A RACE FOR LIFE.
Hal and Chester walked slowly along the road. It was just beginning to grow light and the lads were tired out. All night they had been on their journey toward Louvain, carrying a second communication to General Givet from the Belgian commander at Liège.
Unlike their previous trip, the country now was known to be overrun by Germans, and their second mission was much more perilous than had been their first. For this reason they had taken a different route, and so did not pass the farmhouse where Chester had been wounded some days before.
"What is that ahead?" asked Chester suddenly.
Hal strained his eyes, peering into the distance.
"I don't know," he replied.
They continued their advance, and suddenly Chester exclaimed:
"Why, it looks like an old-time provision wagon."
"So it is," replied Hal; "I wonder what it can be doing here?"
As the boys drew nearer they perceived their surmise had been correct. A dilapidated old wagon it was, standing beside the road. To it were hitched two mules. There was not a soul about.