The man stumbled, threw up his arms and flung his rifle a dozen yards away; then, with a cry, he pitched forward on his face. "One," said Hal quietly. A bullet brushed the boy's cheek, leaving a stream of red in its wake, but Hal did not quail. Again his rifle spoke and a second German went to the ground. "Odds even now," Hal called to Chester. "Let's get these other two." Without waiting for a reply, he leaped from the shell hole and dashed forward. Chester, who had been unfortunate in his marksmanship and so far had not accounted for one of the enemy, followed Hal closely. The two remaining Germans, now realizing that they had lost the advantage of two-to-one odds, halted in their impetuous dash forward, turned and ran. By this time Hal and Chester were close behind them and the former shouted: "Surrender!" For answer the Germans only ran the faster. "Well," Hal muttered to himself, "if you won't, you won't." Again he raised his rifle and fired. A third German dropped to the ground. Chester, close behind the remaining foe, also cried a command to surrender, but the man ran on. Loath to shoot the man from behind, Chester sprinted and caught up with him. With his rifle in his right hand, he laid his left on the German's shoulder. "Halt!" he cried. The German needed no further urging. He came to an abrupt stop and raised his hands. "We might as well take this fellow back with us," said Hal, as he approached at that moment. "Right you are," agreed Chester. "We can't return without some kind of a memento of our trip. A live souvenir is about the best thing I can think of." "You've got me," mumbled the German at this juncture, "but I want to tell you that before another twenty-four hours have passed, my loss will be repaid with interest." "Wonder if he knows anything, Hal?" questioned Chester. "Guess he's not so big that the German high command is tipping him off to all their plans," said Hal. "He's angry and wants to talk. That's about all." And still it wasn't all; and had the lads had the foresight to report the words of their prisoner, action might have been taken that would have nipped the second German offensive in the bud. With no further word to their prisoner, the lads made off in the semi-darkness for the American lines. These they reached in safety. But hardly had they passed within the lines when a violent cannonading broke out from the German front. "Sounds as though they were going to start something," said Chester. "Maybe our prisoner knows something after all." "Oh, I guess not," replied Hal, and once again passed by an opportunity. Half an hour later, their prisoner having been turned over to Captain O'Neil, the lads sought their own little dugout and much-needed repose. CHAPTER II ENTOMBED