why, may I ask?"

"Because I had already received orders to join my regiment, and I did notpropose to be detained. "

The general waved him aside and turned to Lieutenant Anderson. 

"And you are also an officer, perhaps, eh?" he questioned. 

"I am, " replied the lieutenant boldly. "I hold his British majesty'scommission as a lieutenant of Dragoons. "

"Another spy, eh?"

"No; I am no spy, and you do not dare treat me as one. "

"I don't? You shall see. Stand aside!"

The general turned to Hal and Chester. 

"And you, " he said, "you both look over young to be taking the risk ofspies. How do you come to be mixed up in this business?"

Hal explained. 

"Why did you not submit to arrest in Angermunde?"

"Because we feared we would be detained. "

"And is that a sufficient cause for attacking a squad of German troops?"

"We considered it so, " replied Hal. 

"Enough!" exclaimed General Steinberg. "It is my belief you are allspies. You shall be shot to-morrow at sunrise!"

Turning to the officer who had escorted them to his hut, he commanded:

"Return them to their cell and see that they are well guarded!"

"But, general, " the young captain spoke up, "these boys are in no way toblame. They are perfectly innocent!"

"Shoot us if you like, but spare them, " pleaded the lieutenant. 

"Bah!" exclaimed the general. "One is as guilty as the other!"

With a wave of his hand he signified that the interview was ended. 

"Take them away!" he ordered. 

"It's all my fault!" exclaimed Captain Derevaux when they were backin the cell once more. "I should not have permitted you boys toaccompany us. "

"It is not!" denied Hal and Chester together. "Whatever may befall us isno discredit to you. Had we not come with you, we probably should havetried to escape the country alone. "

"But if you had not been captured in our company you would be in nodanger of being shot, " declared Lieutenant Anderson. "I cannot forgivemyself that I consented to your coming. "

"Never mind that, " said Hal. "You tried to help us, and that we go to ourdeaths to-morrow morning is not due to you. "

"Fool that I was!" cried the Frenchman. "Had I kept my presence of mindin Steinberg's hut our position would not be so desperate. It was mysalute that caused all this trouble. "

"Come, come, never mind that, " soothed Chester. "It couldn't be helped. Besides, I am sure he had his mind made up to shoot us, anyhow. Let's notthink about it. "

It was perhaps an hour later that the huge cell door once more swungslowly open. Uncle Billy stepped quickly inside and closed the doorafter him. 

"Sh-h!" he whispered, holding up a warning finger and coming close. 

Silently he went to the table and, one after another, produced from someplace about his person four revolvers. 

"When I brung yo'al yo' dinnah t'night, " he explained, "I'se gwine terleave de' door open. I'se gwine ter p'tend ter lock it, but it ain'tgwine ter be locked. 

"At nine o'clock t'night de' watch am changed, an' fer five minutes thereain't no guard in de' hall. That am when yo'al slip out an' sneak downde' hall. When yo'al gits out o' de cas'le, jes' yo'al sneak roun' to deright, an' dere'll be frien's dere. "

Uncle Billy again put a warning finger to his lips. 

Hal opened his mouth to ask a question, but with a soft "sh-h" UncleBilly silenced him. 

Then, after several furtive glances about, the old negro stole quicklyfrom the cell, closing the door softly behind him. 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE ESCAPE. 

"What did I tell you!" shouted Hal, when the old negro had taken hisdeparture. "Didn't I tell you old Uncle Billy wouldn't leave us inthe lurch?"

"What do you suppose his plan is?" asked Chester. 

"I haven't any idea, but you can depend upon its being a good one. "

Captain Derevaux and Lieutenant Anderson were examining the revolversUncle Billy had laid on the table. 

"Loaded, all right, " remarked the latter. 

"At least they won't stand us up against a wall without a fight, "declared the captain. 

"I don't know what Uncle Billy's plan of escape is, " said Hal, "but Iam sure it will be successful. I have a lot of confidence in theseold-time negroes. "

"And I, too, " declared Chester. 

"Well, " interrupted the Frenchman, "all we can do now is to wait and hopefor the best. "

"We at least have a fighting chance, " spoke up the lieutenant, "andthat's more than I ever expected to have again. "

"It's a long time between now and nine o'clock, " said Chester. "I thinkwe all had better get some sleep. We are likely to need it before weget through. "

"Right, " replied the lieutenant. "I guess we had better turn in. "

The four lay down upon the dirty mattresses, and with their minds more atease were soon asleep. 

It was after six o'clock when Uncle Billy once more entered the cell withtheir "dinner, " which consisted of another vessel of water and a secondloaf of bread. 

Hal made a grimace. 

"Is that what you call dinner, Uncle Billy?" he demanded. "Why, I'm sohungry I could eat a fence rail. "

Uncle Billy grinned widely. 

"Yo'al will git a shore 'nuff dinnah 'fore long, " he replied. 

"Is everything all right?" asked Chester. 

"Yassah, yassah. Everyt'ing am all right. Yo'al jes' do like I tell you, "and the old darky hastened from the cell. 

The four prisoners fell upon the single loaf of bread and devouredit hungrily. Thirstily they gulped down the water, and then satdown to wait. 

The long hours passed slowly. 

"Great Scott!" exclaimed Chester finally. "Won't nine o'clock ever come?"

"Hold your horses and don't get excited, " ordered Lieutenant Anderson. "Impatience won't get us anything. "

Chester subsided, and for a time the four sat in silence. 

Suddenly the stillness was broken by the faint sound of a distant bell. 

The young lieutenant pulled his watch from his pocket. Then he closed thecase with a snap and rose to his feet. 

"Nine o'clock!" he said briefly. "Time to be moving!"

Cautiously the four approached the cell door. Hal pressed his weightagainst it, and slowly the huge door swung outward. Poking out his head, Hal glanced up and down the corridor. 

"No one in sight, " he informed his companions, and softly the fourstepped outside, closing the door gently behind them. 

Silently four shadows flitted along the corridor, out across the bridgeand to the wall beyond. They encountered no one. 

"Your Uncle Billy is a jewel, " declared the young Frenchman, in awhisper. 

"He is for a fact, " whispered back the lieutenant. 

Chester crept silently through the gate and peered in all directions. Then he crept back to his companions. 

"All safe!" he whispered. 

"Now to get to the place where Uncle Billy said friends would bewaiting, " said Hal. 

"I guess we had better make it at a run, " spoke up the Frenchman. 

"Yes, " said the lieutenant; "some one might happen along and we wouldhave to make a fight for it. "

Passing through the entrance to the old castle, the four broke into arun, and turning to the right in accordance with their instructions, increased their speed. 

For a considerable distance they sped along under the shelter of thecastle wall. Just as they reached the end of the wall a whispered voicebrought them to a halt. 

"Hyah, sah!" came the unmistakable voice of Uncle Billy. 

Turning, they saw the old negro, who had been hidden from their sight, standing under the far wall of the castle. 

"Follow me!" he whispered, and led the way a short distance along thewall, to where were picketed four horses. 

Turning, he motioned the companions to mount. 

"Which way?" asked the lieutenant, when all were in the saddle. 

"Straight north, I suppose, " said the captain. 

"No, sah, no, sah, " broke in Uncle Billy. "Yo'al can't get freethat-a-way. Since de Emp'ror declared wah on Belgin an' Englan' dundeclare wah on Germany, all de no'th coast am hev'ly guarded. "

"What!" exclaimed the French captain. "War on Belgium!"

"England has declared war?" asked the young lieutenant, in surprise. 

"Yassah, yassah. I jes' hearn erbout it. "

"Then which way shall we go?"

"Yo'al must go that-a-way, " came the answer, and Uncle Billy pointedtoward the southwest, in the direction of the faraway frontier of TheNetherlands. 

"But Holland is a long ways off, and the country between must be overrunwith troops, " protested the Frenchman. 

"Mos' all de troops am at de front, " explained the old negro. "Dat am debes' way, sah. "

"I believe we had better take Uncle Billy's word for it, " declared Hal. 

"I guess he is right, " said the lieutenant. "Uncle Billy, we can neverthank you enough. "

"No, " agreed Captain Derevaux. "We can never thank you enough. "

"Come, " said the lieutenant, "let us ride, " and he turned his horse'shead toward the southwest, and started off cautiously. 

But Hal and Chester stopped for a further word with Uncle Billy. 

"But how about you, Uncle Billy?" demanded Chester. "Won't you get introuble for aiding us to escape?"

"No, sah, " replied the old negro. "There won't none o' dese hyah Germanshurt ol' Uncle Billy!"

"Well, then, good-by, " said the boys. "After the war is over we arecoming back to see you. "

"After de wah am over, " said the old negro slowly, "Ise gwine back terol' Virginy!"

With another word of farewell the boys wheeled their horses and rodeafter their companions, who were now some distance ahead. 

"We shall have to go very slowly and feel our way until we have passedthe outposts of the town, " said the lieutenant, as they rode along; andfor the first half hour their progress was slow. 

Once they passed within a few yards of a German sentry, but so softly didtheir horses step that the soldier did not turn in their direction. 

Bearing well to the south, they passed the long line of huts where theyhad been captured the night before, at a considerable distance; and now, feeling sure they had passed the last of the outposts, they urged theirhorses into a quick trot. 

"We will try and avoid all towns this time, " declared LieutenantAnderson, "going just close enough to them to keep our bearings. "

"A good scheme, " said the Frenchman. "We would better avoid the highwaysas much as possible also. "

In almost a straight line, the direction in which the companions were nowheaded eventually would put them into Holland a few miles north of theBelgian frontier. Following the highways, their way would lead throughPrenzlau, Brunswick, and Detmold. But upon Captain Derevaux's advice, they decided to skirt these towns, staying just close enough to the roadsto keep their sense of direction. 

As the four rode along through the open fields, Hal and Chester continuedto talk of Uncle Billy. 

"After the war, " said Chester, "we'll come back and get him and take himhome with us. "

But such was not to be; nor was the old Southern negro ever again to seehis Virginia home. 

And because of the assistance he rendered Hal and Chester and their twofriends, it is fitting that here be related the fate of this oldplantation slave, who had come so nobly to the aid of our boys. 

As the four companions rode away from the old castle, Uncle Billy, withbared head, gazed lovingly after them. 

"Praise de Lawd!" he exclaimed. "May dey git home in safety. "

The riders disappeared in the distance, and the old negro, after onelast glance, turned toward his quarters in a broken-down wing of theold castle. 

There he threw himself to his knees, and for long minutes prayed insilence. Then he arose, extinguished his light, and crawled into hisdirty cot. 

Before sun-up he arose, and was soon about his duties of carrying food toothers imprisoned in the castle. Upon the order of General Steinberg hewent to the vacant cell with the firing squad that was to put an end tothe lives of the four companions whom he had aided to escape. 

He opened the door, and then threw up his hands in well-feigned surprise. 

"Dere gone!" he exclaimed. 

"What!" exclaimed the officer in charge of the firing squad. "Impossible!"

He brushed the old negro aside and peered into the cell. Then he turnedto Uncle Billy and laid his hand on his shoulder. "You are underarrest!" he said. 

"What fo', sah?"

"For aiding the prisoners to escape. "

"But, but--"

"Silence! To the general's quarters!" he commanded his men. 

Uncle Billy was led before General Steinberg. 

"So!" thundered the latter, after the situation had been explained tohim. "A traitor, eh!"

Uncle Billy drew himself up proudly, and the years seemed to fall fromhis shoulders. 

"I is no traitor, sah!" he said quietly, "Is I a traitor, sah, because Iis willin' ter die fer two li'l chillun, who is so like mah young massa?"

"What!" shouted the general. "You admit it?"

"Yassah!"

General Steinberg's face grew purple and he waved his arms about angrily. 

"Then you shall die in their stead!" he shouted. "Sergeant! Take thatblack hound out and shoot him! See that my order is carried out at once!"

The sergeant saluted and turned to Uncle Billy. 

"Come!" he said. 

With bowed head the old negro walked slowly from the hut. Outside thesquad of soldiers encircled him, and he was led away. 

With his back to a wall and the line of soldiers facing him, theirrifles grounded by their sides, Uncle Billy's face turned chalky, andhe trembled. 

But, as the sergeant approached with a bandage for his eyes, the oldnegro regained his composure. 

For the last time he drew himself to his full height; imperiously hewaved the sergeant away, and his eyes met the gaze of his executionersunflinchingly. 

"Ready!" came the voice of the sergeant. 

"Take aim!"

"Fire!"

Without a murmur, Uncle Billy slid gently to the ground, his body riddledwith bullets. 

The sergeant hurried to his side, and placed a hand over his heart. As he did so, the body of the old negro twitched, and he made aneffort to rise. 

The sergeant caught the faint sound of his voice. 

"I'se a-comin', massa; I'se a-co--" came the old voice in a low whisper;and Uncle Billy's body fell back inert. 

The sergeant straightened up, and lifted his cap from his head. 

"He is dead!" he said softly. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

IN TROUBLE AGAIN. 

All night long the four companions continued their way without adventure. Twice they saw lights of nearby towns, and upon each occasion they borefarther away from these signs of habitation. 

The first gray dawn streaked the eastern sky before they drew rein at alittle brook, where they sat down to rest for a few moments, and to allowtheir horses to quench their thirst. 

"How far do you suppose we have come?" asked Hal. 

"I don't know, " replied the Frenchman; "but we have coveredconsiderable ground. "

"Do you think we are out of danger?"

"We are never out of danger as long as we are in Germany, " put in thelieutenant. "We may be safe from pursuit, but we are not out of the woodsyet, by any means. "

"How long should it take us to get out of the country?" asked Chester. 

"With luck, five days. "

"Well, let's hope for luck, then, " said Hal. "I have had enoughexcitement to last me for a long time to come. "

"Same here, " declared Chester. 

They remained in their retreat for some time, and then, mounting, movedforward once more. An hour later they succeeded in purchasing breakfastat a farmhouse. As all were draining their second cup of coffee therecame from without the sound of galloping. The four jumped to their feet. 

"What's that?" cried Chester, in alarm. 

"We'll see, " replied the young lieutenant briefly, and stepped to awindow. The others also advanced and peered over his shoulder. 

"Looks to me like a body of Black Hussars, " remarked Captain Derevaux. 

"And so it is, " said the lieutenant, as the horsemen drew closer to thefarmhouse. 

"Do you suppose they are looking for us?" queried Chester. 

"I do not think so. It's hardly likely they have heard of our escapefrom Stettin. "

"Had we better remain here and trust to their passing by, or shall wemake a run for it?"

"I believe we had better stay here. They may not stop. "

And, indeed, it seemed that the lieutenant's prophecy would provecorrect. 

The squadron came on without checking their speed; but, just as theyswept by the farmhouse, a squad of a dozen men, headed by an officer, detached themselves from the main body, and headed toward the house. 

"We are in for it again, " remarked Hal, and drew his revolver. 

"Put that away!" exclaimed the young captain quickly. "One shot and thewhole troop will be on us!"

Hal dropped his weapon back into his pocket. 

At that instant there came a loud knock at the front door. 

The good housewife hastened forward to answer the knock, but wasintercepted by the Frenchman. 

"Do not answer!" he commanded. 

The woman stared at him aghast. 

"Why, " she exclaimed, "it is probably my husband. He is a cavalryofficer, you know, " and she smiled, and made as if to pass. 

But the captain again blocked her way. 

"Nevertheless, " he said, "I must ask you not to go to the door. "

The woman gazed at him a moment in astonishment; then a queer look passedover her face. 

"I see!" she exclaimed. "You are spies!"

With a scream she evaded the captain and rushed to the door. 

"Come!" cried Captain Derevaux, his effort having failed. "I guess weshall have to make a run for it!"

"Out the back door!" exclaimed Lieutenant Anderson, and the four ranthrough the house, went down the steps three at a time, and rushed towardtheir horses in the stable nearby. 

Hardly had they leaped into their saddles and dashed from the stable, when the woman and a German officer appeared in the back door of thefarmhouse, while from around the house came the dozen troopers afoot. 

With a shout the riders charged directly at them, bowling the soldiersover on all sides, and for a moment it looked as though they might maketheir escape. 

Then a shot rang out, and Chester's horse stumbled and went to his knees. Chester was flung from his saddle, over his horse's head, and struck theground with stunning force. He lay still. 

Hal leaped to the ground and stooped over Chester. The captain and theyoung lieutenant pulled up their mounts. 

As Hal tried to lift Chester to his feet, a second shot was heard, and abullet whistled over Hal's head. Hal dropped Chester to the ground, anddrew his revolver. 

He turned his face toward the enemy. 

"Come on!" he shouted, his eyes flashing, "I'll drop one or two of youbefore you get me!"

But at that moment, the lieutenant's voice rang out. 

"Don't shoot!" and Hal stayed his hand. 

At the same instant, Captain Derevaux and Lieutenant Anderson raisedtheir hands in token of surrender; and it was well that they did so, forby that time the entire body of troopers had their rifles leveled. 

To have missed at that distance would have been impossible, and thelieutenant had realized it. 

"Throw your weapons on the ground, " came a command, and the captain andlieutenant obeyed. 

Hal made as if to raise his revolver again, and the rifles of thetroopers were turned on him. 

Again the lieutenant called:

"Don't be a fool. Throw that gun down!"

Hal obeyed. 

The officer in command of the troop approached and spoke:

"Who are you?" he demanded. 

"Travelers, " replied Lieutenant Anderson. 

"Where are you going?"

"Brunswick. "

"Why did you run at our approach?"

The lieutenant made no reply. 

"Well, " said the German officer, after a pause, "if you are bound forBrunswick you will get there all right That is our destination. "

Captain Derevaux and Lieutenant Anderson had dismounted, and by this timeChester had recovered consciousness. 

Calling two of his men, the German officer ordered the four companionsbound. Then Chester's saddle was taken from his wounded horse and putupon another, which was brought from the stable. The four companions wereassisted to the backs of their animals, and the troop proceeded forward, the prisoners in the center. 

The country through which they now traveled was rough and hilly, andrapid progress was impossible. From time to time they passed detachmentsof troops hurrying in the opposite direction. They did not overtake themain body, of which their captors were a part, until they reachedPrenzlau, where the troop was quartered. 

There the prisoners were led before the commanding officer, ColonelWaldstein. Lieutenant Anderson spoke. 

"Colonel, " he said, "I am Lieutenant Anderson, of the British army, andthis, " indicating the young captain, "is Captain Derevaux, of theFrench army. " Then, pointing to Hal and Chester: "These two boys are inno way concerned in our affairs, and I hope that you will see fit torelease them. "

"How do they come to be in your company, then?" asked the colonel. 

The lieutenant explained the circumstances. 

The German officer was silent for some moments, meditating. Then heturned to an aide. 

"Summon Lieutenant Schmidt!" he ordered. 

Presently an old soldier entered the general's quarters and saluted. 

"Lieutenant, " said Colonel Waldstein, "take these two lads, " indicatingHal and Chester, "and quarter them in your home. You may remain here, " hetold the boys, "until I have made inquiries and learned what to do withyou. You are so young that I can hardly believe you are spies. "

"Thank you, colonel, " said Lieutenant Anderson. 

"But, as for you two, " continued Colonel Waldstein, speaking to CaptainDerevaux and Lieutenant Anderson, and his voice grew grave, "the factthat I have found you within our lines in civilian attire would justifyme in having you shot at once. But I shall not dispose of your casesuntil we reach Brunswick, for which place we leave to-night by train. Youmay have valuable information. I shall turn your cases over to mysuperiors. "

Hal and Chester shook hands with their two friends. 

"I don't know why you should do this for us, " said Hal; "but weappreciate your self-sacrifice more than we can tell you. "

"Indeed we do, " agreed Chester. 

"That's all right, boys, " replied the lieutenant. "Now, take my advice, and make no further efforts to get out of the country until you are givena safe escort, which, I am sure, will be within the course of a week. "

"That is excellent advice, " agreed the young captain. "To get through thecountry now is practically impossible, as we have proved. "

"But what will they do with you?" asked Hal. 

The Frenchman shrugged his shoulders. 

"Shoot us, I suppose. "

Up to this moment the colonel had not interfered with the conversation, but now he called a halt. 

"That's talk enough, " he declared. "Take the prisoners away. "

Hal and Chester followed the old lieutenant from the tent. 

"Good-by, good-by!" they called to their two friends, as they passed out. 

"Good-by, " was the response; "remember our advice. "

The lieutenant escorted the boys some distance into the town, thenturning into a lane, marched them into a yard, in which, far back, sat alarge frame house. 

"This is my home, " he said; "and as long as you stay you will be welcome. My wife is fond of boys, and will be glad to see you. You will have thefreedom of the grounds, but remember, any attempt to leave the townwithout a permit probably will end in your being shot. Take my advice anddon't try it"

CHAPTER IX. 

A NEW FRIEND. 

"Frau Schmidt is certainly a nice old lady, " said Chester. 

"She certainly is, " agreed Hal. "If it wasn't for the fact that Iwanted to get out of the country so badly, I wouldn't mind spending afew weeks here. "

"Nor I; and Fritz is a likable fellow. "

"He sure is. "

The boys had spent two days in the Schmidt home when this conversationtook place. In Frau Schmidt they had found a lovable and motherly woman, well along in years. 

She had made them welcome from the first, and had set before them thebest she had. Their room was next to that of her son, Fritz, a young manprobably six years older than Hal. 

Now, Fritz was of a mechanical turn of mind, and all day and well intothe night he was at work in his shop behind the house. From bits ofconversation, the boys gathered that Fritz was engaged in the task ofbuilding an aeroplane, and they were greatly interested. 

The fact that no one was allowed in Fritz's workshop unless heaccompanied them, and the additional fact that at night two soldiers werestationed at the door at first caused the boys some surprise. However, Fritz had explained:

"You see, the government has taken over all aircraft in process ofconstruction, no matter how crude and amateurish, and has appointed acommission to investigate all patents. Of course, it was known that Iwas building an airship, and, as a result, I am working undergovernment orders. 

"If my craft should come up to expectations it will mean a great deal tome, and I probably shall either be put to work building more, or, betterstill, be made a member of one of the aeroplane corps. "

"Yes, " said Chester again, "Fritz is a fine fellow. Do you suppose hisaeroplane will be a success?"

"I don't know. For his sake, I hope so. As he says, it means a wholelot to him. "

"So do I. And I will bet Fritz would be of great help to his country. Heis a pretty shrewd chap. "

"You bet he--Hello! What's that?"

A sudden cry had come from the direction of the kitchen, and the soundsof a struggle followed. 

"Come on!" shouted Chester. "Somebody is in trouble!"

The two boys ran madly around the house. 

Dashing through the door into the kitchen, a terrible sight mettheir eyes. 

Huddled into a corner was Frau Schmidt, and over her, with a nakedknife, stood a man, ragged and unkempt. A second man was ransacking thedrawers of a dresser in the room beyond. The boys could see him throughthe open door. 

Just as they dashed in the door, the man with the knife snarled in alow voice:

"Give me the key to the workshop, I tell you. We mean business!"

"You mean business, do you!" shouted Hal, striding toward him. "Well, so do I!"

The man turned at the sound of Hal's voice, and, with upraised knife, awaited the lad's attack. 

"You cowardly ruffian!" cried Hal, "to attack a defenseless old woman!"

As he spoke, he leaped upon the man, dodging the blow the latter aimed athim with the wicked-looking knife. Before the latter could recover hisbalance, Hal seized the arm that held the knife. 

A sharp twist and the knife went spinning across the floor. Both leapedfor it, but Hal was quicker than his opponent, and placed his foot uponthe weapon. With a snarl the man sprang upon him. 

Chester had entered the room upon Hal's heels; and, as his friend jumpedfor the first intruder, Chester rushed at the man in the next room. Thelatter heard him advance, and, stepping back, picked up a chair, which hebrandished over his head. Taking a rapid stride forward, he swung hisimprovised weapon at Chester's head. 

Chester avoided the blow with a quick, backward leap, and the chair wassmashed to fragments against the door. Then Chester jumped forward andclosed with his opponent. 

With a rapid movement he placed his knee behind the other's leg andpushed suddenly. The man went over backward, with Chester on top of him. As the intruder fell, his head came into contact with the sharpprojection of the bureau, and when he struck the floor he lay still. Chester rose to his feet. 

As Hal's opponent sprang toward him, the lad stepped in close anddelivered a stinging short-arm blow over the other's heart. He staggeredback, and, as Hal took another step forward, Chester, having disposed ofhis adversary, threw his arms about the man from behind, and bore him tothe floor, where both boys piled on top of him. 

While the three were struggling on the floor, a voice from the doorwayexclaimed:

"What is going on here?" and Fritz rushed into the room. 

He took in the situation at a glance, and, rushing forward, lent a handin subduing the boys' opponent. 

The struggle was over quickly, and, seizing a strong rope, which hungfrom the wall, Fritz soon had the two men safely bound. Then he turned tohis mother, who still sat huddled on the chair, where she had been whenthe boys entered the room. The excitement had been too much for her, andshe had fainted. 

She was soon revived, however, and, when she was strong enough to sit up, jumped to her feet, and, throwing her arms around Hal, kissed him loudly. Then she turned her attention to Chester, and repeated the operation. 

"My preservers!" she cried, laughing and crying at the same time. "Fritz, but for these two boys your old mother would now be dead. "

Rapidly and somewhat incoherently she related what had occurred, andFritz was no less warm in his praise for the actions of the two boys. 

"Those men are undoubtedly spies, " he declared. "They most certainly haddesigns upon my biplane, which they evidently knew had been completed. Ishall turn them over to the military authorities. "

He left the house, and in a few moments returned with a squad ofsoldiers, who took the assailants in charge. Fritz explained to theofficer how the two men had been captured, and the German officercomplimented the boys highly for their prompt action. 

After the two prisoners had been led away, Hal bethought himself of theremark Fritz had made concerning his biplane. 

"Do you mean to say your aeroplane is ready for use?" he asked. 

"Yes; I am going to make a short flight this afternoon. Would you care towatch me?"

"Would we!" exclaimed Hal. "You can just bet we would!"

"All right, then; come on. "

The two lads followed Fritz to his workshop. Inside the boys approachedthe large aircraft, which rested lightly on its wheels at the end of thespeedway. The huge planes which served as wings stretched out on eitherside like two great box kites, while underneath the aviator's seat thegearing could be plainly seen. 

The aviator looked at the machine with great pride, and spoke of theimprovements he had made in the propellers and in the system of powertransmission. He explained to the boys that, by this direct system, hehad gained twenty per cent more velocity; and, now that the war hadbegun, he hoped to be able to prove this to the army experts. 

The boys helped Fritz push the machine out into the open, and watchedintently while he tested the steering gear and tried the ignition. Aftersome further tinkering, Fritz finally took his seat, pulled a lever, and, after skimming the ground for a few rods, the machine rose gracefullyinto the air. 

"By George!" said Hal to Chester, as the craft rose from the ground. "That looks easy. I believe I could do it myself. "

"It looks easy, " Chester admitted. "But how do you suppose a fellow wouldfeel sailing along up there?"

"I guess it would scare me a little at first, but, just the same, Ishould like to try it. "

After circling around for several minutes, Fritz brought the machine backto its starting point and, lightly as a bird it dropped to the ground. 

"Would you like to take a short flight?" he asked the boys. 

Chester backed away. 

"Not for me, " he declared. "I would lose my head sure, if I got upthere. "

Hal laughed. 

"You don't want to pay any attention to him when he talks like that, " hetold Fritz. "I never saw anything yet he was afraid to do. "

"After what I saw in the house to-day, I can well believe that, " repliedthe young German. "Would you like to go up?" to Hal. "You know themachine will only carry two. "

"Why, yes, " answered Hal; "I would like it. "

"Climb in, then, " ordered Fritz. 

Not without some misgiving Hal obeyed. 

Once more the huge machine skimmed gracefully over the ground, and againwent sailing into space. 

As the plane rose from the ground, Hal grabbed the side of the seat andhung on for dear life. Looking down and seeing the ground droppingrapidly away, he experienced a choking sensation in his throat. 

As the machine stopped rising, however, and stretched itself out for astraight flight, Hal's composure came back to him, and he looked aroundwith interest. 

Then Fritz explained the mechanism of the machine to him. He showed himhow to stop, how to increase the speed of the plane; how to rise and howto glide to earth. He also showed him how to work the steering wheel. 

While they were sailing about in the air he told Hal that, if necessary, his craft could make a speed of one hundred miles an hour for hours. Hedeclared it could attain an altitude of a mile. Practically the onlydanger, he said, came from conflicting air currents. 

After sailing around for nearly half an hour, Fritz again brought themachine to the ground a few feet from where Chester stood. 

"Great!" exclaimed Hal, as he alighted and helped Fritz roll the machineback into the shop. "No more automobiling for me. When I get home I amgoing to get an airship. "

"Wouldn't you like to go up with me to-morrow, Chester?" asked Fritz, ashe locked the door to the shop. 

"I believe I would, " was the reply. "I guess I can stand it if Hal can. "

"Then you shall, " said Fritz, and the three turned toward the house, where Frau Schmidt stood in the doorway, calling to them that supperwas ready. 

CHAPTER X. 

IN THE AIR. 

The boys were busily engaged in disposing of a hearty supper when therecame a knock at the door. Frau Schmidt answered the knock, and, returninga few moments later, placed before Hal an important-looking letter, bearing the official seal of the German government. 

Hal opened the document and read. 

"Great Scott!" he exploded, after a hasty perusal. 

"What's the matter?" demanded Chester anxiously. 

"Why, here is an order, commanding us to report to the commandingofficer the first thing in the morning, so that we may be transportedback to Berlin!"

"Berlin! What in the world do we want to go back to Berlin for?"

"We don't; but it looks as though there were no help for it. The lettersays that, after an investigation of our case, it has been decided thatwe shall be sent back to Berlin and that, if we are to be allowed toleave the country, such arrangements must be made by the United Statesambassador. "

"Well, what do you think of that!"

"It's too bad, " declared Fritz; "but an order is an order. I am afraidyou must go!"

"You poor boys!" exclaimed Frau Schmidt "I can't see why they won't letyou stay here. "

"No more do I, " declared Hal. "But I guess this letter means business. "

"It sure looks like it, " said Chester. 

"That's what I call pretty tough luck, " declared Hal, when the two boyswere alone in their room that night, Fritz and his mother having retired. 

"Tough? I should say it is tough, " returned Chester. "After all thetrouble we have had getting away from Berlin, then to have to go back. Tough is no name for it. "

"Well, " said Hal, "I guess there is no use kicking. We ran a good race, but we lost. It's back to Berlin for us. "

Suddenly Chester sat bolt upright

"By George!" he exclaimed. 

"What's the matter now?" asked Hal in surprise. 

"I've an idea. "

"Strange, " replied Hal, with a smile; "but let's hear it. "

"Well, in the first place, you took an airship ride to-day. How didyou like it?"

"Like it? Oh, I liked it all right. Why?"

"You saw Fritz work the thing. Did you get the hang of it?"

Hal jumped to his feet with a subdued exclamation. 

"I see what you are getting at!" he declared. "An airship! Why didn't Ithink of it myself?"

"There are only two objections I can see to the plan, " said Chester. 

"What are they?"

"Well, the first is, can you run the thing without spilling us out?"

"I am willing to take a chance if you are. Fritz explained the workingsof the machine while we were aloft to-day. I am sure I can do it. What isthe second reason?"

"The second reason is that it seems a shabby trick to play on Fritz, particularly after the way he has treated us. "

"So it does, " agreed Hal slowly, but, after a pause, he added:"However, I believe we had better do it. To me it looks like thesurvival of the fittest. "

For a long time the boys debated this point, but the matter was finallysettled when Hal said:

"Well, if we don't, we are likely to be stuck in Germany until the war isover; and there is no telling when that will be. "

"As long as we are going to do it, then, " returned Chester, "the soonerwe start the better. "

"Right, " replied Hal. "Let's get busy. "

"How are we to get the aeroplane out of the shop? You know the dooris locked. "

"Yes, but I know something else, too. I noticed it to-day, and wonderedwhy those men who came after the key didn't take advantage of it. "

"What is it?"

"The bolts in the hinges of the door can be lifted out easily, and we cantake the doors off. "

"But we must get rid of the two soldiers who keep guard at night. "

"We will do that some way, all right. "

"Come on, then; let's get started. "

Chester opened the door of their room and peered out. 

"Coast clear, " he announced. 

Softly the two boys stole from the room and crept along the hall. Theytip-toed down the stairs, opened the door, and went out with scarcely asound. Outside they stopped. In front of the workshop they could see thetwo guards in conversation. 

"We must get to the rear of the shop without being seen, " whisperedHal. "When one guard makes his rounds, we must grab him and prevent himfrom making an outcry. We can then dispose of the other. You wait herea minute, while I go back and get a piece of clothes-line, so we cantie them up. "

He returned almost immediately with two pieces of rope. 

"Careful, now, " whispered Hal, as, keeping in the shadow of the house, they made a short detour. 

Out of sight of the guards, they made a silent dash for the rear of theworkshop, where they stood, silently awaiting the approach of the guard. 

"I hate to do this, " whispered Hal, as he heard the footsteps of theguard; "but it has to be done. "

As the guard rounded the corner of the shop, Hal struck out. Swift andtrue was the blow; and struck upon the point of the chin, the mancrumpled up without a sound. 

The boys bound and gagged him quickly, using their handkerchiefs to stuffinto his mouth. Then silently they ran to the opposite side of the shopand waited the approach of the second guard. 

A moment later his footsteps were heard approaching. As he turned thecorner, Hal again struck out swift and true, and the second man went tothe ground. The boys bound and gagged him, and then hastened to the frontof the shop. 

As Hal had predicted, the doors were removed with little difficulty, andsilently the lads rolled the huge machine into the open. Hal's experiencewith automobiles had taught him something of engines, so he had littletrouble starting this one. Finding everything in working order, Halclimbed into the driver's seat, and Chester, not without a tremor, tookhis place beside him. 

Hal's afternoon experience and his natural aptitude for mechanics nowstood him in good stead. Reaching out he threw over a lever and themachine moved forward. There was a whirring sound as the plane skimmedover the ground. As the machine began to rise, Hal pressed another lever, and they shot into the air rapidly. 

So swiftly did they go up that their breath was almost taken away. 

"Great Scott!" gasped Chester. "This is more than I bargained for!"

With the lights of the village like pin points below him, Hal, who hadnot for a moment lost his presence of mind, checked the rise of themachine, and headed toward the southwest, gauging his direction by acompass before him, the moonlight luckily permitting him to see. 

As the machine settled down to its flight, Chester regained hiscomposure. 

"This is more like it, " he said. "For a moment I was afraid it was allup with us. "

"I was scared for a minute myself, " replied Hal. "But you must rememberthis is not my first trip aloft. "

"I guess it's all right after you get used to it, " was the answer, "butthe way I feel right now, if I ever get my foot on terra firma again I amgoing to stay there. "

Hal laughed. 

"Oh, you will be all right directly, " he said. "For my part, I like it. "

"How fast do you suppose we are going?"

"About fifty miles an hour. "

"Great Scott! That's going some!"

The machine was skimming at great speed through the air, flying low, asHal did not wish to lose sight of the ground entirely. 

"This is high enough for me, " he explained. "I might want to go downsuddenly, and I want to see where I am going. Of course, if it isnecessary, we will go higher. "

"I guess we might as well fall ten miles as to fall from here, " remarkedChester. "If anything went wrong it would be good night for us. "

For a time they flew along in silence. 

Suddenly there was the sound of a shot from below, and a bullet whizzedby the flying aeroplane. 

Hal sent the machine higher into the air with a jump, and Chester let outan exclamation as he was almost thrown from his seat. 

"That was too close for comfort!" cried Hal. 

"Well, the next time you decide to shoot up like that, let me knowfirst!" exclaimed Chester. "You almost lost me that time!"

"Hang on tight!" shouted Hal. "You never can tell what will happen withme running this thing, so don't take any chances. "

"I'll hang on tight in the future, never fear, " was the reply. "What doyou suppose that shot was?"

"Some sentry, I suppose. I guess he knew no machine was supposed to beflying around here. That's probably why he took a shot at us. We wereflying too low, anyhow. We will stay up here, where we can't be so easilyseen or heard. "

For some time the boys sailed along without a word, and then, just asChester opened his mouth to ask Hal where he supposed they were, therewas the sound of rushing wings, and, turning in his seat, Chester behelda huge shape rushing after them. 

"Speed up, Hal!" cried Chester. "We are pursued!"

Without stopping to ask questions, Hal threw the speed lever over, andthe machine leaped forward like some live thing. 

At the same moment there came the crack of a rifle, and, as Hal droppedone arm from the steering wheel the aeroplane rocked crazily and divedtoward the ground. 

The bullet had grazed Hal's left shoulder. 

With a desperate effort, the lad righted the machine with his one goodarm, and it shot upward again. 

"What's the matter?" gasped Chester. "Are you hurt?"

"Hit in the shoulder, " replied Hal briefly. "I suppose whoever firedaimed at the machine. I just happened to be in the way, that's all. "

"But you can't drive with one arm! Hadn't we better--"

"Can't!" exclaimed Hal. "I've got to!"

At that moment both boys were almost blinded by the glare of a dazzlinglight directly ahead!

CHAPTER XI. 

OVER THE FRONTIER. 

"What's that?" cried Chester, in consternation. 

"I haven't any idea, " replied Hal; "but it looks like a searchlight. "

"Hadn't you better slow down?"

"With our pursuers just behind? I guess not. "

And, with a touch of the lever, Hal sent the machine forward even fasterthan before. 

For a moment they were in the center of the blinding glare, and then theyhad passed beyond it. Then Hal spoke. 

"I can tell you now what it is, " he said. 

"What?"

"A lighthouse. "

"Lighthouse? What do you mean?"

"Why, that brilliant light we just passed through came from the ground. The powerful flares are used for the guidance of war aviators, or airshipmen, during the night. They prevent the aviator from getting lost, anddenote a safe landing, "

"I see what you mean; but it gave me a scare for a minute. "

"And me; at first I thought it was the searchlight of another airship. "

"But why should such lighthouses be in use here? I should imagine theywould be used only in places of danger. "

"Maybe that is the reason. "

"Surely there can be no danger for a German airship around here. "

"I don't know about that. We have traveled a considerable distance. Perhaps we are closer to the border than we think. "

"Well, we can't get across it any too soon to suit me, " declared Chester. 

Hal did not reply, and the flight was continued in silence. For morethan an hour the huge machine sailed swiftly through the air. Atlength Hal said:

"I guess we had better drop down a bit. Perhaps we may be able to seesomething. "

Suiting the action to the word, he let the machine glide slowly downward, until the distant shadow of the earth could once more be seen. Then thecraft sped out on its straightaway course again. 

The twinkling of faraway lights drew the boys' attention. 

"I wonder what that is?" asked Chester. 

"We'll see, " was the brief reply. 

The machine dropped still lower. 

"An army camp!" exclaimed Hal, when he was at last able to make out theobjects below. He shut off his engine, and for a few moments both boysgave their attention to the awe-inspiring sight. 

Dimly they could discern the outlines of the great camp. With itsthousands upon thousands of huts, it spread out like a great fan, extending almost as far as the eye could see. 

"Great Scott!" exclaimed Chester. "There must be a million mendown there!"

"Hardly that many, " laughed Hal; "but there are a few. I guess we hadbetter go a little higher. We might be seen, and a chance bullet mightbring us down in the middle of them. "

The machine rose gently again; but, as the airship headed once more uponits course, there was a muffled explosion, and the machine rockeddangerously. 

"What on earth is the matter now?" demanded Chester. 

Hal bent over his engine. 

"I don't know what has blown out, " he replied. "But the engine hasgone dead. "

"Dead!" exclaimed Chester. 

"Yes. "

"Can you fix it?"

"Not up here. It is impossible. I am not familiar enough with it. "

"What shall we do, then?" cried Chester, in alarm. 

"We shall have to go down. "

"What! And land right in the middle of the German camp?"

"I am afraid so. There is no help for it. However, I shall sail just asfar as possible before we hit the earth. "

Slowly the machine dropped, its strong planes still holding it on itsforward course. So gentle was the fall that it was almostimperceptible; but presently the distant earth below could be seen; andthen Chester cried:

"Look! We are almost beyond the camp. We shall clear it when we hitthe ground. "

Hal glanced down. 

"So we shall, " he agreed, and there was hope in his voice. .. . "Maybe Iwill be able to fix the engine before we are discovered. "

Nearer and nearer to the ground glided the huge machine. They were nowwell beyond the farthest outposts of the camp, and consequently hadrecovered their good spirits. 

The airship came gently to earth, and the boys jumped out. As they didso, there came the faint sound of a command and a rifle cracked. 

"We are discovered!" shouted Hal. "Quick! To the woods!" And the boysmade a dash toward a clump of trees that could be seen in the distance. 

Desperately the two lads ran toward the woods, and, as they ran, thefirst single rifle shot was followed by a volley; but, thanks to thesemi-darkness, the boys gained the shelter of the woods unscathed. 

Once under the friendly shelter of the trees the boys did not diminishtheir speed. Rather, if possible, they ran faster. Then, suddenly theystopped; and the cause of their abrupt halt was this:

A heavy crashing in front of them gave evidence of the approach of alarge body of men. For a moment the lads stood as if frozen to the spot;then Hal cried:

"Up in this tree, quick! It's our only chance!"

Acting upon the instant, the two lads swung themselves into the crotch ofthe great tree under which they stood; then climbed noiselessly higher upamong the branches. Just as they had succeeded in screening themselvesfrom possible discovery, a body of horsemen burst in among the trees. 

"Caught right in between them, " whispered Hal. 

"Yes; and, if we get out of this fix alive, we are in luck, " Chesterwhispered back. 

The horsemen below them did not pause in their march, but continued onthrough the woods. 

"Evidently a scouting party returning, " whispered Hal. 

And still the long line of horsemen pressed on beneath them. 

Suddenly there came the sharp crack, crack, of many rifles; and frombeneath the two lads came the hoarse command of an officer:

"Forward!"

The line of horsemen quickened their pace; and then the firing aheadbroke into a loud and steady roar. 

For many minutes, it seemed to the two lads, the stream of horsemenpoured on beneath them. Then the sound of firing became less distinct, and Hal and Chester dropped to the ground. 

"At last! At last we are safe!" cried Hal. 

"Safe?" repeated Chester. "How do you mean we are safe?"

"Why, you chump, doesn't that fighting going on there meananything to you?"

"Do you mean that you believe the troop that just passed us are French?"

"Yes; French, Belgians, or English, I don't know which. But, anyhow, theyare friends. Hurrah!"

"Hurrah!" repeated Chester, throwing his cap in the air with delight. 

Suddenly the beat of the feet of many horses was heard and the sound offiring became more audible. Several riderless horses broke into thewoods, followed by the cavalry. 

"Grab one of those horses, Chester!" cried Hal, as he jumped forward andseized the bridle of the one nearest him. Chester followed suit, and bothlads were soon in the saddle. 

At that moment a large body of horsemen broke through the woods from thedirection in which they had so recently gone, retiring slowly, turningevery now and then to fire. 

"It's a retreat!" cried Chester. "They have been driven back! Let us getaway from here or we shall be shot down!"

But, even as they turned to flee, a mounted officer laid his hand uponthe bridle of Hal's horse. 

"Who are you?" he demanded in French. "What do you here?"

Briefly Hal explained that they had just escaped through the Germanlines, and then asked:

"Where are we? What troops are these?"

"This is a troop of Belgian light cavalry, " came the reply, "areconnoitering force. We were attacked by a strong force of the enemy, and are falling back upon our lines. "

"But where are we?"

"About five miles from Liège. "

"Liège!"

"Yes; where did you think you were?"

"We had not the faintest idea, other than that we were beyond theGerman lines. "

All this time the troop had been retreating slowly, firing as they went, the boys being led along by the officer. 

"It will be necessary for me to place you under arrest, " declared theBelgian officer. "I shall turn you over to the commanding general when weregain our lines. "

Hal and Chester were stricken almost speechless. 

"Great Scott!" Chester finally exclaimed. "After all the trouble we havehad getting out of Germany, then to be arrested at the end!"

"I am sorry, " replied the officer, "but I can do nothing else. You aresure to be looked upon with suspicion, having been found as you were, and, unless you can give a good account of yourselves, I fear you are ina serious predicament. "

Fighting every inch of the way, the Belgian cavalry continued itsretreat, being hard pressed by the Germans, who were continuallyreinforced. From the rear the firing became heavier, and then there washeard the sound of a galloping body of horsemen. 

"Halt!" cried the Belgian officer in command, and the retreating horsemencame to a stand. 

"About face!" And at the command they wheeled to meet the charge of aforce of Uhlans. 

The Germans came on bravely; but, just as they hurled themselves upontheir foe, there came from the Belgian rear a fierce hail of rifle shots. Reinforcements had arrived. 

The Germans halted in their fierce charge, and then drew off, shooting asthey went. At the same instant a regiment of Belgian infantry rushedforward on the run. They pursued the flying Germans for some distance, and then turned back. 

Then the Belgians resumed their retreat to their own lines. 

Hal and Chester bore up bravely during this--their first time--underfire. Unable to take part in the fighting themselves, being withoutweapons, they watched with interest the maneuvers of the officers and thegallantry with which the Belgian cavalry stood up against what at firstwere plainly overwhelming odds. 

Once in the Belgian lines the boys breathed easier. 

"Well, here we are at last, " said Hal. "I guess we will be able toexplain our presence in the woods satisfactorily. "

"I hope so, " replied Chester. 

At this moment the officer who had placed them under arrest approached. 

"Come with me, " he ordered. 

The boys accompanied him to the headquarters of the commanding officer, where their position was explained to the latter. 

He listened quietly to Hal's account of their adventures since leavingBerlin, and it was plain to both boys that as he listened he became moreand more incredulous. 

Hal finished his recital, and for some minutes the general sat silent. Finally he said:

"You have told me a strange story--one that I find it very hard tobelieve. I must have proof. It must be substantiated. You will consideryourselves prisoners until the matter has been investigated, unless inthe meantime there should be someone here who will vouch for your honestyand the truth of this remarkable tale. "

"I will vouch for it, general, " came a voice. 

Turning, the boys beheld in the entrance to the general's hut the smilingface of Captain Raoul Derevaux. 

CHAPTER XII. 

LIÈGE. 

Hal and Chester started forward. 

"Captain Derevaux!" they exclaimed simultaneously. 

The gallant captain smiled. 

"Even so, " he returned. Then turning to the general: "I will vouch forthe truth of the story told by these boys, sir, " he said. 

"You know them, then?" questioned the general. 

"Yes, sir. " And the young captain recounted his first meeting with Haland Chester and their subsequent adventures. Concluding, he said:

"And I wish to say, sir, that two braver and more resourceful lads it hasnever been my fortune to encounter. "

"Very well, then, " said the general. "They are free. I leave them in yourcharge, captain. "

The captain and the two boys left the hut. 

"I will take you to my quarters, " said the captain, leading the way. 

In the captain's hut, seated on a camp-stool, Hal demanded:

"How did you escape? I was sure you and Lieutenant Anderson were doomedto die. And where is the lieutenant?"

"He has returned to England, " replied the captain, answering the lastquestion first. "But my story can wait. Tell me about yourselves. "

Chester related their experiences after the four had been separated. 

"You are certainly a pair of wonderful youngsters, " remarked the captain, when Chester had concluded. 

"But how did you escape?" demanded Hal again. 

"Practically the same as you did, " replied the captain. "Airship. Believing that we could not possibly escape, we were left too looselyguarded. Condemned to be shot as spies, we were placed under guard nearone of the outposts. 

"It was along in the evening that an airship descended within a few yardsof us. It had been disabled, and the aviator had alighted to makerepairs. When the aviator had thoroughly overhauled the machine, he madehis way to the quarters of the commanding general to report. 

"As I said, our hut was but a short distance away, and, believing therecould be no possibility of our escape, our guards had relaxed theirvigilance. Anderson and I stepped to the entrance and looked out. Theguards paid no attention. 

"Suddenly Anderson shouted: 'Come on!' and we went. There was no oneabout the machine, and we started it quickly. But, just as the machinewas skimming over the ground, the guards noticed our absence, and, running to the open, took a shot at us. 

"I had taken the aviator's place, having had some experience withaeroplanes. Anderson was winged at the first shot, but was not badlywounded. By the time the second volley was fired we were high in the air, and the rapidity with which we traveled made accurate shootingimpossible. We reached the Belgian frontier without trouble. "

"But how does it happen you have not returned to France?" asked Chester. 

"When I arrived at Liège I communicated with my government, and wasordered to remain here. I am attached to the Royal French Lancers, theonly body of French troops yet in Belgium. The Lancers were ordered hereimmediately war was declared, to help check the advance of the invader. "

"I suppose the best thing for us to do, " said Hal, "is to go on toBrussels and try and find mother. "

"It is impossible, " declared the lieutenant. "Right now you would notbe allowed to go. And, in the second place, I took the trouble toinquire, when I first reached Liège, whether your mother was inBrussels. Your ambassador, Mr. Brand Whitlock, informed me that she hadleft the country. "

"What? Gone and left us behind?"

"Yes; but not because she wanted to. It was either a case of leaveBrussels then, or run a chance of being held there indefinitely. "

"Then what are we going to do? There is no use going to Brussels. "

Chester clapped his hands. 

"I have it!" he exclaimed. 

Hal looked at him in surprise. 

"What?" he demanded. 

"Why, what we are going to do. "

"Well, what is it?"

"Fight!"

"Fight? What do you mean?"

"Join the army!"

Captain Derevaux leaped to his feet. 

"I will not hear of it!" he exclaimed. 

But the idea caught Hal's fancy. 

"Good boy, Chester!" he exclaimed. "That's just what we will do!"

"It is impossible, " exclaimed the young captain. "In the first place, itwould not be possible, at your age, to enlist. But I will tell you what Iwill do for you. "

"What is it?" asked the two lads eagerly. 

"In times such as these, " explained the captain, "young fellows like youmay be useful in many ways without running the risk of going intobattle--scouting expeditions and the like. I will speak to the generalabout you and see what I can do. Understand, I wouldn't do this did I notknow that if I didn't you would get mixed up in trouble in some otherway, and in a way that would be much more dangerous. "

"We are willing to take our chances, " replied Hal. 

"Of course we are, " agreed Chester. 

"Oh, I know that, " replied the captain, "and what I am proposing is notwithout danger. But what I have in mind calls for quick wits rather thanfor strong arms, although I know you have both. I will go now and speakto the general. "

"All right, " replied Hal. "In the meantime, Chester and I will go out andlook around the town. "

Everywhere, as the boys strolled about the streets, preparations towithstand a siege were being made; but everything was being done quietlyand without confusion. The great steel forts, some of them practicallyisolated, were subjects of great interest to the lads. 

"I'll bet the Germans have a hard time capturing this place, " remarkedHal, as they examined one of the forts. 

"Yes, " agreed Chester, "as the battle of the _Monitor_ and the_Merrimac_, in Hampton Roads, in our own civil war was the first battlebetween iron ships, so will an attack on these forts be the first inwhich such impregnable defenses will be tried out. I was reading aboutthem long before war was declared. "

"And I believe the Germans are making a sad mistake when they say theBelgians can't fight, " said Hal. 

"You bet they are. They will fight till the last. Do they look likepeople who would give up without a struggle? Look at the way thosefellows who captured us turned to face the Uhlans, knowing that, unlessreinforced, they were bound to be slaughtered. "

"Right. Which reminds me we were in a ticklish position ourselves for afew minutes. "

"You bet we were. "

As the boys continued their walk, almost on every hand they were mistakenfor English, and time after time they were accosted with the question:

"When are the English coming?"

Suddenly the lads were attracted by the sounds of great confusion down aside street. 

"Let's see what is going on, " cried Hal, and, quickening their pace, theywere soon in the midst of an excited crowd. 

In the center of the mob a lone man struggled desperately to shake offthe many hands that grasped him. 

"Hang him!" came a voice from the crowd. 

Other voices took up the cry immediately. 

"Hang him! Hang him!"

Hal turned to a man in the crowd. 

"What's the matter?" he asked. 

"Matter? Why, the man was caught spying near one of the forts. "

"How do you know he was spying?"

"He is a German. Why else should he be prowling around, if not to spy?"And their informant rushed into the thick of the crowd, gesticulatingviolently, and adding his voice to the din. 

"Great Scott! We can't stand for this!" exclaimed Chester. "Come on!"

Together the two lads rushed into the thick of the mob. Elbowing andpushing men to right and left they made their way through the massof humanity. 

The cause of all the confusion had now freed himself from the clutches ofthe angry mob, and was laying about him furiously with his cane. Hecleared a space before him. But those in front were pushed forward by themen in the rear of the crowd, and once more surged to the attack, just asHal and Chester, with a final effort, burst through. 

The lads took their places, one on each side of the fighting German, andChester raised a hand to check the mob. 

"Get back!" he shouted. "Shame upon you to attack a single man like this. Is this Belgian bravery?"

For a moment the crowd hung back, then rushed forward again, and thethree were soon fighting desperately against fearful odds. 

But the boys this time had tackled a task that was beyond them. Theystruck out rapidly, as did the man to whose aid they had rushed, but thesheer weight of numbers finally told. 

Chester, Hal and the stranger all went down at last, and were in imminentdanger of being beaten into insensibility. 

But at that moment the sound of a bugle rang out, and the crowd scatteredin all directions. A troop of cavalry was hurrying to the scene. 

Hal, Chester and the stranger picked themselves up and brushed the dirtfrom their clothes. A cavalry officer dismounted and came up to them. 

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. 

Chester explained. 

The officer turned to the German. 

"Come with me, " he ordered. 

The German obeyed and the troop continued on their journey. 

Hal and Chester returned to the captain's quarters. The captain wasalready there. 

"Did you see the general?" asked Hal. 

"Yes. "

"What did he say?"

"It's all fixed, boys, " replied the captain, smiling at their eagerness. 

"You mean that the general has consented to the plan?" asked Hal. 

"Yes. "

"Hurrah!" shouted Chester. 

"Hurrah!" cried Hal. 

"Yes, " continued the captain, "you are ordered to hold yourselves subjectto the command of your superior officer, " and he concluded smilingly, "which is me. "

"And we couldn't have a better!" exclaimed both lads in a single voice. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

CHESTER SAVES THE DAY. 

The day was at its noon!

From the first break of dawn the battle had raged; now, at mid-day, itwas at its height. Hour after hour the fighting had continued under ashadowless sky, blue as steel, hard as a sheet of brass. The Germans hadattacked the Belgians and French with the first streak of light. 

Circling, sweeping, silently, swiftly, a marvelous whirlwind of force, the Germans had rushed on. Swift, as though wind-driven, they moved. Aninstant, and the Allies broke into violent movement. Half-clothedsleepers poured out. Perfect discipline did the rest. 

With marvelous and matchless swiftness and precision they got under arms. There were but fifteen hundred or so in all--six squadrons of FrenchLancers, the only French troops yet to reach Belgian soil, and a smallbody of infantry, without artillery. 

Yet, rapid as the action of the Allies was, it was not as rapid as thedownward sweep of the German horde that rushed to meet them. 

There was a crash, as if rock were hurled upon rock, as the Lancers, theflower of the French cavalry, scarce seated in the saddle, rushed forwardto save the pickets, to encounter the first blind ford of the attack andto give the Belgian infantry, farther in, time to prepare for defense. 

The hoofs of rearing chargers struck each other's breasts, and these bitand tore at each other's throats and manes, while their riders reeleddown dead. The outer wings of the Germans were spared the shock, andswept on to meet the bayonets of the infantry. 

The cavalry was enveloped in the overwhelming numbers of the center. Itwas a frightful tangling of men and brutes. 

The Lancers could not charge; they were hemmed in, packed between bodiesof horsemen that pressed them together as between iron plates; now andthen they cut their way through clear enough to reach their comrades, butas often as they did so, so often the overwhelming numbers of the Germanssurged in on them afresh like a flood, and closed upon them, and drovethem back. 

It was bitter, stifling, cruel work; with their mouths choked with dust, with their throats caked with thirst, with their eyes blind with smoke;while the steel was thrust through nerve and sinew, or the shot plowedthrough bone and flesh. 

The answering fire of the infantry kept the Germans farther at bay, andmowed them down faster--but in the Lancers' quarter of the field--partedfrom the rest of their comrades, as they had been by the rush of thatbroken charge with which they had sought to save the town and arrest thefoe--the worst pressure of the attack was felt, and the fiercest of theslaughter fell. 

The general in command of the cavalry had been shot dead as they hadfirst swept out to encounter the advance of the German horsemen; one byone the officers had been cut down, singled out by the keen eyes of theirenemy, and throwing themselves into the deadliest of the carnage withimpetuous self-devotion characteristic of their service. 

At the last there remained but a bare handful of the brilliant squadronsof 600 men that had galloped down in the gray of dawn to meet thewhirlwind of German fury. At their head was Captain Derevaux, and besidehim rode Hal. 

It was not the gallant captain's fault that Hal was thus in the thick ofthe battle. This had been an accident, and had come about in this manner:

Late the night before Hal and Chester had been called to the quarters ofthe commanding general and dispatched on separate missions. Their waysled past the outposts--even beyond the farthest--where the six squadronsof French Lancers and a small body of infantry had been thrown out, underorders, to make a reconnaissance in force in the morning. Advancingbeyond this line, Hal had turned east and Chester west. 

His mission accomplished, Hal had just reached the Allies' line upon hisreturn, when the Germans bore down on them. Hal saw that his one chancefor safety lay in throwing in his fortunes with the troops. 

Accordingly he turned his horse, just as the Lancers swept past on theirfirst charge, and reined in beside Captain Derevaux. The latter hadrecognized the danger and realized that the boy's keen wit had detectedhis one hope of life. He had greeted him with a smile; nor had he blamedhim for his choice. 

And so Hal had swept forward in the charge. Seizing a sword from afalling trooper, Hal, riding at the captain's side, was soon in the thickof the terrible carnage, and, in spite of the terrible fighting, hadescaped injury. 

Two horses had been killed under Captain Derevaux. Twice he had thrownhimself across fresh, unwounded chargers, whose riders had fallen in thefray, and at whose bridles he caught as he shook himself free of the deadanimal's stirrups. His head was uncovered; his uniform, hurriedly thrownon, had been torn aside, and his chest was bare; he was drenched withblood, not his own, that had rained on him as he fought, and his face andhands were black with smoke and with powder. 

Hal could not see a yard in front of him; he could not tell how the daywent anywhere save in that corner where the Lancers were hemmed in. Asfast as they beat the enemy back, and forced themselves to some clearerspace, the Germans closed in afresh. 

No orders reached the little troop, and Hal could not tell whether theBelgian battalions were holding their own or had been cut utterly topieces under the immense numerical superiority of their foes. 

Glancing about the field, Captain Derevaux could see that every officerof the Lancers save himself was down, and that, unless he took the vacantplace and rallied them, the few troopers still left would scatter. 

With Hal at his side, he spurred the horse he had just mounted againstthe dense crowd opposing him--against the hard black wall of dust andsmoke and steel and savage faces, which were all that either couldsee. He thrust his horse against the mob, while he waved his swordabove his head:

"_En avant_!" he shouted. 

His voice reached the troopers, clear and ringing in its appeal. Hal, turning in his saddle at this moment, caught from the hands of a reelingtrooper the Eagle of France, and as he raised it aloft, the light, flashing upon the golden wings, brought an answering shout from thosethat remained of the troop. 

"_En avant_!" came the rallying cry. 

The young French captain glanced back on this little troop, guardinghis head the while from the blows that were rained on him, and hisvoice rang out:

"Charge!"

Like arrows launched from a hundred bows they charged, Hal and the youngcaptain still slightly in advance, Hal striking aside the steel aimed athim, as they pushed on, and with the other hand holding high the Eagleof France. 

The effort was superb. 

Dense bodies of Germans parted them in the front from the part of thefield where the infantry still was engaged, harassed them in the rearwith flying shots and forced down on them on either side, like theclosing jaws of a trap. 

Their fierce charge was, for a moment, irresistible; it bore headlong allbefore it. For a moment the Germans gave way, shaken and confused. For amoment they recoiled under the shock of that desperate charge. 

As Captain Derevaux spurred his horse against the enemy, twenty bladesglittered against him. The first would have pierced his chest had not Halstruck up the blade with a quick move. 

To pause was impossible. Though the French horses were forced through abristling forest of steel, the charge availed little. 

Hal waved the Eagle aloft, as the captain looked around at the few whowere left and shouted:

"You are the sons of the Old Guard! Die like them!"

"Surrender!" came a cry from in front. 

Hal looked back once more on the fragment of the troop, and raised theflag higher aloft, as he muttered to himself:

"This will be the end. I wish I could have seen Chester once more; goodold Chester!"

Hot and blinded, with an open gash in his shoulder where a sword hadstruck a moment before, but with his eyes flashing and a smile on hislips, the young captain cried his reply to the command to surrender:

"Have we fought so poorly that you think we shall give up now?"

Then, with upraised swords, the troop awaited the onward rush ofthe Germans; and, as they waited the young captain found time tomurmur to Hal:

"I am sorry to see you here now, but you are a fighter after myown heart. "

Hal was unable to speak. He put out his hand and the young Frenchmangrasped it warmly. 

"I guess it is good-by, " he said quietly. 

Then came the shock. With a yell the Germans threw themselvesforward. A moment more and the onrushing horde would have massacredthem like cattle. But, even at the moment of impact a voice rang outover the field:

"Forward! Charge!"

Above the din of shouting and rifle shots it came; and from behind camea full troop of Belgian light cavalry; and in front, with drawn sword, rode Chester. 

The troop came on at a whirlwind rush; and, even as they did so, CaptainDerevaux urged his men into another charge, and pressed forward into thethickest of the conflict. And Hal rode by his side. 

Blow after blow was aimed at them, but none found its mark. Parrying andstriking, they pushed on; and then a German bugle sounded a recall, andthe enemy drew off. 

Panting, Chester rode to Hal's side. 

"I was afraid we would be too late!" he exclaimed. 

"I am not even scratched, " returned Hal, grasping his friend's hand. 

A Belgian officer hurried up to Captain Derevaux. 

"You have this lad to thank for our opportune arrival, " he declared, indicating Chester. "He told us of your plight, or we would not havearrived in time. "

The captain grasped Chester's hand. 

"You saved the day!" he said simply. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

A DANGEROUS MISSION. 

Chester was embarrassed. 

"I did nothing, " he said. "I only rode fast. "

The hurrahs of the men who heard him drowned his words. 

"The general will think differently, " returned the captain. 

"How does it happen you arrived so opportunely, Chester?" asked Hal. 

"It's very simple. I was returning from my mission, and was ridingbetween you and the outposts. I heard firing and rode forward to see whatwas going on. I saw how things were with you. Even from where I was Ithought I could recognize you in the front rank. 

"At first I thought I would ride directly toward you, but then I knewthat I could be of greater service by hurrying back and summoning aid. When I told the general of your perilous position, he acted at once, andI came with the reinforcements. That's all there is to it. You, Hal, arethe one deserving of praise. "

"And I shall see that he is rewarded for it!" exclaimed the captain. "Butyour gallant conduct also shall be made known. Certainly I made two goodfriends when I met you two boys. At some time I hope to be able to repayyou in some slight measure, although I know I can never entirely cancelmy indebtedness to you both. "

In the hut of the officer commanding the division Captain Derevaux wentinto detail concerning the gallant actions of our two boys. 

The general congratulated them. 

"I shall see that your conduct is brought to the personal attention ofthe King, " he declared. "You shall both be rewarded if I live long enoughto write out my report. "

"Thank you, general, " both lads replied, and then accompanied CaptainDerevaux to his quarters, where his wound, which was found to be slight, was attended to. 

It was the next afternoon that the general again summoned the ladsto his hut. 

"I have a mission of importance, " he said, "and I am seekingvolunteers. It is somewhat dangerous, and I am loath to order anyone togo. But in view of your gallant conduct, I thought I would give you thefirst chance. "

"We shall gladly undertake it, general, no matter what it is, "replied Hal. 

"Yes, sir, " agreed Chester, "we shall always be glad to aid the cause ofthe Allies, no matter what the dangers. "

"Well, then, " replied the general, taking a paper from his desk. "I wantthis paper put into the hands of General Givet, at Louvain. If there isany danger of your being captured, destroy it. It contains informationthat would be invaluable to the enemy. 

"In view of your past resourcefulness, I am putting great confidence inyour ability to get through. The country between here and Louvain, while not precisely in the hands of the Germans, is being constantlyoverrun with parties of raiders. You will bring General Givet's replyto me here. "

The lads saluted and departed. 

"You certainly have made a great impression upon the general, " saidCaptain Derevaux, when the boys informed him of their mission. "Just keepas cool as you have been in the past, and I am sure you will get throughwithout trouble. "

It was late that night when the lads made their way from the youngcaptain's quarters, passed beyond the outposts, and made their way intothe forest beyond, following the road, but keeping well within the shadowof the trees. 

"This is the best summer vacation we have ever had, " declared Hal, asthey went slowly along. 

"You are right, there, " replied Chester. "Of course, war is a terriblething, but as long as there is a war I would rather be over here where Ican see what is going on than to be sitting home reading about it in thenewspapers. "

"Yes; and then you couldn't be exactly sure you were getting the facts. "

Shortly after sunrise the boys came upon a large farmhouse. 

"It's pretty early, " remarked Hal, "but perhaps we can find some one andget a bite to eat. "

They approached and found the household already astir. As theyascended the steps, a young girl, probably sixteen years of age, cameout on the porch. 

"Can you provide us with a little something to eat?" asked Hal politelyin French, doffing his cap. 

The girl glanced at him, a puzzled expression coming over her face. 

"I don't understand French very well, " she said, in English. 

"By George!" exclaimed Hal. "I thought so. That is, " he apologized forhis exclamation, "I was sure you were not French. "

This time Hal had spoken in English, and a look of surprise had come overher face, followed by an expression of delight. 

"I was sure you were Americans!" she exclaimed, and then addedhesitatingly, "or are you--can it be you are English?"

"No; we are Americans, all right, " Chester broke in; "but we certainlydidn't expect to run into an American girl in this corner of the world. "

"No; particularly at a time like this, " agreed Hal. 

"Oh, I am perfectly safe here, " replied the girl "Uncle, who is a Belgianofficer, has joined his regiment, and I am here with only two servants. He wanted me to go to Liège with him, but I preferred to remain here. Noone will harm me. "

"But the Germans may come through here at any time, and then you would bein danger. "

"Oh, no. Several German regiments already have passed by, and some of theofficers were here. They assured me I would not be molested. "

"Nevertheless, you are likely to be. You can't tell what may happen. "

"I am not afraid, " replied the girl. "The Germans won't bother anAmerican. "

Remembering their own experiences, Hal and Chester looked at each otherand smiled. 

"I am not so sure, " replied Hal; "but if you have decided to stay, I suppose you will. You see, " smiling, "I know something ofAmerican girls. "

The girl also smiled. 

"I suppose you wonder who I am, " she said. "I am Edna Johnson, and I livein Chicago. Mother was here with me, but she went home just before warwas declared. I suppose she is worried to death about me, but I believeit is safer here than elsewhere, and I have heard Americans are havinggreat difficulties getting home. "

Hal and Chester introduced themselves. 

After a few minutes Edna suddenly exclaimed:

"Here I am, keeping you chatting, when I know you must be awfully hungry. Come with me and we shall have some breakfast. "

The boys followed her into the house, where a hearty meal was soon set inthe dining-room, and the three fell to with a will. 

Hardly had they satisfied their appetites when there was the sound ofmany feet upon the porch. Miss Johnson glanced through the door. 

"Germans, " she said, with a smile; "but they won't bother us. "

Hal and Chester jumped to their feet. 

"We must hide, Miss Johnson, " exclaimed Hal. "If we fall into the handsof the Germans it may mean death to us. "

"What!" exclaimed the girl. 

"Exactly. I neglected to tell you that we are attached to the Belgianforces and our capture would not only mean trouble for us, but would be ablow to the cause of the Allies. "

The girl looked at the lads in amazement, but there was no time forwords. There was a loud knock at the door, followed almost immediately bythe tramp of feet within the house. 

Edna acted promptly. Rushing to the side of the room, she pulled open adoor to what appeared to be a closet and motioned to the boys. 

"In here, quick!" she cried, and closed the door tightly. 

As they passed through the door the boys saw a flight of steps leadingapparently to the cellar. Hardly had the door closed behind them ere thesteps of the Germans were heard in the room they had just left. 

They also heard the girl greet them pleasantly, and the gruff demand forbreakfast. Edna called one of her servants, and gave an order thatbreakfast for the Germans be prepared immediately. 

"It is too cramped here, " whispered Chester. "Let's go down these stairs. If we were to make a move here, they would surely hear us. "

The boys descended the steps. At the bottom they emerged into what, uponinspection, proved to be a wine cellar. At the far side they saw anotherpassageway and moved toward it. 

As they did so, they heard the door to the closet through which they hadrecently passed open again, and a voice exclaim:

"I know these high and mighty Belgian gentlemen too well. There is alwayswine in the cellar. Come, Franz, we shall explore. "

Heavy footsteps descended the stairs, and two German officers hove insight. The boys, in the dimness of the cellar, were not seen. 

"Quick!" whispered Chester, "into the passageway. "

As Hal followed Chester into the darkness of the passageway, he trippedover some obstacle in the dark, which gave forth the sound of tinklingglass. The boys stopped stock still. 

"What was that?" demanded one of the officers. 

"I didn't hear anything, " was the reply. 

"I thought I heard something moving in the cellar. "

"Probably a rat. Here is what we came after. Let's go back upstairs. "

The boys heard the sound of retreating footsteps, and presently the doorabove slammed once more. 

Hal and Chester breathed easier. 

"Pretty close, " remarked Chester, in a low tone. 

"You bet it was close, " was the reply. "For a minute I thought itwas all off. "

"Well, I guess we are safe enough now. "

"Yes, I guess so. But we must wait here until the Germans have leftthe house. "

"I suppose they will go as soon as they have finished their breakfast. "

"I hope so; we haven't any time to waste. "

The boys sat down and waited. 

What seemed like hours later, the door to the closet above again opened, and the voice of the girl floated down the stairway. 

"It's all right, now, " she exclaimed. "They have gone. You can come up. "

CHAPTER XV. 

THE FIGHT IN THE FARMHOUSE. 

The boys ascended the stairs and followed the girl back into thedining-room. 

"Well, " said Chester, after the three had talked for some minutes. "Iguess we had better be moving. We have wasted too much time already. "

They turned toward the door, and, as they did so, Hal uttered a lowexclamation. 

"Look!" he whispered. 

Turning to where Hal pointed, Chester and Edna beheld a face pressedagainst the window pane. 

"It is one of the German officers!" cried the girl. "He has returned forsomething. "

It was apparent that the officer had seen the two boys. He turned fromthe window, and the lads saw him making violent gestures to someone inthe distance. A moment later two soldiers joined him, and the trio turnedtoward the door. 

There came a loud knock, followed by the sound of footsteps in the hall, as one of the servants went to open the door. 

"Do not open the door, Bento!" called the girl. 

The footsteps halted. 

"Open that door at once!" came a voice of command from outside. 

Again came the sound of footsteps, as the servant, evidently frightened, moved toward the door. 

"Bento! Do as I command you! Do not open the door!" cried the girl again, and the servant stopped. 

"Break down the door!" came the command from outside. 

"What shall we do?" cried the girl, clasping her hands nervously. 

"Fight!" was Hal's brief reply. 

His eyes roved about the room. His gaze fell upon a pair of old duelingswords hung upon the wall. Stepping on a chair, he took them down, andpassed one to Chester. 

At that instant there came the sound of a crash, as the door gave way, followed by a command from the officer:

"Follow me!"

Edna and the two boys retreated to the far end of the room, as the threeGermans rushed through the door. 

"Surrender!" cried the officer. 

"Come and take us!" replied Hal, his lips set grimly. 

The officer covered the lads with his two pistols. 

"Stun them with your rifle butts, my lads!" he cried to his soldiers. "Take the spies alive!"

Reversing their weapons, the two soldiers strode forward. As one raisedhis rifle preparatory to bringing it down upon his head, Chester leapedforward between them, thinking to take the officer, who stood behindthem, unprepared, and cut him down. 

But, even as he stepped forward, the officer's revolver spoke, andChester fell to the floor with a groan, a bullet in his chest. But, atthat instant, and before the officer could fire again, Hal, who also hadavoided the attack of the two soldiers, sprang forward and aimed aslashing blow at the officer. 

The latter warded off the blow with his arm, but one of his pistols wassent flying from his grasp. As he raised his other revolver, his armwas suddenly seized from behind, and Edna attempted to wrench therevolver from him. He turned on her, and as he did so the revolver cameaway in her hand. 

Pointing the weapon straight at the officer, the girl pulled the trigger;but the revolver missed fire. Stepping back, as the officer advanced, thegirl grasped the pistol by the muzzle and hurled it squarely in his face. With blood gushing from his mouth and nose, the man fell to the floor. 

In the meantime Hal had turned swiftly once more to face the secondattack of the two soldiers. As they again raised their rifles to strikehim down, he leaped between them, thrusting with his sword. 

Pierced through the shoulder, one of the soldiers threw up his arm andstaggered back. In doing so he struck the arm of his companion, and thelatter's blow was deflected; and Hal was unharmed. 

Turning, Hal dashed into the next room--the parlor--closely followed bythe two soldiers, the wounded man not being seriously hurt. At the sametime the German officer sat up on the floor, looked around dazedly, thenpicked up one of his revolvers, drew his sword, and followed his men. 

"Shoot the dog in the legs!" he commanded, and the soldiers brought theirrifles to their shoulders. 

An instant before they fired Hal sprang upon the piano stool, which wasjust behind him, and the bullets went low. Hal jumped to the top of thepiano, and then dropped behind it. As the soldiers again prepared tofire, Hal put his shoulder to the piano, and sent it tumbling over, andthe bullets were imbedded in the soft wood. 

Hal ducked as the officer raised his revolver and fired at him, and then, stepping around the piano, made a sweeping slash at the officer. Thesword struck the latter on his pistol hand, and, with a groan, theofficer dropped his revolver. 

Hal turned to the two soldiers, who had leaped on the overturned piano toget at him before he stepped from behind it, and again his sword dartedout. The thrust went true, and one soldier fell to the floor, bloodstreaming from a deep wound in his chest. 

Before the second soldier could bring his rifle to bear, Hal ran from theroom into the hall. The soldier followed. In the hall, dimly lighted by asingle chandelier over the stairway, Hal sprang up the steps. 

At the bottom of the steps the soldier stopped and took aim at the lad. With a backward sweep of his sword, Hal knocked the chandelier crashingto the floor, throwing the hall into inky darkness, and with a quick leapwas several steps higher up. 

There came the sharp crack of a rifle, and the hall was lighted for asecond by a flash, as a bullet sped past Hal. With a light leap the laddropped over the railing into the hall, and, taking a step forward, lunged swiftly in the darkness from where came the sound of a mutteredimprecation. There was a stifled groan, and the second soldier dropped tothe floor. 

Hal made his way back to the parlor, where the German officer stillstood, trying to bind up his injured hand with a handkerchief. He saw Halapproach, and raised his sword, taking a step forward. At the samemoment, Edna, who had in the meantime dragged Chester's inert body out ofharm's way, stepped into the room. 

His face red with fury, the German officer took another stride forward, and thrust. The blade passed through Hal's guard and through the side ofhis open coat, grazing his body. 

As the sword went through the boy's coat, it looked to Edna as though thelad must have met his death; and she screamed. The German officer laughedgleefully, but, even as he did so, Hal, smiling, took a step forward. 

With a quick stroke, he sent the German's sword flying from his grasp, and the officer was at his mercy. 

The German's rage burst like a bubble. 

"Kill me!" he said quietly to Hal. 

"No, " replied the lad; "I cannot kill a man in cold blood. Pick upyour sword. "

The officer obeyed, and Hal placed himself on guard. But, taking theweapon by the blade, the German extended the hilt to Hal. 

"I surrender, " he said. 

The lad took the extended sword, and then passed it back to the officer. 

"Keep your sword, sir, " he said. 

The German glanced at him a moment in silence; then took the sword. 

"You are a generous enemy, sir, " he said. "You will have no occasion toregret your confidence in me. "

"I am sure of it, sir, " was the lad's answer. "You are at liberty toleave at any time you choose. "

The officer scrutinized Hal closely. 

"You are a gallant lad, " he said finally. "There are few men who couldhave done what you have. I hope that we may meet again. "

Turning, with a polite bow, first to Edna and then to Hal, he made hisway from the house and was gone. 

"How is Chester?" was Hal's first question, after the German haddeparted. 

"He has recovered consciousness, " replied the girl. "He is badly wounded, but I believe he will be all right in a few days. Bento, who has someknowledge of medicine, is attending him. "

Hal hurried to the room upstairs where Chester had been carried. Chester, lying in bed, greeted him with a smile. 

"You certainly have all the luck!" he exclaimed. "Here I was unable towalk while you were doing all the fighting. "

"Never mind that, " replied Hal. "How do you feel? Are you in pain?"

"Not much, now, " was the reply. "Bento is quite a surgeon. He hasfixed me up to the queen's taste. It appears the ball glanced off mythird rib. "

"But you won't be able to travel!"

"I am afraid not. I am so weak I cannot stand. But you must go on justthe same. "

"What! And leave you here?"

"Of course. I shall be perfectly safe here, more so than you will be onthe road. I wish I could go with you, but I am afraid it will be a day ortwo before I can walk. "

"Then I shall wait for you. "

"What! Then how about the letter to General Givet, at Louvain?"

"It will have to wait. "

Chester raised himself feebly on one elbow and looked at Hal in surprise. 

"A fellow like you to say a thing like that?" he exclaimed. "That lettermust be delivered at once. You and I are of secondary importance. If youhad been wounded instead of me I should have gone on without you, much asI should have hated to do so. The letter must be delivered immediately. "

"You are right, as usual, " replied Hal, after a pause. "The letter mustcome first. But I hate to leave you here alone. "

"Alone?" exclaimed Edna, who up to this time had remained silent. "Do notI count for something?"

"I beg your pardon, " said Hal. "I spoke thoughtlessly. I am sure he willreceive the best of attention at your hands. "

"There is no question about that, " replied Chester. 

"Well, I must be going, then, " said Hal. "I have delayed too longalready. "

"You will stop by on your return, will you not?" asked the girl. 

"Yes, if I come this way; and I see no reason why I should not. "

"I shall be ready to travel when you return, " said Chester. 

"All right, " replied Hal. "But, if I have not returned in three days, youwill know something has happened to me, and you will make your way backto Liège alone. "

Chester agreed to this, the two lads shook hands, and Hal left the houseand set out upon his journey to Louvain. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. 

Although it had been a trying morning for Hal, and he was very tired, thelad continued on his way as swiftly as possible. From time to time, as hehastened along, he heard the sound of distant firing, and he proceededwith the greatest caution; but he encountered no more of the enemy. 

It was late afternoon when he made out in the distance the town ofLouvain. He quickened his pace, and soon came upon the outposts. 

"I have a communication for General Givet, " he told the soldier whostopped him. 

The soldier lowered the weapon, with which he had barred the lad'sprogress, and called a nearby officer. The latter led Hal to thegeneral's quarters. 

Hal gave General Givet the letter, and stood at attention. The generalread in silence. Then he turned to Hal. 

"All right, " he said briefly, signifying that Hal might go. 

"But, general, " said the lad, "I was ordered to bring back your answer. "

The general looked at him in surprise. 

"Do you mean you intend to go back to-night?" he demanded. 

"I thought I would start along about midnight, " replied Hal. "I wouldsleep until that time. "

The general was silent for some moments, musing. 

"You are a brave lad, " he said, at last. "I had figured on sending myanswer by another courier; but perhaps your plan is better. You mayreport to me at midnight, and I shall have the answer ready. "

Hal saluted and turned to leave the hut. 

"Wait a minute, " commanded the general. "Tell me something of yourself. How comes it that you, an American, I take it, have been selected forsuch perilous work? Why, you cannot be more than eighteen years old. "

"Seventeen, general, " replied Hal, with a smile; and then he told theBelgian officer of his experiences since leaving Berlin. 

The old general was amazed. 

"Remarkable! remarkable!" he repeated, time after time. 

Finally he called an officer, and commanded that the latter find Hal aplace to sleep. 

"Remember, midnight, " called the general, as Hal was leaving the hut. 

Hal saluted again. 

"Yes, general, " he replied, and followed the young officer. 

Promptly at midnight Hal, greatly refreshed by a sound sleep and heartymeal, once more entered the general's quarters and came to attention. 

"The answer you are to carry back is simply: 'I shall act upon yourplan, '" said General Givet. "Good luck to you on your journey, and I haveonly one command: Make all possible haste. "

Hal saluted and set out on his return, journey to Liège. 

It was early morning when he came once more to the farmhouse where he hadfought so nobly the day before. His fear for Chester's safety increasedas he approached, and it was not without some misgiving that he ascendedthe porch steps and knocked softly at the door. 

He heard a light footstep within, the door swung open, and Edna peeredforth at him. 

"What! Back so soon?" she exclaimed gladly. 

"Yes, I made pretty good time. How is Chester?"

Hal's doubts were soon set at rest. 

"He is much better this morning than could have been expected, " repliedthe girl. "He ate a hearty breakfast, and says he is feeling fine. "

Hal followed her up the steps to where Chester lay, impatientlyawaiting his coming. Edna went downstairs to see about getting himsomething to eat. 

"Will you be able to leave to-day?" asked Hal, of Chester. 

"I am ready to go right now. I am still weak, but I am sure I can make itall right. I'm bandaged up fine. "

"You are sure you are feeling fit?"

"Certainly. Besides, I don't want to be left behind again. You are havingall the fun. I want to get in on a little of it myself. "

And so it was arranged that the boys should leave immediately afterluncheon. They sought long and earnestly during the morning to prevailupon Edna to accompany them, or to make her way to Louvain; but shedeclared her intention of remaining where she was. 

"I am much safer here than I should be on the road, " she said. "No onewill harm me. Besides, I must take care of the house. "

Unable to shake her determination, the boys gave up the attempt, and forthe rest of the morning the three chatted pleasantly. 

Luncheon over, the boys immediately prepared to fare forth again. Ednaaccompanied them to the bottom of the steps, where they said good-by. 

"Come and see me again, " she urged, as they shook hands with her. "Youare always welcome here. "

"We certainly shall, " cried both lads together, as they started upontheir way. 

Chester was still weak, but he walked along wonderfully well, consideringthe nature of his wound. Still, it was plain to Hal that every step costhim an effort, and their progress was necessarily slow. 

All afternoon they plodded onward without encountering the enemy, andsoon after nightfall came upon the place where the Belgian outpostshad been stationed the night before. The signs of a struggle wereplainly evident. 

"There has been a battle here, " remarked Hal, after inspecting theground. 

"There is no doubt about that, " returned Chester, "and the Belgians havebeen driven back. We shall have to be careful. "

They were proceeding on their way more cautiously than before, when fromahead there suddenly came the sound of trampling hoofs. 

"A Belgian reconnoitering party, I guess, " said Hal. "We are safeenough now. "

Presently a body of horsemen came into view. The lads continuedtoward them, and the horsemen were but a few yards away, when Chestercried suddenly:

"They're Germans!"

It was true. It was a squadron of Uhlans, returning from a reconnaissanceof the Belgian position. 

It was too late for the boys to run. The cavalry was upon them. The ladsstepped to the side of the road, and continued on their way apparentlyunconcerned. A German officer stopped them. 

"Who are you?" he demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"We are American boys, " replied Hal, "and are making our way to Liège. "

"Well, you won't get to Liège to-night. Turn about and march theother way. "

There was nothing to do but obey. With a sinking sensation in theirhearts the lads about-faced and headed toward the great German camp. Fora long time, it seemed to them, they were marched along slowly, andfinally the first huts of the German army came into view. 

"I am afraid our mission is a failure, " whispered Hal, as the two ladswere led to a hut and placed under heavy guard. 

"It looks that way, " Chester agreed; "but we must hope for the best. Itmay be lucky for us that we have no papers on us. "

"What are they going to do with us?" Hal asked one of their guards. 

"Shoot you in the morning, I suppose, " was the answer. "Persons foundbetween the two armies in civilian clothes cannot hope for mercy. "

"But we are not spies!" cried Chester. 

"Perhaps not; but I don't believe that will make any difference. "

The guard would talk no more. 

"Our only chance is that they believe we were trying to get to Liègesimply to get out of the country, " whispered Chester. "If they knew wewere just returning from a mission, we would be bound to die. "

"Looks to me as though we were bound to die, no matter what they know, "was the reply. 

The boys got little sleep that night. They realized just how near theywere to death, and, while their courage never faltered, they neverthelesshad practically given up all hope. 

At the first streak of dawn they were led to the quarters of thedivision commander, and their case was disposed of with remarkablerapidity. Their protests availed nothing, and they were sentenced to betaken out and shot. 

With a firm step the two lads walked to the place of execution, surrounded by their guards. But the hearts of both were heavy. 

"I wish I could have seen mother once more, " said Hal softly. 

Chester gave his chum's hand a slight squeeze. 

"Well, it can't be helped now, " he replied, with an attempt to appearcheerful. "But come, brace up; if we must die, we will die bravely. "

"You are right, " said Hal, brushing the tears from his eyes with arapid movement. 

With heads erect, the two lads marched on. 

At that moment a group of German officers approached on horseback. Theyeyed the two captives, and suddenly one left his companions and rode overto the firing squad. The officer in command of the squad halted his menand saluted. 

"What have we here?" demanded the newcomer. 

"Two spies, sir, " was the reply. "They were taken between the lines, andhave been ordered shot. "

"These two boys are my business, " declared the mounted officer, a note ofauthority in his voice. "Their execution is stayed. Take them to myheadquarters. "

"But, general--" began the officer in charge of the squad. 

The general raised a hand imperiously. 

"There are no 'buts, '" he said. "You have heard my command. Obey it. "

Hal and Chester were dumfounded. As their guards turned and marched themin the direction of the general's quarters, Hal asked of Chester:

"Do you remember him?"

Chester nodded in the affirmative. 

For the German officer who had thus saved them from death before a firingsquad was none other than the officer whom they had encountered in thestation at Berlin, the man who had threatened to have Hal whipped foraccidentally bumping into him, and had pushed him from the train. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

A FRIEND IN NEED. 

"What do you suppose is going to happen now?" asked Chester breathlessly. 

"It's too deep for me, " replied Hal. "I can't imagine what hewants with us. "

"But who is he? That's what I would like to know, " demanded Chester. 

"I haven't the faintest idea, but he must be someone of importance. "

"Oh, he's important enough, all right. You noticed his command wasobeyed. "

"Well, I guess we shall find out in good time who he is, " returned Hal. 

The lads were taken to a large hut in the center of a great camp. The hutwas luxuriously appointed, and it was plainly evident that the man whohad saved them was one of the foremost of the huge German host. 

The general himself had not arrived yet. But, after a long wait, he camein, alone. He motioned their guards away, and then turned on the boyswith a scowl. 

"Do you remember me?" he demanded. 

The two lads nodded affirmatively. They were, for the moment, beyond speech. 

"And I remember you, " went on the general. "You, " he continued, pointingto Hal, "are the American upstart who almost knocked me over in thestation at Berlin. I said I would have you whipped. Well, my time hascome. Now, you just sit quiet, " he said loudly, as Hal and Chester took astep forward. "I will write out your sentence right now, " and he turnedtoward a table. 

"I won't be whipped!" cried Hal to Chester. "They will have to killme first!"

The general paid no attention to this remark, but continued to write insilence. Finally he arose, with a paper in his hand. 

"Here is your sentence, " he said, turning to Hal. "Read, and see what youthink of it. "

Hal took the paper the general extended to him. As he read an expressionof amazement passed over his face. 

Hal passed the paper to Chester without a word, and, as Chester read, healso grew amazed. And no wonder. 

For what the general had written was a safe-conduct for both lads to theBelgian lines; and the signature at the bottom was that of General CountVon Moltke, commander-in-chief of all the German armies!

Hal stepped forward. 

"General, " he stammered, "we--I--we don't know how to thank you. "

The general raised a hand and said gruffly:

"Never mind that. " The faint shadow of a smile flitted over his sterncountenance. "I suppose, " he continued, "that you are wondering why I dothis, after what occurred in the station at Berlin. It is so, is it not?"

"It is very strange, " muttered Chester, and Hal nodded his head inassent. 

"Well, I'll tell you, " said the general. "You remember when I pushed youaway from the train?" he queried, turning to Hal. 

Hal nodded. 

"When I turned round after that, feeling greatly pleased with myself, Inoticed, for the first time, the presence of a lady in my compartment. She looked at me in the greatest contempt. It confused me; and I am noteasily confused. 

"Then she told me that she was your mother, and, you may believe, beratedme most wonderfully. She didn't cry, nor go into hysterics, which made agreat impression on me. Most mothers would. I felt decidedlyuncomfortable. 

"I realized that I had acted like a boor. We had gone some distance, butI had the train stopped and backed into the station. You were not there. I telephoned your ambassador. You had been there and gone. We were unableto find you. 

"I prevailed upon your mother to continue her journey to Brussels. Iissued an order to all my generals to keep a lookout for you and give yousafe-conduct into Belgium. It seems, however, that none of themrecognized you, or that you kept out of sight. 

"I promised your mother I would get you out of the country in some way, and she was greatly relieved. She knew I would do it. That's all there isto the story. Now, I don't know what you lads were doing when you werecaptured, and I don't want to know. If you are mixed up in this war inany way, I don't want to know anything about it; but, if you are, take myadvice and go home to America. As I say, I don't want to know what youhave been doing since you left Berlin. It might force me to change myattitude. I promised your mother I would get you out of Germany, and Ishall do it. "

Hal and Chester were greatly surprised by this recital, and both boysthanked the general as well as they could. 

The general stepped to the entrance of his hut, and raised his hand. Anofficer entered and came to a salute. 

"I have given these two lads safe-conduct into the Belgian lines, " saidthe general. "See that they get there in safety. "

"Yes, general, " said the officer. 

The general turned to the two boys. 

"You would better go now, " he said. 

He extended his hand, and both boys grasped it heartily. 

"Good luck to you, " he called, as they followed the officer from the hut;"my regards to your mother. "

And that was the last the boys saw of the commander-in-chief of all thearmed hosts of Germany. 

Straight through the great German camp the officer led the boys swiftly. At the farthest outposts he halted, and signaled another officer. 

"Lieutenant, " he commanded, "take a flag of truce and escort theseboys to the Belgian lines. They have been given safe-conduct byGeneral Von Moltke. "

The officer saluted, and the boys followed him. Under a flag of trucethey traversed the distance between the Belgian lines. 

Out of danger at last, the two lads hastened to the quarters ofthe commanding general, and reported. The general was genuinelyglad to see them. 

"I had about given you up for lost, " he said. "But you have arrived inthe nick of time. A concerted German advance is expected momentarily, andwithout the reply you have brought we would have been at a greatdisadvantage. "

Their mission successfully completed, the lads now hunted up CaptainDerevaux. They found the young captain in his quarters. He jumped up asthe two boys entered, ran hurriedly forward and greeted them effusively. 

"Believe me, I am glad to see you again, " he exclaimed. "I had madecertain I would never see you alive. "

"Oh, we are hard to get rid of, " replied Hal, with a smile. "I guesswe'll continue to stick around for some time yet. "

"Well, you don't know how glad I am to see you back safely, " continuedthe Frenchman. "But come in and tell me all about your journey. "

For a long time the three talked; and then Hal bethought himself to askconcerning the situation in Liège. 

"We are expecting an attack in force at almost any minute, " explained theyoung captain; "and we are prepared to give a good account of ourselves. In spite of the fact that we are sure to be greatly outnumbered, there isno doubt that we can hold the forts. Of the city itself, I am not socertain, although these Belgians will fight to the last. 

"Everything that can be done to strengthen our position has already beendone, and all we can do now is to wait for the attack that must comesoon. Already the German forces have delayed longer than had beenanticipated, but every hour of delay makes our position that muchstronger. 

"British troops have been landed in France, and French and English bothare hurrying to the support of the Belgians. It is impossible for them toarrive in time to take part in the coming fight, but it is the plan ofthe Belgians to delay the German advance as long as possible. Believe me, the Germans will find the Belgian defense such a stumbling-block as theyhave not counted upon. "

"There is no question that they will fight to the last?" asked Hal. 

"Not the slightest, " was the reply, "Their resentment of the violation ofBelgian neutrality knows no bounds. They will fight to the last drop ofblood in them. "

"Then I suppose the battle of Liège will be one of the bloodiest inhistory, " declared Chester. 

"Undoubtedly, " replied the captain; "and, if I mistake not, it is only amatter of hours until it begins. The troops are sleeping on their arms, and at the first word of a German advance the entire Belgian army will behurled into the battle. "

"Do you really believe the Belgians will be able to check theGerman advance?"

"I do. These great steel forts are practically impregnable. They cansuccessfully withstand the fire of the big German guns for weeks; and forthe Germans to try and take them by storm will mean annihilation. But asuccessful charge would put the city proper into their hands. "

"But in that event is there any likelihood of the forts surrendering?"

"I think not. In fact, I am positive of it. But come, boys, we havetalked enough, and it is getting late. I guess we would better turn in. There is no telling when we may get to sleep again. "

Accordingly, almost fully dressed, the three threw themselves down, andsoon were fast asleep. 

To Hal and Chester it seemed they had hardly closed their eyes when theywere rudely awakened. It was the sound of a cannon that had aroused them, but for the moment they could not tell what it was. 

The boys sat up and rubbed their eyes sleepily. Outside it was light. Thegray dawn crept through the entrance, dispelling the shadows of thedarkened hut. 

"What was it?" cried Chester. 

And, even as he spoke, it came again, the heavy boom of a single hugecannon, followed almost immediately by the crash of thousands uponthousands of rifles. The machine and rapid-fire guns broke loose withtheir leaden messengers of death, and a bugle sounded:

"To arms!"

CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE BATTLE. 

Captain Derevaux, who had been sleeping soundly, sprang to his feet, picked up his sword and pistols, and, without even a word to Hal andChester, dashed from the hut. 

"The battle has begun!" cried Hal. 

"Come!" exclaimed Chester. "Let's get to some place where we can see. Ican't stay here!"

"Nor I!" cried Hal. "Come on!"

The two lads hurried from the hut. As they emerged, a troop of Belgiancavalry swept past them, on the way to the front. The boys followed asrapidly as possible in its wake. Presently they came to a small hill. Climbing to the top, they found they could command a good view of theadvancing German columns, which they could see in the distance, and whichwere even now almost close enough to grapple hand-to-hand with thehorsemen swooping down on them. 

All along the German front the Belgian cavalry hurled itself upon theadvancing foe. They met with a crash, and horses and riders went down inheaps. For a moment the Germans gave way. For a moment they recoiled, andthen they sprang forward again. 

The charge of the Belgian cavalry was magnificent, but it was in vain. The German forces pressed onward, and the cavalry was forced back, cutting and slashing as it slowly retreated. Under a withering fire, thatsuddenly broke out all along the German front, the horsemen fell byhundreds. It was more than flesh and blood could stand. A retreat wassounded, and the cavalry fell back upon its support. But, even as theydrew off, there burst from the German front the sharp roar of themitrailleuse. The German maxims had opened fire. The Belgians fell fasterthan before. 

And now the Germans were ordered to charge. Squadron upon squadron racedover the open ground in a mad dash toward the Belgian line; and as theycharged, the rapid-fire guns of the great forts poured forth theiranswer. Great holes were cut in the German columns, and men and horseswere mowed down like chaff. 

And still the Germans came on. 

Suddenly a fierce rifle fire broke out all along the Belgian front, evenas the rapid-firers continued to belch forth their messengers of death. Men reeled and fell in masses. The Germans wavered, halted, thenretreated. A great shout went up from the Belgian lines. 

Under the support of their own field batteries, the Germans reformed fora second charge. As before, the defenders waited until they were close, then poured in a deadly fire. The Germans staggered, then sprang forward. A second volley greeted them, and a second time the Germans wavered, halted and retreated. A third time they charged, with the same result. 

All this time a long-range artillery duel was in progress, whateveradvantage there was resting with the Belgians. Shot and shell poured intothe oncoming solid ranks of the German infantry, cutting great gaps intheir ranks; but these quickly filled up again, and the Germans continuedtheir steady advance. 

All this Hal and Chester saw, and more. For they could see, to the left, the successful advance of the enemy, as it moved upon the town of Liège. In vain the Belgians charged upon the advancing line and poured in shotand shell. The Germans came on. To the right the Germans also werepushing slowly, but surely, forward. 

"It is terrible! terrible!" said Chester, with a shudder, as he watchedmen fall right and left. 

"Horrible!" agreed Hal. "But come. We must move. It is as CaptainDerevaux said. The Belgians will be unable to hold the town. They mustretire upon the forts; and we had better retire before them. "

The boys descended from their position of vantage and made their way tothe nearest fort, which they were allowed to enter upon informing anofficer of their connection with the Belgian army, just as the Belgiantroops withdrew from their positions in front of the city and fell backupon the forts. 

Liège was left at the mercy of the Germans. 

For some minutes thereafter there was a lull, as when a great storm diesdown, only to begin again with greater fury. The enemy's left wing, whichwas nearest the fort in which the boys had taken refuge, could be seenforming for a charge, while from the fort a rain of lead continued tofall upon them. Although men were falling on every hand, the Germansformed without the least confusion. 

Then came the order for the charge. From five different points the enemyhurled itself forward upon the fort; nor did the hail of lead stop them. Closer and closer they approached, the five sections of cavalry drawingnearer together as they did so, so that when they were within strikingdistance they were almost in solid formation. In their rear the infantry, supported by field guns, already had formed for an advance. 

The Uhlans must be driven back at all hazards, and an order rang out fromthe Belgian commander. 

There sallied forth a body of Belgian cavalry and the few French thatremained of the French Lancers who had borne the brunt of the fighting inthe battle in which Hal and Chester had distinguished themselves. In thecenter of these Hal and Chester recognized Captain Derevaux, his swordflashing aloft. 

"He is a grand soldier!" whispered Hal to Chester softly. "A brave man, indeed. France may well be proud of him!"

"There can be none better, " answered Chester. "May he come through thebattle safely!"

Now the Belgians and French charged, and the fighting was hand-to-hand, while over the struggling horsemen the guns from the fort poured deathinto the ranks of the advancing German infantry. 

The cavalry of the two armies had met so close to the fort that, with aglass he picked up, Hal could distinguish the faces of the combatants. And again, so close was the fighting that the guns of the fort could notbe brought to bear on the German cavalry for fear of killing friend aswell as foe; but they continued to deal death to the infantry. 

Looking through his glass, Hal sought out the form of Captain Derevaux. Finally he espied him, right where the fighting was fiercest and mendropped fastest. 

Hither and thither rode the gallant young Frenchman, striking, thrusting, parrying, now raising his revolver for a snap shot, the whileurging his men on. 

"If he gets out alive it will be a miracle!" cried Hal, passing the glassto Chester. 

Chester put the glass to his eyes and looked toward the field of battle. 

"By Jove!" he muttered. "He is magnificent!"

At that moment the captain's horse went down, but, with a quick movementof his arm, guarding his head from a saber stroke, the young Frenchmanseized the bridle of a riderless animal, and with a single movement swunghimself to the back of his new charger. In another moment he was oncemore in the middle of the fighting, dealing out death on every hand. 

The Germans gave way, slowly at first, then faster; and at length theyturned and fled. As they did so, the guns from the fort poured a hail oflead into them, mowing them down as they retreated. The Belgian cavalryretired to the support of the fort. The German charge had failed!

And now messages filtered in from other parts of the field. TheBelgians had been successful all along the line, with the exception ofone point, which had permitted the Germans to enter the city of Liège. The losses of the Germans had been appalling; those of the Belgianscomparatively light. 

"Can the Belgians fight?" asked Hal, when the Germans had withdrawn. "Canthey fight? Well--"

His silence was more expressive than words. 

"It's too bad we were unable to take part in the battle, " declaredChester. "It certainly gives me a restless feeling to sit here and lookon while others are doing all the fighting. "

"It does make a fellow feel a little queer, " Hal replied. "But, supposingwe had been in that charge--where would we be now?"

Chester shrugged his shoulders. 

"Perhaps here, and then again--perhaps, some place else, " he answered. "Who knows?"

"Neither you nor I, surely, " replied Hal. "But think of the dead anddying on the field out there. War is a terrible thing!"

"It is, " declared Chester; "and the more I see of it the more I realizethat fact. But come. Let us see if we can find the captain. "

It was almost an hour later before they accidentally ran across him, andthe young Frenchman carried his arm in a sling. 

"It looks as though I am likely to be on the hospital list for a fewdays, " said the captain, smilingly. 

"It's a wonder to me your name is not on the death list, " repliedChester. 

"Indeed it is, " agreed Hal. "We watched you through a glass from thefort. Your action was magnificent. France can well be proud of you. Believe me, you will not remain a captain long. "

"As for that, " replied the young Frenchman, "I have just learned that Ihave been recommended for promotion. "

The boys congratulated him, but he waved them aside laughingly. 

"It is no more than you would do for your own America, " he declared; "no, nor no more than you both did only the other day. Whatever I do, " headded softly, "I do for France!"

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE DEATH OF A HERO. 

For almost a week now the strong Liège fortresses had withstood thefierce bombardment of the great German guns. Attack after attack had beenbeaten back, with heavy losses to both sides. Time after time the Germancavalry had charged, only to be hurled back by the fierce and deadly fireof the Belgians. 

But the forts had not gone unscathed. The heavy German guns had donegreat damage to the fortifications behind which Hal and Chester had takenshelter, and the possibility was now being seriously considered as towhether the fort could withstand another assault. 

General Simon, the commander of the fort, had decided in his own mind toblow it up rather than surrender it to the enemy. Many prisoners hadbeen captured by the defenders, and these crowded the fort, occupyingevery inch of available space. And now the next assault of the Germanswas at hand. 

Day and night the bombardment of the fort had continued. Under theprotection of the heavy cannonading, the Germans moved once more to theattack. Three times did the enemy charge heroically, and as many timeswere they driven back, with fearful losses. With the fall of darknessthey had given up the attempt to take the fort by storm. 

But the Belgian commander knew that the Germans would come again on themorrow; and he also knew that he could not hold forth against them. Hemade his plans accordingly. 

Under cover of the darkness he had his prisoners marched to the nearestfort, more than a mile away. Then he ordered all civilians to the safetyof the other fortifications. 

His plans for keeping his fortifications from falling into the hands ofthe enemy already made, he set about fulfilling them. He examined themagazine and had everything in readiness. Then he ordered all his troopsto report to the general commanding the nearest fortress, placed a fuseto the magazine, lighted it, and sat down to wait. 

Hal and Chester, strolling about the fort, in some unaccountable mannerhad been left behind. Suddenly, for the first time, they noted the utterdesolation of the place. 

"Strange, " muttered Hal. "Where has everyone gone?"

"You've got me, " declared Chester, "but there must be someone around someplace. Let's go up to the general's quarters. "

Now, when the soldiers and civilians had been ordered to leave the fort, no one knew it was General Simon's intention of blowing it up. Theythought he was abandoning it because he believed it no longer capable ofresistance. But the commander had planned more deeply and heroically. Hedid not intend the fort to fall into the hands of the enemy, that theymight repair it and turn its guns against his countrymen. 

"A German flag shall never wave over this fort, " he had mutteredto himself. 

The general was sitting calmly at his desk, awaiting the end, when thelads entered his room. He sprang to his feet with an exclamation. 

"Leave the fort instantly!" he commanded. "Waste a moment and you are asgood as dead!"

Hal and Chester stared at him in surprise. 

"I have fired the magazine, and the fort will be blown to pieces in a fewminutes, " said the general hastily. "Fly for your lives!"

"But you, general?" demanded Hal, quietly. 

"I? I shall die at my post! But go, instantly! You have not amoment to lose!"

"We shall go when you do, general!" said Chester. 

The old commander whipped a revolver from the table before him. Heleveled the weapon at Hal. 

"If you do not go immediately, I shall fire!" he threatened. 

Hal smiled. 

"The result would be no different than that of the explosion, " he saidquietly. "Come with us. We have still a chance of escape. "

The general lowered his pistol. 

"You are right, " he said. "But here, " a sudden thought having come tohim. "I have still a message for the Belgian people. "

He sat down and wrote rapidly. Rising, he handed Hal a paper. 

"See that this reaches the commander of Fort No. 5!" he ordered. "Youhave my command! See that it is carried out! Go!"

"That is simply a ruse to get rid of us, general, " said Chester. 

The general whirled upon him. 

"I am still the commander of this fort!" he cried. "Obey my command!"

The boys saluted the gallant old general for the last time; then theyturned on their heels and left him, alone. 

Once out of his room, they ran for the outer wall of the fortificationwith all speed; and they did not pause until they were far beyond thefort. Still there was no explosion. 

"Perhaps when General Simon finds something has gone wrong, he willfollow us, " said Hal hopefully. 

"He is a brave old man, " replied Chester. "Let us hope he thinks betterof his decision while there is yet time. "

But, hardly had the words left his mouth, when there was a terrificroar, followed by a great flash of light. Turning, the boys saw thefort leap into the air as though it were some live thing. High in theair it burst and spread like a huge skyrocket; and then for milesaround there descended pieces of iron, great lumps of steel, like rainfrom the heavens. 

Great pieces of these fell on all sides of the boys, but, as though by amiracle, they were unharmed. 

Hal lifted his cap from his head, and looked for a long time toward thespot where the great fort had stood. 

"A brave soldier and a gallant gentleman!" he said finally. "May he restin peace!"

"Aye!" replied Chester softly. "He has given his life for his country!"

Slowly the boys resumed their walk to the other fortress. Greatexcitement prevailed. The appalling loss of the great fort, and theunaccountable absence of General Simon were causing great anxiety andspeculation. The general belief was that the fort had been destroyed by aGerman shell. 

In Fort No. 5 the boys made their way at once to the quarters of thecommander. They were admitted into his presence almost immediately. Silently Hal handed him the last words written by the heroic general. Gravely the commander glanced over the paper; then read aloud to themembers of his staff, who surrounded him:

"I regret I have but one life to give for my country!"

Every officer in the room rose and bared his head. There was silence forsome minutes; then the commander of the fort said quietly:

"Peace be with him! On the next roll call he shall be marked: 'Absent butaccounted for. ' He is with the heroes!"

CHAPTER XX. 

A RACE FOR LIFE. 

Hal and Chester walked slowly along the road. It was just beginning togrow light and the lads were tired out. All night they had been on theirjourney toward Louvain, carrying a second communication to General Givetfrom the Belgian commander at Liège. 

Unlike their previous trip, the country now was known to be overrun byGermans, and their second mission was much more perilous than had beentheir first. For this reason they had taken a different route, and so didnot pass the farmhouse where Chester had been wounded some days before. 

"What is that ahead?" asked Chester suddenly. 

Hal strained his eyes, peering into the distance. 

"I don't know, " he replied. 

They continued their advance, and suddenly Chester exclaimed:

"Why, it looks like an old-time provision wagon. "

"So it is, " replied Hal; "I wonder what it can be doing here?"

As the boys drew nearer they perceived their surmise had been correct. Adilapidated old wagon it was, standing beside the road. To it werehitched two mules. There was not a soul about. 

"I thought these things had gone out of date, " said Hal, indicating thewagon. "It looks like an old prairie schooner. "

"It certainly does, " answered Chester. "The only reason I can account forsuch a relic being in use is that every available vehicle has beenimpressed into service. "

"I suppose that is the reason, but it certainly reminds me of the wildand woolly days we have read about in America. If this is not aregulation prairie schooner, I never saw one. "

And indeed it seemed that the lads were right. The wagon was coveredwith a canvas top, which came down over the back, leaving a littleopening in the rear. 

"What is the reason we can't get in this thing and ride?" asked Chester. 

"I can see none, " was Hal's reply. "We might as well do it. Then, too, wecan make better time. "

Accordingly the lads climbed in, and soon were riding slowly along theroad. When about five or six miles from Louvain, Hal, glancing behind, saw three horsemen approaching. 

He grabbed Chester by the arm. 

"Look there!" he said, pointing. 

"Germans, by George!" exclaimed Chester, who was driving, and heimmediately started the mules on a dead run. 

"Hold on, " said Hal; "maybe they are Belgians. "

"No, no, " replied Chester. "I know they are Germans!"

"Well, " replied Hal, "I am going to see, " and, stepping out on thefootboard and holding to the side of the wagon, he looked back over thetop of the wagon. The horsemen were closer now, and Hal could make outtheir uniforms. 

"They are Germans, aren't they?" asked Chester. 

"Yes, " replied Hal, "and they are coming like the wind!"

"Well, " said Chester, "maybe we can get away. You do what fighting isnecessary, and I'll do the driving. "

"All right, " said Hal. Crawling back in the wagon, he drew his tworevolvers, and in response to his command, Chester turned his two pistolsover to him also. 

Hal had hardly reached his place at the back of the wagon when Chester, between yells to the mules, cried out:

"How far off are they now, Hal?"

Hal answered him as well as he could, and Chester renewed his lashing ofthe mules and his yelling. 

Once more Chester inquired the distance between pursued and pursuing, but, before Hal could answer, two shots were fired from behind, accompanied by a shouted command to halt. The bullets from the riflespassed through the wagon between the two lads, but did no damage; andalmost instantly the Germans charged down on them. Three shots rang outas they passed the wagon, but the boys were not touched. 

The Germans passed on, and then, circling back, prepared for anothercharge. Hal had fired at them several times, but, owing to the bumping ofthe wagon, his shots had not found a mark. But, if the bumping of thewagon had spoiled his aim, it had probably saved the lads' lives, for itmade accurate shooting by the Germans impossible. 

Down came the Germans again, shooting as they passed by. And again theboys were unharmed. Hal and Chester were now yelling at the top of theirvoices--why, they never knew. 

Hal, crawling to the back end of the wagon and, looking out, saw theGermans ready to charge down on them again. One man, however, was joggingalong close behind the wagon, his revolver held in his hand. 

As Hal looked out, the German stopped his horse and fired. Hal dodgedback sideways. The bullet whizzed through the hole in the canvas in therear, grazed Hal's head, and struck the back of the seat near Chester. Chester did not even turn, but, with cries and blows, continued to urgethe mules on. 

As quick as he could, Hal rushed to the hole and fired at his opponent, but failed to hit him. At the same instant another bullet came throughthe side of the wagon, and struck his revolver, and the weapon fell tothe road. Hal dodged back inside. 

Then the Germans bore down on them again, firing into the wagon as theypassed it. Hal sprang to the front of the wagon. One German had stoppedand was taking aim at Chester. Hal raised his revolver, and, taking asnap shot, fired. The bullet went true, and the German fell to the road. 

"I've hit one of them, Chester!" called Hal. 

"Bully for you!" came back the response, and Chester continued to ply hiswhip on the backs of the galloping mules. 

Once more the remaining two Germans turned and came back, but this timethey did not fire as they passed the wagon. Hal rushed back to the rearof the wagon and looked out. .. . One German rode close behind and to theright of the wagon. 

Bracing himself, Hal quickly stuck his revolver through the hole, butbefore he could fire, the German flopped over on one side of his horse, and all that could be seen of him was his arm around the animal's neck, and from the knee down, one leg. 

Hal did not fire, but waited for him to come up--he could almost hit thehorse's head with his hand, so closely was he running. Suddenly he sawhis enemy's hand move, and he dodged back just in time. A bullet spedpast his head. 

Up came the German, and Hal stuck his revolver through the hole, and, without taking aim, fired. The ball struck the German in the breast, and, with a cry, he threw up his hands, and toppled from his horse. 

"I got another one, Chester!" cried Hal. 

"Good!" came the reply, but Chester was too busy to say more. 

The bullet with which Hal had disposed of the second German had been hislast, and the boys were now without firearms. 

Along they bowled, and once more the last German passed the wagon. He hadlearned the boys were without weapons. But the German now had alsodisposed of his last cartridge, so the lads were on even terms. 

Suddenly Chester called:

"He is crowding the mules off the road!"

It was true. The pursuer was riding close to the mules, trying to pushthem from the road. The animal on the near side was jumping franticallyand gradually pushing the other mule toward the edge of the road. 

The German kept close to the mule, in spite of several attempts Hal madeto scare him off by pointing his empty revolver at him. The Germanrefused to scare. 

Grasping the side of the wagon, Hal took the revolver by the barrel andhurled it at the German. The latter tried to dodge, but it was too late. The revolver struck him in the face, and he fell to the ground. 

He was up in a moment, however, and, picking up his sword, was soon inthe saddle again; and a moment later the mules again were being crowdedoff the road. 

The German was within striking distance, but Hal had nothing with whichto hit him. His other empty revolvers had already been thrown. 

"Hit him with the whip!" he cried to Chester. "Hit him with the whip!"

Chester, suiting the action to the word, simply diverted one of the blowsintended for the mules, and struck the German fair across the face. 

The whip had a knot on the end of it, to keep it from unraveling, andthis knot hit the German in the eye. The German dropped his sword, puthis hands to his face, and rubbed his eyes; then, putting spurs to hishorse, he made off rapidly over the road which they had come. 

The boys now caught the first glimpse of the town of Louvain, and theglad sight of Belgian troops could be discerned--the outpostsguarding the town. 

Chester let the mules slow down. 

"That was some ride, " he declared. 

"You bet, " was Hal's answer. "I thought we were gone that time, sure. "

"Well, let's get out and walk the rest of the way, " said Chester. "I havehad enough of this riding to last me a lifetime. The wagon jolted so muchI must be black and blue all over. "

Chester stopped the mules, and the boys climbed to the ground; and, justas they started to resume their walk, Hal sank suddenly to the ground!

CHAPTER XXI. 

THROUGH WALLS OF FIRE. 

Quickly Chester bent over his friend. 

"Hal! Hal!" he cried in alarm, shaking him gently. "Tell me where youare hurt!"

He laid his friend's body back gently; then for the first time he noticedthat blood flowed from a wound in Hal's side. 

In vain did Chester try to bring his chum back to consciousness. The boylay like one dead. Finally, seeing that his efforts to revive hiscompanion were useless, Chester picked him up in his arms, and in thismanner started for the town. 

By pure grit Chester succeeded in carrying his burden to the Belgianoutposts, where he turned him over to a Red Cross surgeon. 

"Is he badly hurt?" the boy demanded, as the surgeon arose from examininghis chum's wound. "Will he live?"

"It is dangerous, " was the reply. "But I think he will come around allright presently. But he has had a narrow escape. One inch higher up andthe bullet would have pierced his heart. He must be taken to thehospital. He must have proper attention. "

Leaving his chum in good hands, Chester made his way to General Givet'stent, where he gave him the message the boys had gone through so much todeliver safely. Then he went to the hospital. He was permitted to see hisfriend at once. 

Deathly pale, but with a smile on his face, Hal greeted his friend. Chester sprang forward and grasped his hand. 

"Are you all right, old fellow?" he asked eagerly. 

"Fit as a fiddle, " was the faint reply. 

"Why didn't you tell me you were wounded?"

"To tell the truth, I didn't know it myself until just as I stepped fromthe wagon. I can't remember when the bullet hit me, but I suppose it waswhen the Germans fired through the side of the wagon. But it was weak ofme to give way as I did. "

"Weak! Great Scott! Even the surgeon is unable to see how you held out aslong as you did. You have had a mighty narrow escape, I can tell you!"

"I guess I have, " replied Hal feebly. "But anyhow it's an escape. Did youdeliver the letter to General Givet?"

"Yes. "

At this juncture, a nurse approached. 

"You must go now, " she told Chester. "Your friend must have perfect quietfor the remainder of the day. "

"All right, " replied Chester, and then turning to Hal:

"Well, good-by, old man. I'll be here the first thing in the morning. "

"Good-by, " replied Hal. "Now, don't you worry about me. I shall beall right. "

Chester made his way from the hospital. 

"By George!" he muttered, as he walked down the street. "I wish it hadbeen me that was wounded instead of good old Hal. It's certainly tough onhim, but he sure does bear up bravely. "

As Chester continued down the street, he was brought to a sudden halt bythe sound of firing from the outskirts of the city; and a moment later amounted officer dashed through the street, shouting:

"The Germans! The Germans are approaching!"

People along the street took up the cry and the air was filled with thesound of startled voices:

"The Germans! The Germans!"

Dashing squadrons of cavalry swept through the streets on their way tothe front; people jumped out of the way as the artillery was hurried by;and then came columns upon columns of infantry on a quick run. 

It was plainly evident that an attack by the Germans had not beenanticipated; but now that the enemy was close at hand, everythingpossible was being done for the defense of the city. 

Chester hurried in the wake of the troops, and, as he did so, the firstscreaming shell burst over his head. He was hurled to the ground, butescaped injury. The crowds that had thronged the streets a moment beforevanished as if by magic. 

The flying shells now screamed incessantly overhead. From the frontcame the deafening roar of many guns, and the crash of thousandsupon thousands of rifles. Suddenly the screams of many voices rose, as a building, not far from where Chester stood, was blown into amillion pieces. 

For a moment Chester was awe-stricken and stood still. 

"This is terrible!" he muttered to himself. "Terrible!"

He was struck by a sudden thought. 

"Suppose one of those shells should strike the hospital?" he said tohimself. "What would happen then? What would happen to Hal?"

Turning, he hurried back in the direction from which he had come. Was ita premonition, or what?

As he turned the corner and the hospital came into view, a horrible scenemet his eyes. 

The hospital was afire! A brilliant flame shot high into the air, and thesmoke poured forth in a dense volume. Even from where he stood Chestercould see that one wall of the hospital had fallen. It had crumbled underthe shock of a German shell. 

Chester dashed forward; nor did he pause or falter at the thought ofthe dangers he would encounter in the burning building, but ranrapidly up the steps and plunged into the dense cloud of smoke and thesheet of flame. 

His sense of direction stood him in good stead now. Almost stifled, hishands and face scorched by the intense heat, he ran up the stairs. At thetop, where the air was somewhat clearer, he paused for a moment forbreath, then dashed for the room where he knew Hal lay. 

Hal was sitting on the edge of the bed when Chester burst into the room. He had noted the first signs of smoke, and had attempted to rise, but theeffort was beyond him. There was not another soul in the room. 

He looked up as Chester rushed in. 

"I am afraid I can't make it, " he said, in a faint voice. 

"We have got to make it, " replied Chester quickly. "Can you walk at all?"

Hal shook his head. 

"I tried to, " he said, "but I can hardly stand on my feet. "

"Put your arm about my shoulder!" commanded Chester. 

"It's no use, " said Hal. "You can't possibly carry me out, and we shallboth perish. Save yourself while you have time!"

"No more talk like that, " commanded Chester, in a stern voice. "We go orstay together. "

"But we cannot do it, " replied Hal. "Alone you may make it; but with meyou are certain to perish. Go!"

"Will you do as I tell you peaceably, or must I use force?" demandedChester. "If you don't obey me, so help me, I will knock you cold andthen carry you out. Come, which shall it be?"

"Have your own way, then, " said Hal. 

Chester stooped over and Hal put his arm about his neck; then, liftinghim up in his arms, Chester staggered through the doorway, and to thestaircase. 

But, as he was about to put his foot on the first step, there was aterrible rumble and roar, and the steps crashed downward. The supportshad been burned away. 

By a mighty effort Chester regained his balance, and the two lads weresaved from death in the smoking ruins below by a hair's breadth. Turning, Chester rushed toward a window and looked out. It was a long drop to theground below, and he saw no help in sight. 

"I told you it was no use, " said Hal. "Let me go, and save yourself!"

Chester did not reply, but laid his chum gently on the floor. Then hedashed into the next room, returning in a moment with several sheets. 

Quickly he tore these into strips and tied them together. Then heapproached Hal and tied one end under his arms. 

"We will get out yet, " he said quietly, and assisted Hal to the window. 

"Put no more strain upon your wound than necessary, " he instructedHal. "Hold to the sheets with your hands, and it will relieve some ofthe strain. "

So saying, Chester lifted Hal to the window sill, and gently lowered himover the edge. With his feet braced against the wall, he paid out theimprovised rope slowly. 

Now the flames burst into the room in which Chester stood, but it did nothasten the lad in his desperate work. Slowly he let the sheets slipthrough his hands, that Hal's wound might not be opened afresh by anysudden jerks; and presently the slack of the rope told him that his chumhad reached the ground. At the same moment he heard Hal's voice:

"All right! Pull up the rope!"

Rapidly now Chester set about saving himself. The room was a seethingmass of flames, which burned him terribly. Tying one end of hisimprovised rope to a bedpost, Chester leaped to the window sill, andbegan his descent. 

So fierce were the flames that the sheets lasted but a second; but, inthat time Chester had slid halfway to the ground. Then the rope broke andhe fell with a crash. He picked himself up immediately, however, and, turning to Hal, said swiftly:

"Quick! We must get away from here at once. The building is likely tofall at any moment and we shall be buried beneath it. "

He stooped down. 

"Put your arms around my neck again!" he commanded. 

Hal obeyed, this time without question. 

Raising up with Hal in his arms, Chester staggered forward at a run, andit was well that he did so. 

For at the moment he had reached a place of safety, the great buildingcaved in with a deafening crash. There was a roar like the roar of athousand guns, and, a moment later, on the spot where the hospital hadstood there was only a mass of smoking and blazing débris. 

More slowly, now, Chester continued on his way. Before him he could stillhear the thundering of many cannons as the battle progressed, but he kepthis face turned in that direction. 

In spite of the heavy burden in his arms, he made good progress; nor didthe bursting of an occasional shell nearby deter him, nor turn him fromhis course. As he staggered along he passed many tumbled-down buildingsthat gave evidence of the accuracy of the fire of the German gunners; andin some places the bodies of non-combatants littered the streets. 

Straight toward the front went Chester, his face set in grimdetermination. He realized that in that direction lay whatever chancethere was of safety; for even now his keen ears detected the sound offiring from the rear, as the Germans made their attack from thatdirection. 

But, even as Chester neared the outskirts of the city a great cheer rangout from in front, and the sound of firing grew less distinct. Presentlytroops began to come toward them. Victorious in front, they were nowhurrying through the city to drive off the enemy attacking from theother side. 

Chester stopped and laid Hal down in a doorway. There the two ladsremained in silence for some time. Soon the sound of firing from theother directions grew more faint; then ceased altogether. 

Chester put Hal in the care of a pleasant-faced Belgian woman, who cameto the door now that the battle was over, and went forth in search ofGeneral Givet. The latter was about ready to give himself up to amuch-needed rest, but permitted Chester to enter his hut. 

"General, " said Chester, passing over how he had saved Hal's life in thehospital fire, "my friend is badly wounded, and is in a bad way. It willbe long before he recovers. I have come to ask if there is not some wayin which he can be sent out of the country, at least until he hasentirely recovered. "

The general considered. 

"There is a party leaving for Brussels to-morrow, " he said finally. "Youboth may go with them. "

"But it is not necessary for me to go, " returned Chester. "I might be ofuse to you here. "

"Would you not like to be with your friend?" asked the general. 

"I would like nothing better, " replied Chester. 

"Then it shall be so, " said the general. "You are both brave lads. Ishall make the necessary arrangements myself. "

Chester was in the best of spirits as he made his way from the general'squarters and started down the street to where he had left his woundedchum. The lad was walking slowly along, when his arm was seized frombehind. Turning, Chester beheld the face of Edna Johnson. 

"Why, how do you do!" exclaimed Chester, raising his cap. "This certainlyis a surprise. What are you doing in Louvain? I thought you had decidedto remain at the farmhouse. But what is the matter?"

This last was called forth by the signs of distress and excitementplainly visible on the girl's face, which Chester, in his pleasure atseeing her again, had not perceived at first. 

"I am staying here with a friend, " the girl explained rapidly. "My uncleordered me to leave the farmhouse and come here. I am indeed fortunate tohave encountered you. "

"Why?" demanded Chester. 

"Listen, " said the girl. And, taking Chester by the arm, she bent closeto him and whispered:

"In my friend's home there are two men, presumably civilians. But I knowbetter. I heard them plotting. They are going to send word to the Germancommander, telling him the exact position of the Belgian troops, the weakspots in the defense, and all other details. "

"What!" exclaimed Chester. "Spies right here in the midst of theBelgian army?"

"Yes, " replied the girl. "I overheard them talking in the room next tomine. I didn't stop to hear any more. I ran out of the house, and was onmy way to the general, when I saw you. Then I thought I had better tellyou what I had learned. "

"And I am glad you told me!" said Chester. "Come, lead me to the houseand I shall try and gather fuller details before reporting to thegeneral. It may be that there are other spies in the city, and that, bylistening, I can learn something concerning them. "

Chester for the moment put aside all thoughts of Hal. He considered ithis first duty to serve the country for which he had already gone throughso much. Hal was in good hands. So, walking slowly, Chester and Edna madetheir way to the house where the girl was living. 

"I am not particularly fond of playing eavesdropper, " Chester told thegirl, as he stealthily followed her up the stairs; "but it is all in theline of duty, so I guess it is up to me. "

From Miss Johnson's room could be heard the subdued sounds of voices inthe next room. 

"Rather unthoughtful of them to discuss such business in such a place, tosay the least, " remarked Chester. "Apparently they forget that even thewalls have ears. "

The lad laid his ear to the door between the two rooms. Edna stood closebehind him, and the two listened eagerly. 

"Well, then it is all settled, " came a low voice from the room beyond. "You report to the chief immediately. I'll remain here an hour, so thatwe shall not arouse suspicion by going together. But tell the chief Ishall be on hand in time. "

"Good!" came the reply. "I suppose all other details have been attendedto and that the thing will be pulled off smoothly. To-morrow night shouldsee the end of Louvain. "

Chester straightened up. 

"I must get out of the house before he does, " he told the girl. "I mustfollow him. "

"But won't you be in danger?" protested Edna. "Why not report to thegeneral at once?"

"No, " the lad declared. "I must at least find the rendezvous. "

Quickly he slipped from the room, and stepped outside the front door justas a door on the upper floor slammed to. 

Chester walked slowly down the street, whistling. 

"I hope he comes this way, " he told himself. "Otherwise, I shall have todo some fast walking. "

Fortune favored the boy. As he walked slowly along, a man brushed swiftlypast him. Taking care to avoid all pretense of pursuit, Chester followed. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

CHESTER DISCOVERS A PLOT. 

For half an hour the lad stalked his prey through the streets of thecity, winding about here and there until Chester had absolutely lost hissense of direction. Several times the man turned round and glancedfurtively about, but apparently he took no notice of his shadow. 

Finally he turned into a crooked little street near the outskirts of thecity. Chester also turned the corner, just in time to see the mandescend a pair of steps into the basement of what was apparently anunoccupied house. 

The lad hurried up and arrived in time to hear the man give a peculiarknock at the door--one loud tap, followed by three soft taps, thenanother loud one. 

Chester walked back around the corner, where he stopped to think. 

"If only I could get in there, " he said to himself. "I wonder--"

He stopped, struck by a sudden idea. 

"By Jove! I believe it can be done, " he said. 

He continued to pace up and down, apparently deep in thought. Occasionally he stopped to look in the direction from which he hadfollowed his prey to the rendezvous. 

After nearly an hour the lad, after a glance down the street, slippedquietly into a doorway. Apparently the thing for which he had beenwaiting was about to come to pass. 

Footsteps sounded on the street, coming closer. Save for the one lonepedestrian, the street was deserted. The footsteps approached closer, andChester gathered himself for a spring. As the man came abreast of thedoorway in which the lad was hiding, Chester hurled himself upon him. With one hand the lad clutched his victim about the throat, and with theother he struck out heavily. There was a stifled groan, and the man felllimp in the boy's arms. 

Glancing hurriedly about to see that there was no one in sight--nowitness to his deed--Chester dragged the man into the doorway. Here hequickly discarded his own clothes, stripped the stranger of his outergarments and donned them himself. 

Then tearing his own clothes into strips, he bound his victim and gaggedhim, after which, now attired in his victim's clothes, he stood up andmade a search of the pockets. 

"If my surmise is correct, " he said to himself, "I shall be all right. "

The hand which was exploring the inside breast pocket came forth with alittle piece of cloth. 

"Good!" the lad exclaimed. "I thought as much. I didn't believe theywould take too many chances. A stranger might get in and betray them. "

For the little piece of cloth the lad had taken from the pocket of hisnewly acquired apparel was a black mask. 

"Now, " said the boy to himself, "to see if I cannot find out who I amsupposed to be. "

He continued the search of the pockets. Several pieces of paper and oneor two documents he glanced at hurriedly, and restored. Finally he drewout a paper that seemed to please him, for his face lighted up with asmile. He glanced at the slip of paper and read aloud:

"This is to certify that the bearer is an accredited agent of theOne King. "

At the bottom was a seal of peculiar design, but there was no signature. 

"Evidently, " said the lad, "members of this gang are not known to oneanother, at least all of them. They may spot me and they may not. However, I've got to take a chance. Nothing risked, nothing gained. "

The lad stepped quickly from his place of concealment and approachedwhere the man he had followed had turned in more than an hour before. Hedescended the steps into the basement and knocked upon the door--onceloudly, three times softly, and once loudly again. 

The door swung open before him, and a masked man peered out. Taking adeep breath, and feeling in his pocket to make sure that his revolver wasin readiness, the lad stepped inside. The door swung to behind him. 

Chester followed the man who had opened the door down a dark hallway, andinto a dimly lighted room. Masked as he was, the boy had little fear ofbeing discovered, but his hand rested on his automatic in his right-handcoat pocket. 

Inside the room Chester perceived a circle of dark faces, stretchingalmost around the room. At one side, facing the circle, was a raisedplatform, and on this sat a huge bulk of a man, masked, as were allthe others. 

They all rose as Chester entered the room, and without a word the boymade his way to the one vacant seat. The conspirators then resumed theirseats, and Chester sat down also, four chairs away from where the chiefhimself sat. 

"Number One, " called the chief, and the man nearest him on Chester's sidearose. "What have you to report?"

"Everything is ready, sir. As you know, I am on the staff of the Belgiancommander. With the information I shall impart to him at the proper timeto-morrow, the main force of Belgian troops will be withdrawn from thenorthern part of the city and the surprise will be complete. "

"You are sure? There is no chance of failure?"

"Not the slightest, sir. "

"Good!" said the chief, and the first man resumed his seat. 

"Number Two, " called the chief, and the second man arose. 

By his first words Chester recognized the man who had first spoken at thehome of Edna Johnson. 

"And what have you to report?" demanded the chief. 

"That word has been sent to attack at five o'clock, " was the reply. "I have received an answer, showing that my message was deliveredwithout mishap. "

"Good!" boomed the chief again. "That is all. "

Number Two resumed his seat. 

"Number Three!" called the chief. 

The man next to Chester rose to his feet. 

"Your report, " commanded the chief. 

"I have to report, sir, that the thousand men sent to me have allarrived. They came singly, and the last one arrived shortly before Icame here. They are all armed and are quartered in vacant houses onBrussels Street, at the southern extremity of the city. They areawaiting the word. "

The chief nodded, and the third man sat down. 

"Number Four!" called the chief. 

Chester rose to his feet, as had the others. 

"And you, sir?" demanded the chief. "Is your report satisfactory?"

Chester was thinking rapidly. He was in the most ticklish situation hehad ever faced, and he was fully aware of it. He knew now that there wasnot one chance in a thousand of his escaping detection. But the lad didnot falter, and his right hand grasped the handle of his automatic morefirmly, as he made reply:

"Entirely so, sir, " and then paused. 

"Well, well!" shouted the chief. "Explain!"

Chester drew a deep breath, and took a haphazard shot:

"My men are ready to seize the entire Belgian staff, at a moment'snotice, sir. "

The confusion that broke out immediately following his words told Chesterthat his shot had missed. But the boy stood his ground. There was nothingelse he could do. 

From the opposite side of the room came a cry:

"That was the work assigned to me. "

"That is not true, " was Chester's quick reply. "I was the man selectedfor that work. "

The man on the other side of the room made a spring toward Chester, buthe was arrested by the commanding voice of the chief, who now stood up tohis full height, a revolver barrel gleaming in his outstretched hand. 

"There is a traitor here, " said the chief calmly. "I shall be the one todecide who it is, for you are all known to me. Unmask!"

Every person in the room save Chester obeyed this command, and for thefraction of a second he stood alone, his face still covered. But he stoodfor a fraction of a second only. 

Then with a quick move his revolver leaped from his pocket, and there wasthe sound of a shot. The chief toppled over to the floor. 

Chester leaped to one side, and with a backward sweep of his left armknocked the single lamp from the wall and plunged the room into darkness. 

Then he dropped to his knees. And none too soon, for twenty pistolscracked and as many bullets went hurtling by the spot where he had stooda moment before. 

Ten feet behind Chester was a door. He had noticed it when he firstentered the room, and had decided that there lay whatever chance he hadfor safety should he be discovered. Quickly, and still stooping, he rantoward the door. 

And even as he reached it a match flared up and a bullet whistled by hisear. But the door was unlocked and gave before the boy's weight, and as, after passing safely through it, he turned to close it in the faces ofhis enemies, one man blocked him, his arm raised to fire. 

But Chester's revolver rang out first. The lad had fired from his hip, and the man went sprawling. 

The lad turned his weapon on the others who now rushed toward him, andfired three rapid shots. Then he slammed the door shut, bolted it with asingle movement, and, turning, ran along the dark passageway, at the endof which he could discern a dim light. 

Chester wiped his brow with his hand, and his hand came away wet. Holdingit close to his eyes as he ran, Chester saw blood. A bullet had struckhim a glancing blow on the side of the head, but in the excitement of themoment he had not realized that he was wounded. 

At the end of the passageway the lad emerged into another room. There wasnot a window in the room, and, glancing hurriedly about, Chester espied apair of stairs. Quickly he leaped up these, and came into what apparentlyat one time had been a kitchen. 

The boy's gaze roved hastily about for a means of exit. He tried thedoor, but it was locked. Twice he threw his whole weight against it, butit did not budge. He looked at the windows. For some reason, they wereheavily barred. 

Chester put the muzzle of his automatic to the keyhole of the door andfired. The lock was blown entirely away, and the door flew open beneaththe lad's weight. 

Not hesitating, the lad leaped through the next room and sped into thehall beyond. He could clearly see that his way now led to the front door, and he made for it at a run. He grasped the knob and gave a quick wrench, but the door would not open. 

He sought for the key to turn it, but there was no key. Evidently thefamily, upon going away, had barred it from the outside. From behind, theboy could hear the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, and he knewthat every moment's delay spelled disaster and almost certain death. 

He picked up a chair, and with a single blow shattered the glass front ofthe door. He drew the leg of the chair across the ragged pieces of glassleft at the bottom, and then, dropping the chair, drew himself up. 

Just as he was about to tumble out on the far side, four men dashed upthe steps with drawn revolvers. Chester took in the situation at aglance. He was between two fires, and escape was impossible. 

"Well, " he told himself quietly, "I guess it's all up with me this time. "

He dropped back inside and faced his pursuers. Throwing his now uselessrevolver to the floor, he raised both hands. 

"I surrender, " he said quietly. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

AT THE POINT OF DEATH. 

Two of Chester's pursuers approached him warily with leveled revolvers, apparently fearing a trick. Coming within striking distance, one of themdealt the lad a heavy blow with his fist. Chester fell to the floorwithout so much as a groan, unconscious. 

When the lad again opened his eyes he was once more in the councilchamber of the conspirators. In the dim light he could discern the maskedcircle of faces that had gazed at him when he had entered the room forthe first time. The only difference being that there was here and there avacant chair. 

Chester recovered consciousness fully alert to what was going on abouthim. He took in the situation at a glance, and a grim smile lighted uphis face as his eyes fell upon the vacant chairs. 

"Looks like I had done a fair job, at any rate, " he told himself. 

His gaze turned toward the chief's platform. The chief was there, but hishead was swathed in bandages. 

"Too bad I missed him!" Chester muttered. "He is evidently thering-leader, and to have downed him would have been the proper thing. "

Any further reflections the lad might have had were interrupted by thebooming voice of the chief, who now rose to his feet. 

"Prisoner, stand up!" he commanded. 

Chester arose from the chair in which he had been seated. His arms werebound behind him and his feet had been tied together; still he found thathe could stand. 

"Prisoner, " continued the chief, "your name!"

"Chester Crawford, " was the lad's firm reply. 

"And what are you doing in Belgium in these troublous days?"

"I am attached to the staff of the Belgian commander at Liège, " was theboy's prompt response. 

"But what are you doing in Louvain?"

"I came here with dispatches. "

"So? And yet you are not a Belgian, I take it; nor yet, French. What, then? An Englishman?"

"No; I am an American, " said Chester proudly. 

"An American! Then how comes it that you are fighting for the enemiesof Germany?"

"I am proud to be fighting for what I consider the right, " saidChester simply. 

"The right!" exclaimed the chief, in a loud voice. "Well, you shall soonsee that you would have been better off had you stayed on the other sideof the Atlantic. "

Chester did not reply. 

"Do you know what we are going to do with you?" continued the chief. 

"No, and I don't care, " was the lad's reply. 

"We are going to kill you, " said the chief calmly. "But first you willbe given a hearing. We do not put even our enemies to death without afair trial. "

Chester laughed mockingly. 

"A fair trial by such as you?" he exclaimed. "That is a joke. But goahead with the farce, and let's have it over with as soon as possible. "

The reply was a subdued growl. 

"Why are you here, in this room?" he demanded, at length. 

"To learn the details of a plot that would deliver Louvain into the handsof its enemies, " replied Chester calmly. 

"How did you learn our rendezvous?"

"By listening to the conversation of two of your members who were soindiscreet as not to remember that the walls of their room mighthave ears. "

"So? That shall be looked into. Such indiscretion is not to be tolerated. But how comes it that you were able to discover the knock of admittance;how comes it that you have a mask exactly like the rest of us?"

"You are asking a good many questions, " said Chester, "but as thisprobably is my finish, I don't mind telling you. I followed one of yourmembers here, and overheard him knock. Then I waylaid the other and tookhis mask, clothes, and credentials away from him. "

The chief looked at him in surprise. 

"And you a mere boy, " he exclaimed. "You are a bold lad and 'tis a pityyou have fallen into our hands. But that is enough. You admit, then, thatyou entered here to spy upon us?"

"Certainly, with the greatest of pleasure, " said Chester. "Why shouldn'tI admit it?"

"Enough!" cried the chief, and turned to his men. 

"You have heard the confession of the prisoner, " he said. "Number One, what is your verdict?"

"Guilty!" replied Number One, in a solemn voice. 

"Number Two?" called the chief. 

"Guilty!" was the reply. 

And so on all down the line. Each answer was the same. And when eachplotter had given his verdict, the chief addressed them all in aloud voice. 

"And the penalty?" he questioned. "What shall the penalty be?"

And each man answered as with one voice:

"Death!"

"Good!" said the chief. "So be it. "

He turned to Chester. 

"Prisoner, " he said, "you have heard the verdict. Have you anythingfurther to say?"

"Nothing, " said Chester quietly. "What's the use?"

"Then, " said the chief, turning to the rest of the conspirators, "youshall draw lots to determine the executioner. "

He opened a small box that was on the table, rose to his feet, and heldthe box out at arm's length. 

"You will come forward, one at a time, " he told his fellow-plotters, "andlet not one of you look at the ball you have drawn until each man hastaken a ball and returned to his seat. Number One!"

Number One stepped forward, reached in the box and extracted a ball, which he carefully concealed in his hand, and returned to his seat. Eachman stepped forward in turn, and then returned to his chair, with a ballin his hand. Then the chief spoke again. 

"Who has the red ball?" he demanded. 

Each man looked at the ball he had drawn, and then a voice at theopposite end of the room from Chester rang out:

"I have it!"

"Good!" exclaimed the chief once more. "Then the prisoner's fate shall beleft in your hands. You may dispose of him in whatever manner you desire. But"--and he raised a warning finger--"see that you make no slip. " Heturned to the rest of the conspirators. "The rest of you may go. "

Slowly the conspirators, at intervals of perhaps a minute each, filedfrom the room, and soon there was no one left save Chester, hisexecutioner, and the chief. 

"Remember, " said the chief to the one remaining conspirator, as heprepared to take his departure, "remember that a failure to carry out thecommand of the court-martial means your own death. "

"Have no fear, " replied the executioner. "He shall not escape. "

The chief nodded and left without another word. 

A moment the executioner stood, looking after the chief's retreatingfigure. Then he drew a revolver from his pocket and approached Chester. 

Chester's heart began to thump loudly, and, try as he would, he could notbut tremble. 

"This is the finish, all right, " he told himself. 

He closed his eyes and uttered a short prayer. 

A hand fell on his shoulder and shook him, The lad opened his eyes. Theexecutioner stood over him, revolver in hand. 

"You are an enemy of my country, " said the executioner, "and I shouldkill you. But I can't do it. You spared my life once, and it isimpossible that I kill you now. "

Chester's heart beat rapidly. Could it be that he was once again toescape death when he was sure that his last moment had come? But hereplied in a steady voice:

"I saved your life? Where? When?"

With a quick move the man lifted his mask from his face. 

"Do you remember now?" he demanded. 

The face was that of the man with whom Hal had fought in thefarmhouse--the home of Edna Johnson--some days before. Chester recognizedhim immediately as the German officer who had led his men to the attackin the farmhouse. 

But Chester had not spared the man's life. He had not even fought withhim. It was Hal who had refused to give the German his death-thrust whenthe latter was at his mercy. Chester thought quickly. 

"He has mistaken me for Hal, " he told himself, "and if he knew it hewould probably kill me at once. I must keep up the game. "

He replied to the German's question:

"Yes, I do remember you now. "

"Then you see why it is I cannot kill you, " said the German; "but neithercan I let you go free. For if I did you would consider it your duty toinform the Belgian commander of what you have learned and thus frustrateour plans. I don't know what to do with you. "

Chester made no reply, and the captain continued:

"I can think of but one thing, and that is to keep you with me until theGermans have taken Louvain, after which, in some manner, I shall see thatyou reach the Belgian lines safely. But we shall have to be very carefulas we leave here. The chief may have stationed a guard, and if he shouldlearn that I have not killed you, my own life would pay the forfeit. Butcome, we must act quickly. "

So saying, the German stooped over Chester and cut his bonds. The ladrose to his feet and stretched himself. For a moment he considered theadvisability of leaping upon his captor-friend, wrenching his revolverfrom him, and making his escape. But this plan he immediately put asideas unwise, for his captor still held the weapon ready, and the boy knewthat a single false move and the German would fire. Therefore, he did ashis captor bade him. 

The German raised his revolver in the air and fired a single shot. 

"If anyone remained to see whether the execution was carried out, thatwill probably convince him, " he said. "Now I will go out the door, and doyou follow in sixty seconds. I shall be watching, and if you try toescape I shall kill you. "

The German peered out through the door, and a moment later was on theoutside. For a moment Chester debated whether he should make a dash inthe other direction. A little reflection, however, and he decided he hadbetter not. His limbs were cramped from being tightly bound, and he knewthat should he not make his appearance as commanded by the German withinsixty seconds, the latter would come after him--and the latter was armedand Chester was not. 

Slowly he counted off the sixty seconds, and then stepped through thedoor. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

"OUT OF THE FRYING PAN--"

"This way, " came a low voice, as the lad reached the top of the steps. 

It was now after nightfall, and the street was very dark, but Chestercould dimly make out the form of the officer a few yards ahead of him. 

"Follow me, " came the voice again, "and remember that I have my gunready. Just so surely as you make a false move I will kill you. "

Chester made no reply, but followed his captor down the street. At thefirst corner the officer stopped and allowed Chester to come up with him. 

"I guess we can walk along together now, " he said, as they turned thecorner. "It is hardly likely that they suspect me. "

"I am sure I can never thank you enough, " said Chester fervently. 

"Never mind that, " said the German. "I don't want any thanks. But it is apoor gentleman who cannot return a favor. "

The two continued their way in silence. They came at length to a littlehouse, setting well back on a dimly lighted street, and here the Germanturned in, Chester accompanying him. The officer let himself into thehouse with a night key, and the two ascended the stairs, at the top ofwhich the officer led the lad into a small but comfortable room. 

"Just make yourself at home, " he told Chester, "It isn't much, but it'sthe best I can offer. Here you will have to stay till after to-morrownight, or at least until we have occupied the city. "

From a little cupboard the officer produced some sandwiches and twobottles of beer. 

"Help yourself, " he said. 

"Thanks, " said Chester. "I'll try one of the sandwiches, but I don'tbelieve I care for any of the beer. "

"What's the matter?" demanded his host. "Don't you drink beer?"

"No, " said Chester, "and I don't want to start now. "

"Suit yourself, " said the German, pouring himself a glass. "Have one ofthese sandwiches, anyhow. "

Chester ate hungrily, for it had been many hours since he had tastedfood. The light meal disposed of, the German lighted a cigarette, and thetwo leaned back for a talk. They discussed various topics for severalhours, and then the German said:

"Well, I guess it is time for me to turn in. You will bunk in thecorner there, " pointing, "and I'll sleep in the other corner. But firstI must tie you up. It wouldn't do to have you escape, you know, for inspite of the fact that I am your friend, I am first of all a servant ofthe Kaiser. "

He produced some rope, and soon Chester was once more bound securely, butnot uncomfortably. The lad lay down and closed his eyes, and a momentlater the German also turned in. 

Chester was in no mood for sleep. He had too much on his mind to think ofslumber. Several moments more and the deep regular breathing of theofficer gave evidence that he was sound asleep. 

Chester squirmed and twisted quietly in his bunk, trying to release hishands. Minute after minute he continued with untiring energy. A clocksomewhere in the house struck the hour of twelve, and still Chestersquirmed and twisted. 

As he turned this way and that, straining at his bonds, his left handsuddenly came free. Chester could hardly believe his own senses. A momentlater and he had released his feet. Cautiously he arose and peered intothe darkness. He could not see an inch before him. The room wasabsolutely black. 

But Chester's sense of direction stood him in good stead now. Slowly andcautiously he tip-toed toward the spot where he knew the door to be. Hisoutstretched hand touched the wood, and a moment later his exploringfingers found the knob. He found the key and turned it, then slowly andsilently turned the knob. 

The door swung open without even a creak and in a second more the lad wason the outside and the door was closed behind him. Stealthily hedescended the stairs, opened and went out the front door, closing itsoftly behind him. Then he darted down the street as fast as his legscould carry him. 

After rounding several corners, he finally slowed down to a walk. He feltnow that he was safe from pursuit, and he set about finding his way tothe headquarters of General Givet. He continued his walk for severalblocks, and then he was suddenly challenged by a sentry. 

The lad explained his mission, received the proper directions, and wassoon making all haste toward the general's quarters. Once more before thegeneral's hut, the lad informed the soldier standing guard that he mustsee the general immediately. 

"It is impossible, " was the reply. "The general is taking a much-neededrest. He gave orders that he must not be disturbed on any account. Buthere, " suddenly, "here comes Captain Bassil. He will see that anyinformation you may have reaches the general. "

Chester turned to greet the newcomer. He saluted as the latter came up tohim. As the officer drew close, he gave one startled look at the boy'sface, and then drew back with an exclamation. 

"You here?" he exclaimed. 

"Why, yes, sir, " replied the lad, "and I have important information. " Tohimself he added:

"Where have I heard that voice before?"

"What is your information?" demanded the officer harshly. 

Briefly and quietly Chester told him what he had learned. 

"Impossible!" was the officer's exclamation, when Chester had concludedhis recital. "It is my belief that you have come here to spy. " He turnedto the soldier. "Send Lieutenant Armand to me at once, " he said. 

The man saluted and disappeared. At the last words of the officer itsuddenly came to Chester where he had heard the voice before. Heapproached the officer and peered more closely into his face. 

"I wasn't sure, until I heard your last words, " he told him, "but I knowyou now. You are a German spy. "

"Hold your tongue, " said the officer harshly, "or I will shoot you downwhere you stand. "

At that moment another officer hurried up and saluted the captain. 

"You sent for me, sir?" he asked. 

"Yes; this boy is a German spy. I have positive proof. Have him shotat sunrise. "

"Very well, sir, " replied the lieutenant; then to Chester: "Come!"

"But--" began the lad. 

"No words, " said the lieutenant. "Forward--march!"

Chester saw it was no use to protest, so he marched ahead of thelieutenant without another word. He was taken to a small tent, thrust in, and a trooper ordered to mount guard over him. Wearily the lad threwhimself down, and, in spite of his predicament, was soon asleep. 

It was just beginning to grow light when he was rudely awakened bysomeone shaking him by the arm. Five minutes later and he was marchedfrom his tent between a file of soldiers. 

As he walked rapidly along between his captors, he suddenly espied anofficer approaching on horseback. Even from where he was, in the dimlight Chester recognized the horseman, and his spirits rose. It wasplainly apparent that the rider would pass within a few feet of him. 

A moment more, and he was close enough to the mounted officer to touchhis horse. Suddenly the lad sprang forward and cried:

"General Givet! General Givet!"

The mounted officer pulled up his horse sharply. At the same moment theofficer in charge of the squad sprang forward and grasped Chester roughlyby the arm. 

"Get back there!" he commanded sharply, but the boy paid no heed. 

"General Givet!" he called again, and laughed happily aloud as thegeneral turned his horse and came squarely up to him. 

"Why, by my soul!" exclaimed the Belgian commander after a sharp look atthe boy, "if it isn't young Crawford! What are you doing here?"

"They are going to shoot me as a spy, general, " said Chester. 

"What!" exclaimed the commander. "You a spy!"

He turned to the lieutenant in command of the squad. 

"By whose order, sir?" he demanded. 

"Captain Bassil's order, sir, " was the reply. 

"Captain Bassil, eh? Well, you will conduct your prisoner to my quarters. Then you will inform Captain Bassil that I desire his presenceimmediately. "

The lieutenant saluted, and the general rode off. 

Ten minutes later, in the general's quarters, Chester was face to facewith his accuser. 

"Well, sir, " said General Givet to Captain Bassil, "what was your reasonfor ordering this lad shot? You will please explain yourself at once. "

The captain shifted uneasily from one foot to another. 

"I was sure he was a spy, sir, " he made reply. "Why else should he bespooking about your tent at such an hour in the morning? But if I havemade a mistake--"

"You have, sir, " interrupted the general, "a very serious one--one thatwill require a more satisfactory explanation than the one you have justgiven. This lad"--and the general laid his hand on Chester'sshoulder--"already has proven himself invaluable to our cause. Had I notfortunately arrived in time, he would now be dead. And in that event itwould have fared badly with you. But I must investigate this casefarther. Captain Bassil, you will go immediately to your quarters andconsider yourself under arrest. "

As the captain saluted and turned to leave the tent, Chester, who hadbeen silent thus far, exclaimed:

"One moment, please, Captain Bassil, " and then turned to General Givet. "I will explain, sir, " he, added, "if you will have Captain Bassil remaina moment longer. "

The general nodded and Captain Bassil remained. Chester walked up to himand looked him steadily in the eye for several moments. Then he turned toGeneral Givet and said calmly:

"I accuse Captain Bassil, sir, of being a German spy!"

"What!" exclaimed the Belgian commander, starting back. "Do you realizewhat you are saying?"

"Perfectly, sir, and I am prepared to prove what I say. "

Captain Bassil smiled sneeringly. 

"I won't believe you will take any stock in such a wild story, sir, " hesaid to General Givet. "With your permission, I shall go to my ownquarters. "

"One moment, " said the general, raising a detaining hand, and then turnedto Chester. "Explain yourself, " he added shortly. 

In a few well-chosen words Chester recounted his experiences of theday before. 

"And I am positive, " he concluded, "that if you will have Captain Bassilsearched, you will find in his possession a paper similar to this, " andhe handed the commander the document he had taken from one of theconspirators before he entered their council chamber. 

The commander ran his eye over the paper hurriedly, and turned sternlytoward Captain Bassil. 

"What have you to say to this charge, sir?" he demanded. 

"That it is a lie!" shouted the accused officer. "He is accusing me tosave himself. "

The general looked at him in silence for some moments, apparentlyundecided as to how to act. 

"Well, " he said at length, "it will do no harm to find out. "

He stepped to the door of his tent and spoke to the sentinel on dutyjust outside:

"Ask Lieutenant Armand to step this way at once. "

As General Givet turned from giving this command, Captain Bassil suddenlyuttered a loud cry and leaped upon the commander. 

"At least you shall never live to thwart our plans!" he cried, ashe sprang. 

Taken completely off his guard, General Givet was hurled heavily to theground by the force of the traitor's spring. The commander's head struckthe ground with a crash, and he lay still. A revolver barrel gleamed inthe sunlight that filtered through the half-closed opening in the tent. But even as it was brought to bear Chester leaped forward. 

With one strong hand he seized the traitor by the wrist, and deflectedthe revolver just as the traitor's hand pressed the trigger, and thebullet whistled harmlessly through the top of the tent. 

The captain turned upon Chester with the fury of a madman, and so suddenand fierce was his attack that the lad was borne to the ground. But inspite of the fact that he was underneath, one hand still grasped the handin which the spy held the revolver; and, try as he would, the latter wasunable to break the boy's grip. 

His teeth bared in a snarl, the traitor suddenly released his grip on therevolver, drew back and drove his fist at the lad's face. But if CaptainBassil was quick, Chester was quick also. With a rapid movement, herolled over, the revolver still in his hand, and thus escaped theterrific blow aimed at him. 

But before he could rise or bring the revolver to bear, the traitor wasupon him again, and two hands seized him by the throat. In vain the ladtried to shake himself free, and he was slowly being choked intounconsciousness. 

But with a last desperate effort, he succeeded in bringing therevolver, which he still held firmly, between him and his enemy, andpressed the trigger. 

There was the sound of an explosion, and for a moment the grip on theboy's throat seemed to grow even tighter. But for a moment only, and thenthe hands relaxed, Chester heard a faint moan, and, drawing in greatgasps of fresh air, the boy fell into unconsciousness, just as the flapto the tent was jerked hurriedly aside and many men rushed in. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

THE END OF THE CONSPIRACY. 

When Chester opened his eyes to the world again he was propped up onGeneral Givet's own bed, and the Belgian commander and a Belgian surgeonwere leaning over him. 

"Awake at last, eh?" said General Givet, with a smile, as Chester openedhis lips to speak. "You had a narrow squeak, and no mistake. And to thinkthat a young lad like you should be the means of saving my life!"

"You have indeed rendered a great service to Belgium, " broke in thesurgeon. "But how do you feel?"

"A little weak, " replied Chester, with a faint smile. "But CaptainBassil? Where is the traitor?"

"Dead, " was the Belgian commander's laconic response. 

Chester shuddered involuntarily. 

"Never mind, " said the general; "it was his life or yours, and mine too, for that matter. "

"But it makes a fellow feel awfully queer, " said Chester. "In battle itwould have been different. But to shoot--"

He broke off and was silent. 

"And the conspiracy?" he asked, after a brief pause. "You have takensteps to catch the Germans in their own trap?"

"I have, " said the general grimly. "They will wish they had attempted totake Louvain in some other manner. Thinking us unprepared, they will betoo confident. If they fall into our trap--and I am positive theywill--they will be annihilated. "

Chester was struck with a sudden idea. 

"General, " he said, "why can't we round up all the conspirators that arein the city?"

"In what way?" asked the commander. 

Chester's reply was another question:

"Has your attempted assassination been kept a secret, or is itgenerally known?"

"It has been kept quiet, " was the general's reply. "Were it generallyknown our coup might fail. "

"Exactly as I thought, " said Chester. "Now I am almost positive that theconspirators will gather for one more session before the German advance, if only to make sure that nothing has gone amiss. We can surround thehouse and capture them red-handed. "

"An excellent idea!" exclaimed the general. "It shall be acted upon. I will give orders to that effect immediately, " and he turned toleave the tent. 

But before he should step outside, Chester jumped out of bed and ranafter him. 

"And how about me, sir?" he demanded. "Am I not to be allowed to takepart in the capture?"

"You!" exclaimed the general. "You are in no condition to move about. Youshall stay here in bed. "

"Please, general, " pleaded Chester. "This is my discovery; it should bemy capture, too. "

The general stood wrapped in thought for some moments. 

"So it should, " he said at length, "and so it shall be, if you feel equalto the task. "

"I am perfectly strong again, " said Chester eagerly. 

"So be it, then, " replied General Givet. "How many of the conspiratorsdid you say there are?"

"About twenty-five, I should judge. "

"Good! I shall place one hundred men at your disposal, and leave entirelyto you the manner in which you make the capture. "

Chester was jubilant. So great was his eagerness to be at his work thathe could hardly wait for his men to be selected. But at last everythingwas ready and it was time to start. 

A short distance from the rendezvous of the conspirators, Chester dividedhis men into four groups of twenty-five each, so that they could approachfrom all directions at once. 

With his men concealed from view, Chester bethought himself of the bestmanner to entice the conspirators out into the open. Finally he hitupon a plan. Calling three of his men, he walked with them to a spotdirectly in front of the conspirators' rendezvous. Here the fourstarted a heated argument. 

Suddenly there was the sound of a door opening, and a moment later thewell-known voice of the chief of the conspirators exclaimed:

"It is the spy! Come, men, we must capture him. Shoot down the soldiers!"

A moment later and the entire number of masked conspirators were inthe street. Then, at a signal from Chester, the Belgian troops sprangupon them. 

There was the sound of a pistol shot, followed by many more, and a bulletwhistled by Chester's ear. Two of the Belgian troopers fell, and severalothers groaned. It was plain that the conspirators, trapped as they were, would not give up without a fight. 

"Fire!" cried Chester, and a death-dealing volley was poured into thelittle knot of men huddled together in the street, surrounded byBelgian soldiers. 

The fighting became desperate. The conspirators were giving a goodaccount of themselves, and here and there Belgian soldiers were falling. 

Now the conspirators turned and made a dash toward their retreat. Butfive Belgian troopers sprang forward and barred the door, firing as theydid so. The ranks of the conspirators were considerably thinner now, andto continue the fight would mean slaughter. This fact the chiefrecognized. 

He hurled his revolver at his foes with a fierce imprecation, and thenraised his hands above his head. His followers did the same. 

"I surrender!" said the chief. 

Chester went up to him. 

"The tables are turned, I see, " the chief greeted him. "Well, a man can'tbe on top all the time. But I was a fool not to have stayed and seen youproperly shot. "

"I am glad you didn't, " was Chester's reply, "for I guess you would havemade a good job of it. But enough of this. I am commanded to take youbefore General Givet. "

Surrounded by Belgian troopers, the conspirators were marched to theheadquarters of the commanding general. There a court-martial was calledto sit at once. Its work was brief. The prisoners were ordered taken outand shot as spies and traitors to Belgium. 

Upon orders issued by General Givet, the Belgian troops soon began tomove in accordance with the plan by which the Belgian leader hoped totrap the Germans. Their movements were such as to lead the Germanoutposts to believe that they were retreating. 

But instead of weakening his line where the Germans had planned toattack, General Givet strengthened it heavily. The troops were ordered tofallback a short distance, so that the German leader might believe theforce in front of him had been sent to another part of the field to repelan attack that was believed imminent. 

But the expected fall of Louvain by this piece of treachery was to provea bitter disappointment to the German commander. Instead of the weakBelgian line he believed he was to encounter, he was sending his menagainst a force that had been heavily reinforced and that was determinedto wipe out the insult. 

As the Belgians gradually drew back, the Germans advanced, not tooswiftly, so as to indicate an attack in force, but gradually and slowly. But continually larger and still larger bodies of Germans were sentforward, until suddenly it was apparent to General Givet that the timefor the German surprise had come. 

But when it did come the Belgian commander was ready. As the Teutons cameforward in a headlong charge, the Belgians checked their backwardmovement and rushed forward. 

A terrific volley greeted the charging Germans, and from the ambush, intowhich the enemy had been lured, the artillery opened upon them. Theywavered slightly, but still they came on. But even as they sprang forwardonce more, the Belgian cavalry swooped down on them, dealing out death onevery hand. 

Stubbornly the Germans held their ground. Reinforcements were rushed totheir aid, and the battle became general all along the line. 

It was evident by this time that the German commander realizedsomething had gone wrong with his plans; but now that the attack hadbeen made he was not the man to give up without doing all in his powerto go ahead. Now the Germans broke and began to retreat. With a wildyell, squadron after squadron of Belgian horsemen charged down upon theretreating Teutons. 

Three times the German officers, bravely exposing themselves to theleaden hail of death, succeeded in checking their straggling troops, andthree times the Germans coolly reformed under a terrific artillery andrifle fire. 

But it was no use. For now the Belgians began a concerted advance allalong the line. The German charge had spent itself, and the Teutonsgradually drew off. 

But the retreat did not become a rout. The Germans fell back slowly, contesting every inch of the ground. The aim of the Belgian gunners andinfantrymen was excellent, and the havoc wrought in the German lines wasterrible. The field was strewn with dead, but over these the Belgiantroops pushed on, pressing their advantage to the utmost. 

Finally General Givet called a halt. The Germans were still retreating, but the Belgian commander did not feel that he could afford to pursuethem farther. The danger of a surprise was over, and he did not wish torisk another battle, particularly as he was unable to see the necessityof extending his own lines. 

Therefore, the Belgian troops fell back upon their line of defense andthe battle was over. 

Chester, upon the express command of General Givet, had not been allowedto take part in the battle. The Belgian commander had kept the lad closeto him, occasionally dispatching him to some near portion of the fieldwith some order. And now that the fighting was over, General Givetannounced that he would be pleased if Chester would dine with him. 

But his work over and all his duties properly attended to, Chesterbethought himself of his wounded chum. He was anxious to see Hal andrelate what had happened and to make sure that his friend was beingproperly taken care of. 

He reminded the general of the latter's promise to have Hal sent toBrussels, and received the commander's renewed assurances that he wouldnot forget. Then he set out for the place where he had left Hal. 

He stopped on the way, however, to see Edna Johnson, knowing that shewould be interested in what had occurred since he last saw her andlearning that but for her the Belgian army in Louvain might have suffereda terrible calamity. 

Chester did not linger long with Edna, however, after relating hisexperiences and a brief chat on other subjects, made his way to the housewhere he had left his wounded chum, to whom he gave a detailed account ofall that he had done, and of the arrangements he had made for theirreaching Brussels. 

"I would have been all right here, " protested Hal. 

"Maybe you would, " replied Chester, "but there is likely to be morefighting at any time, and you are in no condition to move about. You willbe better off in Brussels. "

"I guess you are right, " said Hal. 

"I know I am right. I understand there are no German troops between hereand Brussels, so there will be no danger on the way. "

Hal was silent for some moments, musing. 

"We have had some fun here, haven't we, Chester?" he asked at length. 

"We have, " was the reply. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. "

"Nor I, " returned Hal. "And, when I am well, we shall see more fighting. The war has just begun. "

Four days later Chester and Hal arrived in Brussels, where Chesterprocured the services of a good physician for his friend, who had stoodthe trip remarkably well, and the physician, after an examination, announced that Hal would be able to get about in a short time. 

"Quiet for a few days is all that is necessary, " he declared. 

And so Hal and Chester, comfortably housed in the Belgian capital, satdown to await the time when they could again give their services to theallied armies. 

And here properly ends the story of "The Boy Allies at Liège, " though notthe story of "The Boy Allies. " Their subsequent adventures in thegreatest war of all history will be found in a sequel, "The Boy Allies onthe Firing Line; or Twelve Days' Battle on the Marne. "