As they came to the edge of the woods, Hal, who was slightly in advance, stopped suddenly, and raised a warning hand. The little party halted.
"What's the matter?" asked Chester in a whisper.
Chester approached closer and peered over his friend's shoulder. Less than three hundred yards ahead he could dimly make out moving forms.
"Perhaps they are not Germans," said Chester hopefully. "How did they manage to get behind us?"
"I don't know," replied Hal. "But I am sure they are Germans. Some way, I can feel it."
"We shall have to try and go round them without letting them hear us. Otherwise we are likely to be killed or captured."
Making a wide detour, the little party continued on their way. For an hour they walked along unmolested, and then, suddenly, from almost directly before them, came a cry, in German:
In the dimness of the little woods in which they stood, the boys, at first, could not see the man who had accosted them.
At a word from Hal the little party came to a halt.
"Who goes there?" came the question from the darkness.
"Friends!" replied Hal in German, which he spoke like a native.
"Advance!" came the reply, and the shadow of a German soldier, with his rifle raised, ready to fire, suddenly appeared before them.
It was too dark for the German soldier to make out their uniforms until the English were upon him. Then he started back with a cry.
His amazement, slight though it was, proved his undoing. For as he staggered back Hal sprang forward, and the butt of his upraised rifle fell with stunning force upon the German's head. The soldier dropped to the ground with a slight moan.
"We'll have to get away from here quick!" exclaimed Chester. "Come on, men, follow us!"
Silently the little party, bearing off slightly to the right, went forward. Suddenly Chester stopped and clutched Hal by the arm.
"Great Scott!" he whispered. "Look! We are right in the middle of them!"
It was true. Ahead of them, in a long line running in each direction, the boys could see figures sprawled on the ground. It was a German force sleeping. There was not the sign of a light, a tent, or a hut. Here and there the boys could make out the dim form of a sentry flitting about.
"We have certainly got into a mess," whispered Hal.