their lingo, sir, I recommend that when we creep out you tell 'em
to dismount. They'll do it like a shot. Then we'll rush 'em. Here's the
officer's pistol. _You_ might take care of the shuffer and the chap by
his side."

"Excellent, corporal. Just one suggestion. Let half of your men steal
round to the rear, whether or not the troopers dismount. They should be
headed off from Oombergen, the village near here, where they have two
squadrons."

"Right, sir.--Smithy, take the left half-section, and cut off the
retreat on the left.--Ready, sir?--Douse that glim!"

Out went the torch. Fourteen shadows flitted forth into the darkness and
rain. The car, with its staring head-lights, was drawn up about thirty
yards away, and somewhat to the left. On both sides and in rear were
grouped the hussars, men and horses looming up in spectral shapes. The
raindrops shone like tiny shafts of polished steel in the two cones of
radiance cast by the acetylene lamps.

Dalroy, miraculously become a soldier again, saw instantly that the
troopers were cloaked, and their carbines in the buckets. He waited a
few seconds while "Smithy" and his band crept swiftly along the wall of
the barn. Then, copying to the best of his ability the shrill yell of a
German officer giving a command, he shouted, "Squad--dismount!"

He was obeyed with a clatter of accoutrements. He ran forward. Not
knowing the "system" perfected by the "lucky thirteen," he looked for an
irregular volley at close range, throwing the hussars into inextricable
confusion. But not a rifle was fired until some seconds after he himself
had shot and killed or seriously wounded the chauffeur and the escort.
For all that, thirteen hussars were already out of action. The men who
had crossed Belgium from Mons had learnt to depend on the bayonet, which
never missed, and was silent and efficacious.

The affair seemed to end ere it had well begun. Only two troopers
succeeded in mounting their plunging horses, and they, finding the road
to Oombergen barred, tried to bolt westward, whereupon they were bowled
over like rabbits. Their terrified chargers, after scampering wildly a
few paces, trotted back to the others. Not one of the twenty got away.
Hampered by their heavy cloaks, and taken completely by surprise, the
hussars offered hardly any resistance, but fell cursing and howling. As
for the pair seated in front of the car, they never knew why or how
death came.

"Now, then, Smithy, show