It was at this moment that Hal reached the opening in the roof and came scrambling down to the aid of the hard-pressed Americans below. From the roof of the adjoining building, the other marines now streamed to join the fight.
Realizing that the game was up in this direction, the Germans turned to flee. Bowers and the first marine to come to his assistance had been forced to give ground enough to permit the enemy the access of the stairs leading to the ground floor.
Down these the Germans dashed madly, each man upbraiding the other for blocking his progress. At the bottom of the stairs, they hurried toward the broken front door.
Even as the first man would have stepped out, a figure in khaki appeared in the doorway, a revolver in his hand.
It was Chester, who, now that the enemy had been driven from Chateau Thierry, had come to make sure of the safety of Hal and his companions.
“Hah!” cried the foremost German, and stopped dead in his tracks.
“Hands up!” cried Chester in German.
Instead of obeying this command, however, the Germans inside turned quickly and dashed into a room on the first floor. Quickly they locked and barred the door before either Chester or the Americans descending from above could halt them.
Chester stopped before this door. His eyes searched the steps at the end of the hall down which the marines, headed by Bowers, now ran.
“Hal!” he cried.