The four men saluted and a moment later were lost in the darkness. It was not until they were crawling well within the enemy outposts that they remembered that with the exception of John Big Bear, who had equipped himself with a regulation automatic and plentiful ammunition, the others had only what cartridges were in the revolvers they had taken from the Germans. And it was almost at that instant that an alert sentry discovered their presence. He fired point blank from a distance of not more than fifty feet, and Ollie Ogden felt the bullet whistle by his head. Bang! It was John Big Bear’s unerring aim, and the Boche was laid low. But in that moment a dozen of the enemy suddenly rose into sight, and there was but one course open—a running fight toward the river bank, for the position of the Germans was such that retreat to the American lines was cut off, even had the four men been disposed to turn back. Just as they reached the edge of the river a suppressed grunt from John Big Bear indicated that he had been hit, but he did not go down. “In big water,” he shouted to the others, and with a simultaneous splash they dived into the river. All were excellent swimmers, but as they came up close together, far out in the stream, the outlook was far from encouraging. The bank from which they had jumped was lined with hostile men, and directly approaching them was a boat containing at least half a dozen others, evidently engaged in ferrying back and forth, gradually depleting the rear guard which had been left upon the American side. With one long breath the four men dived again, but not before Tom had noticed that John Big Bear was swimming only with his right arm, his left seemingly out of commission. When they came to the surface again they were above the boat, which was a raft-like affair, but still at a point between it and the American side. Before their whereabouts had been discovered John Big Bear had formulated a plan and in a few swift words imparted it to his companions. Inhaling all the air they could, in order to remain under water as long as possible, they dived for the third time. The three lads swam with all their strength down stream and ahead of the Indian, to a point just behind the boat. There, until it seemed that their lungs would burst, they waited. Unable to stay down longer, each struck out again for the top. They lifted their heads into the air not ten feet below the boat, and just at an instant when, if the situation had not been so serious, they could have laughed outright.