Chester needed no urging.  He stepped aside quickly, and then jumped behind the Austrian, before the latter had time to back into a corner, had such been his intention.  Uncle John circled about a bit and moved on him from the other side.

The Austrian took a quick look at his foes, threatening him from three sides.  He realized he was no match for all, and his thoughts turned to escape.  There was just one way by which he could get away—­through the door by which he had entered the room—­and this would give the prisoners a chance to make a break for liberty.

Hal struck out savagely with his right fist, and the Austrian hesitated no longer.  With a quick backward leap, he passed from the room, making no effort to close the door behind him.

“After him!” cried Hal, also jumping forward.

The Austrian turned and took to his heels, and Hal, Chester and Uncle John gave chase.  Down the hall ran the man, with Hal but a few paces behind him.

And then, suddenly, the Austrian turned in his tracks.  Hal was quite unprepared for this maneuver, and before he could check himself, he had bumped squarely into his opponent, who seized him in close embrace.  The man’s hands closed about the boy’s throat, and Hal gasped for breath.

Chester and Uncle John, seeing Hal’s predicament, charged forward with a shout; and then the reason that the Austrian had turned to give battle became apparent.

A second and a third figure stepped around the two who were struggling in the center of the hall, and faced Uncle John and Chester.  One held a drawn revolver and the other was in the act of drawing a weapon.

It was no time to hesitate, and Chester realized it.

“Come on!” he cried, and leaped forward.

There came a flash and a loud report; but Chester was unwounded.  He had stooped at the moment the man’s hand pressed the trigger, and now came up beneath the other’s guard.  Before the latter could fire again, Chester drove him back with a hard right-handed blow to the jaw.  The man uttered a low imprecation and at that instant Chester’s left fist reached his opponent’s stomach.  The latter doubled up like a knife, and his revolver fell to the floor with a clatter.

Chester stooped quickly and his hand found the weapon.  As he straightened up again, his eyes unconsciously took in the scene about him.  He saw Hal make a last futile effort to free himself from the grasp of the first Austrian, and then fall to the floor with the man on top of him; and he saw Uncle John crumple up as a flash of flame came from the revolver of the third Austrian.

Chester gave a cry, and turning his newly acquired weapon in the direction of the man who had just fired at Uncle John, he pulled the trigger almost without taking aim.  There came a cry, and the latter threw up his arms and fell to the floor.  At the same moment the first Austrian rose from above Hal’s prostrate form, and his revolver and Chester’s spoke simultaneously.  Chester felt a sharp tinge in his left arm and realized that he was not seriously hurt.  He dropped quickly to the floor, even as the Austrian’s revolver spoke again.