"I wouldn't have her know for all the world. I was always wild, but who would have thought that I would be a traitor to my country? When you see General Joffre, tell him at once what I have told you concerning the traitor. Immediately, do you understand?" "We understand," said Hal. "And my mother, you will do as you have promised?" "We have promised," said Chester simply. "Then I may die in peace," said the wounded traitor. He lay back on the ground at full length, shuddered, once, twice, and lay still. Hal rose from his kneeling posture, and lifted his cap from his head. "He is dead," he said quietly. "May he rest in peace." "Amen to that," said Chester, also standing with bared head. "And his mother. He is right. It would break her heart. We must see that she does not know." "And so we shall," declared Hal. "It will be a lie for which I am sure we shall be forgiven." CHAPTER XV. ATTACKED BY THE ENEMY. "What shall we do with him?" questioned Chester. "We can't go away and leave him here like this." "No," Hal agreed. "I know we should, for our own safety may depend upon it, but just the same it goes against the grain." "If we had something to dig with," said Chester. "But we haven't," Hal interrupted. But the two lads were saved the trouble of finding a grave for the traitor, for suddenly through the woods came the sound of tramping feet. For a moment the two lads listened intently. Then Chester grabbed Hal by the arm. "Come," he said in a hoarse whisper, "we must find a place of safety." Hal drew back. "Wait until I see if Dersi happened to have another gun," he said. He ran his hand over the dead man and at length rose up with a second revolver and a belt well filled with cartridges. One of the weapons he passed to Chester. "We'll probably need these," he said grimly. "Now, let's see if we can't find a place to hide." Cautiously the two lads made their way through the woods. They could hear the sound of their pursuers, but they had little fear of being detected in the still uncertain light, as long as they kept the same distance between themselves and the Germans. But suddenly a gleam of light showed in the forest. A German soldier had flashed a pocket searchlight, and the glare of it fell squarely upon the crouching lads, before they could step behind a tree or any other place of refuge. "Run!" cried Hal, suiting the action to the word. Chester needed no urging, and also took to his heels. But their presence had been discovered, as was proved by the sharp crack of a rifle. Neither boy was touched, although the bullet passed uncomfortably close to Chester's head. Stumbling along as fast as the semi-darkness would permit, the boys made a brave effort to escape. But they were not to get off in such easy fashion. For again the searchlight lighted up the woods and exposed them to their pursuers. Both lads threw themselves to the ground, and thus avoided the volley of shots that were fired at them.