t will not be laughed at. Friendships are not to be
treated lightly."

"I knew you would see it that way," was the response. "If at any time I
can be of service to you, command me."

He arose and made them the bow of a cavalier.

The meal finished, Hal pushed back his chair and arose.

"We might as well be on our way," he said. "Come."

They left the room and made their way to the place where they had tied
their horses. Hal started back with a cry of surprise.

The horses were not there, but upon the ground, a bullet wound in his
forehead, lay the man whom Hal had left to guard them.

CHAPTER VI.

FOUR-FOOTED ENEMIES.

Hal bent over the dead British soldier; then, arising, turned to Chester.

"He was shot from ambush," he said quietly. "He didn't even have time to
draw his revolver. See, it is still in its holster."

"And, if we don't get away from here immediately, we are likely to be
shot, too," replied Chester.

"Chester is right," agreed Captain Anderson. "Come, Hal, we had better
be moving."

Hal nodded, and gave a brief word of command. Immediately the little
troop of cavalrymen, afoot now, moved slowly down the road in the
darkness. They went forward briskly and the hand of every man rested
on his weapon, for the mysterious death of their companion had been
a warning they could not but heed. There was no telling what foes
might lurk in the blackness of the bushes that lined either side of
the highway.

Anthony Stubbs, war correspondent, had been unable to force himself
into the center of the British troops, and was now bringing up the
rear. Now and then he tried to insert himself between the men in front
of him, but all such attempts had proved futile. The British did not
intend to lose their formation in order to allow him to reach a place
of comparative safety.

As Stubbs stumbled along in the darkness, he cast furtive glances
over his shoulder and peered intently into the bushes, first on one
side and then on the other; and as he plodded on he mumbled
continually to himself.

Came a sudden shrill cry from the left--a wild screech that, for the
moment, the lads were unable to identify.

Hal immediately called a halt and all stopped to listen. It came again, a
shrill, piercing cry; and with it Anthony Stubbs hurled himself violently
upon the men ahead of him and dashed through the center of the troop.
Beside the two lads he stopped, panting. He felt more secure there.

"What was t