with a leap that almost unseated the riders. The crowd in front
scattered as the machine rushed at them, but one of them was not quick
enough and was hurled twenty feet away.

More shots followed the daring riders, but they were now beyond range.
For another mile they kept up the killing pace and then Frank slowed up
a little.

"Ran right into their arms that time," he ejaculated.

"We were mighty lucky to come through with a whole skin," replied Bart.

"More than the machine has done, I'm afraid," remarked Frank. "I can
tell by the way she runs that there's something wrong with the tires."

He looked behind, and seeing no signs of pursuit, he stopped the
motorcycle and dismounted.

Something had indeed happened to the tires. Both the front and rear
ones had been punctured by bullets. The air had gone out of them.

"Hard luck," exclaimed Bart.

"Never mind," returned Frank. "We'll ride her flat as long as we can
and if worse comes to worse we'll ride her on the rims. We've got to
get that message to the general no matter what happens."

"We'll get it there if we have to travel on our hands and knees,"
affirmed Bart.

"It won't come to that, I hope," laughed his companion, as he bound the
flat tires fast with straps. Then he settled himself again in his seat
and started the machine.

It went along more slowly now, and their troubles were increased by the
fact that their route had carried them into a main road that was filled
with motor lorries--huge trucks loaded with men and supplies that
rushed on with the speed almost of an express train.

The lorries had the right of way, and individual riders had to look out
for themselves. Sometimes they came down two abreast, filling the
whole width of the road, and in such cases the boys had to dismount and
draw to the side of the road until they had passed. If their machine
had been in condition, they might have kept ahead by sheer speed, but
in its present crippled state they would have been run down. And to be
run down by one of those Juggernauts would have meant instant death.

On one such occasion they were hugging the fence, with their machine
standing between them and the road. A lorry came thundering by, but
just as it was nearly opposite, it swerved and struck the machine. It
was torn from Frank's hand and hurled in front of the lorry which ran
over and completely wrecked it.

The lorry tore on, leaving the two chums looking at each other in