Chapter XXIII: In the Dark

"Look out!" shouted Jacques. "Here come the Germans!"

"Jump in!" cried Leon. "We can get away before they reach us."

"No chance," said Jacques positively. "Get out of there as fast as you can."

More bullets followed the first, until the air seemed alive with them. A small detachment of German cavalry now appeared from the shelter of the forest and began to gallop swiftly across the field. As they approached they shouted and fired their revolvers rapidly.

"They think we'll surrender," exclaimed Leon. "We'll fool them."

He and Earl quickly scrambled out from the monoplane and in company with Jacques rushed around behind it. All three of the boys held drawn revolvers in their hands.

"Let 'em have it!" cried Leon and the three automatic guns spoke almost as if they were one piece.

One of the Germans reeled slightly in his saddle and sliding from his seat fell to the ground in a limp heap. One of the horses also went down, hurling his rider violently over his head. A shout of rage came from the astonished horsemen who had not dreamed of resistance. There were eight in their party, while the stranded aviators numbered but three.

"Two of them gone," cried Jacques. "See if we can't wing two more and then we'll have to run for it."

"Make it sure," exclaimed Leon and again came the sharp bark of the three automatics. Down went another horse and another rider was thrown violently to the ground. Again the three revolvers spoke. The leader of the little band of horsemen slid limply from his seat.

The Germans were scarcely fifty yards distant now. They pumped a continual stream of bullets at the three daring youths who were taking refuge behind the monoplane, but so far their aim was wild.

"Now for the woods," cried Jacques and he turned and ran at top speed for the shelter of the forest which was not more than thirty feet away from the spot where they had been standing. Close at his heels followed Leon and Earl. It was now almost dark, but a hail of bullets swarmed after the three retreating figures.

Suddenly Jacques went down. He pitched headlong upon his face and with a gasp of fear the two brothers bent over him. If Jacques were lost to them their case was indeed desperate.

"Where are you hit?" demanded Leon breathlessly.

"I'm not hit; I stumbled over that furrow."

He scrambled quickly to his feet and hurried on. A moment later and the three boys gained the shelter of the forest and plunged into it. A few scattering shots followed them and then all was still. It was now too dark to shoot with any good chance of success.

"Wait here," panted Jacques drawing his two companions down behind a clump of bushes. Guns in hand the three young soldiers crouched and peered eagerly back over the course they had come.

"Do you think they'll follow us in here?" demanded Earl in a whisper.

"I doubt it," replied Jacques. "There are only four of them now you know."

"Only two of them were hit," objected Leon. "I don't believe that those two who were thrown from their horses were hurt."

"Not badly perhaps," agreed Jacques. "They got an awful jolt just the same. At any rate it's only six to three now."

"What do you think they'll do?" asked Earl.

"I wish I knew."

"Can't we crawl up to the edge of the woods and look at them?"

"That would be pretty risky."

"But we want our monoplane back again."

"Isn't there a full moon to-night?" exclaimed Leon suddenly.

"I believe there is," said Jacques. "Why do you ask?"

"Just as soon as the moon comes up we can sneak up to the border of the forest and everything in the clearing will be lighted up; we will hide in the shadow of the trees and can pick off the Boches at our leisure. Isn't that a good scheme?"

"Fine," said Jacques, "all except for one thing."

"What's that?" demanded Leon.

"You don't think the Germans are going to sit out there all this time, do you? Undoubtedly they have sent for help already."

"Then," exclaimed Leon, "our chance is to attack them at once. There can't be more than five of them at the most left now."

"That's right," cried Earl eagerly. "It's our only chance and we must be quick about it too."

"Don't you think so, Jacques?" insisted Leon. "Come along."

"It's an awful chance," mused Jacques.

"I know," exclaimed Leon, "but it's our only one. You know as well as I do that if we don't get away before their reënforcements arrive we're done for. Why, after we've killed a couple of their men they'll spend a year if necessary to hunt us out."

"That's true," Jacques agreed. "I guess you're right; we'd better try it now."

Crouching low and making as little sound as possible the three young soldiers crept forward. Jacques led the way, with Leon and Earl close behind him. Every boy held his pistol gripped tightly in his right hand. Night had now fallen and pitchy darkness had taken possession of the forest.

The clearing was but a short distance away and presently Jacques stopped. All three of the boys stood still and listened intently for some moments. Not a sound came to their ears and in a brief time the advance was continued.

Slowly and carefully they picked their way. They practically felt out every step before they took it; the snap of a dried twig or stick might spell their doom. A few moments later Jacques spied the open sky through a vault in the tree-tops; they were almost upon the clearing and again the little band halted.

"We'd better separate," he whispered. "Fire the moment I do."

They dropped to their hands and knees and again the stealthy advance was resumed. Every boy selected a large tree behind which to take his position. The white wings of the monoplane glistened and a clump of dark figures could be seen nearby. Whether they were horses or men it was impossible to distinguish.

Suddenly, above the rim of the forest appeared the moon. It had appeared much sooner than the young soldiers had expected, or was it that they had consumed more time than they had realized? If the latter was the case they had need of haste. Leon and Earl waited impatiently for Jacques to open fire but as a matter of fact he did not know at what to aim. Killing the horses would do no good and the flash of the revolver shots would only serve to disclose their positions to the Germans.

Higher and higher rose the moon. It was soon half above the tops of the trees and the whole clearing began to be suffused with its soft light. The monoplane could be distinctly seen now and the dark clump proved to be horses as the boys had surmised. Where were the Germans? Surely they would not go away and leave their mounts.

All at once something moved near one end of the monoplane. Instantly there was a sharp report; Jacques had found his target. Four flashes in rapid succession disclosed the location of the remaining Germans. Leon and Earl immediately opened fire. Another shot from the position Jacques had selected showed that so far he had been untouched.

The fight became general and the firing increased. The three young soldiers of France had a distinct advantage over their enemies, however. The moment the Germans had fired they had revealed their locations and now it was possible to make out the forms of the Teuton horsemen in the moonlight; the three boys were hidden in the shadow of the woods.

The bullets rained about them, cutting through the branches of the trees and rattling through the bushes. As quickly as they fired, however, the boys shifted their positions and the Germans having nothing to guide their aim save the flash of the pistols, were unable to locate their adversaries.

The frightened horses snorted and jumped at every shot; they tugged violently at their tethers and danced madly about. The moon, now risen completely above the crest of the forest, shone down upon a strange scene. The great aeroplane still stood silently by, a mute witness to the desperate struggle waged for its possession. Three dark forms lying nearby showed how effective the boys' fire had been. Only two Germans seemed to be left to dispute their escape.

"Charge them, Jacques! Come on, Earl!" shouted Leon and he sprang to his feet and dashed forward.

The two remaining Germans had taken refuge behind the protection of the monoplane and toward this spot Leon rushed. A shot struck his steel helmet a glancing blow and he stumbled; a moment later he had regained his balance, however, and pushed on. Coming around the wing of the flying machine he stood face to face with one of the Germans; there was a flash and he felt a burning sensation through the muscles of his left arm. He discharged his pistol point blank at his enemy.

Suddenly he was seized violently from behind. Powerful fingers closed about his throat, shutting off his wind. Gasping, choking and fighting desperately he was borne to the ground.