With one strong hand he seized the traitor by the wrist, and deflected the revolver just as the traitor’s hand pressed the trigger, and the bullet whistled harmlessly through the top of the tent.

The captain turned upon Chester with the fury of a madman, and so sudden and fierce was his attack that the lad was borne to the ground.  But in spite of the fact that he was underneath, one hand still grasped the hand in which the spy held the revolver; and, try as he would, the latter was unable to break the boy’s grip.

His teeth bared in a snarl, the traitor suddenly released his grip on the revolver, drew back and drove his fist at the lad’s face.  But if Captain Bassil was quick, Chester was quick also.  With a rapid movement, he rolled over, the revolver still in his hand, and thus escaped the terrific blow aimed at him.

But before he could rise or bring the revolver to bear, the traitor was upon him again, and two hands seized him by the throat.  In vain the lad tried to shake himself free, and he was slowly being choked into unconsciousness.

But with a last desperate effort, he succeeded in bringing the revolver, which he still held firmly, between him and his enemy, and pressed the trigger.

There was the sound of an explosion, and for a moment the grip on the boy’s throat seemed to grow even tighter.  But for a moment only, and then the hands relaxed, Chester heard a faint moan, and, drawing in great gasps of fresh air, the boy fell into unconsciousness, just as the flap to the tent was jerked hurriedly aside and many men rushed in.

CHAPTER XXV.

The end of the conspiracy.

When Chester opened his eyes to the world again he was propped up on General Givet’s own bed, and the Belgian commander and a Belgian surgeon were leaning over him.

“Awake at last, eh?” said General Givet, with a smile, as Chester opened his lips to speak.  “You had a narrow squeak, and no mistake.  And to think that a young lad like you should be the means of saving my life!”

“You have indeed rendered a great service to Belgium,” broke in the surgeon.  “But how do you feel?”

“A little weak,” replied Chester, with a faint smile.  “But Captain Bassil?  Where is the traitor?”

“Dead,” was the Belgian commander’s laconic response.

Chester shuddered involuntarily.

“Never mind,” said the general; “it was his life or yours, and mine too, for that matter.”

“But it makes a fellow feel awfully queer,” said Chester.  “In battle it would have been different.  But to shoot—­”

He broke off and was silent.

“And the conspiracy?” he asked, after a brief pause.  “You have taken steps to catch the Germans in their own trap?”

“I have,” said the general grimly.  “They will wish they had attempted to take Louvain in some other manner.  Thinking us unprepared, they will be too confident.  If they fall into our trap—­and I am positive they will—­they will be annihilated.”