Chapter 16

THE STRUGGLE IN THE CAVE.

In spite of the pain that shot through his head following the contact, Hal did not lose his coolness or his presence of mind. Although his head hurt badly, he did not utter a sound.

His unseen antagonist apparently was too surprised to make an outcry, or it may have been that he thought he had bumped into a wall. If the latter were his thought he was quickly undeceived.

As he sat back on his haunches, to rub his head, Hal moved lightly forward, and, judging the distance by the sound of his enemy's movements, fell on top of him.

He had gauged the distance to a nicety, and before the German could cry out, one of the lad's hands sank deep into his throat. But the latter was a powerful man and not to be overcome easily. He hurled the lad from him with a quick shove, at the same time twisting on the wrist of the hand that gripped his throat.

The pain was almost unbearable and Hal was forced to loosen his hold. But again the lad sprang, before the German could take the offensive, and this time struck out fiercely with his right fist. The German uttered a cry of pain, and with one hand delivered a smashing blow at the face so close to his own.

But Hal had figured on this move and had calculated the time of the blow perfectly. With a quick movement of his head he avoided the huge fist, and there came a terrific howl of pain from the German. The blow had passed over the lad's head and the German's fist had crashed into the solid wall.

And at the same instant there came the sound of a shot from Chester's end of the cave.

This sound spurred Hal to greater activity, for he realized now that their presence had been discovered by those on the outside. He felt certain that the sound of the shot would probably bring new visitors into the cave from the end he was supposed to guard.

Quickly, then, while his opponent was still in agony from the self-inflicted blow, Hal drew his revolver and, reversing it, struck out in the direction of a muttered curse.

He was rewarded by another groan of anguish and a moment later by the sound of a falling body. Quickly the lad leaped forward, his weapon held ready to strike again. But there was no need of a second blow. The German was unconscious.

By great exertion Hal succeeded in turning his wounded adversary over and pushed him slowly along the passageway, using him as a shield in case he encountered another of the enemy.

At length he came to the end of the passageway, and pushed his prisoner out. Even as he did so a bullet whistled by his head and he heard the crack of a German rifle. Hal lost no time in getting back into his hiding place.

But now he discovered that even this was not far enough, for a bullet came whizzing into the cave after him. It hit the side of the wall and went skimming over his head.

With all possible haste the lad retreated around the little bend, and throwing himself upon his face held his revolver ready to fire at the first sign of an advancing foe.

He lay perfectly still, not making the slightest noise, and after some moments heard the sound of voices.

"I tell you I must have hit him. I never miss at that distance," said one. "And, besides, if he were in there we could hear him."

"I wouldn't be too sure," came a second voice. "He's liable to be there waiting for you."

"Well, I am going in after him anyhow," said the first speaker.

A moment later Hal heard the German approaching. He half arose to his knee and trained his revolver at the darkness ahead of him.

Then there came the sound of the German rounding the bend, and taking careful aim at the distance above the ground he believed the man's head would be, Hal pressed the trigger.

There was a terrific roar that echoed and reechoed through the passageway, a howl of pain and then silence. For a moment Hal waited, for he did not wish to be caught napping. Then he slowly made his way forward. Presently he came in contact with a man's body. It was the enemy.

Propping himself up behind the dead man, Hal felt more comfortable.

"It will be daylight soon," he said to himself, "and they can't get in here without me seeing them And one man here is as good as a hundred."

Raising his voice, Hal shouted:

"Are you all right, Chester?"

"All right," came back the answer. "One man tried to get in here, but I got him," for all the time that Hal had been engaged Chester had been having troubles of his own.

After Hal had left him, Chester, seeking to ascertain the exact position of the Germans at his end of the cave, and, if possible, their number, had ventured too close to the opening.

A German, walking past at that moment, struck a match to light a cigarette, and Chester's form was clearly outlined in the glare of it. With a hoarse guttural exclamation the German dropped his match and cigarette and brought his rifle to bear.

But before he could press the trigger Chester had disappeared in the darkness of the cave. Evidently believing that the lad would flee from him, the German, sprawling upon hands and knees, gave chase.

Chester, well back in the cave, judged his pursuer's distance by the sounds of his awkward movements. He waited until the German got well within the cave, then raised his automatic and quickly fired twice.

The sound of the explosion was so great that even Chester himself was frightened. This was the shot that Hal had heard as he grappled with his opponent.

Fearing a trap, Chester did not move for several moments, keeping his revolver aimed steadily. But then, as there was no sound from the German, Chester slowly moved forward.

His outstretched hand touched a soft object, and his exploring fingers sought out the German's face.

"He'll do no more fighting," was Chester's only comment.

Relieving the German of his arms and ammunition, Chester sat down to await the approach of the others, who he was certain must have heard the sound of the shot.

And they were not slow in coming. Suddenly the flame of a match appeared in the opening, and taking quick aim Chester let fly with his automatic.

There came a groan of pain from the opening to the cave, but the exact result of his shot Chester could not determine. The light had disappeared and the cave was again in darkness. Hal, at his end of the cave, having serious business of his own to attend to, had not heard this last shot.

And now Chester stretched himself out on the ground to ward off any further attack. He was brought suddenly to a sitting posture again by the sound of a shot from Hal's end of the cave.

Several times he called out but received no answer. He was just on the point of leaving his post and following after his friend when Hal's voice came to him.

"Thank God," he exclaimed softly, "Hal is still alive."

He resumed his former position and lay calmly awaiting the next move of the enemy, with a human shield in front of him, even as Hal had at his end of the cave.

For hours, it seemed to both boys, they lay there silently, save for an occasional shout to the other, when the darkness of the cave began to give way to a faint glow of light. The sun had arisen, and each boy, at his own end of the cave, breathed more freely.

"It's getting light here, Hal," called Chester.

"And here, too," Hal shouted back.

And both lads were struck with the same thought.

"At least, we can see what we are doing now."