"Now what’s up, I wonder?" Hal muttered to himself.
Chester, after leaving the American lines, proceeded with the same caution that had characterized Hal’s movements. He made no better time creeping across No Man’s Land than had Hal. However, he was just as fortunate as his chum in penetrating the German trench. He reached them an hour later than had Hal and for this reason he did not see as many figures. Most of the enemy in the trenches facing the Americans on the south had turned in for the night.
Chester’s passage through the German camp was considerably quicker than Hal had been able to proceed. Nearing the German outposts toward the north, however, he found it necessary to advance with greater caution.
Suddenly he came to a stop and threw himself flat on the ground. A short distance away he saw a faint light, cast by several lanterns, and he heard German voices.
"They’re not all asleep here, at all events," the lad told himself. "I’ll have to be careful."
He wormed his way toward the light and when he came close enough to ascertain what was going on, he gave an exclamation of pure alarm.
"Great Scott! They’ve nabbed Hal," he muttered.
Unmindful of danger now, he crept forward more swiftly and at last drew close enough to distinguish what was said.
"So you won’t tell what you are doing here?" came a coarse voice in German.
"I will not," was the reply in a voice that Chester recognized as Hal’s.
"Then I’ll have to find a way to loosen your tongue," said the German voice. "Lieutenant Steinz, do your duty again."
Chester strained his eyes to see. He made out the form of a big man who stepped toward a figure that Chester made out as Hal. The man’s arm drew back and flashed forth. Chester saw Hal stagger back, but the lad made no outcry.
"So that’s the kind of men we have to deal with, eh?" he muttered. "Well, I guess I’ll have to take a hand in this game."
With Chester to think was to act. Nevertheless, he realized the need of caution if he were to extricate Hal from his present difficulty.
"I’ll have to be pretty careful," he told himself; "otherwise, they’ll snare me, too."
Chester’s first impulse, of course, had been to dash forward, guns in hand, and wreak what damage he could among his enemies. He thought better of this, however, and continued to creep forward carefully and silently.