As Hal looked out, the German stopped his horse and fired.  Hal dodged back sideways.  The bullet whizzed through the hole in the canvas in the rear, grazed Hal’s head, and struck the back of the seat near Chester.  Chester did not even turn, but, with cries and blows, continued to urge the mules on.

As quick as he could, Hal rushed to the hole and fired at his opponent, but failed to hit him.  At the same instant another bullet came through the side of the wagon, and struck his revolver, and the weapon fell to the road.  Hal dodged back inside.

Then the Germans bore down on them again, firing into the wagon as they passed it.  Hal sprang to the front of the wagon.  One German had stopped and was taking aim at Chester.  Hal raised his revolver, and, taking a snap shot, fired.  The bullet went true, and the German fell to the road.

“I’ve hit one of them, Chester!” called Hal.

“Bully for you!” came back the response, and Chester continued to ply his whip on the backs of the galloping mules.

Once more the remaining two Germans turned and came back, but this time they did not fire as they passed the wagon.  Hal rushed back to the rear of the wagon and looked out....  One German rode close behind and to the right of the wagon.

Bracing himself, Hal quickly stuck his revolver through the hole, but before he could fire, the German flopped over on one side of his horse, and all that could be seen of him was his arm around the animal’s neck, and from the knee down, one leg.

Hal did not fire, but waited for him to come up—­he could almost hit the horse’s head with his hand, so closely was he running.  Suddenly he saw his enemy’s hand move, and he dodged back just in time.  A bullet sped past his head.

Up came the German, and Hal stuck his revolver through the hole, and, without taking aim, fired.  The ball struck the German in the breast, and, with a cry, he threw up his hands, and toppled from his horse.

“I got another one, Chester!” cried Hal.

“Good!” came the reply, but Chester was too busy to say more.

The bullet with which Hal had disposed of the second German had been his last, and the boys were now without firearms.

Along they bowled, and once more the last German passed the wagon.  He had learned the boys were without weapons.  But the German now had also disposed of his last cartridge, so the lads were on even terms.

Suddenly Chester called: 

“He is crowding the mules off the road!”

It was true.  The pursuer was riding close to the mules, trying to push them from the road.  The animal on the near side was jumping frantically and gradually pushing the other mule toward the edge of the road.

The German kept close to the mule, in spite of several attempts Hal made to scare him off by pointing his empty revolver at him.  The German refused to scare.

Grasping the side of the wagon, Hal took the revolver by the barrel and hurled it at the German.  The latter tried to dodge, but it was too late.  The revolver struck him in the face, and he fell to the ground.