“All right, Stubbs, if you are such a coward,” said Chester, somewhat nettled.

“I’d rather be a live coward than a dead fool,” was Stubbs’ reply.

He walked off.

“Come on, Chester,” said Hal.  “We’ll have a look at this place.”

He led the way close to the building.  Going slowly and cautiously they advanced to within a short distance of the building without being observed, although they could see an occasional dark shape as it moved about in front of the building.

“Guards there,” said Hal, briefly.

“Sure,” said Chester.  “I believe you have guessed right.  I am sure the place is filled with ammunition.  Now if we could just dispose of the guards and place a time fuse—­”

“It would be a hard blow to the Germans,” Hal agreed.  “We’ll try it.”

Still cautiously they approached.  A guard arose from in front of the building.  He stretched his arms.  Apparently he had been asleep.  Then he sat down again.

“We’ll wait a minute,” Hal whispered.  “Perhaps he’ll doze again.”

Fortune was with the boys.  A few moments later there came the sound of a gentle snore.  The man was asleep.  Immediately the lads sprang to action.  Quickly they dashed across the open space to the side of the large building, which was made of wood and seemed to be nothing more than a huge barn.

Chester stopped beside the guard and raised his revolver.  He hesitated a moment and then lowered the weapon.

“Let him be,” he muttered.  “He won’t be with us long anyhow.”

Hal, in the meantime, had been exploring the barn.  Coming back he picked up the guard’s rifle.

“I can pry a board loose with this,” he told Chester, in a whisper.

This proved easier work than it looked.  The board came loose without much trouble.  Hal disappeared inside.

“Ammunition?” Chester asked, as he poked his head in.

“Yes,” Hal whispered back.

“Find a fuse?” asked Chester.

Again Hal’s reply was in the affirmative.

“Stretch it out here then, and hurry,” ordered Chester.

Hal appeared on the outside a moment later, carrying a fuse.  One end still remained in the barn.  The other Hal carried some distance.

“Guess you’d better dispose of that guard first,” he said.  “He might wake up and extinguish the fuse.”

It was the work of but a moment, much as Chester hated to perform it.

Then Hal struck a light, shielding the match with his cap.  He applied the match to the fuse.  Then he sprang to his feet and called to Chester: 

“Run!”

CHAPTER XXVIII

FLIGHT

Both lads fled through the night knowing that their lives depended upon it.  For safety’s sake it was absolutely necessary that they put as great a distance as possible between them and the barn.