By this time the body of the chauffeur had been pulled into the back of the 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 of range. We are safe enough now."

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

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

"Oh, I'll run it, all right; and I'll run it on the road, too," Hal answered 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 a scalp wound. He has lost a lot of blood, and is still unconscious, but I think he will come around all right presently."

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

The big car flashed through several small towns, and the dim lights in the homes looked like a string of brilliant spots, so swiftly did they go by. 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 the authorities 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 cannot afford to waste much time."

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

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

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

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

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

It was now nearly midnight, and, as Captain Derevaux suggested, it would be 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, when Hal 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 the unexpected."

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

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

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

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

CHAPTER IV.

IN DANGER STILL.

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

"Keep your wits and say nothing unless you have to," was the young lieutenant'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 American lads and the third is a Belgian gentleman. I am an Englishman. You will interfere with us at your peril."

"In times of war we interfere with whom we choose. A state of war exists in 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. You have no pa.s.sports, 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!"