The German kept close to the mule, in spite of several attempts Hal made to scare him off by pointing his empty revolver at him. The German refused to scare.
Grasping the side of the wagon, Hal took the revolver by the barrel and hurled it at the German. The latter tried to dodge, but it was too late. The revolver struck him in the face, and he fell to the ground.
He was up in a moment, however, and, picking up his sword, was soon in the saddle again; and a moment later the mules again were being crowded off the road.
The German was within striking distance, but Hal had nothing with which to hit him. His other empty revolvers had already been thrown.
"Hit him with the whip!" he cried to Chester. "Hit him with the whip!"
Chester, suiting the action to the word, simply diverted one of the blows intended for the mules, and struck the German fair across the face.
The whip had a knot on the end of it, to keep it from unraveling, and this knot hit the German in the eye. The German dropped his sword, put his hands to his face, and rubbed his eyes; then, putting spurs to his horse, he made off rapidly over the road which they had come.
The boys now caught the first glimpse of the town of Louvain, and the glad sight of Belgian troops could be discerned—the outposts guarding the town.
Chester let the mules slow down.
"That was some ride," he declared.