'm quite sure from its make that it was German."

"Scouting," said John. "It was pretty venturesome to come this far
west."

"The Germans shun no risks," said Weber, gravely. "The biplane flew back
toward the east. It did not alarm me greatly, but I saw another thing
that did. Just before you awoke I noticed a gleam in the valley to the
right, and I know that it was made by a sunbeam falling on the spiked
helmet of a Uhlan."

The three stiffened with alarm, not so much for themselves as for their
errand. Wharton's hand moved again toward the pocket, containing the
papers, which had transformed him into a man with but a single thought.

"Uhlans here close to this road!" exclaimed John.

"Do you think it can be von Boehlen?"

"It may be. On the whole I think it probable," replied Weber. "Von
Boehlen is a most daring man, and to scout along the skirts of the
French army would be the most natural thing for him to do. I'm going to
speed up a bit--that is, if you gentlemen agree that it's necessary."

"Of course," said John, and the machine sprang forward. He had taken the
prince's glasses as his own share of the spoil. They were of great
power, and now he searched the forest with them for their enemies. He
soon found that Weber was right. He saw steel helmets on the right, and
then he saw them on the left. They were surely Uhlans, and evidently
they had seen the car.

He quickly put away the glasses and snatched up his rifle.

"You were right, Weber," he exclaimed. "They're German cavalry, and
they've begun to pursue us. Faster! Faster! This machine can leave any
horsemen behind!"

Weber turned back a despairing face.

"The car is doing its best!" he said. "Something has gone wrong with the
machinery!"

He wrenched at the wheel, but he produced no such speed as that which
Carstairs had got out of the car, when they were fleeing from the German
automobiles. The two forces of Uhlans had now joined and were in the
road galloping in swift pursuit. Many of them carried lances, which
glittered in the late sun. The sight of the steel points made John
shiver. It would be horrible to feel one of them in his back.

He turned to his machine gun. A touch of that old madness returned. The
sight of the Uhlans had set his brain on fire.

"I'll teach you not to come too close, my fine lads," he said.

He aimed the gun and undertook to start the mechanism, but nothing
moved. No shots came. He jerked at it widly, but it refu