le and moaned feebly. Then he raised his head.

"Where am I?" he demanded.

Slowly and carefully Chester explained the situation to him.

"And was the raid a success?" he asked. "Were the German aeroplanes
destroyed?"

"Yes, every one of them," replied Chester.

"Good! Now, give me a rifle, or a revolver, or something. I know we
can't get through the Germans without a fight, and I want to do my
part."

In vain did Chester protest. Captain Anderson insisted, and at length
Chester was forced to comply.

As the five automobiles, containing not more than a hundred British
all told, approached the center of the German force, each man
determined to get through to the allied lines or to die in the
attempt.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A DASH FOR LIBERTY.

Swiftly the high-powered armored motor-cars rushed on, drawing closer
and closer to the solid ranks of the enemy. Not expecting trouble from
within their own lines, the Germans were not on the lookout for this
spectacular dash, and so were caught unprepared.

Hal gave the prearranged signal. The other cars increased their speed
and drew up to him, two on either side. At a second signal they
increased their speed to the utmost, and dashed forward.

The Germans lay sprawled about, the close formation having been more
or less broken following the morning fight. The five speeding monsters
were upon them almost before they realized it. As the cars approached
the first irregular line of troopers, the British in the machines
opened fire. In spite of their terrific speed, their aim was good.
Germans tumbled right and left, or fell back as they attempted to
rise.

Then the machines plowed in among them, hurling them helter-skelter on
all sides, the occupants continuing their destructive fire.

But now the Germans opened fire, and, in spite of the fact that the
speed of the flying automobiles made accurate shooting impossible, the
British did not escape scot-free. Three men in one of the machines to
the left of the one driven by Hal dropped their rifles and sank to the
bottom of the car. In one on the opposite side a soldier threw up his
hands and tumbled from the car.

Hal, protected as he was on either side, had not been touched, nor had
Chester, who stood erect the while, firing rapidly with his automatic.

Suddenly the car nearest the lads on the left swerved, and almost
bumped into them; in fact, would have done so, but for Hal's
promptness in turning slightly t