be some of them near."

Alexis urged the two lads to ride on and leave him, but this they
refused to do. Therefore they dismounted and, turning their horses
loose, they continued their journey on foot.

As they walked along a man suddenly popped out from among the trees,
brought his revolver to bear upon the trio, and in a loud tone cried:

"Halt!"

Alexis gave one quick glance at the man's uniform, uttered a cry of
pleasure and spoke a few quick words in his native tongue. The lads were
surprised to see the man drop his rifle, throw his arms about Alexis and
embrace him.

For some moments after quitting this embrace the two talked in Russian,
the lads being able to pick up only a few words. Then Alexis turned to
the two lads.

"My brother," he said simply. "He belongs to a detachment of Cossacks
who raided in these parts two weeks ago. The detachment was surrounded
by Germans, he tells me, and practically annihilated. About 150 men
escaped to the woods, where they have been conducting a guerilla
warfare, picking off the Germans one at a time, wherever they happen to
find one alone, or in pairs, or small parties. These Cossacks are
scattered all through the woods, and to get them together would be
almost impossible."

"Then how are they able to tell friend from foe?"

"You see that large green leaf my brother wears in his hat?"

"Yes."

"That is their emblem."

Alexis' brother approached and spoke in German.

"Come," he said. "I shall show you something."

He led the way into the woods, and approached a large tree, where he
pointed to a placard tacked on it. The placard read:

"All Russians at large in these woods are ordered to assemble at this
spot the 10th of this month without arms and surrender, under penalty of
death."

"That was posted two weeks ago," said Alexis' brother, "and this is the
20th. Read our answer below it."

The answer read:

"Come and take us!"

CHAPTER IX.

GUERILLA WARFARE.

"Do you mean?" asked Hal, "that 150 men, at large in these woods, have
defied the whole German army?"

"There are less than a hundred now," replied the brother of Alexis,
whose name the lads learned was Stephan. "We have been conducting this
guerilla warfare for more than two weeks now, and we have done
inestimable harm to the Germans. We have evaded large bodies of troops
sent out to kill or capture us. Of course, some of our men have been
picked off, but we are not going to run yet."