rm around the animal's neck,
and from the knee down, one leg.

Hal did not fire, but waited for him to come up--he could almost hit the
horse's head with his hand, so closely was he running. Suddenly he saw
his enemy's hand move, and he dodged back just in time. A bullet sped
past his head.

Up came the German, and Hal stuck his revolver through the hole, and,
without taking aim, fired. The ball struck the German in the breast, and,
with a cry, he threw up his hands, and toppled from his horse.

"I got another one, Chester!" cried Hal.

"Good!" came the reply, but Chester was too busy to say more.

The bullet with which Hal had disposed of the second German had been his
last, and the boys were now without firearms.

Along they bowled, and once more the last German passed the wagon. He had
learned the boys were without weapons. But the German now had also
disposed of his last cartridge, so the lads were on even terms.

Suddenly Chester called:

"He is crowding the mules off the road!"

It was true. The pursuer was riding close to the mules, trying to push
them from the road. The animal on the near side was jumping frantically
and gradually pushing the other mule toward the edge of the road.

The German kept close to the mule, in spite of several attempts Hal made
to scare him off by pointing his empty revolver at him. The German
refused to scare.

Grasping the side of the wagon, Hal took the revolver by the barrel and
hurled it at the German. The latter tried to dodge, but it was too late.
The revolver struck him in the face, and he fell to the ground.

He was up in a moment, however, and, picking up his sword, was soon in
the saddle again; and a moment later the mules again were being crowded
off the road.

The German was within striking distance, but Hal had nothing with which
to hit him. His other empty revolvers had already been thrown.

"Hit him with the whip!" he cried to Chester. "Hit him with the whip!"

Chester, suiting the action to the word, simply diverted one of the blows
intended for the mules, and struck the German fair across the face.

The whip had a knot on the end of it, to keep it from unraveling, and
this knot hit the German in the eye. The German dropped his sword, put
his hands to his face, and rubbed his eyes; then, putting spurs to his
horse, he made off rapidly over the road which they had come.

The boys now caught the first glimpse of the town of Louvain, and the
glad sight