"What's the matter?" demanded Chester, although he knew well enough.

"A slight illness," replied Mr. Stubbs. "I am somewhat faint. I fear I
overexerted myself in my struggle with the wild cats."

He lay there behind the tree, stretched out at full length. Nor could he
be induced to get to his feet.

Slowly the last half of a moon arose, giving a little light but making
the shadows deeper.

Bullets whistled through the trees at regular intervals now, and wherever
a man exposed himself the German sharpshooters ran him quickly back to
cover or shot him down.

But the British, excellent marksmen that they were, in spite of their
losses were having the better of the encounter. Wherever a German arm or
leg was exposed, there a British bullet struck. Consequently the firing
soon became desultory and then ceased altogether.

Taking advantage of this lull, Chester made a dash, and succeeded in
reaching a tree behind which Hal and Captain Anderson had taken shelter.

"What are we going to do?" he demanded. "Surely we can't stay here
much longer."

"Well, what shall we do?" demanded Hal. "At the first break the Germans
will shoot us down."

"We must do something," replied Chester. "Wait a moment"--as Hal turned