The aide saluted and did as he was ordered. Four of the troopers who blocked 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, wheeled and 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 to his companions, as they left the machine.

"No," Hal whispered back, "but the others are likely to be along in a few 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 by their guards.

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

"Great Scott!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Chester. "We are in for it now!"

Exploring the front of the auto first, the soldier found nothing. Then he turned his attention to the back. He lifted up the rugs that had been thrown 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 beside him. "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 to the ground.

Chester stooped to pick it up. Rising suddenly, he came up under the guard of his nearest captor, and with his head b.u.t.ted him with all his force under the chin.

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

The suddenness of Chester's attack had not taken Hal by surprise. When Chester dropped his cap, Hal divined his purpose, and, as his friend b.u.t.ted his first victim, Hal acted. Turning upon his nearest guard, he seized the latter's rifle, at the same time delivering a well-directed kick at his enemy's shin. The man released his hold on the rifle, and, as he stooped unconsciously to rub his shin, the pain of which was almost unbearable, he met Hal's right fist, which, sent into his face with stunning force, knocked him cold.

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

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

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

"Shoot them!" shouted the officer, drawing his revolver and rushing to take 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 wrenched from him, and, before either the German officer or his man could fire, was in the thick of the melee. Lieutenant Anderson, having picked up a rifle dropped by one of the German soldiers, was already there, his weapon 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 turned upon the officer who was engaging Anderson.

Lieutenant Anderson and his opponent were still battling desperately for the possession of the latter's gun, and Captain Derevaux and the remaining German trooper were rolling about upon the ground, the captain's finger still pressed into his enemy's throat. Chester had gone to 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 combat with several well-directed and lightning-like blows to the face and jaw.

At that moment Captain Derevaux's opponent succeeded in shaking off the captain's grip, and, springing to his feet, leveled his rifle, which he s.n.a.t.c.hed from the ground as he arose, squarely at the young Frenchman.

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

And it was not a moment too soon. For, as the last German measured his length 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 and Captain Derevaux, he made a rush for the auto.

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

"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, who had climbed into the driver's seat, threw in the clutch, and the machine leaped forward.

At that moment a volley of shots rang out. The whizzing bullets again flew 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 as possible over the steering wheel.

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

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

"That's what I call great work, boys," declared the lieutenant, putting his hand on Hal's shoulder. "If it hadn't been for you, I guess the captain 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 prompt action of Chester in that encounter, France would have lost a captain of rifles."

Hal and Chester were embarra.s.sed by all this praise.

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

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

"h.e.l.lo," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the captain. "Our friend is getting better. Guess we had better see what we can do for him."

He raised the head of the wounded man to his lap, and wiped the blood stains from his face, while the lieutenant prepared a bandage. In a few minutes the chauffeur had recovered sufficiently to drink a little water and to eat several sandwiches the lieutenant produced from a small but well-filled hamper.