“Four, eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty-four,” Frank counted.

“That’s not so many.  We can grab them easy enough.”

But a moment later additional footsteps were heard.  Again Frank counted moving figures to himself.

“Twenty more,” he muttered.  “Where on earth did they all come from?  By George!  They certainly are taking a long chance marching around like this.  Well, the more we can get the better.”

At the door of the cabin the Germans halted.  Three of their number stepped forward and went inside.  This was not at all in line with Frank’s plans, and he realized now that the situation of young Cutlip, inside, was dangerous in the extreme.  Something must be done to protect him.

As the Germans went inside the house, the others, meanwhile, standing guard, Frank gave the signal agreed upon, a soft whistle, like the call of a bird of the night.  The British began to move from their hiding places and to draw closer to the Germans, standing there in the open.

“Well,” Frank muttered to himself at last, “I guess the sooner we get busy the better.”

He sprang to his feet and leaped forward.

CHAPTER XX

THE BATTLE

Meanwhile, inside the cabin young Cutlip was facing the Germans cooly enough.  He rose to his feet as the door opened and the first German stuck his head inside.  The latter surveyed the interior rapidly, and seeing a single figure there, advanced quickly, gun in hand.

“Oho!  It’s the boy,” he said in clumsy English.  “And where is your father?”

“I don’t know,” answered the boy.  “He went away.”

“But did he get the food?”

Cutlip motioned to the sacks of provisions on the floor.

“Good!” said the German, rubbing his hands.

He returned his revolver to his belt and motioned his two companions to enter.  They closed the door behind them.

“You have told no one of our presence here?” asked the first German, as he stooped over to examine the sacks.

“No.”

“How about your father?”

“He has told no one, either.”

“It is well.  For if you had, we would kill you now.”

Young Cutlip said nothing, but he knew by the hard look in the man’s eyes that he told the truth.  In spite of the fact that the boy knew he was in grave peril, he was perfectly cool.

He sat down again as the Germans passed from sack to sack, examining the contents.  At last the first man stood up and faced the boy.

“Your father, by chance, didn’t say anything about pay for this food, did he?” he asked.

“No,” returned Cutlip.

The German grinned.

“Guess he knew it wouldn’t do much good,” he said.  “Well, men, let’s roll this stuff outside.”

Again the men bent over the sacks.

At that moment there came a shot from without, followed by a volley.  On the instant young Cutlip leaped to his feet, rushed to the door, threw it open and dashed outside.