Chapter IX: Guerilla Warfare

"Do you mean?" asked Hal, "that 150 men, at large in these woods, have defied the whole German army?"

"There are less than a hundred now," replied the brother of Alexis, whose name the lads learned was Stephan. "We have been conducting this guerilla warfare for more than two weeks now, and we have done inestimable harm to the Germans. We have evaded large bodies of troops sent out to kill or capture us. Of course, some of our men have been picked off, but we are not going to run yet."

"But how do you live?" demanded Chester.

"We have been living on roots and herbs," was the reply, "and such other food as we have been able to take from the enemy."

"And where do you sleep?"

"This forest," said Stephan, "makes an ideal hiding place. It is filled with large caves, the presence of which seems to be unknown to the foe. Many of the caves are large enough for twenty men, although it is seldom that there are more than five or six men in one at a time."

From the rear came the sound of galloping horses. Stephan sprang to instant action.

"Come with me," he cried, and led the way into the very thick of the forest.

Hal, Chester, Alexis and Marquis followed him and soon were safe from discovery in a large cave, the mouth of which was screened from view by a dense mass of shrubbery.

Outside, after a few minutes, the lads could hear the sounds of moving horses and the exclamations of their riders. The horsemen halted near the entrance to the cave and held a consultation.

"They have probably fallen in with some of these guerillas," said one voice. "If so, we shall have hard work to find them."

Close upon his words came a scream from outside, and straining their ears, the party inside made out the sound of a distant pistol shot.

"One more gone," said Stephan briefly.

There came a volley from outside the cave, as the Germans fired at their unseen assailant.

"Not much chance of their hitting anybody," said Stephan calmly.

From outside the cave came the sound of rapidly retreating hoofbeats. The Germans were moving away. Alexis, having thus quickly learned the way of the guerillas, cautiously poked his head from the cave, reached back and picked up his brother's rifle, and fired after the retreating foe.

"Another one," he said grimly, returning the weapon to Stephan.

"Just how long do you suppose you can keep this work up?" Chester asked of Stephan.

"Not much longer, I am afraid," was the reply. "I figure it is only a question of days now until the Germans send out a force strong enough to search the woods thoroughly. In that event, we shall try to make our way back over the border to safety."

From a corner of the cave Stephan now produced a small quantity of food, which he set out. All fell to and it was soon disposed of. Then they ventured from the cave and, walking slowly, made their way northward.

"It's just a case of keep moving," Stephan explained. "Of course, it might be possible for us to join forces, but then we should greatly lessen our effectiveness."

Alexis, who was in front, stopped suddenly and threw up a warning hand. Immediately the other three halted in their tracks. Peering in the direction in which Alexis pointed, they made out the forms of half a dozen German soldiers standing near a tree. Directly, however, the latter made off, and the little party approached the tree.

"Another placard, eh?" muttered Stephan, as he drew near.

The other three also approached and read:

"The time for surrender has been extended till to-morrow at noon!"

Angrily, Stephan snatched the placard from the tree. Turning, he saw several other trees also bearing placards. These he also tore down.

"Surrender, eh!" he cried. "Never!"

Suddenly he clapped his hand to his side and staggered back. At the same instant, from directly ahead, came the sharp crack of a rifle. But Stephan did not fall. Recovering himself, he dashed straight in the direction of the shot at top speed. There came the second crack of a rifle, but still the Cossack did not pause.

Now Hal, and Chester, dashing after him with Alexis at their side, saw Stephan pause momentarily, raise his rifle and fire quickly twice. Then he dropped to the ground. But it was not from injury, as the others feared, for at that moment there came a volley and bullets whistled overhead. Quickly Hal, Chester and Alexis also flung themselves to the earth.

Stephan, lying upon his stomach, was pumping lead steadily straight before him. Hal, Chester and Alexis drew their revolvers and joined in the fray. Through the trees they could now make out the number of their assailants. There were an even dozen of them, all lying in a little clearing, their rifles trained upon the spot where the four friends lay.

Under the deadly aim of Stephan's rifle, two men dropped to the ground. The others returned the Cossack's fire, but the latter was well protected by foliage, and escaped injury. Another German jumped to his feet, spun round on his heel, and fell to the ground.

Then, at a word from one of the Germans, the remaining nine jumped suddenly to their feet and dashed toward their enemies on a dead run, their rifles spitting fire as they came on. Exposed to the fire of the foe as they were, they realized that their only chance of life lay in rushing their opponents.

Alexis was the first to see the danger in this attack. He jumped to his feet, dragging Hal and Chester with him. Stephan also was up in an instant.

"Quick!" cried Alexis, and at a rapid run, he urged the lads to another secluded spot.

There, as the Germans appeared in the spot where they had stood a few moments before, Stephan, the only one of the four armed with a rifle, fired three more quick shots at the foe. One tumbled forward on his face, and a second dropped his rifle.

And now unexpected aid came to the four friends. From the rear of the Germans came several rifle shots in quick succession, and two more of the enemy bit the dust. As they turned to face this new attack, Stephan stepped forward and opened on them again. Caught thus between two fires, the Germans fought well, firing blindly at their unseen foes on both sides.

But such a struggle could have but one ending. The Cossacks, screened from the fire of the enemy who lay between them, were practically safe from the German fire, at the same time having the Germans at their mercy. No quarter was asked, nor none was given. Soon a heap of fallen bodies marked the spot where the Germans had made their last stand.

From the other side of the Germans, two Cossacks now stepped forth, and approached. Stephan advanced to meet them. Alexis made his way to the fallen foe, and gathered up the rifles. Returning, he passed one to each lad, with the remark:

"Here; these beat revolvers for this kind of warfare."

After a short conference with the two newcomers, Stephan motioned for his friends to follow, and the party, now increased to six, moved on. For perhaps half an hour they marched through the woods, and at the end of that time stopped once more before the entrance to a second cave.

"Before we enter," said Stephan, "I will tell you that these men have just informed me that inside a consultation of war is being held. There are perhaps 60 men there, who have gathered here for that purpose. I have vouched for you, and you will therefore be admitted to the consultation without question."

The others signified that they understood, and Stephan led the way into the cave. Inside, the lads looked quickly around. This cave, they saw, was much greater than the first they had entered. Also it showed signs of human handiwork. Large pillars ran up through the center of it, and beyond the far entrance the lads could see one, then two more compartments.

Sitting about on the floor of the first compartment were more than half a hundred men, talking in low tones. They looked up in surprise at the sight of Hal and Chester, but Alexis they greeted with a nod. The latter stepped forward and greeted them in their native tongue. The lads could not make out all he said, but the looks of suspicion on the faces of some vanished immediately, and they moved a bit to let the newcomers join the circle.

Plainly it was the opinion of most of the men that the guerilla warfare had been carried far enough. Some were in favor of making a last desperate raid upon the enemy before attempting to get back across the Russian border, while others were in favor of attempting to get back immediately.

For an hour the discussion waged and then it was rudely interrupted. The man left to guard the entrance to the cavern rushed in.

"Germans approaching in great force!" he cried.

Immediately all were on their feet, and one man rushed to the narrow entrance. He started through but fell back, a bullet in his head. A second, rifle in hand, also advanced, but Hal, springing quickly to his feet, stopped him.

"Wait!" he cried. "They can pick us off one at a time as we go out. Some other plan will have to be found."

Stephan and Alexis took their stand by the lad's side, and faced the men who would have rushed to certain death.

"The lad is right," said Stephan. "Out the other end of the cave, men, and scatter!"

Rapidly this order was obeyed, and soon none were left in the first compartment but Hal, Chester, Alexis, Stephan and Marquis.

Now Hal also dashed after the others. But the lad was not bent upon flight, leaving his friends to face the enemy alone. Quickly he hurried through the three compartments of the cavern, casting a keen eye here and there. Clear to the far entrance he went, and then turned back. As he made his way along, he stumbled over something and fell heavily. He was up in a moment, however, and glanced curiously at the object over which he had tripped. Then a smile lighted up his face. He made his way back to his friends.

"How many do you suppose there are out there?" asked Alexis.

"We have no means of telling," replied Chester. "However, there are probably no less than two or three hundred."

"If we stand here and fire as they attempt to enter, we may have some success," said Stephan.

"Yes," said Alexis, "but the detonations may occasion the falling in of the cavern. At the first shot from outside a piece of falling rock grazed my shoulder."

"We must do something quickly," said Hal. "We cannot leave without striking at least one blow at them."

"Assuredly not," agreed Alexis. "I have a plan."