w.

What was left of the Serbian infantry staggered back to the main army
shattered and beaten. The big guns took up the battle again, but not with
the same vigor and confidence as before. The Serbian fire seemed even to
tell the spectators on the housetop that the Serbians had lost hope.

Half an hour later a general retreat began.

"Bad generalship, that's all," declared Hal.

"Without doubt," agreed Colonel Anderson. "A charge is a charge and
once begun must be finished. That was where the Bulgarians gained the
whip hand."

"The next step, I suppose, is an advance by the Bulgarians," said
Chester.

"Very likely," Hal agreed, "and that means that we shall be caught in the
Bulgarian lines."

"It means worse than that," said Colonel Anderson. "We are all in
civilian attire and if our identities are discovered, it means that we'll
be stood up and shot."

"By Jove!" said Hal. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Oh, we've been in predicaments just as serious," said Chester, "and we
have always come through somehow. I guess we shall do so again."

"We'll get into one just once too often, I'm afraid," said Hal, "and this
is likely to be it."

"You're getting as bad as Stubbs, Hal," said Chester. "Just keep a stiff
upper lip and we'll come through this thing some way."

"I'm no quitter," said Hal. "But the best we can do now is let events
shape themselves."

And now the Bulgarian advance began.

Apparently the Bulgarian commander had no thought of attempting to
overtake the Serbians and annihilate them. Apparently he figured that
ground gained was ground gained whether with or without a fight. The army
moved forward slowly.

A party of officers, following in the wake of the vanguard, rode suddenly
toward the house in which the friends had taken refuge.

"And here comes the trouble, as Stubbs would say," declared Hal. "Let's
go below and get ready to receive them."

He suited the action to the word and the others followed him silently.
Below, Hal acquainted Helen with what had transpired and announced that
the Bulgarians were approaching.

"And what of the bodies without?" asked the girl quietly.

"Whew!" Hal gave a long and expressive whistle. "I hadn't thought of
that. Wait a moment, though. We'll have to say they were here when the
Serbians advanced and were killed."

"But the Serbians were not so close to the house."

"I know that, but I cannot think of any better excuse."

"Besides," said Stubbs, "i