"And I hear cars and trucks," Allison added. "I'll bet the Germans have a repair depot or an a.s.sembly point down there."

"In that case the half mile between the settlement and the house will be filled with Germans," Tony said.

"One way to find out. Lead on," Stan ordered.

The little group moved slowly down the trail. After a couple of halts Arno paused and pulled the boys close to him.

"I think it best to leave the trail. Just a little way ahead it opens into a roadway. There we should certainly run into outposts."

"We better go on until we locate them," Stan said.

"If you think that is the best way," Arno agreed.

"I'll walk ahead with you," Stan said.

They moved along very slowly, stopping every few feet to listen. Finally they heard guttural voices in the darkness ahead. Halting, they listened. Allison moved forward a little to try to overhear what was said. Soon he came back.

"This is the outpost," he whispered. "Six men and two machine guns. They are about to change guards." He chuckled. "And they do not expect us."

"Can we move around them?" Stan asked.

"We could, but I think we should stay. An officer is coming out to inspect the guard. He's coming from Villa Sachetti." Stan could almost see Allison's sardonic smile. "Nice spot for a surprise party, eh?"

"Swell," Stan answered. "We'll take over the post. Allison can be the decoy to lure the officer in close. He speaks German."

"Good, very good," Arno said eagerly. "Will we use the short knives on them?"

"No shooting if we can help it. We'll shove in close and have a look."

Stan began moving down the pathway with Allison at his side. The party kept very close together so as to be able to give signals to each other without speaking.

After edging forward a short distance they were halted by a gruff laugh ahead. Getting down low they peered through the starlight and spotted the sentries. They were grouped close together, four seated, two standing. The two men standing up moved off, one to the left and one to the right. Stan got his crew into a close huddle.

"Allison and I will do our commando stuff on the two guards walking post. I take the one on the right, Allison the other. You boys stay right here. We'll be back soon." Stan spoke in a low whisper.

One of the seated Germans suddenly sprang to his feet. He stood looking into the night toward the party of raiders. Tony started to move forward. Stan pulled him back. The German walked up the pathway a few feet and halted, listening. The boys turned their faces away and remained perfectly still. After a minute or so the man went back and sat down. Stan gave Allison a signal and they moved off the pathway. They left their tommy-guns and carried only their pistols, knives, and short lengths of rope.

Stan moved silently along in a direction that would cut across the beat walked by the sentry. Soon he spotted his man moving at a slow walk along what appeared to be a pathway. Stan moved in and halted beside a bush. There he remained without moving a muscle. The sentry had reached the end of his beat and was turning back. Stan ducked his head to make sure no light was reflected from his face. Tensing his muscles he waited.

The sentry seemed to be enjoying the night. He sauntered along, his rifle slung carelessly over his shoulder. The barrel missed Stan's head by inches as the man brushed past the bushes where he stood.

Straightening, Stan leaned far forward, his arm shot out and encircled the man's neck. At the same time his knee came up through the bushes in a smashing blow. The expert application of Stan's arm and the blow in the spine knocked the German limp at once. He did not struggle and he could not cry out. Stan dragged him back into the bushes, hurriedly gagged and bound him.

Moving swiftly back to the pathway he came upon the boys. Allison was already back, kneeling with Tony and Arno.

"Fast work," Stan whispered softly.

"He was a rotten soldier," Allison answered. "He sat down and started removing one boot."

"We'll close in fast but without noise. I have a hunch we'll get a break. If two of the men should start out to check the men we disposed of, Allison and I will take them out. You boys take the other two. Make sure they don't get a chance to yell."

"They will not yell," Arno promised grimly.

The four raiders moved in on their hands and knees. They halted only a few yards from the four men. Here they waited. Finally one of the men got up and called. He listened, then challenged his sentries again. When there was no answer he caught up a rifle, snapped an order to one of the others, and headed off down the picket line.

Instantly Allison slithered away into the night. One of the others got to his feet grumbling loudly. He caught his rifle up and held it at ready as he moved off. Stan was after him at once.

Before Stan had overtaken the guard, having allowed him to get down the pathway a little distance, so as not to arouse the two left behind, he heard sounds of scuffling. Arno and Tony had not waited. They were in action.

Stan leaped in upon the guard just as the fellow whirled around. He knocked up the man's gun and closed with him. The German shouted once before Stan could get a strangle hold upon him, then he went down, struggling wildly. He was a burly fellow with powerful arms and thick legs. Stan was not sure that he could hold the headlock he had slid down into a strangle grip.

They flopped and thrashed around until Stan finally worked behind the German and put on more pressure. After that the fellow wilted in short order. Stan was binding and gagging him when Arno came running to help him.

"Did we act too quickly?" he asked in great excitement.

"A bit fast," Stan admitted, "but I have him now. He was a tough customer." Stan rolled the sentry into a clump of bushes and faced Arno.

"How did Tony make out?"

"Fine, very fine. Tony hates all Germans." Arno laughed quietly.

They moved back to the guard station and found Allison and Tony there.

One glance at the two sentries Arno and Tony had silenced told Stan they would not have to be bound or gagged. The boys had used their knives expertly.

"Now about the reception committee?" Allison queried softly.

"We need four helmets. I have one and there are two on the ground. Get one more," Stan ordered.

"I have it," Allison answered. "On my head."

Sure enough, Allison was wearing a German helmet. "You boys know what the Germans will do with us if they catch us wearing even one of their helmets?" Stan asked.

"The firing squad," Arno answered as he slipped one on his head.

"If the inspector's car has its lights on bright we'll have to get down.

Arno and I will be out on each side as though on beat. Allison will have to make up a challenge that will pa.s.s."

"I have their pa.s.sword," Allison answered. "Got it from the man who brought up word of the inspection. He gave it to get up to the post."

"The Germans are not so smart," Tony said. "They are fools to warn their soldiers of a coming inspection."

Allison laughed. "The man who came up was a pal of the squad. He was tipping them off."

"There's a car coming up the road," Stan warned. "Use your tommy-guns to cover them, but no shooting unless we have to fight it out."

He and Arno moved into the darkness, leaving Allison and Tony seated on the bench which had been used by the Germans.

"There ought to be four of us here," Tony said.

"I don't think that will make any difference," Allison said. "They'll think the others are out on the beat."

The car came up the gentle slope slowly. It did not have its bright lights on. The slit in the headlight hood gave only a meager amount of light and did not show more than ten feet ahead of the car. Allison moved several paces down the road and shouted an order in German.