CHESTER'S GALLANT FEAT
The object upon which Chester's eyes had fallen and which was the cause of the sudden activity on the lad's part was nothing less than the rapid-fire gun the Germans so recently had brought up to bombard the farmhouse and cut off the retreat of its French defenders. Its crew had been killed, picked off by the accurate shooting of the French before they abandoned the house, and the gun had not been remanned. Apparently the Germans had overlooked the small field piece in their haste to give chase to the retreating French.
The horses were standing a short distance away, unhurt, as Chester could see. The lad dashed toward the gun at top speed, his five men following him as fast as they could run.
There was a light of anticipation on Chester's face as he reached the gun and examined it carefully.
"Plenty of ammunition," he said with a grin, as his men came up to him.
The others grinned also.
"What are you going to do with it, sir?" asked one.
Chester waved his arm in the direction of the retreating French and pursuing Germans.
"Give those fellows a little surprise party when they turn back," he said.
The men caught the idea and were immediately filled with enthusiasm.