upon him, then he went down,
struggling wildly. He was a burly fellow with powerful arms and thick
legs. Stan was not sure that he could hold the headlock he had slid down
into a strangle grip.

They flopped and thrashed around until Stan finally worked behind the
German and put on more pressure. After that the fellow wilted in short
order. Stan was binding and gagging him when Arno came running to help
him.

"Did we act too quickly?" he asked in great excitement.

"A bit fast," Stan admitted, "but I have him now. He was a tough
customer." Stan rolled the sentry into a clump of bushes and faced Arno.
"How did Tony make out?"

"Fine, very fine. Tony hates all Germans." Arno laughed quietly.

They moved back to the guard station and found Allison and Tony there.
One glance at the two sentries Arno and Tony had silenced told Stan they
would not have to be bound or gagged. The boys had used their knives
expertly.

"Now about the reception committee?" Allison queried softly.

"We need four helmets. I have one and there are two on the ground. Get
one more," Stan ordered.

"I have it," Allison answered. "On my head."

Sure enough, Allison was wearing a German helmet. "You boys know what
the Germans will do with us if they catch us wearing even one of their
helmets?" Stan asked.

"The firing squad," Arno answered as he slipped one on his head.

"If the inspector's car has its lights on bright we'll have to get down.
Arno and I will be out on each side as though on beat. Allison will have
to make up a challenge that will pass."

"I have their password," Allison answered. "Got it from the man who
brought up word of the inspection. He gave it to get up to the post."

"The Germans are not so smart," Tony said. "They are fools to warn their
soldiers of a coming inspection."

Allison laughed. "The man who came up was a pal of the squad. He was
tipping them off."

"There's a car coming up the road," Stan warned. "Use your tommy-guns to
cover them, but no shooting unless we have to fight it out."

He and Arno moved into the darkness, leaving Allison and Tony seated on
the bench which had been used by the Germans.

"There ought to be four of us here," Tony said.

"I don't think that will make any difference," Allison said. "They'll
think the others are out on the beat."

The car came up the gentle slope slowly. It did not have its bright
lights on. The slit in the headlight hood gave only a meager amount of
lig