The Boy Allies On the Firing Line | Page 5

so much as moved in his sleep.
The little party was now at the last line of sleepers, and just as Hal,
believing they had accomplished their difficult task, drew a breath of
relief, a form suddenly appeared from the darkness before them. It was
a German sentry.
Before he could make an outcry Chester and Hal both leaped forward.
The former's hands grasped the German by the throat, stifling the sound
of his voice, and Hal quickly delivered two hard blows to the man's
face. The German fell limply into Chester's arms, and the boy laid him
quietly on the ground.
Then they moved forward again. The sounds of the scuffle had aroused
no one. But suddenly there was the sound of a fall behind. Turning his
head quickly, Hal perceived the cause of this commotion which caused
such a racket in the stillness of the night.
One of the English soldiers had tripped over the body of a sleeping
German and had fallen across him. He was up in a moment, but so was
the German, sleepily hurling imprecations at the disturber of his
slumber.
Before the German soldier was able to arouse himself, the Englishman
dealt him a heavy blow over the head with his rifle butt. But the noise
had brought another to the scene. There was the sharp crack of a rifle,
and the English soldier who had caused all the trouble pitched to the

ground. To the right Hal and Chester saw another sentry, a smoking
rifle in his hands.
At the sound of the shot the whole German camp sprang to life as if by
magic; and at the same instant Hal shouted:
"Run!"
At full speed the little party, only nine now, dashed forward. The other
man lay dead in the German camp. There was a hoarse German cry of
command, and a hail of bullets followed the fugitives into the woods.
No man fell, though two groaned, and one dropped his rifle. The
darkness made accurate shooting by the Germans impossible.
Not pausing to return the fire of the enemy, the fugitives stumbled on
through the woods. Another and another volley came from the pursuing
Germans, but they were firing at random now, and the fact that Hal and
Chester had led the way well to the right augured well for their chance
of safety.
But as the darkness made accurate shooting by the Germans impossible,
so it made speed by the fugitives impossible also. They stumbled along
as well as they could, now and then tripping over a fallen limb or
tumbling into a hole. Tired and almost exhausted, they at length
emerged into the open, and broke into a weary run.
"We have got to get under cover of some kind before they reach the
edge of the woods, or we are gone goslings," panted Hal.
Suddenly, in the darkness, they came upon another clump of trees, and
as they stumbled into their shelter another volley rang out. One man
groaned and stumbled. A comrade lent a supporting hand and dragged
him into the woods.
"We'll stop here a moment and pick off a few of 'em," said Hal grimly.
The Germans were now advancing across the open space. Lying upon
the ground, the nine opened fire. They aimed carefully and not a shot

was wasted, and so rapid was their fire that the Germans halted.
"They don't know how many of us there are," said Hal, "and they are
afraid to take a chance. One more volley, men, and then up and run for
it again."
A final volley was delivered with telling effect, and the English sprang
to their feet and darted through the woods. The Germans gave them a
parting shot, but there was no pursuit.
"That was pretty close," said Chester.
"It was, indeed," replied Hal, "and there is one more of our men gone.
"Was anyone wounded?" he asked, turning to the others.
"Shot in the shoulder, sir," replied a man named Brown.
"They got me in the arm," said another.
"Anyone else?" questioned Hal.
There was no reply, and Hal asked:
"Are you two men able to go on without assistance?"
"Yes," was the reply.
"Good! Then come on."
All night long the little party continued on their march, and it was not
until the first gray streak of dawn showed them, in the distance, the first
British line that the boys felt entirely safe.
Their report made, they were returning, later in the day, to their
quarters to seek a much needed rest, when a well known voice
exclaimed:
"Well, boys, how are you?"

The lads turned quickly about; then each gave a cry of delight and
grabbed the man who had accosted them by the hand.
"Captain Derevaux!" they exclaimed in a single voice.