Great were the exclamations among the French troops when it was found
that five men and a young officer had made such an important capture, to
say nothing of the terrible execution inflicted upon the enemy with their
own rapid-fire gun. The French officers were loud in the praises of
Chester's gallantry.

And with the troop of French cavalry Chester found Hal and Captain
Leroux.

"By Jove! I'm glad to see you, Chester," said Hal, advancing with
outstretched hand. "I was afraid we wouldn't get back in time."

"I guess you wouldn't have, if we had waited for you," said Chester,
dryly. "I wasn't going to take any more chances if I could help it. When
you left us there by ourselves, I was sure if we wanted to come away,
we'd have to do it by ourselves."

"We didn't do it intentionally," said Captain Leroux.

"Who said you did?" demanded Chester, somewhat angrily.

The French captain flushed. He drew himself up, seemed about to make an
angry reply; then cooled down and said:

"I'm sorry."

With that he walked away.

"Look here, Chester," said Hal, "you know that I wouldn't have left
you behind for anything if I had only thought of it. But in the
excitement and--"

"That's it," said Chester. "There was too much excitement and you were
having it all. I get buried down in a cellar with five men and sit there
in the dark till the fun's all over. Then you don't even take the trouble
to tell me it's time to go home. I don't like it."

"Great Scott! You're not mad, are you, Chester?"

"Mad? Sure I'm mad. Next time you get in a hole I'm going to walk away
and leave you there."

Hal smiled.

"Oh, I guess not," he returned.

"You do, eh? Well, you try it and see what happens."

"Come, now, Chester, you know how this thing happened," said Hal. "We
didn't do it purposely."

Chester seemed about to make an angry retort; but a moment later a smile
broke over his face and he extended a hand to his chum.

"I know you didn't," he replied, "but can't a fellow have a little fun?"

Hal took the hand as he exclaimed:

"You've offended Captain Leroux."

"Well," said Chester, "Captain Leroux has offended me."

CHAPTER XVII

A QUEER SITUATION

"Somebody following us, Hal!"

"That so?" said Hal; "and why should we be followed along here?"

"I don't know," was Chester's reply, "but I have noticed a shadow
following us wherever we go."

"We'll see about it," was Hal's rejoinder.

It was the night succeedi