st have been Chester," said Hal to Alexis. "Do you go on in
pursuit of the Austrians, and I will go back and see if I can find him."

"Good," said Alexis. "The horse probably will run back to the main
column. You should not have much trouble finding him."

With a word of command Alexis ordered the troop ahead, and Hal started
back on the trail of his chum.

When Chester was again aware of things he was still clasping the horse's
neck and was being borne along he knew not whither. His head ached and
his left leg pained him greatly. He was dizzy and too weak to raise
himself from his position. He could not hear any sound of fighting. He
tried to sit up and look around, but this added to his pain, so he fell
forward on the neck of his horse again.

Suddenly the horse stopped.

Once more Chester tried to sit up. This time he was successful, and in
spite of the pain glanced about him. The horse had halted near a little
house, set back some fifty feet from the road, and even as he looked up
a woman came from the doorway. She started in astonishment at the sight
of the horse and its wounded rider, and hastened back into the house.
She reappeared in a moment, however, accompanied by a second woman, the
latter armed with a huge revolver.

The two now approached the lad and lifted him from the horse. They
supported him as he dragged himself into the house, and dropped weakly
into a chair. Then the women stepped back and pointed the revolver at
him.

"You shall remain here," she said, "until I can turn you over to the
Austrians."

Chester was somewhat surprised. By the assistance given him by the
women, he had thought that, after resting up, he would be allowed to
rejoin his friends; but the set expression on the woman's face told the
lad that she meant what she said.

The second woman approached with water and bandages and soon bound up
his wounds. Then the lad was escorted to another room, which looked out
upon the road. The woman mounted guard over him with her revolver.

"Some of our troops will be here before long," she told him. "Until then
I shall guard you."

All this time Chester retained his hold on the broken sword. Suddenly,
down the road, came the sound of a galloping horse. Chester glanced
through the window and in a moment he had made out the figure of Hal.
Quickly he stepped to the window, and before his captor could prevent
him, shattered the window pane with his broken sword.

"Hal!" he cried at th