rew up both hands, and pitched to the floor on his face.

The next moment Hal's revolver covered the Frenchman's second, before the
latter could raise his own weapon--had such been his intention--and in a
stern voice the lad cried:

"So this is French bravery, eh? You shoot men in the back! No wonder your
principal agreed upon ten paces."

Chester, having wheeled quickly at his fifth step, took in the situation
at a glance, and his revolver covered the other French officers. One of
the latter, raising a hand, stepped forward.

"_Monsieur_," he said quietly to Chester, "I would have you believe that
neither I nor my friends had a hand in this. Had we known what our friend
contemplated, we would not have allowed the duel to proceed."

Chester glanced at the Frenchman keenly for a moment, then lowered
his revolver.

"I believe you," he said simply.

Hal also now lowered the weapon with which he had covered the Frenchman's
second, and the latter also made profuse protests of innocence, which
both lads believed to be true. Then he bent over Chester's late
antagonist.

"He is still alive," he said, looking up after an examination. "The
bullet struck him in the chest. With proper attention he will recover."
He approached Chester and held out his hand. "I regret this unpleasant
incident exceedingly," he said. "I trust you will absolve us from blame."

"Of course," said Chester, grasping the outstretched hand. "I would be
loath to believe that all Frenchmen are not true soldiers and honorable
gentlemen."

Hal also shook hands all around with the young Frenchmen, and a few
moments later announced that they must be on their way. The Frenchmen
escorted them to their car, which was now ready and waiting for them,
and, as Hal sent it forward with a lurch, they sped the lads on their way
with rousing cheers.

"By Jove! That was a pretty narrow squeak!" Chester called over Hal's
shoulder, as the car swept from the little city of Nanteul and sped on
across the open country. "If you hadn't been on the alert I would be with
the angels now."

"I don't know how I came to suspect him," replied Hal, also raising his
voice to a shout, to make himself heard above the roaring of the flying
automobile. "Something seemed to tell me he was up to some deviltry, and
I figured it out before you took your places. So, when he turned before
time, I was ready for him."

"And a good thing for me that you were," Chester muttered to himself.