The Boy Allies at Liege | Page 9

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 passports, 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!"
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!" ejaculated 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 butted 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