Hal did not hesitate.
“We shall have to make a dash for it!” he cried. “One more volley, men, and then run!”
One more death-dealing volley was delivered at close range, and then the little troop of English turned and fled. But they had traversed scarcely half the distance when the Germans reached the edge of the woods, and poured a volley into them.
Hal groaned as men fell on all sides of him. But still those who were left ran on. At length they reached the friendly shelter of the trees, but half their number lay behind, either dead or dying.
Once more, screened from the enemy, Hal halted the men.
“We may as well fight it out here,” he told them. “We will hold them off if we can, and if not we must retreat slowly, keeping behind whatever cover offers.”
A faint cheer went up from the handful who were left, and they turned determinedly to face their foes. They did not waste their fire. As the Germans came again into view, the British rifles cracked. Their marksmanship was superb, and rather than face this deadly fire the enemy halted.
Then began a game of hide and seek, with death the penalty for all who were seen. The firing was only at intervals now. Wherever a German arm or leg showed itself, a British rifle sounded and a German was accounted for.
For almost half an hour the game continued; and it was kept up until darkness fell. Fearing that it was the intent of the British to lure them into the hands of a strong force, the Germans did not attempt a charge, but contented themselves with trying to pick off their foes as they flitted from one tree to another.
But if the Germans had suffered, so had the English. Of the little troop of fifty, there now remained, besides Hal and Chester, but ten men. The two boys seemed to bear charmed lives, for neither had been struck once. They had exposed themselves to all dangers as well as had the troopers, but fortunately no German bullets had reached them.