Hal made his way back to the parlor, where the German officer still stood, trying to bind up his injured hand with a handkerchief.  He saw Hal approach, and raised his sword, taking a step forward.  At the same moment, Edna, who had in the meantime dragged Chester’s inert body out of harm’s way, stepped into the room.

His face red with fury, the German officer took another stride forward, and thrust.  The blade passed through Hal’s guard and through the side of his open coat, grazing his body.

As the sword went through the boy’s coat, it looked to Edna as though the lad must have met his death; and she screamed.  The German officer laughed gleefully, but, even as he did so, Hal, smiling, took a step forward.

With a quick stroke, he sent the German’s sword flying from his grasp, and the officer was at his mercy.

The German’s rage burst like a bubble.

“Kill me!” he said quietly to Hal.

“No,” replied the lad; “I cannot kill a man in cold blood.  Pick up your sword.”

The officer obeyed, and Hal placed himself on guard.  But, taking the weapon by the blade, the German extended the hilt to Hal.

“I surrender,” he said.

The lad took the extended sword, and then passed it back to the officer.

“Keep your sword, sir,” he said.

The German glanced at him a moment in silence; then took the sword.

“You are a generous enemy, sir,” he said.  “You will have no occasion to regret your confidence in me.”

“I am sure of it, sir,” was the lad’s answer.  “You are at liberty to leave at any time you choose.”

The officer scrutinized Hal closely.

“You are a gallant lad,” he said finally.  “There are few men who could have done what you have.  I hope that we may meet again.”

Turning, with a polite bow, first to Edna and then to Hal, he made his way from the house and was gone.

“How is Chester?” was Hal’s first question, after the German had departed.

“He has recovered consciousness,” replied the girl.  “He is badly wounded, but I believe he will be all right in a few days.  Bento, who has some knowledge of medicine, is attending him.”

Hal hurried to the room upstairs where Chester had been carried.  Chester, lying in bed, greeted him with a smile.

“You certainly have all the luck!” he exclaimed.  “Here I was unable to walk while you were doing all the fighting.”

“Never mind that,” replied Hal.  “How do you feel?  Are you in pain?”

“Not much, now,” was the reply.  “Bento is quite a surgeon.  He has fixed me up to the queen’s taste.  It appears the ball glanced off my third rib.”

“But you won’t be able to travel!”

“I am afraid not.  I am so weak I cannot stand.  But you must go on just the same.”

“What!  And leave you here?”

“Of course.  I shall be perfectly safe here, more so than you will be on the road.  I wish I could go with you, but I am afraid it will be a day or two before I can walk.”