Hal found his progress barred by a dozen men who seemed to appear from out of the ground. The lad raised his revolvers again and emptied them into his foes, then sprang in among them, his revolvers clubbed.
With both hands he laid about him lustily, the while endeavoring to push through the enemy and reach the trench beyond. But the weight of numbers was too great and directly Hal went to the ground under a blow from a rifle butt.
He dragged himself to his feet and again mixed in with his foes. For a moment it seemed that he might fight his way clear, so desperate were his efforts. Reinforcements continued to arrive, however, and at last the lad was overpowered.
Strong hands seized him from behind, rendering further struggling futile. Hal relaxed his efforts and grew quiet.
"You've got me," he said quietly, "but I'd have got away if there hadn't been half a hundred of you."
"Tie him up," said a German voice.
No sooner said than done. A moment later Hal's arms were bound securely.
"Bring him up to the light," said another voice. "The colonel wants a look at him."
Hal felt himself propelled toward the trench. There a lantern was thrust in his face and a man attired as a German colonel of infantry surveyed the lad.
"So we've caught you, you American pig!" he exclaimed.