answered one of the men. “I am afraid he’s done for.”

And now the Germans came on again. The first five met the same fate that had overtaken their comrades, but behind them came more, and still more.

As each German rounded the turn in the bridge his rifle cracked, and continued to crack until he fell. Men inside the barricade also were beginning to fall fast now, and the reserve lines were being drawn upon more rapidly each minute.

Hal and Chester, crouching down, directed the defense. In spite of the fearful havoc wrought by the British fire, the Germans came on. The bridge was piled high with dead and wounded, but the enemy did not hesitate.

Their officers urged them on without regard for life, and bravely went to death with them. Rifles cracked in a steady roar and men on both sides fell rapidly. But each Englishman, sheltered as he was behind the barricade, accounted for at least several of the enemy before he himself went to his death.

Now the defenders had dwindled to fifty, and still there was no cessation of the German assault. The heaped up bodies of dead now formed a barricade for the Germans, and they advanced and fell behind them, using their dead companions as shields. Ten or fifteen rows deep they stood behind their dead, and poured volley after volley into the defenders.

The British reserved their fire as much as possible, but whenever a German head showed above the barricade of bodies a rifle cracked and almost every time a German fell.

All afternoon the fighting continued, the Germans, because of the fierce fire of the remaining English and hampered by their own dead, being unable to rush the defenders.

There were less than twenty-five of the British unwounded. Hal and Chester had both been struck, Hal on the arm and Chester on the shoulder. But neither was badly hurt.

“Hadn’t we better retreat, sir?” asked one soldier of Hal, when there was a let up in the firing.

“What chance would we have?” demanded Hal. “The minute we broke and ran we would be shot down like dogs.”

“Then we might surrender.”

“Surrender! Never! We were ordered to hold the bridge and we will hold it as long as we can.”

The man subsided, and Hal turned his face toward the foe again. There was a sudden silence. The Germans drew off.

“Wonder what that means?” demanded Hal of Chester. “They certainly are not going to give up. I wonder what they are up to now?”

“I can’t imagine,” replied Chester. “But they have something up their sleeves.”

“Well, we’ll soon see,” said Hal.

But he was mistaken; for just as the first German again appeared around the turn, to be struck down by a British bullet, there was a sudden deafening roar from the rear, and turning suddenly Hal and Chester and the few brave soldiers who were left raised a feeble cheer.

Coming forward at a rapid trot were several squadrons of British cavalry, and far behind could be seen columns upon columns of infantry, advancing swiftly.

“Hurrah!” shouted Hal. “Saved! Hurrah!”

“Hurrah!” repeated Chester, and completely worn out, he tumbled over in a heap.