It was a fatal move, for a German gunner sprang forward—­there was a fearful roar—­a loud explosion, a cloud of smoke, and, when the smoke had cleared away, there was no automobile to be seen—­nothing but wreckage and a few maimed bodies scattered about.

But Hal and his companions were having troubles of their own.  Even at the moment that the first car disappeared in smoke, the driver of a second sprang to his feet, waved his arms about, as he wildly gasped for air, and tumbled overboard.  The machine, now wild, turned and crashed into its nearest neighbor.

There was a terrific crash, and both cars turned turtle.  Came a cry of triumph from the Germans, but Hal and the driver of the other remaining car paid no heed; rather, if possible, their cars leaped ahead faster than before.

But the herculean task the lads had set out to accomplish was too much.  In spite of the fact that the Germans had been taken by surprise, their numbers were so great that the success of such a dash was impossible.

Straight ahead the boys made out a regiment, drawn up with leveled rifles.  In one last desperate attempt to break through, Hal and the driver of the other car dashed into them.

A blow from the butt of a German rifle knocked the driver of the second car from his seat as he swept past, and the machine, turning round and round, like a huge top, suddenly turned over, pinioning its occupants beneath it.

A second later and Hal felt a sharp sting in his left hand.  In spite of the desperate attempt he made to keep the machine steady, it rocked from side to side at the sudden loosening of his hand.

Fearing that all would be killed if he did not stop the machine, the lad threw off the clutch and applied the brakes.  Then, in the center of a large force of Germans, who came rushing in upon them, the lad stood up in the machine, and, raising his uninjured hand, shouted: 

“We surrender!”

A German officer called a hoarse command, and the long line of threatening rifles was lowered.

“Come out of there,” called the officer, “and be quick about it.”

Hal did as commanded, and a moment later Chester also was on the ground.  Turning back to the machine, they tenderly lifted Captain Anderson out and laid him on the ground.  He had fainted during the wild ride.

Hal turned to the German officer.

“Will you please see that my friend,” indicating the captain, “receives medical attention at once?”

“It shall be done immediately,” returned the German officer gravely, and motioned to two of his men to carry the unconscious captain to a nearby hospital tent.  Then he turned to Hal and Chester.

“Do you know that you have created terrible havoc in our ranks?” he demanded.

Hal smiled grimly.

“That is what we intended to do,” he made reply.  “However, we wouldn’t have done so had you permitted us to return to our lines in peace.”