augh and the German officer called:

"Throw up your hands, boy, or you shall be shot!"

"Well," said Chester, "I've done all I can. I've warned you. Your blood
be upon your own heads."

With a sudden leap he disappeared among the trees. With a fierce cry, the
German officer made after him, firing as he did so.

At the same moment there was a crash as of a thousand rifles.
Germans fell from their saddles like chaff before a storm. Horses
reared, screamed, stampeded and fell down dead, crushing their
riders beneath them.

By this time Chester had returned to his men and took charge of the
rapid-fire gun himself. He turned it this way and that, sweeping the
roadway clear, where the foe was in range.

And from far behind the German line at this moment broke out the crack of
rifles. The French infantry had advanced in pursuit of the Germans, a
squadron of cavalry showing the way.

The Germans were caught between two fires.

Unable to estimate the number of men in the force that had ambushed them,
the Germans threw down their arms.

"We surrender!" cried a German officer.

Instantly the fire of the machine gun ceased and Chester advanced to the
road again. The same German officer who, a moment ago, had scorned the
lad's warning, now advanced and tendered his sword to Chester.

"Tell your men to throw down their arms," commanded Chester.

The officer did so, and swords and pistols rattled to the ground.

"Now," said Chester, "you will about face and march toward the French
lines. There must be no foolishness. My army here is rather small, but we
still have the rapid-fire gun and it will be trained upon you until you
are safe."

The lad signalled to his men, who had already hitched up the horses, and
these now advanced.

"What!" exclaimed the German officer, when he had taken a glance at
Chester's "army," "are these all the men you had when you attacked us?"

"They seemed to be enough," said Chester, with a smile.

"No wonder we haven't beaten you a long while ago," the German officer
mumbled to himself. "When five men and one a boy perform a feat like
this, I begin to have my doubts as to the outcome of this war."

"Well," said Chester, "I don't have any such doubts. But come, now;
forward march."

Slowly the German troopers marched ahead, Chester and his machine gun
bringing up the rear.

And in this manner they came directly upon the French cavalry and
infantry advancing in pursuit of the Germans.