r hands.

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

[Illustration: "Let 'em have it!" cried Leon and the three automatic
suns 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 th