Chester's passage through the German camp was considerably quicker than Hal had been able to proceed. Nearing the German outposts toward the north, however, he found it necessary to advance with greater caution.
Suddenly he came to a stop and threw himself flat on the ground. A short distance away he saw a faint light, cast by several lanterns, and he heard German voices.
"They're not all asleep here, at all events," the lad told himself. "I'll have to be careful."
He wormed his way toward the light and when he came close enough to ascertain what was going on, he gave an exclamation of pure alarm.
"Great Scott! They've nabbed Hal," he muttered.
Unmindful of danger now, he crept forward more swiftly and at last drew close enough to distinguish what was said.
"So you won't tell what you are doing here?" came a coarse voice in German.
"I will not," was the reply in a voice that Chester recognized as Hal's.
"Then I'll have to find a way to loosen your tongue," said the German voice. "Lieutenant Steinz, do your duty again."
Chester strained his eyes to see. He made out the form of a big man who stepped toward a figure that Chester made out as Hal. The man's arm drew back and flashed forth. Chester saw Hal stagger back, but the lad made no outcry.
Chester's blood boiled.
"So that's the kind of men we have to deal with, eh?" he muttered. "Well, I guess I'll have to take a hand in this game."
With Chester to think was to act. Nevertheless, he realized the need of caution if he were to extricate Hal from his present difficulty.
"I'll have to be pretty careful," he told himself; "otherwise, they'll snare me, too."
Chester's first impulse, of course, had been to dash forward, guns in hand, and wreak what damage he could among his enemies. He thought better of this, however, and continued to creep forward carefully and silently.
"If he hits you again," he said, speaking to Hal but muttering the words to himself, "it can't be helped; but we'll repay those blows with interest."
Hal, standing erect before his captors, did not flinch as Lieutenant Steinz drew back his arm for another blow. But his eyes flashed dangerously.
"You'll be sorry for this, my friends," he said quietly.
"Threats, eh?" sneered the German. "You're in no position to threaten, pig."
"Perhaps not," admitted Hal, "but just the same I am warning you."
There was something so menacing in the lad's voice, that for a moment the German hesitated; but for a moment only, then he drew back his arm and struck.
Once more Hal staggered under the blow, but he did not flinch.
The German raised his arm and would have struck again but for a sudden interruption.
When Chester saw the German strike Hal a second time, it was more than his blood could stand. He forgot, for the moment, his mission, that his first duty was to pass beyond the German camp. He threw caution to the winds.
With a wild cry he leaped to his feet and dashed forward, a revolver levelled in each hand.
Startled, the Germans turned to face their new foe. One look at Chester's angry features and they recoiled involuntarily.
At the same moment Chester fired—both weapons at once. Two of the enemy toppled over in their tracks.
Now Hal had a quick mind. At Chester's first cry he knew what was up and he grew instantly alert, ready to take advantage of the first opportunity that presented itself.
The opportunity was not long coming.
Lieutenant Steinz, turning to get a view of Chester, for a moment left Hal unguarded. In that instant Hal sprang. Both hands he locked about the German's throat, and squeezed with all his strength. In vain the Teuton squirmed, struck and kicked.
Suddenly Hal released his right hand and drove it into the man's face. At the same moment his left hand shot out and seized the German's revolver. Then he stepped quickly back, levelled the weapon and fired.
"Come on, Chester!" he shouted.
Chester needed no urging.
In a few quick strides he was at Hal's side.
"Let's get out of here," he cried. "It's getting too warm."
Together the lads dashed toward the trench.
A cry of alarm went up from the Germans behind.
"Shoot them!" cried a voice that Hal recognized as that of the German colonel.
"Zig-zag, Chester!" cried Hal, and suited the action to the word.
Chester followed his chum's example and the first volley from behind failed to find a mark.
By this time the lads were at the edge of the trench.
"Up and over with you, quick!" cried Chester.
Hal leaped to the top of the trench and toppled to the ground beyond even as half a score of bullets sang across the spot where his head had been a moment before.
Chester also sprang for the top of the trench. But he had leaped too soon, and instead of reaching the top he fell short, and dropped down inside the trench again.
Germans were almost upon him when he regained his feet.
Chester realized that a second leap was out of the question at the minute, so guns in hand he turned and faced his foes.
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"
His automatics spoke angrily and all four bullets found human targets.
Hal, meanwhile, safely over the trench, looked around for Chester. When he failed to see him he realized on the instant what had happened.
"What shall I do?" he asked himself. "Duty says to hurry to a place of safety, but friendship says help Chester."
He wasted little time in thought.
He scrambled back to the top of the earthen embankment and took in the sight about him.
There Chester stood at bay, his automatics held in steady hands. Hal drew his own weapons.
"Jump up here quick, Chester!" he called. "I'll cover you."
"Don't bother about me," Chester called back. "Get away from here. Remember you must get through. I'll hold 'em off."
"Don't be a fool," shouted Hal, discharging his revolver at a big German who was about to shoot Chester down with his rifle. "Come up here."
Chester paid no further heed to his chum.
Hal gritted his teeth, dropped one revolver in his pocket, and reaching down grasped Chester by the shoulder.
"Come on," he called.
Chester shook off his chum's hand.
"Let me alone." he shouted angrily. "I'll get a few of these boches before they down me."
His revolvers spoke as he talked, and two Germans dropped.
Meanwhile bullets were striking on all sides of the two lads, and it seemed a miracle that they were not touched.
Hal considered the situation in a flash.
"There's one chance," he said.
Deliberately he sheathed his other revolver, thus leaving himself unarmed in the face of his foes. Then, bracing himself as best he could on the embankment, he reached down and seized Chester by both shoulders.
Putting forth all his strength, Hal heaved mightily, and drew his chum to the top of the embankment with him. There he released him and drew his revolvers again.
Came a cry of rage from inside the trench as the Germans saw their prey about to escape. Two men dropped on their knees and sighted their rifles carefully.
But before they could fire Hal had accounted for one and Chester for the other.
Again a howl of rage went up from the German trench.
"Kill them! Kill them!" screamed the German colonel. "What a lot of dunderheads! Can't you shoot?"
He seized a revolver from a young officer close by and dashed forward himself.
Hal, in the act of tumbling from the embankment, smiled slightly and faced the colonel, unmindful of all other dangers.
"So you're the man responsible for those blows a moment ago, eh?" he muttered. "Well, you'll never do it again. Take that!"
He sighted carefully and fired.
The German colonel staggered in his onward rush, reeled crazily, threw up his arms, casting his revolver a dozen paces away, then fell to the ground.
"So much for you," Hal muttered. "You won't bully another American, I'll bet on that."
"Come on," said Chester, who had stuck close to his chum all the time. "It's too warm here. Let's move."
"Right. Suits me," said Hal quietly.
"Down we go, then," said Chester.
He rolled rather than leaped to the ground on the outside of the trench. Hal did likewise.
Both lads were slightly bruised by this method of descent, but they were not injured seriously. They scrambled to their feet.
"Now, let's see you run!" shouted Hal to Chester.
They ran.