"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," said Hal. "How do you figure to get there?"

"Automobile! We have arranged for a car to pick us up on the northern outskirts 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 able to 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 the excitement 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 two American boys would telegraph to their mother, or continue their journey alone. Lieutenant Anderson was bound direct for London, where he would join his regiment.

The officers had decided to make their attempt at escape by way of Denmark because, in all likelihood, the country between Berlin and Kolberg would be less closely guarded than any other part of the German Empire. Troops were being rushed to the French and Russian borders, and they realized it was practically impossible for them to journey in those directions without being captured. Also the southern route offered little hope of success.

The streets became more and more deserted as the four friends continued their walk toward the northern outskirts. They pa.s.sed several detachments of rapidly moving troops, but they were unchallenged.

Suddenly the young Englishman called a halt.

"The automobile is waiting at the next corner," he explained. "Just beyond is the northern limit of the city. Go quietly and we may not be molested."

Hal and Chester were greatly excited by this time, but they obeyed instructions as well as they could, and climbed into the big car that was waiting for them, without even being seen. The driver immediately started the 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 four friends were breathing a sigh of relief at having pa.s.sed the first danger safely, that a harsh voice rang out:

"Halt!"

Almost directly ahead stood a squad of armed men, their rifles leveled straight 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 pa.s.sports, please."

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

"You cannot pa.s.s here," said the officer. "Either return at once, or I shall be forced to place you under arrest."

There was no use arguing.

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

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

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

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

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

"Fire! Shoot the driver!"

One man only was in a position to obey. The others were forced to jump for 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 been almost 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 pull the trigger.

Then, at a second command from Lieutenant Anderson, he dropped beside his friends 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 heard overhead, and there was the sound of splintering wood, as others crashed into the rear of the auto, but the machine sped on.

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

Unmindful of the bullets flying about, Hal sprang to his feet and climbed into the front seat, where the chauffeur was making heroic efforts to keep the car steady, a stream of blood the while pouring from a wound in his head.

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

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

Bullets were still flying thick and fast, but the range was too great now for accurate shooting. Still, there was always the chance that one of the leaden messengers would hit Hal and end disastrously the career of the flying 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 while going at this terrific speed."

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

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

Once Hal lost his balance. Throwing out one hand, he grasped the side of the 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 sharp curve came into view.

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

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