Chester did not take the trouble to deny it, but as the German’s hand went to his hip he said quietly: 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

His revolver gleamed in his hand as he spoke, and he took a step forward.  The German moved back a pace, but he made no further move to draw his weapon.

“Now that you have recognized me,” continued Chester, “I would advise you to come along with us.  We can’t afford to let you go back and set up an alarm, you know.  I don’t want to shoot you, for I remember that I owe my life to you.  Walk on ahead of us, now!”

He emphasized this last sentence with a flourish of his revolver, and the German, realizing that a refusal to obey might possibly spell death, obeyed.

“Sorry I didn’t place you at once,” he exclaimed.  “Then I guess we would be going the other way.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Hal broke in.  “We usually go the way we want to.”

Half a block farther on Hal perceived a body of German troops moving toward them.

“Step in between us,” he commanded the prisoner.

The latter obeyed without remonstrance.

“One false move and you are a dead man, no matter what happens to us,” said Chester quietly.

The prisoner recognized by the lad’s tone that he was in earnest, and he would have passed right on, but an officer with the approaching troop walked directly up to him and saluted.

At the same moment he felt the pressure of Chester’s automatic, which the lad gripped inside his pocket, against his back.

CHAPTER X.

On the Aisne.

The prisoner was in a quandary.  To raise a cry of warning, he felt sure, would mean his instant death; and yet, should he remain silent if he was asked any questions concerning his companions he might also get into trouble.

“Good evening, Captain,” said the officer who had accosted him.  “Are you going far?”

The pressure of the revolver against the German’s back increased, and he replied: 

“I am accompanying my friends to the bank of the Aisne.  They wish to have a look at the enemy on the opposite shore.”

“You might invite them to go with us when we cross the next time,” was the laughing rejoinder.  “When we cross again we shall stay.”

The prisoner also forced a laugh.

“I am likely to go across sooner than I expect,” he said.

“What do you mean?” demanded the other.  “Are you going on a scout?”

“Well, you might call it that.  Anyway, I am going across.”

Both lads were forced to smile to themselves at this.  In their minds there was no doubt that the prisoner was going across the Aisne at once.

“Well, I wish you luck,” said the second German officer, as he continued on his way.

“Thanks,” replied the prisoner briefly.