CHAPTER VIII.
THE DUEL.
It was hardly light when Chester, who had been unable to close hiseyes, aroused Lieutenant Anderson. The two finished dressing beforerousing Hal, thinking to give him all the rest possible before wakinghim up. Finally Chester shook him by the shoulder.
"What's the matter," muttered Hal drowsily. "Time to get up already? Ijust went to sleep. What's up? Oh, yes, I remember now. I'm to fight aduel this morning. All right, I'll be ready in a jiffy."
"How did you sleep?" demanded Chester, as Hal was dressing.
"Fine. Never slept better in my life."
Lieutenant Anderson approached and laid his finger on Hal's pulse.
"You'll do," he said quietly.
"I haven't any nerves, if that is what you mean," said Hal with asmile.
Lieutenant Anderson smiled back at him.
"I believe it," he replied. "But come, we had better be on our way."
Quietly the three left the tent. There was a penetrating chill in theearly morning air. It was light now, but the sun had not yet appearedabove the horizon. Dense clouds obscured the sky.
"Not a very cheerful morning to die," commented Hal lightly, as theymade their way quietly along.
"You are not afraid, are you?" asked Chester anxiously.
"What, after yesterday? Not a little bit."
"I don't believe you know what fear is," declared Lieutenant Anderson.
Lieutenant Dupree, his two friends and a surgeon were already on theground when Hal, Chester and Lieutenant Anderson arrived. All raisedtheir caps as they came together. The seconds drew apart to discussthe details of the duel, Hal and Lieutenant Dupree in the meantimediscarding their coats and rolling up their sleeves.
The details completed, Hal and the French lieutenant were at last faceto face.
"On guard!" came the command, given by Lieutenant Anderson.
The swords flashed aloft.
A moment later and they were at it. For a few moments both combatantswere wary, each feeling the other out. A few passes and Hal realizedthat he was no match for the more experienced Frenchman.
"I must be very careful," he told himself. "Perhaps I can wear himdown a bit, and slip over a light thrust. I certainly don't want tokill him. And I don't want to be killed myself."
The French lieutenant was pressing him sorely now. His sword darted inand out with dazzling rapidity, and Hal thanked his stars that he hadbeen fortunate enough to have had some schooling in the use of thefoil.
Hal contented himself with remaining on the defensive, and not anattempt did he make to touch the Frenchman, although the latter leftseveral openings, only, Hal knew, to draw him on. The lieutenant atlast began to grow impatient, and with impatience came carelessness.
He had realized, as had Hal, with the first few passes, that the ladwas not an accomplished swordsman. And the fact now that he could notpenetrate the other's guard angered him.
Suddenly he aimed a fierce thrust at Hal, and the latter only escapedbeing impaled on the other's sword by a quick leap aside. Before theFrenchman could recover his balance, Hal stepped nimbly forward again,his sword darted out, and the lieutenant dropped his weapon with amuttered imprecation. Hal's point had pierced his arm just below theshoulder.
The Frenchman's seconds immediately leaped forward, and Hal steppedover to Chester and Lieutenant Anderson.
"I guess that ends it," he said. "I suppose his honor is appeasednow."
"Don't be too sure," replied Lieutenant Anderson. "He is likely to bemore furious than ever, and demand that the fight continue until oneof you fall. He must realize that you are no match for him, and hecounts on that to give him victory. However, I must say that you havehandled yourself well, and, if you keep your head, you may succeed indropping him."
The lieutenant's predictions proved correct. Lieutenant Dupree had hadhis wound bandaged, and now demanded that the fight be resumed. Halwas not the lad to protest, so the two were soon at swords' pointsagain.
But now both Hal and Lieutenant Dupree fought more warily. Hal couldread in his opponent's eyes that he had made up his mind to kill him.Touched once because of his carelessness, Hal knew that the Frenchmanwould be more wary.
In stepping back before a fierce thrust of his opponent's sword, Hal'sfoot slipped. He threw up his arm, and for a moment was off his guard.Before he could recover his balance, the Frenchman's sword flashed upunder his guard and pierced him through the left shoulder.
The lad staggered back, and the Frenchman, unheeding the accident andthe calls of Lieutenant Anderson and Chester, pressed his advantage.With a grim smile he started a thrust that would have ended Hal'sdays; but, with a sudden lurch, Hal staggered forward, threw up hissword, and, with a terrific stroke, swept the sword from theFrenchman's hand. Lieutenant Dupree was at his mercy.
The Frenchman stepped back and folded his arms, as Hal took a stepforward.
"Kill me," he said quietly.
"Run him through!" shouted Lieutenant Anderson. "He tried to kill youunfairly."
Slowly Hal lowered his sword.
"No," he said, "I can't do it. Neither will I continue the fight." Heturned to his late opponent. "I hope your honor is satisfied," hesaid.
The Frenchman turned, and, with bowed head, replaced his coat; thenwith his two friends he walked away.
The surgeon hurried to Hal's side and peered at his wound.
"Not serious," he said, after an examination. "I'll have it fixed allright in a moment."
The wound dressed, the surgeon offered Hal his hand.
"You are a gallant youngster," he said, "and I am proud to know you.Many a man in your place would have killed his opponent. Your coolnessis a thing to be admired."
Hal shook hands with the surgeon, and the latter then took himselfoff.
Lieutenant Anderson approached Hal and grasped him by both arms.
"You are all right," he said, emphasizing each word. "I was afraid itwas all up with you."
"And so was I," said Chester. "But, if you had fallen unfairly, Iwould have killed him myself."
The three made their way back to the boys' quarters, where they satdown and talked the duel over.
"The best thing you can do now," said Lieutenant Anderson to Halfinally, "is to get a little rest. Both of you are wounded, and willnot have to report for duty. I shall tell General French that you willbe all right in a day or two."
"Tell him we shall be all right in an hour or two, that will be muchbetter," said Hal.
"Great Scott!" exclaimed the lieutenant. "Can't you even keep stillfor a day?"
"Well," said Hal, "there is likely to be some real fighting to-day,and we don't want to miss anything, do we Chester?"
"I should say not," was Chester's reply.