heir way back to their posts, where Alexis immediately
insisted on donning his new red necktie. Marquis, who had been left
behind while the three friends made a tour of the city, greeted them
with joyful barks. He had made friends with the big Cossack, and the
latter had taken quite a fancy to the dog.

Hardly had the three retired to their positions, when an air of
excitement throughout the troops became apparent. There was bustle and
some slight confusion and shouted commands. A moment later and a body of
5,000 Cossacks, armed and spurred, stood beside their horses, ready to
mount and ride at the command.

"Where do you suppose we are going?" asked Hal of Chester.

"Haven't any idea," was the reply, "but it looks as though there was a
little fighting to be done."

"That's what!" exclaimed Alexis, who stood beside the two lads. "Now you
shall see how we handle the Germans."

"Mount!" came the command.

As one man, the troop sprang to the saddle.

"Forward!" came the next order, and the Cossacks started forward at a
gallop.

Good riders themselves, Hal and Chester could not but envy the riding
prowess of their companions. Accounted among the best riders in the
world, the Cossacks who now dashed forward hurled themselves toward the
enemy with reckless abandon. Their lances held high in one hand, each
brandished a large revolver in his other. The bridles lay across the
horses' necks, the riders guiding their mounts by the pressure of their
knees.

And so they swept forward, dashing swiftly over the few miles of open
ground toward the spot where the Germans were known to be entrenched.

The enemy greeted them with a hail of bullets, but they faltered not.
Men fell and horses dropped, but there was no hesitation among those
left.

Now a bugle sounded, and they dashed on with greater ferocity than
before.

Squadrons of German cavalry issued forth to meet them. They crashed with
a terrible shock. The impact was terrific, and horses and riders on both
sides reeled back.

But the Cossacks were the first to recover, and they spurred their
horses into the thick of the enemy. The sweep of their lances and the
fire from their automatics were deadly. There was no pause in the
Russian attack.

Cutting and slashing, the squadron to which Hal, Chester and Alexis were
attached was soon in the midst of the foe. Not unused to such
encounters, the lads nevertheless found themselves hard put to keep
their seats and ward