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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42733 ***
+
+  The BRIGHTON BOYS
+  in
+  THE TRENCHES
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+  THE BRIGHTON BOYS SERIES
+  BY
+  LIEUTENANT JAMES R. DRISCOLL
+  AS FOLLOWS:
+
+  THE BRIGHTON BOYS
+  WITH THE FLYING CORPS
+
+  THE BRIGHTON BOYS
+  IN THE TRENCHES
+
+  THE BRIGHTON BOYS
+  WITH THE BATTLE FLEET
+
+  THE BRIGHTON BOYS
+  IN THE RADIO SERVICE
+
+  THE BRIGHTON BOYS
+  WITH THE SUBMARINE FLEET
+
+  THE BRIGHTON BOYS
+  IN THE ENGINEERING CORPS
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RED STREAKS OF FLAME STABBED THE SEMI-DARKNESS.]
+
+
+
+
+  The BRIGHTON BOYS in
+  THE TRENCHES
+
+  BY
+  LIEUTENANT JAMES R. DRISCOLL
+
+  ILLUSTRATED
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY
+  PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+  Copyright, 1918, by
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+  CHAPTER                                                            PAGE
+
+  I. THE INCENTIVE                                                      9
+
+  II. JOINING HANDS WITH UNCLE SAM                                     23
+
+  III. GETTING INTO HARNESS                                            32
+
+  IV. A FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT                                            42
+
+  V. A DELICATE MISSION                                                54
+
+  VI. HITTING THE MARK                                                 65
+
+  VII. THE MATCH                                                       76
+
+  VIII. GETTING OVER AND ON                                            87
+
+  IX. FACING THE ENEMY                                                 97
+
+  X. WAR IS--WAR!                                                     109
+
+  XI. A DOUBLE SURPRISE                                               116
+
+  XII. HUNTING BIG GAME IN NO MAN'S LAND                              128
+
+  XIII. THE TRAITOR IN CAMP                                           138
+
+  XIV. LIFE AND DEATH                                                 149
+
+  XV. WING SHOOTING WITH A RIFLE                                      163
+
+  XVI. "OVER THE TOP"                                                 174
+
+  XVII. HERBERT'S LITTLE SCHEME                                       189
+
+  XVIII. THE BIG PUSH                                                 199
+
+  XIX. LIEUTENANT WHITCOMB                                            214
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+  THE RED STREAKS OF FLAME STABBED THE SEMI-DARKNESS      _Frontispiece_
+
+                                                                    PAGE
+
+  SLENDER FINGERS THRUST HIS HAND ASIDE                               64
+
+  HE FIRED TWICE IN QUICK SUCCESSION                                 168
+
+  "MAYBE I'LL HEAR THEM PRONOUNCE MY DOOM"                           178
+
+
+
+
+The Brighton Boys in the Trenches
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE INCENTIVE
+
+
+With the days that the poet has termed the rarest, the longest, sunniest
+days of the year, there had come to Brighton at once sad and happy days.
+
+For it was that time in early June when to those who have been faithful
+is given the credit they so richly deserve for hard study and
+achievement; the time also of parting from loved classmates and
+companions in glory on the field of sport, of leaving behind for a time,
+or perhaps forever, the dear old school and the campus, the custodians
+of so many delightful associations.
+
+Golden moments are those, indeed, even though shadows mar the perfect
+glow of youth and hope and aspirations. But shadows there must be, for
+school is but a part of life's too brief journey taken through many
+unlighted places, as well as in the sunshine.
+
+Herbert Whitcomb, over-tall and manly-looking for his seventeen years,
+strolled alone down the broad boardwalk that led from class-rooms to
+dormitories, his hands in his pockets, his head bowed in earnest
+thought. He turned off suddenly into one of the clusters of spruces that
+dotted the spacious grounds and finding a bench sank down dejectedly,
+his comely face, usually expressive of good humor, now showing only
+sorrow.
+
+It was just after final examinations, and other students, singly, in
+pairs and in groups, were among the trees enjoying the restfulness of
+the out-of-doors. Two standing within a few yards could be heard
+talking.
+
+"They have joined, but I don't know what regiment. Gosh! What a
+difference the war is going to make right here in good old Brighton
+Academy! There's Corwin and Joe Little and 'Fatty' Benson in the
+American flying squadron; and Jed Harris and a bunch of the fellows are
+in the navy."
+
+"Jack Hammond and Ted Wainwright--they went underseas with the Yankee
+submarine fleet, didn't they?"
+
+"You bet! There's dare-devil action for you! Fighting the sea wolves in
+their own element! Shouldn't wonder if those Brighton submarine boys
+blow up the Kiel Canal before they're through! Got brains, those
+fellows. Well, things are moving. As sure as shooting, we're going to
+make the world safe for democracy! I guess I'll have to get into the
+game myself. It isn't any fun sitting on the bleachers. I'm goin' to
+enlist."
+
+"Why not wait till you're of age and then let 'em draft you?"
+
+"Not for me, kid. I want to have my choice of the branch of service I
+join."
+
+"You've made up your mind, then?"
+
+"Yep. Me for the Engineers' Corps. Believe me, there's no more important
+branch of the army----"
+
+The young men had started off and now their voices died away among the
+trees. Whitcomb suddenly sat up very straight, his hands on his knees,
+and gazed fixedly before him, seeing nothing, but in his mind's eye
+seeing much, for a thought, not altogether new, had come to him and he
+was beginning to bite down on it hard. The boy's clenched hand went up
+into the air and then smote the bench seat quite forcibly.
+
+"Must've smashed that fly, or was it a knotty problem?" said a jovial
+voice, the branches of the spruces parting to let the speaker through; a
+red-headed, freckled, squint-eyed lad who was quite as homely as the one
+whom he addressed was good looking.
+
+Whitcomb greeted the newcomer sadly. "Well, old man, this is my last day
+on earth. It was my hopes I was smashing."
+
+Roy Flynn, classmate, loyal friend, all-round good fellow, with laughing
+Irish eyes, threw back his head, opened a mouth that might almost have
+made a barn door jealous and very unmistakably chuckled.
+
+"I'm goin' t' die with ye, then! What's the crime for which we're bein'
+executed?"
+
+"Listen! Got a letter from the legal luminary this morning," began
+Whitcomb. "Contents nothing but words and to the effect that the cash is
+gone. It's now up to me right away to hustle round and get myself some
+more, somehow. That's not so bad, but it means no more school, or of
+Brighton, anyway. It means this, too: that I, Herb Whitcomb, have got to
+get back there among the more lowly where I belong and travel the back
+alleys awhile--it's only the lucky that can hit the highways. Much
+pleasure in the thought that some of my old friends are saying: 'Huh!
+Took a tumble, didn't he? Money ran out. Tried to fly too high in the
+first place, I guess,' and all that sort of thing. But least pleasant
+will be that you and I----"
+
+Roy interrupted with a sudden roar.
+
+"'Whurrah! Whurrah!' as me old granddad used to say. Tin-can the blue
+stuff and the pessimistic rot! There's going to be nothing unpleasant
+concerning you and I--I mean you and me. And why, me lad? Because do I
+see meself letting the misfit circumstances of this changeable world
+make a monkey of me? Yes, I do not! Life is too brief, and sorry the day
+when one bids good-by to friends and fun; one's a fool who does and as
+me old granddad in Ireland used to say: 'Bad cest to 'em!' Am I right?"
+
+"No doubt, if I only knew what you were talking about. I can't help
+being thick-headed."
+
+"Listen, Herb. Ye won't go to work this summer and ye won't quit school!
+I'm talkin' to ye. Me old dad has enough for the both of us and I'll
+lend ye enough for to see ye through in grand shape, if ye will coach me
+along to keep up with ye. Are ye on?"
+
+"Roy, I couldn't do that. I couldn't, really. You know a fellow has some
+pride, and I----"
+
+"Oh, sure, but tin-can it this once. Ye've got no business to shove it
+at me and ye know, me lad, I'm never goin' to say one word about this to
+a single, solitary soul. It's between us only."
+
+"I know that, old man; I would be sure of that, but even then I
+couldn't--I--you see, I would know it myself, and I could never be quite
+happy if I weren't paying my own way."
+
+"But ye'll be coachin' me and I'll be payin' ye wages. Now, do ye mind
+that? Are ye so blamed big-headed----?"
+
+"'Fraid so. You see, I wouldn't be half earning what I'd need. And as
+for the summer--well, there's another hundred and thirty dollars due and
+ready for me, my guardian writes, so I might spend a week or so with you
+in the mountains; then hunt a job. Come on in town with me now, will
+you? I want to mail this letter to the legal luminary."
+
+The two boys, arm in arm, made their way across the juniper and spruce
+covered hillside, then into the broad walk and through the high stone
+gateway to the street. The post office was half a mile away.
+
+Stepping along briskly and discussing future plans, they were almost
+past a little crowd, mostly of students and small boys, collected on the
+sidewalk when quick-witted Roy, not at the moment speaking, caught a few
+words that made him halt instantly and turn. Herb gazed at him in
+surprise.
+
+"--und vat I care for der law?" came a guttural voice. "Der American
+beebles vas fools to go to war mit Chermany, for vat can dey do? Der
+Chermans is fighters und drained up to der minute und you oxpect dese
+American chumps vill haff any show mit dem? Uh?"
+
+In a moment Herbert and Roy had joined the assemblage and had observed
+the speaker to be a big, large-girthed German possessing a very red
+nose, a glowering countenance and a manner contemptuous and
+self-exalted. One could read upon him, at a glance, that he held the
+unalterable opinion that there was no other country like Germany, no
+people to compare with the Germans and for all the rest of the world, no
+matter to what section he might owe his present prosperity, he had an
+altogether poor opinion.
+
+The audience seemed strangely silent before the German's denunciations
+and Herb glanced about him. Two seniors of Brighton were there and two
+others of the sophomore class, each one a youth of possibly doubtful
+courage, more in love with the refinements of books than with the danger
+of engaging in too strenuous argument with a bearish, bully-ragging,
+irresponsible foreigner. The rest of the bunch were youngsters from the
+public school.
+
+One bright-faced, quick-witted boy among the latter there was who alone
+evidently had the courage of his convictions:
+
+"Aw, gwan! What ye tryin' t' give us? Our fellers'll make that big stiff
+Hindenburg look like a chicken hit with a brick! Them Dutchmen ain't sa
+much!"
+
+"You vas only a leedle kid und you don'd know noddings," spouted the
+German. "Chermans ain'd Dutchmens; dey vas ten times as goot. You
+fellers can fight, heh? Vere do you keep dese fighters? I ain'd seen
+noddings off dem; dey vas all crawled in a hole. Und der soldiers off
+der Vaterlandt, dey make 'em crawl in a hole chust like dat!" and he
+snapped his pudgy fingers.
+
+Roy looked at Herb, who was gazing at the big man through narrowed
+lids, his face turning red. The lad of pure Celtic stock felt his own
+blood boil and his ready tongue found release.
+
+"Now, ain't ye got the ignorant nerve to stand right out here in America
+and talk like a fat tomat? De ye know that might not be quite safe
+everywhere?"
+
+"Safe? Safe? Ach, I see noddings onsafe! I don't see no metals on
+nobotty roundt here vat iss going to make id onsafe for me. Und vat I
+tinks I says, heh? Und nobotty can stop me, needer!"
+
+"Better not think too much, then, Dutchy," advised Roy.
+
+"Say, young feller, you vas oldt enough to know bedder den to call me
+Dutch. I vas Cherman. Und chust you remember dot; see?"
+
+"That's so, Germany. I guess it's an insult to the honest Dutch to call
+you that. By the way you fellows have been carrying on over there in
+Belgium, burning, looting, murdering women and children----"
+
+"Dot vas a lie! All a lie! Newspapers, newspapers! Der American
+newspapers iss chust like der beeble, all liars! Und you belief 'em, py
+gollies, effrybotties. Efen Vilson, he ain'dt got no better----"
+
+"Hold on, there! You're going much too far! Speak with respect of the
+President of the United States, or don't speak of him at all!" This
+came, like a shot, from Herb, and the boy's eyes flashed into the little
+pig's peepers of the big foreigner. A cheer went up from the crowd and
+Roy slapped his chum on the back.
+
+"That's the stuff! Give him some more of that!"
+
+The German took a few steps forward facing Herb, the crowd giving way.
+The man's arm was raised.
+
+"Vat you got to say aboudt it, heh? I say chust vat I bleese. Who vas
+you? Purdy soon I ketch you py der neck und twist id like a chicken gets
+der axe, heh?"
+
+"You really couldn't mean to be so unkind, could you? Now, honest." Herb
+was sarcastic. "Now, I'll tell you what we'll do to fix you. You come
+along down town and we'll just turn you over to the cops. They'll want
+to investigate you. How about it, fellows? Hadn't we better take him
+right now?"
+
+One senior, scenting trouble, began to edge away, but the others
+responded by general acclamation. It might mean a serious scrimmage,
+but they were ready for it; all that had been needed to call them into
+action was a leader.
+
+But the big German proved to be the actual aggressor. Permitting his
+anger to get the better of his judgment and quicker on his feet than his
+girth would indicate, he made a rush straight at Herbert. No doubt he
+meant to end matters by a sudden defeat of the leader and thus
+intimidate the others. But like many German plans this one did not fully
+work out.
+
+Herb merely side-stepped. As a most promising pupil he had long received
+special training in boxing from the capable athletic instructor. He was
+instantly out of the man's reach as the big arms and fat hands reached
+to seize him; he was just a mite too far away also when the ponderous
+fist, swung round in the air, aimed at his head. But the German was not
+out of Roy's reach.
+
+The foreigner's artillery may have been heavier, but that of the
+American youth was handier and reached farther. The man's blow, that
+surely would have done damage had it landed, by its momentum had carried
+him half off his feet when Herb just stepped forward, shot out his arm
+and stepped back again.
+
+The German got it precisely in the right place on the jaw and he
+collapsed like a clothes-horse with the props knocked from under it.
+
+It was a good deal like a fat pig doing the wallow act, for the man did
+not remain long quiescent. He rolled over to his hands and knees, then
+got to his feet and letting out a roar like a mad bull, commenced
+swinging his arms windmill fashion. Then there was another rush at Herb.
+
+The incident was repeated, precisely and accurately, except that the
+blow on the jaw was this time harder and that the German lay prone
+somewhat longer. He arose this time to a sitting posture and through his
+little eyes regarded Herb with something akin to wonder. The boy, never
+hard-hearted, turned away. But Roy stood before the undignified foe.
+
+"Now, you see, Dutchy, what is bound to happen to you if you get gay.
+Pretty much the same thing is going to happen to the German Army before
+long. If you don't stop shooting off your big mouth this'll happen to
+you." And the lad drew his fingers around his neck to indicate a
+strangling rope.
+
+The growing crowd, many others having now joined it, set up a laugh and
+then a decided cheer at this; the German blinked at his opponents, felt
+his jaw, made a horrible grimace and finally, getting to his feet, made
+off slowly across the street. The crowd jeered after him, then turned
+with appreciation toward Herbert. But that worthy, hating laudation,
+beckoned to Roy, and the two walked quickly on their way.
+
+"One battle won, b'gorry!" Roy could not refrain from some comment.
+"Say, Herb, they were sure nice ones that you handed him and right where
+he needed them most, too--in his talker. Reckon that was about the first
+victory over the Germans, but guess it won't be the last."
+
+"I'm going to try to help that it isn't, Roy."
+
+"What you mean, lad?"
+
+"That chump's words set me to thinking," Herb said. "It's up to just
+such as I am to take a hand; a bigger hand. I'm going right now to the
+recruiting office and enlist."
+
+"You are? By cracky! Enlist, is it? That's the stuff! Well, you know
+what I told you about you and me. I'm going to enlist, too, if you do!
+I'll have to write for me old man's consent, of course, but he'll give
+it. Come on! Let's go see what we gotta do." And the youth raised his
+voice in impromptu song:
+
+    "Boom a laddie! Boom a laddie!
+      Let's go get a gun,
+    Or a brick-bat and a shillalah
+      Till I soak some son of a Hun!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+JOINING HANDS WITH UNCLE SAM
+
+
+Captain Pratt, recruiting officer, glanced up to see two young fellows
+approaching, evidently with some intention of engaging his services. And
+for the big and important cause he was appointed to aid he was more than
+willing that his services should be engaged, heavily engaged, at any and
+all times.
+
+The world was at war; his beloved country was mixed up in this contest,
+hopefully for the right and as humanely as it is possible to be when
+fighting. It required soldiers to fight and men and more men and still
+more men out of which to make these soldiers which were to win in a
+glorious cause for liberty and honor.
+
+And so, because of the position of his office and the considerable
+number of students coming to him there, he may have been a little less
+careful about sticking to the precise regulations concerning very young
+applicants. The captain had a weakness for youngsters, being something
+of an overgrown boy himself at times, and this may have had much to do
+with his leniency.
+
+The upshot of it was that, a little while later, after some information
+had been exchanged, questions had been asked mostly on the part of the
+captain, and oaths had been taken, the military gentleman dismissed the
+two young fellows with this parting injunction:
+
+"Now you understand. Both of you report to the commanding officer at
+Camp Wheeler as soon as you can arrange matters. Come to me for cards to
+him. I need hear nothing more from you, Whitcomb, as you say your
+guardian will be willing and anxious for you to enlist. I'll want a
+letter of consent from your father, Flynn. Flynn? That might be somewhat
+of a Celtic name, eh?"
+
+"Yiss, sorr!" said Roy, standing very straight and saluting in the most
+approved manner, at which the captain laughed heartily.
+
+"Well, go your ways, lads, and report to me as soon as you can get away
+from school in the proper manner. I rather think that Uncle Sam can make
+very promising soldiers of you both, especially considering the shooting
+practice you've had."
+
+"Say, Herb," said Roy, as soon as the two had got well away from the
+office, "that guy thought I could shoot, too, but I didn't tell him so.
+I only bragged you up."
+
+"Too much; I don't like it, Roy. But it's natural; you will blarney, you
+dear, old chump. You made it so strong that I guess he thought we're an
+entire regiment of experts. Well, you can't help it now. The only thing
+to do is for you to learn to shoot."
+
+"But could I, Herb?"
+
+"Of course."
+
+"Glory be! Hearken, me lad! Come along. I'm goin' to get me a rifle and
+ammunition and you get your gun and we'll go out and blow the face off
+of nature. I'll buy your ammunition and you teach me; see? Come on."
+
+In vain Herbert protested that it was needless to spend money for a gun;
+that Roy could practise with Herb's own, a splendid repeating weapon, of
+.30-caliber, won by the boy at the individual shoot of the Interstate
+Prep School Match a month before.
+
+No; Roy must have his own gun.
+
+From tiny boyhood, when a chummy father had put into the youngster's
+hands his first air-gun, Herbert had shown a marked genius, if it may be
+so called, for aiming straight and knowing just when to press a
+trigger. Then, with his first cartridge gun, a light target 22, which he
+had brought to school and taken on many a hike into the broad country,
+the boy had become, as Roy put it, almost unreasonably expert, knocking
+acorns and chestnut burs from high limbs, cutting tall weeds and hanging
+vines in half with the first shot, tossing a stone or a tin can in air
+with one hand and nine times out of ten plunking it fairly before it
+reached the ground.
+
+But with all this ability to put a bullet just where he wanted it to go,
+the lad was unwilling to use his skill in taking the life of any
+creature. He would not kill even a hawk or a crow, though sometimes
+sorely tempted to try a shot at such birds on the wing. Once he sat on a
+log, with rifle across his knees, while a fox leaped on a fence not
+forty yards away and stood balancing and curious for half a minute.
+
+"We've got no real right to kill these things," he said to Roy, who was
+always with him. "They've got as much right to live as we have and they
+were here before we were. A fellow might shoot something if he were
+hungry, but not decently just for sport. These animals, birds and
+things, are getting too scarce as it is."
+
+The town supported a first-class hardware store and its stock of guns
+was sufficient for the most exacting selection to be made therefrom.
+When the boys reached their room in the dormitory an hour later and the
+new gun was unpacked, Herb took it up and toyed with it lovingly. It was
+one of the most modern of sporting rifles, also shooting a 30-30-160
+cartridge, the first figure referring to the caliber, the second to the
+grains of powder by weight and the third to grains of lead. The
+workmanship, the finish, the design were perfect.
+
+Herb, perforce, must make potent remarks concerning the weapon.
+
+"Now you have something that you can rely on whenever you look over the
+barrel and press the trigger in the right way. It'll do the trick and
+never fail you if you treat it as it deserves; keep it clean. Remember
+to do that. We'll take the stock off, unlimber the breech, warm all the
+parts and run melted vaseline all through it; then, when it gets cold,
+that sticks in there as grease, which beats any liquid oil all to
+pieces. In the barrel only always use but a drop or two of oil on your
+rag or brush and with that brass-jointed cleaning rod you can clean from
+either end. If you use an iron rod, clean only from the breech end; I'll
+bet they'll tell us that in the army.
+
+"And, Roy, you've got to be careful how you shoot, what you shoot at and
+what's back of it around here. If it goes off accidentally some old
+time, or there isn't anything back of what you shoot at to stop the
+bullet, why, the blamed thing is apt to go on and kill a cow in the next
+county. These steel-jacketed bullets will punch through six inches of
+seasoned oak, twice as much pine, and clean through an ordinary tree of
+green wood. But say, Roy, you don't care how you spend your money; a
+thousand cartridges! I'll use about two hundred of them and I want to
+pay you----"
+
+"You go plumb to smash; will you? Pay nothin'! Ain't you goin' to teach
+me how to hit a bumble-bee at half a mile? We'll start to-morrow and
+work regular until Commencement."
+
+It was even so, except the bumble-bee stunt. Excellence generally
+follows determination where all else is favorable, and Roy possessed
+good eyes, steady nerves and faith in his own ability and that of his
+teacher. The result was that before the cartridges were half spent the
+one-time disinterested greenhorn was that no longer; he could put ten
+shots within a six-inch circle and do it pretty quickly, too, and he had
+completely fallen in love with what he called "the fun and fine art of
+firearms; hooray!"
+
+But however interested he became in his own efforts, it was as nothing
+to his intense delight over Herbert's wonderful skill. He ran back and
+forth between target and gunner like a playful dog chasing a thrown
+stick.
+
+"Ye've got the center pushed into one big hole now!" he would shout,
+"and ye've got only one or mebbe two outside the center and none near
+the ring! It's wonderful! I might shoot lead enough into yon old quarry
+bank to make a ten-million-dollar mine of it and never be as certain of
+hittin' the center as what you are each time you let her go. Shooters,
+like poets, are sure born and not made."
+
+The departure from dear old Brighton, the saying of farewells that might
+be final, the leaving of scenes that would always be reminiscent of
+happy days and worthy efforts with benefits for life, came all too
+soon.
+
+With his one bag and gun case, his sole possessions, Herbert Whitcomb
+stood on the station platform waiting until Roy Flynn had checked his
+numerous trunks and boxes. He glanced again at the letter from Captain
+Pratt, the recruiting officer, introducing both boys to
+Brigadier-General Harding in command at Camp Wheeler. The captain had
+invited them to peruse it and emotional Roy had been greatly tickled by
+the contents. It read in part:
+
+     "I write you about these boys because they are younger than we have
+     been accepting them, those from the same school heretofore having
+     been seniors. But these are manly fellows, athletes in training,
+     spending much of their time out of doors on long hikes and week-end
+     camping trips and, most important of all, they are both very
+     excellent shots, Whitcomb excelling almost anything that I have
+     ever heard of, as I have it from good authority. In view of the
+     Special Inquiry No. 10, June 1st, I believed this would interest
+     you."
+
+Special Inquiry, eh? The captain had not explained that. It was probably
+a matter for higher authorities to explain and no doubt they would hear
+of it again. Surely it related to shooting, and most certainly the
+ability to handle a gun much better than the average man must be an
+important thing in relation to soldiering.
+
+Roy returned just as the train pulled in and the two went aboard. The
+boys were now on their way for a few days' visit to the elegant Flynn
+home and, from a previous experience, Herb knew he would be made most
+welcome.
+
+After that came the journey and the introduction to Camp Wheeler.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+GETTING INTO HARNESS
+
+
+"Compn-eee, atten-tion!"
+
+These were the first words of any significance that greeted Herbert
+Whitcomb and Roy Flynn when they alighted from a long train and took
+their first and interested view of an army encampment.
+
+But all along--in fact, ever since they entered the train in another
+state, at Roy's home town of Listerville--the lads had witnessed many
+and constant sights that reminded them of the stern duty now before
+them. They had taken the oath to serve Uncle Sam from that very June day
+and they had traveled with many others sworn to the same earnest,
+fearless task.
+
+With crude, small bundles in hand--for thus they had come, knowing full
+well that equipment for new duties would be given them--the boys, amidst
+a crowd of eager welcomers clad in khaki and many fellow travelers in
+plain clothes, filed in a slow-moving line across a tramped field,
+across a roadway, between fence posts and were ushered into a long, low
+building, one of many such that faced an exceedingly wide street fully a
+quarter of a mile long. Parallel to this ran other streets flanked by
+similar but smaller buildings, all of them being but one story high,
+with slightly sloping roofs.
+
+There was something plain, strong, durable and altogether business-like
+about this newly made little city that spoke of utility only, without
+frills or any effort at useless show.
+
+The only thing of beauty to be seen anywhere near was the glorious Stars
+and Stripes floating from the peaks of many of the buildings; by far the
+largest flag waved in the soft early summer breeze from a great iron
+flagpole near the entrance end of the main camp street.
+
+Two trim figures in khaki uniforms and leather puttees came and stood
+near the boys and conversed audibly.
+
+"Quite a likely bunch of rookies this time," said one.
+
+"Guess they'll get some material out of them, old and young. These two
+here are just kids."
+
+"Look like promising chaps, though. Wonder when the adjutant and
+Colonel Fraley are going to get busy. And then--say! It's going to be
+some fun breaking in all these new men. Well, there's two things they
+didn't have to teach _me_--that's how to sleep and to have an appetite!
+Me for the mess whenever they toot!"
+
+"Here, too! There's one thing, though, haven't you noticed, that the
+boys are generally deficient in? That's shooting. I think----"
+
+"That we ought to practise more? Sure. And we ought to have better
+instructors; not men who know it theoretically, but fellows that can
+actually show some skill. Lieutenant Merrill can't hit a barn door; saw
+him try. Score was rotten. Then trying to show us how! I spoke to the
+captain about that and he said he was going to take it up with the
+colonel and he will tackle the general, I suppose. Cap said many of the
+men were complaining and wanted to get practice."
+
+Roy had been listening intently to this colloquy and now he stepped
+forward and saluted.
+
+"Beg pardon, but do you think the very best shot in the United States of
+America would be in demand, then, here?"
+
+The two soldiers laughed and one said:
+
+"Are you the champion rifle---?"
+
+"Not I. But my friend here is all o' that. He can beat the chump who
+invented the gun. Take it from me, he can 'most knock the eye out of a
+mosquito at a hundred----"
+
+"Oh, cut the comedy, old man!" Herb shouted. "They send a man to the
+guard-house here for less. We've got to learn more than how to shoot."
+
+"Right; you do!" answered one of the soldiers, making a quick and
+evidently satisfactory appraisal of Herbert. "But we don't have a
+guard-house here; remember that. We go on the honor system. As soon as
+you fellows get assigned and get your uniforms, which'll take some
+little time----"
+
+"We have a letter here for the commanding general that I'll bet he'll be
+dyin' to read!" declared Roy quickly.
+
+"Oh, then, you'd better go to headquarters first of all. See that low
+building with the people sitting outside? Tell one of the aides there
+who you are; he'll fix you."
+
+The Brighton lads were a little surprised and much pleased with the
+almost sudden absence of red tape. In a short time they confronted the
+camp commander and that personage proved to be far more kindly than his
+rather severe appearance and abrupt manner indicated. He seemed to take
+an especial interest in the boys, spoke to them briefly of their school
+and home life, uttered a short, though heartfelt "Too bad!" when
+learning that Herbert was an orphan and after an order to an aide
+respecting the two ended with:
+
+"You shall be enrolled at once and placed, boys. There is much for you
+to learn. I will keep you both in mind and a little later on I want to
+witness your skill at shooting. We have too little ability here in that
+art."
+
+The "little later" proved to be long over a month, in which time both
+boys had become privates in Company H, Officers' Corps, as far as the
+simpler requirements of knowing how to obey commands could take them.
+But they had soon learned that Camp Wheeler was partly an officers'
+training camp; that they had to study and practise and drill and listen
+to lectures and practise some more and study some more for many, many
+hours each day and that they were always ready for the wholesome,
+plentiful food and the comfortable cot at night, finding the enforced
+silence, after taps were sounded, not a whit unreasonable.
+
+There was some little time off and then leave on Sundays when the boys,
+sometimes with others of their company, or more often by themselves,
+walked to the mile-distant town and bought sweets, knicknacks, ice
+cream, sundaes and other toothsome articles of the kind, craving a
+little novelty after the rather plain diet of the camp. Some there were
+who craved a little more than novelty and who sought it in ways that the
+law of neither town nor camp permitted. For it was known that the
+section around camp was, so-called, "dry."
+
+Then Captain Leighton of Company H, as did all the others in command of
+such units, give the boys a little talk.
+
+"You men," he said, "have the Y. M. C. A. and the Knights of Columbus as
+refining elements and spiritual aids. You have your chaplain, who is
+strong in sympathy and noble in precept. Above all, you have your
+integrity, your consciences, your pleasure in clean living as reminders
+of what is necessary in the conduct of an officer and a gentleman. Of
+this we have spoken before and also of that which is down deep in your
+hearts, sterling patriotism and the desire to win this war. And this
+does not mean drilling and discipline and method only. It means clean
+living; it does not expect of you only bravery, courage to face a foe,
+but manliness in every way. We all hope not only for good conduct in
+ourselves, but also to teach it by word and example to others. This all
+is the test of patriotism of a practical, battle-winning kind.
+
+"Our general has requested those of us now in command of you, as you
+later will be in command, to talk to you about these matters and
+particularly in relation to the tendency to obtain and partake of
+intoxicants. Liquor is a trouble bringer, a brain stealer, a disgusting
+habit maker and you want to get away from it as you would from a German
+with a bayonet, killing it first, however, with your moral automatic.
+And now, I want all of you who favor these sentiments to respond with
+three rousing cheers for Lieutenant Total Abstinence. Are you ready?
+Hip, hip----"
+
+The chorus of approval rang out with no uncertain sound; it seemed to be
+unanimous, beyond a doubt. But Herbert noticed, glancing once around,
+that here and there some of the fellows expressed in their faces that
+they were not in accord with the prevailing opinion. They had in some
+way been adversely prejudiced; perhaps were the sons of saloon keepers,
+brewers or distillers; perhaps had come from homes where unthinking
+parents had admitted the stuff to sideboard and table.
+
+Among these dissenters was one Martin Gaul, a dark-skinned son of
+foreign parentage. He was morose, stubborn, and much inclined to be
+quarrelsome. Almost upon first acquaintance he had shown a marked and
+exceedingly unjust antagonism toward Roy. With Herbert, on the other
+hand, he had an inclination to be unduly friendly, even to the extent of
+toadying. But Herbert, ever loyal to his chum, treated this with cold
+disdain or deserved sarcasm.
+
+Returning from the town one Sunday evening, the two boys overtook three
+others in khaki walking slowly ahead of them. One was talking loudly,
+with much unnecessary laughter; the others were grumbling, evidently
+disposed to disagree about something; one surely had a very decided
+grouch.
+
+Herb nudged Roy. "Gaul ahead there," he said, "and Phillips. I wonder
+that Billy mixes in with that chump. Who's the other fellow?"
+
+"Not of Company H. Some other bad egg from another bit of the
+alphabet," Roy remarked. "Come on, let's steer a course to leeward of
+them; the sidewalk mebbe can stand it."
+
+"No, let's hang back a minute; or cross the street. Gaul's in a mood, I
+take it, to start a quarrel with you. I think they've all been
+drinking."
+
+But walk as slowly as they did, they could hardly help drawing nearer,
+and then suddenly Herbert, though having just counseled prudence in his
+friend, darted forward and seized an object held up between Gaul and
+young Billy Phillips. Too much of this passing had made the trio
+careless of discovery.
+
+Phillips ducked and dodged clumsily, as though expecting seizure
+himself, but Gaul turned fiercely to confront Herbert, the half-emptied
+whisky bottle gripped in the latter's hand.
+
+"Oh, you! Now that ain't a very nice trick to play on a fellow, unless
+you want a pull at it yourself. In that case you're most welcome, old
+top."
+
+Herb did not reply to Gaul, but addressed Phillips: "Billy, you're a
+blamed fool to disobey orders in this way and go against common sense
+and decency. You know you're not that kind of a chap, in the first
+place. Time to cut it out."
+
+Roy Flynn took a hand in the conversation.
+
+"Birds of a feather do not always flock together, it would seem," he
+said. "At least, not in your case, Phillips. Evil associations gather no
+moss and a rolling stone corrupts good manners. You ought to know that,
+me lad."
+
+"Are you meaning to sling any insults by that?" Gaul suddenly exploded.
+"Mebbe you want a slam on the jaw, which you're liable to get!"
+
+"Never a bit! But I reckon you're electioneering to elect trouble."
+
+"You can't make no trouble for me, you red-headed Mick! I think I'll
+just take a fall out o' you, anyway." Saying which Gaul advanced upon
+Roy.
+
+"You're on, me lad," was Flynn's rejoinder.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+A FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT
+
+
+"I want to warn you fellows," said Herb, stepping between the would-be
+combatants, "that this sort of thing is not what our officers would
+approve of. You have no reason to scrap, except a mutual dislike. Better
+agree to disagree. Shake hands and call it off."
+
+"Shake? Not with that thing!" cried Gaul, and Roy vigorously shook his
+head. There was positive joy in the lad's face and voice.
+
+"The only use I'll make o' me hands now is quite different," he laughed.
+
+"Oh, well, then; go at it," said Herb, and in a low voice to Roy: "Get
+his wind first; then smash him."
+
+The battle was short, sharp, and at first terrific on the part of Gaul.
+His style of fighting consisted in rapid rushes, swings and slams, if he
+could clinch, in the hope to conquer at once.
+
+Roy, as quick on his feet as a cat, had no difficulty in avoiding his
+heavier opponent until the latter was partly winded; then suddenly Gaul
+got two awful whacks on the solar plexus that further deprived him of
+needed oxygen so that he staggered. In that instant's failure to come
+back Gaul got one big wallop, a right-handed, body-plunging swing fair
+on the side of his jaw and he was not even aware that the sidewalk flew
+up and all but embraced him.
+
+Herb, Billy Phillips and the other fellow picked Gaul up and tried to
+stand him on his feet, Billy jocosely counting ten quite slowly. Gaul
+presently opened his eyes and used his legs, then sat down on the bank
+bordering the open lots. Roy was far aside, using his handkerchief to
+bind up his skinned knuckles. Then Herb spoke:
+
+"We're not going to report you fellows; we're not squealers. But you
+know this boozing isn't a square deal; Billy, you know that, after what
+has been said to us. The stuff's no good. What real fun can you see in
+getting half soused and having everyone else wise to it? You ought to
+have more sense."
+
+"Doggone it, Herb, I have, and I'm going to give it the go-by! Owe it to
+you fellows, too. Never again for me! I don't know about Gaul, but I
+don't think Williams here----"
+
+He turned, but the said Williams was walking rapidly away and they took
+that for a pretty good sign, or at least shame for his act. Billy added:
+
+"He's a good chap and you've got his goat. Bet he cuts the booze, too.
+How about you, Gaul?"
+
+The fellow was himself now, but sore mentally and physically, and he
+made no reply. Phillips told him to come on, but he sat still, mumbling
+and thus they left him, Herb tossing the whisky bottle so that it
+smashed to pieces at Gaul's feet.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The next morning, after drill and practice, Herbert was much surprised
+and not a little bothered in mind to receive word from Corporal Grant of
+his squad that the captain wished to see Private Whitcomb. The boy
+surmised the reason and he did not wish to bear tales.
+
+His worry was added to when Captain Leighton, saluting gravely, bade him
+follow and led the way across the street to headquarters. In a moment
+they stood before the commander's desk, and the general looked up with
+his customary cold stare, which suddenly changed to surprise.
+
+"This man boozing----?" he began.
+
+"No, no, sir! Quite the reverse. He broke it up. Private Phillips, and
+Williams, of Company D, are the ones who confessed that they went to
+town and got some liquor."
+
+"Yes. Speak-easy. We have notified the authorities and they will arrest
+the parties; if not, we shall send a squad and raid all doubtful places.
+But----"
+
+"This man Whitcomb, General----"
+
+"Yes, I remember him."
+
+"Well, he took their bottle away and smashed it and talked Phillips and
+Williams into good behavior. I get it also from Phillips that Private
+Flynn was in some kind of a fight over it, Flynn also being against
+booze, but I can't learn the name of the other fellow; possibly they
+don't know him."
+
+"Know him, Whitcomb?" General Harding asked.
+
+"Yes-es, I--do." Herb hesitated. "But I'd rather not name him, sir.
+Flynn licked him awfully and I have a notion he was pretty well punished
+and----"
+
+"We ought to be the best judges of that. But no doubt you are right."
+The general arose and reached out his hand to Herbert. "You did a good
+thing, my boy, and deserve the gratitude of the camp. It was no small
+thing to do. If you were not so young I would recommend you to your
+colonel for a non-com appointment, but as it is I have my eye on you in
+another capacity. Expert with a gun, are you not?"
+
+"Oh, I don't know, sir. I----, but please remember Flynn also."
+
+"We are going after you fellows later and I'll remember you both. Thanks
+for your stand in this booze business."
+
+But Herbert was not greatly elated over this incident; he considered
+that he had only done a simple duty, without playing at heroism, and it
+was merely carrying out his convictions to the letter. He regretted that
+Roy had not shared with him in being personally honored by the
+commander's approval, but Roy declared he had taken no part, except in
+fisticuffs.
+
+However, another circumstance, a few days later, put a feather in the
+cap of each boy. It was a very different matter, indeed, in which they
+figured.
+
+"Patriotism, to be worth while," their captain had said in one of his
+talks to the company in barracks, "must be of practical value and not
+consist in the mere waving of flags and cheering. The true patriot is
+willing at all times to do something for his country, to defend her
+against detractors, to fight her battles.
+
+"There is among our alien inhabitants throughout the land a treachery
+that is in league with our foes and this is making itself felt in so
+many ways, is trying to influence so many people who have to do with our
+war preparations that it is difficult to say where, when, and how it may
+crop out. It has even dared, snake-like, to rear its ugly and venomous
+head in or near our military camps, and all the watching in the world
+does not seem to keep it down nor stamp it out entirely. I only mention
+this to caution you against it whenever encountered, just as you should
+be cautioned against rattlesnakes in the mountains or sharks when
+swimming in tropic waters."
+
+There came to the town, occupying hotels, cottages, empty school
+buildings, halls and specially erected shacks, a Woman's Social
+Betterment League from somewhere, fraternizing with an organization of
+the kind in the town and directing its very laudable efforts toward
+making life more enjoyable for the soldiers.
+
+There were those who said it was made up largely of faddists, well-to-do
+women and their followers who were looking for something new and
+amusing, but this was not entirely the truth. Others said that the camps
+had too much of the "betterment business," but the Woman's League
+workers did not preach; they exerted only an insistent, healthy
+influence.
+
+Most of the inhabitants of Camp Wheeler, even largely the officers, fell
+for this sort of treatment when on leave; and among them, in time, were
+Herb Whitcomb and Roy Flynn.
+
+The League gave several dinners and most properly conducted dances, the
+invitations being nicely managed so as to include everyone in turn. One
+Saturday afternoon the two Brighton boys were booked for a tennis
+tournament against several couples picked from other companies.
+
+Herb never did find out how they were chosen to represent their company,
+nor would Roy admit that it had been his doings. The latter could play a
+fine game himself, but he very justly lauded his chum.
+
+Herb's service was superb, his returns were nearly all well placed
+smashes, his net play was a revelation to most of the onlookers. Company
+H took the first prize easily and a young and blushing girl, standing by
+the general, tendered it to Herb and Roy, the latter looking right at
+her with a wide but most respectful grin. Herb did not know even what
+she looked like; he knew she was a girl only by the toe of her boot and
+all he heard was the final comment of the general.
+
+"Fine work, my boy! I used to be pretty good at tennis myself. Had the
+honor of playing with Colonel Roosevelt once when he was in the White
+House. Remember, lad, I have my eye on you. If you can shoot half as
+good as you can get a ball over the net----"
+
+"Much better, sir; much better!" struck in Roy, and the commander smiled
+and waved his hand, the crowd cheered and an orchestra struck up some
+popular selections.
+
+Following this Herb and Roy found themselves invited to a private affair
+on a Sunday afternoon, along with four other rookies. On the Saturday
+preceding the event the six were ordered to report to regimental
+headquarters.
+
+They filed in, saluting Colonel Walling, who looked them over closely,
+then began asking questions as to their families, bringing up, school
+life and teachings and present ideas, though not one of them knew what
+it was all about. It proved to be a rather solemn occasion until the
+questions came to Roy Flynn. That lad needed no prompting, having caught
+the drift from the previous questions.
+
+"If me name is Flynn, sir, I'm neither Dutch, French nor Italian, and
+though me folks is Hibernian and so emerald green that a shamrock looks
+like a blue daisy alongside, don't believe nothin' else but what I'm so
+high-pressure American that the sky above has nothin' on me for true
+blue. I want most of all in this world to get to the happy
+hunting-ground in the next, but close second to that is the wish to see
+the Germans get it in the windpipe, proper and right. Do ye get me,
+sir?"
+
+Colonel Walling had to laugh; being part and proudly Irish himself, he
+must have appreciated the lad's manner and remarks. Then he asked some
+questions of one other man, a young corporal in Company A, and running
+his eye over the bunch was about to indicate to Lieutenant Spaulding to
+take this man aside when in came Brigadier-General Harding.
+
+There was a moment's conference between the two officers. The
+commander's cold eyes scanned the crowd, but warmed a little when he
+caught sight of Whitcomb. Then, after a short consultation, Captain
+Leighton was called forward. Herb also was asked to advance and he heard
+the colonel say:
+
+"Give them a broad hint; make them understand the possible situation.
+They must only keep their eyes open and keep mum."
+
+The general added quickly.
+
+"Better confine this to Whitcomb only; he'll know how far to include
+Flynn. We can trust them both, I think, but depend most wisely on
+Whitcomb. Eh, my boy?"
+
+"Why, I hope so, whatever it is," Herb replied, turning very red.
+
+They were all dismissed, Herbert being asked to accompany Captain
+Leighton. In a quiet corner of the barracks, which was his office, he
+gave the boy these brief orders:
+
+"We suspect there is something wrong at Mrs. Thompson's, where you are
+invited to dinner. She was, we find, before her marriage, a Miss Heinig
+and we believe she was not born in this country. You might guess where,
+though we do not actually know. However, we want you to keep your ears
+open and use your wits and we trust you; the general, you may have
+observed, picked you out from the others for this duty. Flynn is going
+along; you may put him partly wise, if you like, but we think not
+altogether at first. Just give him some hints to stand in with you when
+called on, if you need him at all. Now, there may be some sharp brain
+work necessary, also the necessity of fully keeping your head under
+trying conditions. Are you at all fond of the girls?"
+
+"No," replied Herb. "Don't know anything about them. They're nice
+enough, I dare say; fine, in fact, to be sure, but you see I've always
+been an out-of-doors kid and something of a student and I'm only a boy
+yet. I respect girls, of course, because my mother was one once and I
+like to remember her as quite angelic. I think she must be an angel now.
+She's dead."
+
+The captain leaned over and put his hand on the boy's shoulder and for a
+moment the two were not superior officer and private; they were man to
+man in genuine sympathy.
+
+"My own case, too, my boy. I know just how you feel." He paused. "But
+to come back to the matter in hand. We can believe, with good reason,
+that most women are fine. There are some, however, that are treacherous,
+scheming, dishonest; outward show and charming manners do not always
+hide this fully. You will be up against something of this to-morrow,
+perhaps. Now, if anything transpires that is not all right in your
+estimation and you can fully handle it yourself, simply call your
+companions together--they merely have orders to act as a squad if called
+on and to take orders from you. But if you are at all doubtful about
+taking action just call me up; I believe the cottage has a 'phone."
+
+"But what will there be----?" began Herb. The captain shook his head.
+
+"We think it best not to tell you all; it may cause you to act hastily
+and you may find out nothing. Only just be on the lookout, with your
+ears mostly."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+A DELICATE MISSION
+
+
+It was a flower-decorated and most attractive dining-room into which the
+six young men were ushered after being most graciously received by Mrs.
+Thompson. There was a promise, indeed, of good things in the eating line
+to come and nothing could have been more gratifying to healthy youths
+who had long been absent from home cooking and daintily served luxuries,
+no matter how well fed they were with plain and nutritive stuff.
+
+And then, as the boys stood for a moment by their chairs in imitation of
+their hostess, somewhere at a distance in the house soft music began to
+play. Suddenly the lady clapped her hands, the double doors leading to
+the hall flew open and six smiling young girls, dressed in pink and
+white and with flowing ribbons, entered.
+
+Rapid introductions followed, the younger lads, and especially Herbert,
+being somewhat awkward in acknowledgment; to say that all were taken
+aback, though some agreeably surprised, was no exaggeration. As the
+genial hostess was busily engaged in wisely seating her guests, it was
+Roy Flynn's ready tongue that put all at ease. Addressing Mrs. Thompson
+and with a wave of his hand, he said:
+
+"Faith, me dear lady, it's the princess ye are at furnishin' delights,
+and all of us ought to agree with me. As me old granddad used to say,
+'Bad cest to the lad who don't admire the lasses,' though ye might guess
+that hits me friend here, Mr. Whitcomb."
+
+More the manner than the words caused a laugh and a flutter. A tall,
+dark-haired, pretty damsel, Mrs. Thompson's elder daughter, who proved
+to be a great aid to her mother in leading the general conversation,
+from her seat by Corporal Hern waved her finger tips across the table at
+Roy.
+
+"Oh, you say that so nicely. But we shall try to keep Mr. Whitcomb from
+running away, though there is, of course, no telling what any of you
+terrible warriors may take it into your heads to do."
+
+Roy arose and made a profound bow to the girl and struck an attitude.
+
+    "Flowers by the wall,
+      Buds at the table,
+    Joy over all,
+      Eat while you're able."
+
+He shot this off exactly as though he had committed it to memory. It
+began, then, to appear that the red-haired, homely lad would surely
+become the lion of the evening, for all the girls and most of the boys,
+themselves short in wit, appealed to Roy for a characterization of this
+or that thing rapidly discussed. And Roy was ever ready, so that the
+laughter and gaiety made the dinner a pronounced success.
+
+Throughout this effusiveness, though appreciative of the wit and
+repartee, Herb sat almost silent and observant, though as yet ignorant
+of what he was particularly to observe. He was near the middle of one
+side of the table and by him sat the younger of Mrs. Thompson's
+daughters, an over-fat, giggling girl, slow of speech and evidently lax
+in ideas. She had been addressed as Laura. Rose and she were no more
+alike than a slice of ham and an ice cream cone.
+
+Evidently Herb was expected to make himself agreeable to Laura Thompson,
+judging by the girl's manner, and the pink-flounced creature on the
+other side of him was all smiles and giggles for Terry Newlin, from
+Company I.
+
+As the guests became more and more filled with good things and the
+hours grew longer the talk and laughter fell off a little, even Roy
+growing less verbose. Presently Rose Thompson, following a glance from
+her mother, made the request:
+
+"Now, you boys might tell us something about your life and duties in
+camp. Mr. Hern, you're a non-com and in command here, of course,
+you----"
+
+"No; you see, we are off duty," replied the complaisant corporal, "and
+there is no need for leadership here. But if we should need to be
+commanded in any way, why, then, Whitcomb over there is to have the
+say."
+
+There was a rapid change of glances between Rose and her mother, the
+latter making a quick signal with her eyes. Almost instantly Rose called
+to Laura:
+
+"Say, kid, the corporal here wants to get better acquainted with you, I
+know. He said he admires stout girls most--surely you said that,
+corporal. Besides, I am just dying to talk with Mr. Whitcomb."
+
+"Herb's scared to death already, so don't make him breathe his last
+quite yet, Miss Thompson," Roy demanded. He would have said this more
+hilariously, seeing Herb's face turn red, but something in the look his
+chum gave him shut him up. This also was not lost on Mrs. Thompson's
+elder daughter.
+
+The sisters exchanged places and at once Rose Thompson set about making
+herself more than agreeable to Herb. She was plainly bent upon drawing
+him out of his shell, was apparently determined to discover his brighter
+side. And the lad, always gentle and polite, unbent so far as to laugh
+and reply in kind to her sallies, but he did not lose one word being
+said by the hostess. Presently that lady echoed her daughter's recent
+request for camp news, doings and methods.
+
+Terry Newlin was almost as ready as Roy Flynn; indeed, he talked more,
+but really said less. And he never thought twice what it was best for
+him to say. Now, pleased to hold the attention of all the fair ones, he
+began to spout upon the subject in hand. He rattled away about the grub,
+the cots, the drill, the study, the officers; and presently, surer of
+sympathetic hearing, began to enlarge upon the complaints, as he himself
+viewed them.
+
+Rose Thompson saw that Herbert was trying to catch Terry's eye and she
+at once strove to prevent his doing so, for it was evident that the
+trend that Terry had taken much pleased the hostess. But Herb was not to
+be denied. He glanced across to Roy, pointed his thumb at Terry and his
+finger down and shook his head; then leveled a finger at Roy and another
+finger upward and nodded. Roy, never lacking, caught the drift.
+
+"Oh, box the corpse, Terry, and have the funeral over! Nobody's got any
+kick comin' at camp, and you know it! Why, company quarters are as good
+as home and no pig in the parlor nor hen nestin' in the bread-box, as
+Terry's been used to. Whurrah, lad! Ye give us all the blues!"
+
+This silenced Terry, but not Mrs. Thompson. That diplomatic person saw
+the crucial moment was at hand to embark the spirit of discontent, and,
+looking her sweetest, she at once held the attention of the guests.
+
+"But camp life must be really very crude, very uncomfy, very lonely,
+uninteresting and disconsolate, as Mr. Newlin has intimated. I can
+believe you are, most of you, actually homesick when you think of the
+real differences between camp and home, cold-blooded officers and mother
+love, plain fare and dainties, and all that. Now, isn't that so?"
+
+A half audible assent from the girls went around the table. That kind of
+leaven was sure to work wonders. The boys listened as the hostess
+continued:
+
+"And it does seem a truly terrible thing that all this hardship, all
+this preparation, all this loss of time from studies, business, worthy
+pleasures at home should be thought necessary when there is really so
+little to be gained. Am I not right? All for death or loss of means, or
+both, for being maimed for life, made blind, made a dependent."
+
+She paused impressively to let that sink in and another acquiescent sigh
+escaped, Herb noting with surprise that some of the boys joined in this,
+particularly Terry Newlin.
+
+"And then," Mrs. Thompson continued, "what do we gain? What is it all
+for? Do we need to fear any European power away over here after this
+terrible war is over? Except England! Very probably England, who will
+fight always and against everything for commercial supremacy and her
+control of the seas. Are we not now fighting England's battles, and how
+will she thank us?
+
+"You poor boys away off there in those awful trenches, wallowing in mud,
+sleeping on straw, covered with vermin, with the din of bursting shells
+in your ears, the horrid expectation of death continually, seeing your
+loved comrades cut down, horribly wounded, dying or killed outright,
+your mind and body constantly suffering from these--surely you cannot
+disagree----"
+
+This last, in her most engaging manner, was addressed to Roy Flynn. The
+lad had risen and leaning forward, with both fists on the table, was
+glaring at the woman savagely; all the jollity in his round, red face
+had suddenly fled.
+
+"Do you mean to try to make slackers of us; to preach the doctrine of
+discontent?" he demanded.
+
+"No, indeed! Not at all, my dear boy. You quite misunderstand me, I am
+sure. Nothing could be more foreign to my thoughts. I am only deeply
+filled with sympathy for the lads who are going away to fight our
+battles, to bleed and die for us, while we, as it seems most selfishly,
+remain here in peace and security at home, able to do so little. And all
+for so little gain, probably for no gain at all. Our country is
+confronted by such a gigantic task. On us, soon, will fall the brunt of
+the effort to oppose the greatest military power on earth, and what
+can----?"
+
+She paused a moment, noting Herbert's quick glance and apparent signal
+to Roy, who instantly resumed his seat, but refrained from again
+adopting his jovial manner and speech.
+
+"You see," Mrs. Thompson went on, "the Germans are so wonderfully able,
+are such a thoroughly capable race that it is well-nigh impossible to
+equal them in anything. They----"
+
+Herbert decided that he must at last get into the conversation.
+
+"Why do you so highly praise the Germans?" he asked abruptly. "We
+Americans refuse to believe that they are such wonderfully capable
+people. They are awful brags and try to make the rest of the world think
+they are the top notch of mankind, but in what way they show it I can't
+see.
+
+"Young man, you are evidently not fully informed. You have not been in
+Germany, as I have. The German people are the most efficient----"
+
+"No people are efficient who set the whole world against them,"
+interrupted Herb.
+
+"Mere jealousy on the part of other nations!" scoffed the lady. "But
+anyway, whatever you may think of the Germans, this fact remains: they
+have not invaded our country to war on us----"
+
+"Only because they couldn't," interposed Roy.
+
+"They have not injured any of our people----"
+
+"Oh! How about the _Lusitania_ and some other boats?" chimed in Anthony
+Wayne Bartlett-Smith.
+
+"Merely the fortunes of war as aimed at another country. Americans had
+no business to be on that boat when they had already been warned. How
+could the submarines choose between----?"
+
+"Will you pardon me," Herbert suddenly requested, "for asking to be
+excused for a few moments so that I may call up our captain to ask at
+what hour we are to return? May I use your 'phone?"
+
+The boy had arrived at a rapid conclusion, believing that drastic
+measures should be adopted. Half-way methods were distasteful to him. He
+was not certain that he had sufficient grounds for action, but anyway,
+that would be up to Captain Leighton. No doubt Herb could have the rest
+of the soldier guests with him, all except Terry Newlin, who seemed to
+be naturally disgruntled.
+
+The bland face of the hostess went suddenly red and then very white, but
+she indicated the front hallway where the telephone hung. Then, as Herb
+arose, both he and Roy noticed that the lady nodded her head toward her
+elder daughter, who quickly got up and followed Herbert through the
+archway.
+
+As the boy reached his hand for the instrument there was a quick step
+beside him and slender fingers were thrust forward to push his hand
+aside.
+
+[Illustration: SLENDER FINGERS THRUST HIS HAND ASIDE.]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+HITTING THE MARK
+
+
+"May I ask for what purpose, really, are you going to 'phone?" Rose
+Thompson asked.
+
+"I told your mother what for, didn't I?" Herb replied.
+
+"I know; yes. But your real reason?"
+
+"Great Jehoshaphat! If you don't want me to use it I can get one next
+door, perhaps, or somewhere."
+
+"No; use this one. But I have asked you a question. Now please answer. I
+want to know very much, indeed, and I know you will not refuse me."
+
+"Won't I? There must be many a thing that you want to know right badly
+and can't. Well, I will use your 'phone as it's getting late." He had
+glanced at the hall clock.
+
+"That clock is fast, very!" the girl declared. "And I must know. I
+must!"
+
+She had interposed herself between Herbert and the 'phone and she looked
+very determined. It was not a pleasing position for the boy to be in,
+opposed by a gentle-appearing girl. Many a chap, even less
+tender-hearted than he, would have turned away, hoping for some other
+way to proceed, but Herb saw his duty first and clearly, the girl's
+attitude making him the more determined.
+
+"Now, see here, Miss Thompson, you can hear me talk, can't you? I don't
+like to scrap with women, but I know my orders. Come, let me have that
+'phone, or I'll have to take it, anyway."
+
+She had put her hand against his breast and held him back. "When you
+tell me."
+
+"To see when we are to return, I said. The captain told me to call him
+up about it."
+
+"But that is not all. Tell me." Evidently she was playing for time.
+
+"Oh, nonsense! Let me have that 'phone." And with a quick dive past her
+he did get it, and though she caught the cord and pulled it violently
+once, he held receiver and mouth-piece firmly in place.
+
+"Give me the camp, please; Company H Barracks. Yes.--Captain Leighton?
+Whitcomb.--Return when?--Yes, we're all here.--It was indeed a dandy
+dinner!--I understand.--Yes.--Right away.--All right." He hung up the
+receiver.
+
+"I suppose now, you are satisfied, Miss Thompson."
+
+The girl hesitated a moment, thinking, staring at him. "I think I am.
+And I think you are anything but a gentleman!" Suddenly she darted
+forward and dashed into the dining-room, Herb following with long
+strides.
+
+"Yes, mother!" she exclaimed.
+
+The hostess gave Herbert a look of such mingled hate and fear that had
+he been less immune would have turned him cold. She struck the table
+bell and turned toward the kitchen door. It opened to admit only a
+broad, very blonde face.
+
+"Gretchen, you know my orders! At once; then remain! Laura, our hats and
+dusters! Rose, the suitcases are ready!"
+
+Herbert knew that Rose had seen through his message and he surmised at
+once that all this had been planned ahead with German thoroughness, in
+case of failure to entirely convince all the guests. Perhaps it was the
+woman's first attempt at sowing discontent among the soldiers; perhaps
+the first of any of such bold attempts.
+
+He saw that, with a good start in the powerful car which they had, the
+Thompsons could get over the State line and thus avoid immediate
+detention; possibly then go in hiding for a time and give the government
+authorities no end of trouble later.
+
+Perhaps the authorities would not even wish to detain the woman, but at
+any rate the boy resolved to see to it that Captain Leighton could come
+into touch with the situation, first hand.
+
+To carry out this determination there was but one logical thing to do
+and to do quickly.
+
+Herbert stood in the archway as Rose and Laura faced him. His service
+revolver, all the while in its holster under his coat, now was in his
+hand.
+
+"The first person, except as ordered, who makes even an attempt to leave
+or enter this room will be shot; man or woman! Flynn, slip out and tell
+the servants this; then go watch for Captain Leighton, who will soon be
+here! The Thompson car, Bartlett; you go out and hold that! Newlin, you
+remain where you are; perhaps the captain may want to question you! You
+other fellows, go out of each of those other doors and lock them
+outside; then wait for the captain!"
+
+Mrs. Thompson sank into a chair, her eyes, in fear, glaring at Herbert.
+Laura, in tears, knelt by her. Two of the other girls sat weakly at the
+table, one with her face in her hands; the other two, clasped in each
+other's arms, stood in a far corner. But Rose Thompson fearlessly faced
+Herbert, her head thrown back, her arms stretched down, her fists
+clenched, in precisely the most approved dramatic attitude for the
+occasion. And the boy had one fleeting thought that he had never seen a
+human face more to be admired.
+
+"This is a nice return for our hospitality! I think I could kill you!"
+
+"Don't do it, please." He smiled. "I want to get a whack at your dear
+friends over in Germany first."
+
+"Huh! They'll eat you up!" Rose retorted. "They'll----"
+
+"They are not our friends----" wailed Mrs. Thompson, who was evidently
+not equal to this phase of the situation.
+
+"Mother, hush! Don't be a coward! And don't lie! What if they are? We
+have a right to do as we please. Have what friends we wish. You coward,
+to threaten women!" she suddenly flashed out at Herbert. "But, pshaw!
+I'm not afraid of you. And I am going out that door! We all are! This is
+our house! Stand aside! Do you hear?"
+
+Herbert merely shook his head.
+
+"I'm going out, I tell you! You won't dare to shoot! Poof! I'm not
+afraid of you, I guess! You would not dare to threaten men this way! But
+women--oh, you think you're very safe! Come, let me pass!"
+
+"Look here, Miss Thompson, if you think I like this business, you get
+another think. But I know my duty just the same. And, honestly, you
+won't look half as nice laid out in a coffin, not even with a million
+flowers, as you do now. So don't tempt me to use this gun, for I will if
+you get gay!"
+
+"I dare you!" the girl shouted.
+
+"Well, if you really want to see how it feels to have a bullet go
+plowing through your anatomy, just make a dive for that doorway. Go
+ahead and try it." With a hand that wavered not in the least he leveled
+the pistol barrel straight at her. For one moment the girl stood
+irresolute, bravely weighing the chances. Then a wail from her mother
+and a cry of alarm from one of the other girls who thought she was going
+to start checked her. She stepped back and sank into a chair.
+
+There came the opening and slamming of the front door, heavy footfalls,
+and Captain Leighton, with a sergeant and two men, entered the room,
+saluting.
+
+In twenty minutes the captain had heard Herbert's story, listened to
+Rose Thompson's impassioned admissions and Mrs. Thompson's weak effort
+at defense, and had disposed of the matter.
+
+"General Harding is away and I am ordered to take care of this case.
+Good work on your part, Whitcomb. We have suspected Mrs. Thompson, _née_
+Heinig, of duplicity before. In the pay of German agents, no doubt.
+Well, Mrs. Thompson, we don't care to war on women. We can advise you,
+however, to cut out this sort of thing; or later, as certain as death,
+it will mean a long prison sentence. You will be closely watched from
+this on. You may go free now, but must break up and leave here at once.
+I have no doubt the State Department would recommend you for passports
+through Holland, if you would like to return to Germany and we surely
+would be glad to have you go. Now, men, all fall in and we shall return
+to camp."
+
+As Herb passed out he summoned one more spark of courage to address Rose
+Thompson, who was glaring at him.
+
+"You have your nerve, all right, but not just quite enough. If you had
+slipped out I wouldn't have shot at you for ten billion dollars.
+Good-by, and give my love to Kaiser Bill; I may get the chance to shoot
+at him some day and I'll do that!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Camp life went along the same routine: drill and practise and study.
+Herbert and Roy heard nothing more about the dinner incident, except
+that the captain once told Sergeant Jenkins who told Corporal Hern who
+told Roy that Mrs. Thompson and her daughters had, indeed, sailed for
+the other side, to what part and ultimate destination were not known.
+
+Just prior to drill one morning Captain Leighton sent for Herbert.
+
+"I want you to keep this under your hat," he said. "There is a call for
+expert shots to form several snipers' platoons, or perhaps companies, as
+yet uncertain as to numbers. Other camps are trying out men and we have
+picked some few here. The general remembers you as having been
+recommended in this particular and I am to try you out. You are excused
+from drill, so report at the range in half an hour."
+
+"How about Flynn? He can shoot," Herb said.
+
+"Can? Tell Lieutenant Mitchell to excuse Flynn from drill also. We'll
+find out what you boys can do."
+
+The Brighton lads naturally thought this would be a simple test of their
+own shooting before the captain only, but when they crossed the field to
+the meadow that faced the wide targets and pits they saw a dozen men
+already there and soon discerned several officers and the commander
+himself. As they stepped up to the group and saluted, General Harding
+greeted Herb and Roy almost jocosely.
+
+"Ha! Ready to bat some more balls over the net, eh, Whitcomb? I hear you
+made some rapid returns and good placement shots down at Mrs. Thompson's
+not long ago. Now we are going to find out if you can really shoot as
+well as you play tennis."
+
+The boys observed that all the other marksmen were lying flat, some with
+head, some with feet toward the target and they were seeking every means
+to rest their rifles steadily, to set telescope sights just so, to get
+their elevations of rear sight perfectly and then to delay shooting
+until satisfied as to every condition.
+
+Herb was assigned a place and a target at two hundred yards; just behind
+him stood a flagman. The boy requested the latter to signal to the
+marker not to touch the target until he had fired ten shots, and this
+was done.
+
+Tallied scores were being shown the officers, and they paid very little
+attention to any one in particular. But Roy, standing back of Herb,
+said:
+
+"The general keeps looking this way; got his eye on you, me boy. There
+goes your fresh target up; now give it to her! With that size bull's-eye
+it's a cinch."
+
+Herb brought his gun to his shoulder and, standing, fired five shots in
+rapid succession, hardly four seconds apart. Then, slipping in another
+clip, he repeated even a little more quickly. After a few moments a big
+letter "P" was shoved up in front of the target, the marker, evidently
+having some difficulty in finding it, as perfect scores were indeed a
+rarity, even on a twelve-inch bull's-eye.
+
+"Here comes the general and the whole bunch almost on a trot. The old
+man saw you do that!" announced Roy, and in a moment the commander had
+his hand on Herb's shoulder, though he was talking fast to the other
+officers:
+
+"Saw it all. Done standing. Quick work, too; no dallying." Then to the
+lad: "Can you repeat that?"
+
+Herbert nodded. "That's not remarkable; so can Flynn here. With practice
+'most anybody ought to."
+
+"But they can't! Few can. Now, do you think you could impart the
+knowledge; teach something of the skill you have in shooting? Because if
+you can we shall make you both instructors. What do you think about
+it?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE MATCH
+
+
+Brigadier-general Harding, grizzled, grim, but possessing that human
+quality without which no commander of men is entirely successful, gazed
+into the level, steady, smiling brown eyes of the boy who stood
+straight, tall and every inch a soldier before him.
+
+"Anyone who understands shooting at all ought to be able to tell what he
+knows and how he does it," Herbert answered. "Shooting is a good deal
+like anything else that's lots of fun; you've got to love it and study
+it and have good eyes and then practise. And then, too, there's the gun.
+You've got to have a perfect gun to make A-1 scores and to do any fancy
+shooting."
+
+"Well, that's a good gun, isn't it?"
+
+"No; not very. I guess they make them so fast and so many of them that
+the boring tool wears and the rifling is not the best. Then, too, the
+sights may not be perfectly centered--you've got to look to that. The
+stock, too, is queer; it doesn't fit like a gun should."
+
+"I have been led to suppose that this is as good as a rifle could be."
+
+"It may be as good as an army gun can be made on contract, cheaply and
+in great quantities. But I doubt even that. As a fine shooting-piece it
+is not to be mentioned alongside of the high-grade sporting rifles you
+can buy. If you wanted to go into a rifle match, or if you went after
+lions or elephants or grizzly bears you wouldn't pick out this; you'd
+get a gun with a reputation and that you could rely on perfectly. With a
+gun of that sort a nearly perfect score on a six-inch bull's-eye
+wouldn't be out of the way."
+
+"But these guns are all inspected, I am told," argued the general.
+
+"You can only inspect the shooting qualities of a gun by trying it
+carefully; the bore might look all right, but yet the grooves may
+keyhole a bullet or cut one side out of it and make it shoot almost
+around a corner."
+
+"You keep your gun clean, of course? A dirty gun may give bad results."
+
+"Perfectly clean! A dirty gun will never shoot straight."
+
+The general turned to Roy Flynn.
+
+"And you can do this sort of hitting, too? Let's see you."
+
+And Roy did it, not exactly punching a big hole in the center of his
+bull's-eye with a few only a little nearer the edge, as Herbert had
+done, but all his shots were safely in the black. Again the letter "P"
+went up and genuine admiration was expressed by the little coterie of
+onlookers. Roy, answering direct praise from Colonel Walling, indicated
+his chum.
+
+"Owe it to him, sir. He taught me to shoot. Couldn't hit a flock of
+church steeples comin' at me before he showed me. I used to have a sort
+of bright idea that the harder you pulled the trigger the harder she
+shot, until he told me and which end to put to me shoulder. But I agree
+with him about these fowlin' pieces; they weren't rightly made for
+shootin' at all, but I think for beatin' carpet. You ought to just see
+me own gun and Whitcomb's."
+
+"What calibers are your guns?" asked the general.
+
+"They shoot a 30-30," Herbert said.
+
+"Would you boys prefer using them?"
+
+Both expressed themselves as most pleased to be allowed to do this.
+
+"Then send for them; we shall have them bored for the government
+cartridge, if you are willing, and see if you can show them superior.
+Will you see that this is done, Captain Leighton? Now, Whitcomb, when
+instructing, how would you go about it, first?"
+
+"Show a man how to hold a gun and how to pull it hard against his
+shoulder. Then to see his sights, hunting sights at first, with both
+eyes open."
+
+"Both open?"
+
+"By all means, sir. That doesn't strain the sighting eye; it doesn't dim
+the object fired at; it permits, on the plan of the stereoscope, to get
+some idea of the distance of the target. I think that nearly all very
+expert shots open both eyes; all trap shooters do."
+
+The officers all laughed outright and the general queried:
+
+"How about that, Captain Pierce? You are an expert shot, I believe."
+
+"Not that expert!" The officer addressed waved his hand at the targets.
+"Perhaps the reason is that I shut one eye. But the best marksman I ever
+knew, excepting present company of course, an old fellow in the West,
+used to open both eyes; he said no man could shoot excellently with one
+eye shut. And yet, general, our physical examiners condemn a bad right
+eye and admit a bad left one."
+
+"That's a question for them to settle at Washington. Well, gentlemen,
+have these scores all turned in for a general conference on the subject
+and we shall pick our quota of men for this new formation and recommend
+officers. I shall name Whitcomb in ours, for one squad, and as an
+instructor until they leave. Come, there is much else to do."
+
+"Fine, fine, fine business, old scout!" caroled Roy when the two were
+alone. "I knew you'd catch the boss."
+
+"But, Roy, it isn't fair. I couldn't get in a word--but you also deserve
+to be made a corporal."
+
+"Cor-nothing. A corpse, mebbe. And if you don't have me in your squad,
+then, me for a deserter, by cracky! Say, I wonder what they are going to
+do with us as lead slingers, anyway."
+
+But this query was to remain unanswered for many a long day, during
+which time the business of the camp, that of making expert soldiers,
+went on through the summer months, the boys seeing many changes take
+place in the make-up of the troops.
+
+After a time some were sent to the South; others came: regiments of
+rookies, National Guardsmen, regulars or some companies made up of all
+of these, the purpose being for the experienced men to set the
+greenhorns an example.
+
+But almost unchanged, though increasing in numbers, the marksmen's
+platoon, at first so called, but growing at last under instruction into
+a full provisional company, went bravely on perfecting itself in the art
+of getting ready to knock over individual Germans at long range, or to
+pot a low-flying enemy airplane.
+
+At this latter practice especially Herbert became the admiration of the
+camp. Airplane-shaped balloons were sent up on windy days for the men to
+practise shooting at as they were blown swiftly by, but the majority
+were unsuccessful in hitting them, though a degree of excellence on the
+part of many rapid-firing marksmen was gained.
+
+A lanky, loose-jointed, slow-moving young fellow from the mountains of
+Kentucky, Jed Shoemaker by name, long practised in the truly fine art of
+barking squirrels and knocking the heads off grouse, alternated with
+Herbert in holding the record for puncturing and bringing down these
+make-believe flying-machines; and in several contests between the two at
+ringed targets on short range the Kentuckian led slightly in scoring,
+but at long range, over a hundred yards, Herb generally had a little the
+better of it.
+
+At these matches the utmost good nature was shown by both principals,
+though there were several rooters for Herbert who tried to belittle the
+mountaineer's shooting. But the big fellow did not let this mar the
+kindliness in his soul nor lessen his natural generosity toward a
+competitor. He would not boast over his winning.
+
+Every time Herbert made a particularly fine shot or won a match his
+opponent would slap him on the back and shout:
+
+"Center! Right in theh middle, b'gosh! Good! That's theh dern time
+you-all seed yer sights fine an' wiped my eye! Good boy!"
+
+And Herbert was not to be outdone in this matter. He recognized the
+Kentuckian's real worth and a warm friendship sprang up between them.
+Roy Flynn, ever jolly, bright and big-hearted, and strong-minded Billy
+Phillips, made up a quartet that always pulled together and that never
+permitted to go unchallenged any snobbish reference or slurs at the
+mountaineer's backwoods' crudity. An army camp is a mecca of democracy,
+and any departure from the "Hail, fellow! Well met!" scheme of things is
+almost unanimously condemned.
+
+Nevertheless, soldiers are but human, and in spite of their grim work
+they want something to laugh at, to make merry over, to relieve the
+tension of long hours of hard and almost constant effort. And such
+fellows as Jed Shoemaker, in appearance, manners, talk, could not help
+furnishing his companions with the desired means for hilarity at the big
+fellow's expense.
+
+But the thing went further than this. There are in every big bunch of
+boys some who seem to get actual satisfaction out of turning jest to
+earnest, of making hateful reference out of happy chance; and such in
+the camp also took their whack at poor Jed.
+
+Among this fish-minded, low-diving fry was Martin Gaul, he of the
+whisky-imbibing tendencies. He did not seem to be able to see the
+harmless, jovial, that's-a-good-joke-on-me character of the Kentuckian
+and so he turned what ludicrousness there was into bitter ridicule.
+
+Whitcomb, Phillips, and Williams had agreed to say nothing about
+Flynn's scrap with Gaul, and Roy himself was the very last man to tell
+of it. Therefore Gaul came to recognize this and to gradually take
+advantage of it, exerting again his bluster and bullying tactics where
+he thought he could get away with them. Gaul was never jovial or
+good-natured, but in time became known in Company H barracks as "the
+grouchy one."
+
+Shoemaker, of Company D, now also an instructor in rifle practise and a
+newly appointed corporal in the marksmen's platoon, was talking to
+several men outside of barracks when Gaul joined them.
+
+"We-all," announced the Kentuckian, "are a-goin' tu have a leetle rifle
+match atween two picked teams, an' hit's goin' tu be a corker! Me an'
+Whitcomb's captins of theh two bunches, an' jedgin' from theh way some
+o' theh fellers is shootin' lately, it'll be a sight tu make yer eyes
+watter."
+
+"If your eyes watered much there wouldn't be anything left of you, you
+big simp!" snapped Gaul. "You don't think you can get a bunch that can
+shoot with Whitcomb's crew; do you? Won't have a show." Gaul seemed
+unusually bitter.
+
+"Mebbe not! Mebbe not! Cain't jest tell till they try. Theh's right
+smart fellers tu pick from."
+
+"Good land, fellow, where did you learn to talk? You murder the language
+like a butcher sticks hogs. Can't you speak English better?"
+
+"Well, I hain't had no chanct tu go tu school none, er not much, anyway.
+Sort o' reckon I kin make me understood, though, some, even though I
+cain't spout like you-all, b'gosh!"
+
+"'You-all! Hain't! Reckon! Chanct!' Saints have mercy! If I had to talk
+like that I'd commit suicide. When you came here from where you hang up
+your hat why didn't you bring some brains, or don't they have 'em down
+there?"
+
+"They has 'em, sure," laughed Jed, "but mebbe they don't try to use 'em
+none, for mighty few of 'em goes tu jail er Congress. When this heh war
+is over how'd you-all like tu come down theh in our mountings an' learn
+we-uns some o' your blame smart orneryness?"
+
+This raised a laugh at Gaul and it very naturally made that fellow lose
+his temper. And with him to get angry was to want to fight, or threaten
+it, getting away with the bluff, if possible.
+
+"What you want is a good, hard wallop, you lop-sided ignoramus, and
+mebbe you'll get it if you get too gay with me!" Had Gaul turned then
+and seen Herb and Roy standing observant across the company street he
+would have been less blustering, but now he had to talk loud to offset
+Shoemaker's wit.
+
+But lanky Jed wasted no more repartee on that evidently quarrelsome
+fellow, the sting of whose sarcasm he had repeatedly felt before. He
+only laughed, then grew suddenly grave. He thrust his long face almost
+against that of Gaul.
+
+"I'm a-waitin' fer thet wallop!" he invited.
+
+Gaul was more of a moral coward than a physical one; he could never have
+it said that he refused such a dare, especially from an ignorant guy who
+surely could know nothing of the manly art. And so Gaul made the mistake
+of drawing back for a swinging punch and in that second Jed's face was
+withdrawn and with one swift leap upward, which stunt previously no one
+would have given him credit for, he shot out two long legs the
+extremities of which caught Gaul in the chest and sent him to earth in a
+heap. The others had to lift him to his feet.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+GETTING OVER AND ON
+
+
+This encounter, though witnessed by only a half dozen, gave Jed
+Shoemaker a new standing in the camp.
+
+The shoot came off and it was a success in that a fine degree of nearly
+equal interest in the contesting teams was shown.
+
+Shoemaker's team received about as much applause as did the boys that
+Herb led; and when the mountaineer's boys came out the victors by the
+exceedingly small margin of five in the total scores they got all that
+was coming to them.
+
+Then Jed was seen to go across to the inspector-general, Colonel Short,
+and make a request, whereupon the individual highest scores were read
+out, Herbert leading in them.
+
+In the cheering that followed it was plain that the Kentuckian was the
+leader; and when the two, Jed and Herb, advanced before the officers'
+stand and warmly shook hands there was another burst of applause, led by
+Captain Leighton.
+
+The general, joined by certain other officers, came down from his seat
+and as the regimental audience filed away he summoned both teams to line
+up. He then addressed them:
+
+"Men, this final test of marksmanship is the crucial one in the
+selection of snipers--we used to call them sharpshooters in the old
+days--to form the first platoon, and others will immediately follow. I
+know of no better way than to pick by scores and general deportment, for
+the first platoon, thirty-nine men in all. Lieutenant Loring will lead
+you."
+
+There was a very decided handclapping, for Loring, though young, was
+deservedly popular and had the distinction of having served as a regular
+and corporal with Pershing in Mexico and as a private in the
+Philippines.
+
+"With the formation of the other platoons, to form the first company of
+expert riflemen from this camp and the first of the kind in the army, I
+believe, your commander will be Captain Leighton, now of our Company H."
+
+The men all were pleased with this choice. Herbert noticed that even
+Gaul, who had scored fairly well in the shooting, vigorously clapped his
+hands.
+
+"The sergeants of this first platoon," continued the general, "will be
+Berry and Small, and the corporals of the four squads are Whitcomb,
+Phillips, Shoemaker and Lang."
+
+Loud applause followed this combined announcement of non-commissioned
+officers.
+
+The general further remarked upon the necessity of continued drill and
+training together in the new formation and added:
+
+"Hold yourselves in readiness, men, for orders that may come from
+Washington at any time respecting new duties. Your squads, Lieutenant
+Loring, may be divided up in France, each serving on active duty with a
+platoon reduced to three regular squads and one of yours. It is the idea
+to place these men in certain positions where organized sniping is most
+effective, the snipers, of course, to be protected by the regular men.
+And now, I hope and feel sure that each and every one of you, when
+before the enemy, will give a good account of himself and do his duty in
+our great cause!"
+
+And the general received the greatest cheering of the occasion.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Old Ocean! The rolling, billowy blue, apparently endless, with nothing
+but the paler sky, sometimes the gray, threatening sky, dipping into the
+dark water on every side. And the vessel; its never ceasing engines
+throbbing, turning, whirring, sending the great hull on and on and on,
+over swells, through shorter billows, sloshing into whitecaps, and the
+two insignificant humans up there at the wheel directing the mapped
+course of this great bulk of steel so that her road was as clear, as
+certain, as though with wheels under her instead of astern, she followed
+a turnpike on the solid earth. But by no means alone. Not far behind, so
+close indeed that the white divided waters were always visible, another
+transport, also full of troops, sailed the blue sea, and back of that
+still another plainly in sight in daytime and at times discernible at
+night.
+
+And on every side the greyhounds of the sea. Uncle Sam takes chances in
+sending his troopships over the ocean, for well he knows that, lurking
+in many places, the enemy submarines, the U-boats that have done most to
+make the history of this war so remarkable, and have added so greatly to
+its horrors, seek their prey like man-eating sharks ready to attack
+helpless swimmers.
+
+The convoy vessels, with their sharp-eyed watchers and heavy guns, bring
+to port in safety the transport ships.
+
+"Sorry for you, old chump," was Herbert's remark to Roy, as the latter
+stood by the rail in the wee small hours of night and made as though to
+cast his entire stomach into the briny depths far below. From bits of
+his strained conversation one would imagine that the boy might attempt
+to cast himself overboard so as to keep company with the stomach which
+so far he had been unable to detach, and so Herbert chose not to leave
+him. "Say, old man, what you want to do----"
+
+"Oh, you go plumb to thunder across lots with what I ought to do!"
+groaned Flynn. "You've told me about ten billion fool things I ought to
+do. There's only one thing I ought to do and that is die. If you felt
+like me you'd say: 'Here goes nothin',' and hit the briny kerplunk in
+about two seconds. Take it from me, Herb, it isn't just awful; it's
+worse than war. I'd rather go up to a forty-two-centimeter just as she
+goes off and feed me face with the shell comin' out of her than be
+seasick. I'd rather swallow shrapnel, time fuse and all, and have it go
+off and turn me inside out than have this darned old heavin' pond coax a
+ten-dollar dinner out o' me. Say, I feel it comin' again!"
+
+"Forget it," said Herb. "You come on and lie down and that'll make you
+feel better. Try it, at any rate. Come on now, or I'll carry you down!"
+
+Much of this sort of dialogue went on every night, Roy finding, as did a
+few others, that the doctor's medicine was not effective.
+
+It was a relief to the boy, as well as to Herb who had lost sleep
+remaining up with him night after night, when the ship entered a narrow
+harbor across a wide, unruffled bay somewhere on the long coast of
+France and warped up to a newly-timbered and planked dock having all of
+the earmarks, as it were, of American construction.
+
+Indeed, a dozen carpenters who were unmistakably Yankee in get-up and
+movements, and who later proved it by their speech, were still at work
+on the office building that flanked the wharf. These fellows came in for
+a guying.
+
+The boys in khaki leaning over the side, perched on cabin roofs,
+lifeboats, stanchions, railings and in rigging, feeling more than gay at
+seeing land again and the fact of having had a safe trip against
+possible dangers, had to let their exuberance be felt.
+
+"Yip, yip, yip, yip! Get the dog-catcher's net! There's a son-of-a-gun
+from the land of the sun; eh, Yank?" shouted Roy, leading the fun, as
+usual.
+
+"Sure, those ginks are all from God's country!"
+
+"Hey, Yank! Does your mother know you're out, over here?"
+
+"Hush, fellers! Salute; that there boob's General Hatchet-and-Saw and
+yonder's Colonel Sawdust!"
+
+"Dollars to doughnuts they're makin' better wages than John D---- right
+now!"
+
+"Glory be! Wish I was a nail driver 'stead of a dough boy!"
+
+"That good-lookin' fellow looks like he came from good old Pittsburgh!
+That's my city!"
+
+"Huh! Don't see black soot on him! Most clean people come from Detroit!"
+
+"No; St. Louis. We wash out there more than once a month, fellow!"
+
+"In the Big Muddy, I reckon!" shouted the Pittsburgher.
+
+"And you need it twice a day!" was shouted back.
+
+"Hey, you wood butchers! Made any coffins for the Booches yet? Soon's we
+get there they'll need 'em!"
+
+"Listen to him! Booches! Boshes, man; that's the way to pronoun----"
+
+"Hi, yi! Can the college education! Everybody knows it's Bewches! Don't
+show yer ignor----"
+
+"Give him the Iron Cross! Boches, you simp! Ask these natives over here;
+it's their word."
+
+"Bet you can't ask 'em anything; they'll mostly beat it when you try to
+buy eats!"
+
+"Say, Yank, hey! You with the square! Had any frogs' legs yet? Or
+snails?"
+
+"Oh, glory! Gimme some snails right now; nice, fat ones, alive, fresh
+and salted! I could eat thousand-leggers or rattlesnakes right now!"
+
+"Hooray! Wonder where we mess!"
+
+"Next week! An' I feel like we messed last in Noo York."
+
+"Me! I'll be glad to get down on terra cotta again!"
+
+"Aw, terra firma, you blamed ignor----"
+
+"Listen to the perfessor! Say, can't you see a joke?"
+
+"Say, fellers--everybody! Let's give a big hooraw for the noble land of
+France. Now, then, are you ready? Hip, hip----"
+
+The yell that followed might almost have made the French think that the
+Boches had made a land attack from the sea, did they not know that now
+such was impossible.
+
+And now, even if the mess had not been called for many hours after the
+landing, the khaki-clad boys would not have gone hungry, for as they
+fell in line on command and filed down from the ship hundreds of
+kindly-faced girls, lads, women and even old men, greeted them smilingly
+and tendered each soldier a dainty, ample bit of delicious food: meaty
+sandwiches, tasty little cakes, cups of milk and sour wine--looking
+surprised, indeed, when the latter was refused by many, Herb and Roy
+being among this number.
+
+Lieutenant Loring, standing near and noticing this, said to the boys:
+
+"You are right, fellows, of course, morally considering the matter, but
+here it is a little different from our country. The water is generally
+vile and often you will have to endanger your health or go thirsty;
+besides, there is so little alcohol in this common wine,
+'_vin-ordinaire_,' they call it, that it is really not intoxicating.
+That may let you down occasionally for a drink of it when you can't get
+milk."
+
+Again, when thousands of long cigarettes came their way, Herb and Roy
+were among a very few who refused them. The donors were taken aback,
+indeed. But the boys' messmates, those of their company, had long since
+acknowledged the sanity of the arguments against tobacco, even though
+failing in the practise of abstinence.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+FACING THE ENEMY
+
+
+"Go to it, old scout! That's what we're here for."
+
+Such was Corporal Whitcomb's grave remark to Private Flynn when out of
+the squad of eight expert marksmen stationed in a rocky pit to help
+protect a certain new havoc-wreaking, shrapnel-shooting field-piece,
+three were chosen to first go out and stop any attempt of the enemy to
+pot-shot the artillerymen who were working the gun very much to the hurt
+of the German trenches three hundred yards away.
+
+A little rocky hill held by the American troops new in action gave a
+protection to the position of the wonderful gun that shelled the enemy
+trenches disastrously beyond and successfully prevented the setting up
+of German heavy ordnance in the vast plain in the rear.
+
+It was, therefore, impossible to try to smash the new gun by shells; it
+was well-nigh suicidal to attempt to charge the position, and,
+therefore, it became a matter of sharpshooting, of night raids and of
+dropping bombs from German planes very high overhead.
+
+But the enemy were soon to learn that in the matter of marksmanship
+their best was greatly outclassed, and also that to escape injury from
+high-powered, .30-caliber bullets sent into the air their warplanes had
+to seek a very considerable elevation from which the dropping of bombs
+was an uncertain thing. Moreover, there were powerful French-American
+airplanes not far behind the American trenches, and they had come out
+and up to meet these German planes, downing two of them.
+
+Meanwhile, from its pit, successfully bomb-proofed and camouflaged, the
+new gun barked every few minutes, throwing out no smoke to disclose its
+position. From the hilltop there was an occasional rattle of machine
+guns and the crack of rifles, another squad of snipers, under Corporal
+Lang, being there on duty, backed also by a platoon of United States
+Regulars. And on the other side of the hill, Herbert learned, there was
+another pit that contained another one of the terrible new guns,
+similarly guarded by Billy Phillips' squad and more Regulars.
+
+That first twenty-four hours had been "a corker," as Roy Flynn put it.
+There had been something doing every minute from the time the platoon
+had left the French training camp where Uncle Sam's infantry was getting
+the fine points from French officers relative to modern trench warfare.
+
+At nightfall the platoon had entered six auto trucks, called by the
+British "lorries," and had proceeded with a French guide toward the
+front, though going where few knew, and in fact the exact destination
+had been disclosed only to lieutenant Loring and Sergeants Barry and
+Small.
+
+It had been very dark and rainy. The road, at first smooth, had
+glistened like a mirror; the occasional lights from road lamps and
+windows, closer together in the villages, had thrown a luster quite
+uncanny over everything. Then the lights had become less frequent, the
+road suddenly rougher, even rutty, the speed had grown less and they
+were always floundering along, or sometimes stuck in the mud.
+
+There had seemed to be little else in that part of the world but mud,
+mud, mud! Yet the boys had been compelled to get out of the cars but
+little, even to ease the weight when stalled, for the motors were
+powerful and the trucks generally put up to give the best of service.
+
+Herbert and some of his squad had ridden with Lieutenant Loring and the
+guide in the first lorry and they had forged somewhat in advance of the
+other cars, being stuck in the mud but seldom, and had plowed through
+puddles, holes and miry hollows with a certainty that was admirable.
+Considering the number in the car and Roy's presence and the fact that
+the men had all slept well before starting, there had been little said;
+often they had covered miles without a word being uttered.
+
+Once two long, boxed-in autos, going very slowly, had been met. The
+officer guide had ordered a stop to exchange a few words with the
+chauffeur of the cars, but dimly seen by the occupants of the lorry.
+When the guide had commanded the advance again he had said something, in
+a low voice in French, to the lieutenant. Loring had leaned over toward
+Barry and Whitcomb and whispered the one word: "Wounded."
+
+On and on and on they had traveled. Down into a valley, creeping across
+a narrow, low bridge of stone; then slowly up and up for a time; on the
+level once more, evidently following the side of a ridge, as the
+horizon on one side between a blank space of black earth and the gray
+sky seemed higher than the car. And then, from over to the left,
+startlingly sudden to every one of those hardy young Americans, had come
+the sound of firing, the crack and crackle of firearms, followed
+presently by the tearing, resonant fusillading of a machine-gun that, at
+a distance, reminds one of the rapid rolling of a barrel down hill over
+stony ground.
+
+Again the guide had made a remark which Loring once more translated. "He
+says that's what he likes to hear. Do you? Well, I fancy we shall hear
+quite enough of it."
+
+And then, half a mile farther on, during which time all had distinctly
+discerned the not very distant boom of cannon and once again the nearer
+firing of many guns, the French officer halted the car, waited until the
+others had come up and then informed Loring that from this on, for
+nearly a mile, they must proceed silently on foot.
+
+The command had been issued; a rough formation had been made there in
+the rain and the muddy road; the men had been given extra loads of
+provisions to carry besides their army kits, and they had gone forward,
+not a sound being uttered. After a time rear sentries had received them,
+others had been passed, one facetious Irishman saying aloud to the
+lieutenant:
+
+"This is worse than the East Side in a raid in the gamblin' houses,
+bedad! An' the weather ain't so bad in the dear ould U. S., even in
+March, but nivver ye moind! Jest go git thim Huns, me lad. Jest go git
+'em! I wisht they'd be comin' my way now an' thin."
+
+Poor fellow! They learned afterward that he had been transferred to the
+trenches later and that the "Huns" had come his way. No doubt many of
+the enemy had been sorry for it and others had not gone back, but
+neither had he. The first little American burying ground at the bottom
+of the ridge was as far as he and some of his fellows got. The platoon
+to which they had belonged still held the trench, though against odds.
+
+At night, the darker the better, is the time when there is an exchange
+of troops in the trenches, when fresh contingents take the places of
+those too long tried by the terrible strain of standing guard against
+the enemy's surprises, drives, raids, gas attacks, barrages, bombing and
+shell fire.
+
+So the coming of the snipers' platoon had been altogether favorable, not
+the hardiest of the enemy daring to risk chances of going against the
+little hill at a time when all the advantage would be on the side of its
+defenders, even though the Germans on this sector outnumbered the
+Americans two to one.
+
+The gun pits and their accompanying dugouts, with pole and earth-covered
+shelters begun by the French and greatly improved by Uncle Sam's boys,
+were both crude and comfortable, the drainage on the hillside being far
+better than that of most trenches, especially those in low ground. There
+was mud, of course, though not so deep as if the rain water had been
+allowed merely to seep away. Then, too, the U. S. Regulars, under cover
+of night, had cut numerous poles from the young forest and on these had
+laid boards sent over the route of frequent supplies.
+
+Handing copies of maps to each of the sergeants and corporals, Loring
+had detailed the squads to the positions they now occupied. With
+dispatches introducing him he went with the first squad, Whitcomb's men,
+to the first gun pit, sending the others on, with their dispatches,
+where he was soon to join them.
+
+Into the north side gun pit, then, had marched Herbert's squad; they
+were put under the immediate command of Lieutenant Jackson, U. S. A.,
+middle-aged, firm and as nearly silent as possible, and they at once had
+been assigned to quarters, told to rest and to eat. Loring had said a
+few words to Herbert, shaken his hand and gone away.
+
+After some hours Lieutenant Jackson came to Herbert; the latter noticed
+that he had not been sent for and that the officer seemed to be, while
+enforcing discipline, a thoroughly democratic fellow, aware of the
+conditions of war, yet displaying that comradeship which must spring up
+between men of sense in times of danger and of stress.
+
+"Your boys, I am told, are all fine shots. Have they practised shooting
+at night?"
+
+"Yes; much," Herb answered. "They have been taught to see their sights
+against the sky and quickly, without altering position of eye and
+barrel, keeping the cheek against the stock all the while, to put the
+muzzle end on the object to be hit and press the trigger. We hold both
+eyes open, as always, when shooting, but especially at night, thus
+seeing the object the more clearly. Nine times out of ten we can hit a
+black mark as big as a man a hundred yards, or over. It depends, of
+course, upon how dark it is."
+
+"See here, my boy, I'm going to leave the placing of your men, the
+selection of them for duty and the care of them, to you, the general
+rules of our camp here to be followed. You will fall into these quickly
+and you had better keep your young men as much to themselves as
+possible, fraternizing, of course, when off duty. My men, being
+regulars, are apt to regard you young chaps with small respect for their
+soldierly qualities. I will, however, issue orders for a contrary
+attitude; I myself feel very different; young chaps are the coming
+winners of this war, there's no mistake."
+
+"Now you can see what we're up against," he went on. "The Germans out
+there, or as the French call them, the 'Boches,' can get at us in no
+other way than by raids and sniping. We have driven off two raids and we
+have lost three men by sniping--three good men, too. Now, it's up to you
+to see to it that these snipers get sniped; to lay for 'em and get 'em
+as they come. It'll be hunting men who are hunting you, and the best
+hunter and shot wins. Dangerous business, my boy. Somehow I think that
+you personally are equal to it, even though you've never yet been under
+fire and you may get nervous. But are your men equal to it? It's not
+like a charge or phalanx firing, nor company action. I've been there; in
+the Philippines and at Santiago. Private then. Your boys have all got to
+have their nerve with them, as well as their skill. I hope they have not
+made a mistake in sending you here before you were tried under fire. We
+shall see. But I suppose one place to get used to it is as good as
+another.
+
+"There is this about the situation also: You not only have to beat the
+Hun snipers' shooting, but you've got to see them first. It's pretty
+certain you can't always do that.
+
+"And here's another feature: You've got to be good runners, for if
+you're hunting for snipers, night or day, you may suddenly run into a
+bunch of raiders. In some cases, too, you may be placed so as to hold
+these fellows off a bit until you can get word to us. You see there are
+many situations possible and there will be still more that you can't
+think of; circumstances totally unforeseen and sometimes mighty hard to
+comprehend in a hurry. Just the other day we had one.
+
+"The gun boys were giving her a cleaning up--they keep her pretty nice,
+you see, just like a fire company does its engine; take a real pride in
+it. Well, they were working away, or five of them were--four were
+sleeping. My men were mostly loafing and sleeping, too, and some were on
+guard and lookout, one fellow at the listening point. I was making out
+reports and accounts--there's too much of that. There wasn't a gun to be
+heard for miles; all quiet, except for the big guns over on the French
+sector, ten miles away, that you heard a while ago.
+
+"Then, all of a sudden the men at post called out: 'Airplane high up!
+French machine coming back from the Boche line! They're shooting at
+her!'
+
+"We heard several guns go off over in their trenches, but as she kept on
+we didn't think any more about her. It's a common enough sight and I had
+gone back to my papers and the boys to their duties.
+
+"And then, it didn't seem to me to be five minutes before the awfullest
+kick-up of dust and rocks I ever saw, or hope to see, upset the whole
+bunch of us--it was right on the outside of the pit, though we've got it
+pretty well smoothed over now. It blinded one of my men permanently,
+poor chap; sent him back yesterday. And it laid another up for a bit;
+struck in the back with a big flying stone. Blew all my papers so far
+I've never been able to find half of them. You see this is war!
+
+"That was no French plane; it was a Hun. He had painted his blamed
+machine so it looked like a Frenchman; mebbe it was a captured one in
+the first place, and then, when he got well over our lines, he turned
+and shut off his engine and dived right down over our pit. Did it so
+quick nobody got on to him to shoot at him until he had dropped his bomb
+and if that had hit our shelter top it would have got every one of us
+and upset the gun.
+
+"But they got him beyond just as he was going over their trenches; our
+gun men had luckily just slipped a shell in and the corporal jumped and
+sighted and let Mr. Birdman have it just once, and, by jingo, it got
+him! Busted twenty feet to one side of him, turned him clear over and
+dumped him on the ground; smashed the machine all up, of course. What it
+did to the man you can guess.
+
+"Oh, this is war, my boy! Real war! As I said, I haven't been able to
+find half of those reports yet."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+WAR IS--WAR!
+
+
+Yes, it was war. There could be no question about its being the real
+thing, with all the frills and thrills that go along with a gigantic,
+brain-taxing, muscle-straining attempt to kill an enemy and not be
+killed by him.
+
+If Sherman designated the kind of war practised two generations ago as
+having a resemblance to the infernal regions, what would he call war as
+practised in this generation? A combination it is of dozens of varied
+Hades, with all the little devils of hate and villainy and slow torture
+thrown in.
+
+Corporal Herbert Whitcomb, though a mere boy, had been placed in the
+command he held, however small, because of his wonderful skill in
+shooting, together with his manliness, strength of character and the
+reputation he had earned for doing everything well that he was set to do
+at the training camp back in the dear old United States.
+
+With his introduction to the combined trench and gun pit on the French
+front and the duties he was compelled to assume as commander of a squad
+of snipers, he was at once impressed with the fact that this was war;
+and in a very short time thereafter that war is hell.
+
+Lieutenant Jackson, of the old Regular Army and a veteran of long
+service, who was in command of the pit and was Herbert's superior
+officer, had told him enough to render such a verdict and to impress him
+with the seriousness of the job before the Allies, the American Army and
+their small body of men, fifty-seven in all, in the pit. These comprised
+the platoon of Regulars, thirty-two men, four corporals, two sergeants
+and the lieutenant, the artillery squad of eight men and one corporal,
+and the sniper squad of an equal number.
+
+The Regular Army men were generally rough-and-ready fellows, admirably
+fitted for any duty of war, except that only two or three of them were
+admittedly expert shots. These had tried sniping, but were too few in
+numbers to awe the German long-distance sharpshooters making attempts to
+kill off the artillerymen.
+
+The men who handled the gun were a mixed lot. Three had been in the
+Marines, two were Regular Army artillerymen, one was a recently enlisted
+man who possessed a special talent for hitting the mark with a cannon,
+another was a fighting cook for this outfit; and the corporal, James
+Letty, had been a football star.
+
+Anyone could look over the platoon and see that they were a hard crowd
+to beat. Therefore, when Whitcomb sent Flynn and Marshall out on the
+first scouting and sniping duty, thus honoring them, and to Flynn said,
+"Go to it, old scout!" he felt most truly the importance of the
+statement that they were there for the purpose of warfare.
+
+By "Go to it!" Herb meant that their first business was to let no German
+get into a position where he might drop bullets into the gun pit where
+the squad was operating so successfully as to actually threaten the
+maintenance of the German position at that point.
+
+With Roy went Dave McGuire, one-time glove salesman in a city department
+store. He had shot one of the highest, very long range rifle scores at
+Camp Wheeler, and he possessed certain characteristics that did not seem
+to be at all in keeping with his former calling.
+
+Herbert could not help wondering at the fellow's bravery. He possessed a
+manner that by some would have been termed "sissy;" he drawled his words
+and lisped a little, opened his mouth to speak with drawn lips, seemed
+to have the idea that army life should be on the order of a social
+gathering; and his khaki clothes, by long habit, were put on and worn
+with scrupulous neatness.
+
+Could he stand the strain of being shot at, of living long in a muddy
+hole in the ground, under the constant expectation of something or other
+happening that might cost him and his companions their lives?
+
+Not far down the hill several piles of heavy stones offered the American
+riflemen excellent shelter for observation and marksmanship. There were
+some shell holes also and at one spot a partly wrecked bomb canister of
+heavy sheet iron within which a man might crouch unseen by the enemy
+beyond.
+
+All of these places offered a fair view of the zigzag German trenches
+for a distance of more than five hundred yards where the trench dipped
+behind a wooded rise of ground. Beyond this the enemy had their hands
+full opposing the extension of the American trench which wound about
+from near the gun pit to and also beyond the wooded slope.
+
+Herbert saw his two boys go out on the hill with a feeling of nothing
+else than sorrow. To be sure this was the game of war, but he could not
+help feeling a marked aversion for the possibilities uppermost in this
+death-grapple business.
+
+For his men particularly and for all his fellows in battle, companions
+in discomfort, danger, suffering, perhaps death, was the lad concerned.
+Especially did he feel this now regarding Roy. His chum, ever bright,
+smiling, jesting, never grumbling nor down-hearted, was going out there
+to be the target for men trained in this wholesale killing business and
+eager to play their part. It was true that the boy could hardly be
+caught napping and he would probably give a little better than he was
+sent, but still there were the chances of warfare, often more potent,
+more death-dealing than the best laid plans.
+
+Herb had never since babyhood known anything of a mother's teachings
+that to the many well-balanced, gentle-dispositioned lads often mean so
+much for good. His father had well cared for him when he was a little
+fellow and then he, too, had died without ever having rightly influenced
+the boy at a time when this would have counted best. And though
+Herbert's inclinations had all been healthy, clean, vigorously manly and
+honest, it is doubtful if he had said or thought a prayer a half dozen
+times in his life, or that he really knew how to pray in the commonly
+practised manner of those who habitually turn to a Higher Power.
+
+But now, watching Roy and Dave ascend the stepped slope out of the pit
+and by Herb's order begin to slip off cautiously, screening themselves
+behind various obstacles and making for the objects of shelter below,
+the young corporal was suddenly overcome with a dejection very unseemly
+for an officer engaged in fighting. Unseen, the boy bowed his head
+against one of the timber stanchions of the shelter.
+
+"Oh, God, if you're willing, if it isn't laid down in the Book of Fate
+otherwise, don't let that chum of mine get killed! He's too fine a chap;
+he brings too much happiness to others in this world and does too much
+good generally for him to become the victim of a bullet or bayonet, or
+anything like that! And the other fellow, too; he seems like a good sort
+of fellow. Most of my men are; all in this pit are worth being kept
+alive. I'm sure of it! But, of course, some of us must get it; be
+killed or wounded some way. So don't think I mind being one, if that
+would spare the percentage and spare these other fellows who have homes
+and people to mourn for them. Anyway, God, above all, no matter what may
+be going to happen, see to it that we all do our duty and give us what
+ought to be coming to us if we don't."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+A DOUBLE SURPRISE
+
+
+Roy and Dave had come back unharmed from the first sniping expedition of
+the squad against the enemy's snipers. The former was elated at having
+seen a German who had crawled out of the enemy trench some distance into
+"No Man's Land," as the space between the opposing trenches has been
+nicknamed, stick his head and gun above a fallen tree trunk, shoot at
+Roy, and upon Roy's returning the compliment go down quickly, not to
+reappear. The German's bullet had chipped a bit of stone off not five
+inches from Roy's nose.
+
+"Think sure I got the sucker and I hope he was Kaiser Bill himself! I
+kept watchin' for him, Herb, for about half an hour and he never showed
+up. Now, who'll get out there to bury him, I wonder?"
+
+"Let us hope somebody does tonight," Herb said.
+
+"Hope that? Cracky, me lad, not so fast! If they got that far they'd
+forget the dead one and try to make one of us live ones a dead one.
+But, say, if some of us can sneak down there and lay for them when they
+do come out for him, we could take 'em prisoners easy. How 'bout it?"
+
+"Don't seem like fair and square fighting," said Herb.
+
+"But _they_ do these things!" Roy argued.
+
+"Two wrongs don't make a right."
+
+"They will make a capture, though, sure as you're a foot high! Try it
+and let me in on it."
+
+"But it will be your time sleeping. Well, maybe we can plan it. I'll
+talk with the lieutenant."
+
+That night it came on to rain, harder than it had yet come down since
+the squad had been in France. Everything was soggy and soaked; the
+atmosphere seemed like a big sponge surcharged with endless dampness.
+Slickers were in demand and all guns and revolvers for those going forth
+were well cleaned and oiled.
+
+Out of the pit and through the intense darkness Corporal Whitcomb led a
+party of six others, one-half of his own men and two Regulars of the
+platoon, all prepared for dealing a surprise. But, along with the
+enemy, they, too, experienced the unexpected, which in this case might
+better be called simply a streak of luck.
+
+Long before dark, though compelled to dangerously expose himself,
+Herbert had drawn up a rough but effective map of the slope between the
+pit and the German trenches, actually going over some of the ground
+afoot and being shot at several times from the trench, but from a safer
+place covering the rest with his glass. Especially prominent on the map
+was made the fallen trunk where lay the German victim of Roy's superior
+marksmanship. And when Roy showed this map and his plan of action to
+Lieutenant Jackson the latter said:
+
+"That's the stuff! It ought to earn you a commission. Hope you can carry
+it out. Yes, take Murphy and Donaldson, if you want. We'll lay low up
+here ready for a counter-raid if you signal us."
+
+Now, down the slope the men followed, single file, until they had
+covered nearly half the distance; then Herb felt a touch on the arm.
+Dave McGuire saluted and whispered:
+
+"Have a notion that--ah--these fellows are expecting we shall undertake
+something like this and--all--are going to lay for us. Maybe we might
+divide up, go two ways--ah--and get the drop--ah--on them, as
+they-ah--say, corporal."
+
+"I have already planned for that; but thanks, old man. We'll do that
+very thing."
+
+One group of four went a little to the right of the fallen tree and
+sought places of hiding; the other two, with Herbert, went to the left
+and found an old shell pit into which they all crawled. The instructions
+from the lieutenant had been for all to pull some grass and leaves to
+partly camouflage themselves.
+
+The wisdom of this was shown not half an hour later when a low-flying
+airplane suddenly rose, sailed over the spot and threw a rather
+uncertain searchlight upon the slope, surely not detecting one of the
+hidden Americans.
+
+The gun in the pit did not fire a shot at the flying-machine. The enemy
+might have been suspicious of that, though they must have believed that
+the birdman offered too uncertain a mark on which to waste shells in the
+dark, and then the flier's report gave them an assurance of safety.
+
+The boys lay waiting long and not too patiently--for who can easily
+endure such conditions? There was no let-up to the cold rain, which
+after a time became half sleet. Lying on the cold, soggy ground, chilled
+and uncomfortable, the boys after a time grew restive. Roy, with the
+four on one side, cautioned silence. Herbert wondered how the fastidious
+McGuire was putting up with all this. Then, suddenly:
+
+"Hist!" from one side. "Hist!" came from the other and at once the
+silence was more impressive than death itself. For, perhaps, as they all
+thought, death might soon follow.
+
+Up the slope beyond and slowly approaching came the sound of many
+heavily-shod feet, and dark figures began to loom in the blackness,
+coming straight for the tree.
+
+The American youngsters lay ready as pumas to spring amongst fat deer;
+they hardly breathed, the tense situation holding every man to the duty
+expected of him and in which he now gloried, eager to act.
+
+More and more gray figures came dimly into view until, around the fallen
+tree, nearly a score of men stood silently, only one of them
+occasionally uttering an exclamation, or a word or two. Herb knew that
+Ben Gardner, once a buyer of toys in Europe, spoke German fluently and
+he had kept Ben beside him for a purpose. Asking him afterward what
+remarks the leader of the Germans had made, Gardner explained:
+
+"Well, first he asked: 'Where is he?' and then: 'How can I believe it?'
+and once he said: 'Where could the American have been to kill him with
+the first shot?' When they explained this to him he only grunted about
+ten times. It must have been a stumper."
+
+But in Corporal Whitcomb's mind was a more engrossing question than any
+normal actions of the Germans could have further created. Greatly
+outnumbered, was he to give the signal to act on the offensive, or to
+let the chance go by and run no risks?
+
+Had he known then that a German division commander, a general of note,
+had been examining the trench at length and hearing of the death of
+Godfrey Schmaltz, once big game hunter and one of the best shots in all
+the Fatherland, had risked the chance to come now and inspect the place
+and manner of the great marksman's defeat, the young corporal would have
+hesitated not at all and have risked everything. But now he seemed
+disposed to wait too long. Gardner, however, must have guessed the
+situation more clearly. He nudged Herbert and whispered:
+
+"Big gun, I believe! Better get him! Now's our chance!"
+
+And Herb, his mind suddenly set to the task, gave the signal--the flash
+of an electric handlight into the mist.
+
+The seven were all on their feet in an instant and advancing upon the
+enemy. At the same moment Gardner shouted in the German tongue:
+
+"Hands up, or death to all instantly! You are our prisoners!"
+
+Herbert called to Roy and Martin Gaul, who were nearest, to quickly
+disarm the Huns; and the way the few guns were snatched from the men and
+tossed aside must have much surprised them. One big fellow struck at
+Roy, and the man got a blow in the face which staggered him.
+
+There was an attempt at a scurry among the German officers when the
+ambush was sprung and the order given them. It was a palpable effort to
+shield or to effect the escape of one of their number, the general.
+
+Dave McGuire saw this, having come around on that side in the movement
+to surround the huddled enemy, and he acted with the speed of a hawk.
+Shoving his pistol into the face of the nearest Boche, the young fellow
+began lisping some words in English which were probably poorly
+understood, if at all, but he did not get very far with his speech.
+
+Dave's arm was knocked aside and a Hun officer leveled a pistol at him,
+fully getting the drop on him. By all rules of the game, this was a
+signal for surrender on Dave's part, but Dave wasn't abiding by any
+rules just then. The Hun officer suddenly felt in the pit of his stomach
+a boot that had the force of a Missouri mule back of it and when he rose
+from the mire he found himself a prisoner.
+
+Dave made the others believe, seeing their companion fall and the
+American's pistol again threatening them, that there was nothing left
+them but to accept the situation; and though the general, much to his
+credit for pluck, made another attempt to get away, he also got Dave's
+foot with equal force, but on the shin, and he couldn't have run then to
+save his life.
+
+Meanwhile all of the other six had performed quite admirably and
+impressed upon the German officers and men the fact that they were at
+the mercy of the Americans.
+
+"Tell them to keep mighty quiet, Gardner," Herbert ordered, and this
+also was conveyed to them in words the prisoners clearly understood.
+"And to head up the hill and step lively," the corporal added.
+
+They headed up and stepped. Two lagged a little, but one of the
+Regulars, Murphy, prodded those grumbling Huns with his brawny fist and
+they fell in with the others. As though by previous drill, the captors
+arranged themselves about the prisoners with instant comprehension of
+the entire situation. Ready to pour in a murderous fire with the first
+movement in an attempt to escape, and believing that such an attempt
+might be made at any moment, two of the squad marched to the right and
+two to the left of the captured Germans, while Herbert and Donaldson
+followed in the rear and Gardner led the way, walking backward up the
+slope, now and then urging the captives to step along quickly.
+
+They had covered two-thirds of the distance to the gun pit when one of
+the general's aides or staff suddenly gave a low order, and turned and
+rushed boldly upon the nearest American. Half the number of Germans,
+with something like a roar, followed his example in what, against a less
+determined resistance must have been a successful break-away for most
+of them.
+
+But half a dozen revolvers barked and just as many Teutons went to the
+ground, two never to rise again by their own efforts, for the distance
+was short and the American boys were ready. The Huns fell back again
+into a bunch, the general unwounded.
+
+And then out came the raiders. The firing proved a signal and they knew
+that their commander was in danger. From the German trench the soldiers
+climbed; and though they could not be seen, the rapid commands, the
+rattle of fixing bayonets, the tramp of hasty feet were very audible.
+Herbert listened for a second and then shouted:
+
+"Never mind picking up those fellows, but get the rest up to the pit!
+Rush 'em now; rush 'em! Flynn," he called, "go for the pit like the Old
+Scratch was after you, and tell Lieutenant Jackson the enemy's out and
+coming!"
+
+Just then the entire bunch of captors and captives found themselves in
+what was equal to the glare of day; a searchlight from the German trench
+had found them.
+
+The sharp roar of the American gun in the pit jarred the earth, and
+instantly the darkness was over everything again. The Yankee
+artillery-men had found the searchlight and with the first shot.
+
+But that moment of white light had shown some morose, ugly, hate-bearing
+faces and booted figures huddled in a group, and on the ground some
+lying prone, others in a sitting posture, while about them stood a
+number of grim fellows, with pistols in hand. And the light had shown on
+the hill Roy Flynn going up the grade at a speed that would have done
+credit to most sprinters on the level. Roy had been the hundred-yards
+man at Brighton for three terms.
+
+Lieutenant Jackson had his Regulars down the hill into the center of No
+Man's Land almost before the Germans had all climbed out of their
+trenches, and when the latter came on in the darkness they were received
+with such a withering fire that the survivors broke and fled back in a
+hurry.
+
+"By jingo, corporal, you certainly have done yourself and all of us
+proud!" was Lieutenant Jackson's remark to Herbert a half hour later
+when the prisoners had been questioned, disposed of and a guard set over
+them, and in their warm dugout shelter the squad of snipers were
+gathered about the trench stove.
+
+"All you fellows," he went on, "ought to be promoted for this night's
+work; that's a fact. I don't want to take a bit of the glory away from
+you; I want you to make out and send in with mine a complete report of
+your work in capturing these----"
+
+"I'll be perfectly content to have you do it all, Lieutenant," Herbert
+replied.
+
+"But I won't. You can write better than I can. When they hear you've
+snared this big chump, General What's-his-name, they'll tumble over
+themselves to get you a commission. You deserve it. We're all finding
+out what the Johnny Bulls tell us: the non-coms and the subs have about
+as much to do with this scrap as the generals and colonels."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+HUNTING BIG GAME IN NO MAN'S LAND
+
+
+There was nothing of self-consciousness about Corporal Whitcomb over the
+capture of a high commander of the enemy on almost the first night of
+his experiences at the front. As Roy Flynn put it:
+
+"Herb's never chesty; wasn't at school, though heaps o' duffers who
+couldn't stay with him in anything, indoors or out, would swell up like
+poisoned pups. That's Herb."
+
+Just then the object of the conversation walked into the dugout.
+
+"When are they going to send his nibs, General Sauerkraut, to the rear,
+Corporal?" asked Sniper G. Washington Smith.
+
+"As soon as the patrol arrives; to-morrow at the latest. I believe he
+talked some to Gardner last night; tried to bribe him. Flynn, your turn
+on guard duty, now, over the prisoners. Relieve Watson. The lieutenant
+wants one of our men with three of his over them all the time. Gaul, you
+go on to-night.
+
+"Have most of you fellows washed, shaved, and eaten breakfast?"
+continued Herbert. "If so, we'd better all go out on the hill again for
+a little while and try to head off those snipers from the other side.
+Letty says they are getting busy after the big gun. Two bullets
+flattened on his sight guard a little while ago; one of them must be
+closer than they've been yet."
+
+"Ain't _you_ the feller to get him?" queried Martin Gaul.
+
+"What's the matter, Gaul? Anything getting on your nerves?"
+
+"No more'n on yours or anybody's. Show me the man who's in love with all
+this. That old gun up there would drive a stuffed dummy crazy, and
+bullets droppin' in here every now and then and expecting them Boches to
+drop in, too; and dirt and filth and crawlers and cookin' your own
+meals, and cold nights----"
+
+"Do you think that's showing the right spirit? All of us are putting up
+with the same discomforts, the same nerve strain and we're getting sport
+out of it, or at least the consciousness that we must sacrifice comforts
+for the cause. You are the first I have heard complain. Best to chime
+in, old man, and cut out the kicks."
+
+"Mebbe you'd kick, too, if you were sick," Gaul said.
+
+"Sick? Well, now, that's different. What's the matter? Just how do you
+feel?"
+
+"Sore all over. Cold, I reckon. Head aches. Pain in my face, too. Got no
+appetite."
+
+"Sudden, then; eh? Saw you eating a while ago as if you never expected
+to get any more. You know the grub lorries get here once in so often and
+enough. But turn in on your cot now and cover up warm. Geddes, you heat
+Gaul a cup of tea and take and dry his shoes. And put on dry socks,
+Gaul. I'll get you some pills. Get ready, fellows! Geddes, you join us
+when you can. Are all your guns clean? Remember, you want your gas masks
+along. There's no telling when the Boches may let go some of that
+stuff."
+
+Sneaking, crawling, seeking every bit of cover, getting into pits made
+by formerly exploded shells when the Germans had driven the French for a
+time a year before from this same spot, the five snipers worked over the
+slope and sought by every means to locate and fire upon those of the
+enemy who were at the same job.
+
+Herb lay behind a pile of débris once tossed up by a shell, his gun over
+a mass of pebbles in which he had, with a stick, pushed two narrow
+grooves, one for his weapon, the other as a peep-hole. To get him, a
+bullet would have to hit exactly in this groove, in line with it;
+otherwise the stones would deflect it upward.
+
+The lad studied the entire landscape all the way to and beyond the
+German trenches, a third of a mile away. If, in the equal number of
+hiding places below, there was a decided motion of any kind he should
+have been able to see it.
+
+He heard no shots from his men now scattered over the slope; evidently
+the Hun marksmen were not out, or were keeping very still. He lay
+silent, alone, under the warming, welcome sun of late autumn.
+
+It had been a beautiful day, following almost a week of incessant rain.
+The sun shone in a sky almost without clouds. All along the trenches for
+a long distance there was not a sound of firing, not an impression on
+the ear that even slightly suggested two opposing armies seeking to shed
+each other's blood.
+
+Far over beyond the hillside a bird, welcoming the sunshine also,
+caroled a lively ditty over and over again. Herbert guessed it was some
+kind of a linnet and wished that he might calmly arise without a sense
+of danger and go to spy on the singer. A plucky, little feathered
+adventurer it must be, indeed, to boldly invade this area of killing and
+to give such small heed to the deafening boom of great cannon and the
+frequent crackle of rifles and machine guns.
+
+McGuire it was who crept on hands and knees or advanced in a stooping
+posture, according to the depth of the sheltering stones or bushes
+between himself and the enemy, and when within speaking distance of
+Herbert, began a desultory conversation.
+
+"I--ah--know they are on the--ah--hill," he announced, meaning, of
+course, the Germans. "Saw one, if not--ah--two, or more. They are lying
+just as low--ah--as we are and are--ah--taking no chances, I presume. Is
+it not a most beautiful day?"
+
+"A ripper, sure!" was Herbert's reply. "You ought to keep mighty well
+down, McGuire. 'Tisn't safe to show yourself too much."
+
+"Do you--ah--know," said the ex-glove salesman, "I do not believe those
+fellows can shoot well enough to--ah--hit me this far away. It is very
+fine shooting to do so."
+
+"They are not all poor shots, by any means," asserted Herbert.
+
+"I think I--ah--would take chances with the best of them and how greatly
+I--ah--hope for the opportunity." The young man smiled in the very sweet
+but sad sort of way that must have helped him sell many a pair of
+gloves. He turned about and crept to a pile of stones and began another
+survey of the hunting field.
+
+Herbert wondered where the German marksman could have been located that
+had harassed the gun crew earlier in the morning and that he had come
+out to locate and drive off. There were plenty of hiding places, to be
+sure, but the fellow must disclose his position now if he began shooting
+again. And it was the business of the sniping squad to stop this.
+
+To the right three of Herb's men had located themselves, this offering
+the likeliest situation for protection to the gun. It was too far away
+from the German trench to be in danger from rifle fire, but here enemy
+snipers could venture out.
+
+Over to the left the ground was clearer of long grass, low bushes and
+rocks and still beyond that, in No Man's Land, perfectly bare.
+
+The young corporal had about given up the idea of snipers immediately
+opposing his position. He was thinking of returning to the pit to
+perform certain duties falling constantly upon a leader of even a few
+men, for he must do all in his power for their comfort and well being,
+when he heard a low exclamation come from McGuire. Herbert even
+recognized the halting "ah" somewhere in it, though he did not fully
+catch the words. But he saw the man quickly level his gun over the stone
+pile and fire.
+
+There was no answering shot, and for some little time McGuire lay there
+inert. Herb could not fully see the precise object of the ex-salesman's
+marksmanship; he was aware only of a shell pit and its tossed-up earth
+pile, and a gun muzzle sticking above it. This gradually was lowered.
+
+"Lay low, McGuire!" Herbert cautioned, seeing the fellow beginning to
+rise up and peer over his stone pile in an effort to see what effect his
+last shot had taken. And then he was aware that McGuire was not looking
+in the direction of the shell pit.
+
+Far beyond and to one side of the shell pit, easily a distance of three
+hundred yards, a German sniper was crawling flat on his stomach in an
+effort to gain a better shelter; perhaps he believed himself unseen. He
+was almost hidden from Herbert.
+
+McGuire's gun spoke again; the fellow had risen on one knee to shoot
+with a clearer view. The crawling German rolled over, appeared as though
+he were trying to tie himself into a knot and then suddenly collapsed
+and lay still.
+
+Twice again and in rapid succession McGuire fired; Herbert saw all this,
+but not clearly, though he was about to shoot also on a chance. The
+other had the nearer and better view and he was now on his feet.
+
+One of the enemy, on his knees and still farther below, had leveled his
+gun, but before he could pull the trigger he had pitched forward, where
+he lay still; another, too, had bravely risen to his feet and was taking
+an aim at McGuire when he also went down.
+
+And then there was a crack from the rifle in the near shell pit.
+
+Out of the corner of his eye Herbert saw McGuire fall to the ground; he
+knew by that momentary instinct that is never failing what this meant.
+But he did not then turn his head. Instead his eyes were leveled along
+his pet gun barrel and beyond to where merely the helmet, the forehead
+and the eyes of a man showed above the shell-pit mound.
+
+Herb had to make quick, sure work of it. But with the crack of his
+rifle, knowing just where that bullet would go, the boy could not resist
+a sickening, pitying sensation, for proof of his accurate aim came when
+the German half rose out of the shell pit and lay prone across his
+fallen gun.
+
+The corporal, himself now almost unmindful of danger, stooping, crossed
+to where McGuire lay, and knelt beside him. A glance told him enough.
+With something like a sob Herbert began to work his way back to the gun
+pit.
+
+"Dead instantly," was his remark to Lieutenant Jackson. "But he died a
+hero's death. Outshot the German snipers, as he said he could, and got
+three of them before a fourth got him. Poor chap, he was as brave as ten
+tigers and as gentle as a lamb. Our first man to go."
+
+"There will likely be others, Whitcomb. You must get used to it. The
+fortunes of war, you know."
+
+But a fellow of Herbert's make-up never could, nor did he ever, get used
+to such a thing. Though not the less determined to do his duty, he was
+now more than ever down on and disgusted with the whole useless,
+hateful, miserable business of war.
+
+Down the slope toward the German trenches lay four dead Germans, perhaps
+some of them not quite dead; possibly still suffering, bleeding, dying
+slowly, and where they could not be reached because of the unremitting
+desire of both sides to take every advantage of an enemy. There was no
+such thing as the white flag for purposes of succoring the wounded in No
+Man's Land.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+THE TRAITOR IN CAMP
+
+
+Corporal Whitcomb could not sleep. There was no particular reason for
+this, except mental worry and a too vivid imagination. Was the life in
+trench and gun pit getting on his nerve? Was he, a mere boy, too much
+over-wrought with his responsibility? Not so; the sort of happy
+disposition that he possessed never balks at nerve strain nor breaks
+with the effort of duty, no matter how urgent, or disappointing the
+result.
+
+Despite the trials upon his sense of justice and naturally gentle regard
+for humanity he knew only duty and strove with an intense effort to
+perform every task entrusted to him.
+
+The squad had been but five days in the gun pit so far, and it seemed
+like twice that many weeks. There had been the almost incessant
+hammering of the big gun on the trenches and distant works of the enemy
+and at the airplanes venturing overhead, four of which it had brought
+down in this time, added to three others since the long-barreled wonder
+had been set in place. It had been a surprise to the enemy and a
+masterly bit of work to place these several weapons in such close
+proximity to the enemy's lines and the duty had fallen upon well-picked
+troops and expert riflemen to guard these guns.
+
+There had been the constant sniping, night and day, by successive
+numbers of the sharpshooters' squad. There had been fifty-seven men in
+the pit when Herbert came, his own included; now there were but fifty.
+Three lay in the graveyard beyond the hill; two were sick; two, badly
+wounded, had been taken by the last patrol to the base hospital at
+LaFleche. Besides these, nine altogether, mostly of the gun crew, had
+so-called trench feet, from standing long in cold water and mud and not
+caring immediately for the first consequences of frost bite.
+
+But it was a very different matter from the impressive call to duty that
+bothered Herb Whitcomb. It was simply that he could not help feeling
+doubtful of one of his men.
+
+When Martin Gaul had qualified for the snipers, with a very fair score
+at the rifle ranges, Herbert had frankly requested that he be assigned
+to another squad, but the officers making the drawings had refused this.
+
+Before Gaul had been three days in the pit he had begun to grumble; once
+he had shown the white feather by remaining behind a nearly perfect
+shelter, instead of venturing out to hunt for enemy marksmen. And
+yesterday he had developed his old-time grouch and ready excuses.
+
+Returning to the dugout, Herbert had found Gaul much better and even
+inclined to be facetious. Learning of McGuire's death, he had expressed
+no sorrow, as the others had done, or would do when they got in.
+
+There had been all along a warm fraternal spirit shown among the members
+of the rifle squad, each one showing a generous sympathy for and an
+interest in his comrades, but Gaul had been the exception; by his own
+choice he had withdrawn from the human touch and brotherly affections
+naturally springing up between men living the same strenuous existence.
+
+Was it a sense of impending danger that troubled Herbert this early
+night? Some materialistic philosophers tell us that there are no such
+things as premonitions, while others, perhaps wiser, insist that,
+logically, we possess a sort of sixth sense that is not always easy to
+analyze. Therefore, we may receive an impression and only half guess its
+meaning or hardly know that we have received it.
+
+Herbert rose from his straw bed, pulled on his shoes and walked softly
+into the adjoining earthen chamber separated from that of the snipers'
+squad by a vertically cut mass of clay and a short partition of boards.
+He knew that the lieutenant labored therein over his reports, the small
+deal table lighted by a dim oil lantern.
+
+The officer in command looked up quickly, but Herbert put his finger to
+his lips, even before saluting. Then he spoke in a whisper. "Do you sort
+of feel something in the air? I don't know what makes me feel that way,
+but----"
+
+"I reckon I've been feeling something of the kind; yes," answered the
+lieutenant. "At any rate, I didn't seem to want to get sleepy at my
+usual hour. This sort of thing bothers a fellow at times."
+
+"I think we must hear things we don't know we hear, or get a notion of
+them in some way," offered Herbert.
+
+"Well, as a Southerner--and we are quite religious in our parts, my
+boy--we give the Almighty credit for that sort of thing."
+
+"Yes, of course." Herbert sat, deeply thinking for a moment.
+"Lieutenant, I have wondered lately about the strategic wisdom of our
+position here, to use the words of Brigadier-General Harding and of
+Captain Leighton, of our company. They often gave us a talk about that.
+It has struck me of late that a very few of us are defending a point of
+great importance, one that the Boches would like to capture and destroy.
+How about that, if I may ask?"
+
+"A natural and a wise question, Corporal; very," Lieutenant Jackson made
+answer. "But rest easy. You came through at night and could not see much
+on the way. Right back of us, not a quarter of a mile and on the other
+side of the ridge, one whole division is in barracks, not in billets, as
+the French term them, but in good, old American log houses, shielded by
+sand bags on this side and roofed the same way. And a mile beyond, on
+each side, there are some more infantry regiments; I don't know just how
+many, but enough. And there must be almost half a division in the
+trenches, nearly two in all, guarding this one quiet sector and ready
+to start toward Berlin when the order comes."
+
+"I suppose putting these men in barracks is to save crowding the
+trenches," offered Herbert.
+
+"Exactly; and it's a great scheme. But even without them I have a large
+idea that the Huns couldn't get enough men on this ground to push us
+back an inch, much less get our trenches. And heaven help them if they
+try it!"
+
+"We don't want them to get this gun pit."
+
+"They'll have to go some to do it! We're always ready for them."
+
+"Might they not want to attack now, especially; to recapture their
+general?"
+
+"Let them come. Two of your men and two of mine are out on the slope
+against surprises. Three quick shots near will put us wise and the
+'phone will bring as many as we want to help us in ten minutes."
+
+"Thanks for your information, Lieutenant. I'm going to try to nap a bit.
+Good night."
+
+"Good night, my boy. Some sleep we've all got to have."
+
+But as Herbert passed into the outer corridor, he turned softly and in
+the darkness walked noiselessly away from his quarters into the next
+hollow dug in the hill, this being more enclosed and better roofed than
+the others, as it was the store-room for ammunition.
+
+The boy paused and stood for a long time silently; why he did so he
+could not then nor afterward have told. Surely there seemed to be
+something in the air, though he could hear nothing except the audible
+breathing of sleepers on every side, the scratching of the lieutenant's
+pen, the occasional rustle of paper as one of the prisoners' guards
+turned the pages of a magazine he was reading and once the yawn of the
+other guard as it drew near the time when he was to be relieved.
+
+These two guards, Herbert knew, were in the center and at the far end of
+the section where the Germans were confined; his own man, Gaul, was
+nearest the partition of the supply chamber.
+
+The corporal settled back upon a stack of hand-grenade boxes and leaned
+his shoulder and head against the wall. He was as wide awake and alert
+as a cat at night, but physically tired, nevertheless. For he had been
+through much the night before and since and without a moment of rest.
+
+Breaking in almost imperceptibly on the night sounds the low mumbling of
+an indistinct word or two came to his ears; the prisoners talking among
+themselves, probably; what else? Leaning forward, Herbert put his eye to
+a very narrow opening between the partition boards. The reading guard
+had the back of his head turned that way; the other man was nodding,
+half asleep, a punishable offense. Squinting sidewise, he saw a hand and
+arm reach out from the other side of the partition and a hand reach up
+from a man sitting on the ground at the edge of the bunch of Germans. He
+had a glimpse also of something white that passed from one to the other.
+
+Herbert almost stopped breathing; his ears caught every fraction of
+sound that disturbed the still air. Seconds, perhaps half a minute,
+passed. Then suddenly a whispered word:
+
+"More!"
+
+Again the hands met; again the white thing passed.
+
+"Right! I'll do that!" was again whispered. Then the figure on the
+ground collapsed and all was silent for a time. Herbert slipped away
+into the corridor, waited a moment, then walked noisily back to the
+prison section and going straight to Gaul, standing by the partition,
+said:
+
+"I've been thinking you're not fit for duty. I'll stand guard here
+awhile and you go back to bed. Give me your gun and revolver."
+
+"But I feel all right, Corporal," Gaul protested.
+
+"I mean this as an order, Gaul."
+
+The fellow handed over his weapons. Placing them aside, Herbert covered
+him with his own pistol. "Now, hand over that paper you just received
+from the general here, and be quick about it!"
+
+Gaul went white and stammered:
+
+"I--I didn't get----"
+
+"Don't lie! Hand it over, or I'll bore a hole through you! You hear me!"
+
+"But, honest, I--you are wrong, I----"
+
+"Oh, well, then, blast your ugly carcass, I'll just fill you full of
+holes and take it, anyway."
+
+Gaul, scared, visibly trembling even in the dim light, with shaking
+fingers fished into an upper blouse pocket and brought forth a bit of
+scrap paper with torn edges and thrust it at Herb. The corporal glanced
+at it, then ordered his man to march down the corridor, following to the
+lieutenant's quarters.
+
+"Please read that; it came from the captured German general to this
+fellow. He first asked for more, then agreed to do something."
+
+The officer held the paper near the lantern.
+
+"It's a scrap torn from some book, I guess. German print on it. Oh, on
+the other side. What is it? Pretty poor writing, by jingo! Wait; it
+says:
+
+"'Set loose if men come. See as I shall get loose of hand bands. Then
+see in fight I escape free. Then come to trenches by night and inquire
+by me, General von Lutz, and I pay 5,000 marks quick and you mak safe.'
+And down farther are more words: '10,000 marks I will mak it; hav no
+dowts.'"
+
+A broad, solemn-looking grin covered the lieutenant's face and he nodded
+his head several times.
+
+"Might have expected this, really. Always had my suspicions, but hoped
+otherwise. Well," turning to Gaul, "did you really think----"
+
+"If you suppose, Lieutenant, that that Dutchman could buy me, you
+fellows get another think. I was only strafing him a little. He wanted
+me to do this, but you don't think I would? Why, Corporal, you know me
+better'n that. Haven't I always----?"
+
+"Corporal, it would have been better to have got up a pretended alarm
+and observed what this man would really have done. But I guess we have
+it on him all right, after what you heard. Anyway, we'll send him back
+when the patrol comes for the Huns. Take him and put him under guard
+now."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+LIFE AND DEATH
+
+
+The night wore on. Clouds overhung the sky and it began to drizzle. Roy
+Flynn, on duty in No Man's Land, felt that in a little while he and
+Watson would need their slickers and he was about to return for them,
+believing that his comrade and two others on the watch could be certain
+of any improbable attempts of the Huns to make a raid, when a strange
+thing happened.
+
+The ground was suddenly lighted up as though by flashes of fire; a
+tearing, ripping sound came to the two riflemen, and they saw bits of
+earth, stones, grass, bushes, torn, blown, lifted, and whizzing by them.
+Myriads of bullets sung mournful snatches of promised death and howled
+in derision of life as they struck the rocky earth and bounded onward.
+
+"Back to the quarry! There's no place like home!" yelled Roy to Watson,
+and firing three shots into the air he turned to see the two Regulars
+who had also been out on the slope running for the pit. Watson also
+started and Roy felt conscious that, go as they might, he would not be
+the last to get under cover. And then suddenly he knew he would be the
+last and as the pain in his hip seemed to shoot up into his very vitals
+he wondered, as he pitched headlong, whether he would ever get under
+such cover again as would protect him from the barrage. Would he,
+indeed, have a chance to get behind some very nearby shelter while the
+innumerable bullets paved the way for a German attack on the pit? And,
+even so, would the coming Huns not find and kill him?
+
+It was hard going. He held to his rifle, believing that it might be the
+means of either saving his life or of avenging it at the last moment.
+Once the barrel was struck by a bullet that glanced harmlessly, but with
+a wild shriek, as a flattened bullet will.
+
+Then the stock was struck and splintered, and even amidst the awful
+danger, the near certainty of death in a veritable rain of lead, the boy
+felt one swift regret for an injury to his beloved weapon. Such are the
+vagaries of the human mind.
+
+Roy dragged himself forward toward a rise of ground. It was terribly
+painful going, but he must get out of this first; see to his wound.
+
+"If I've got to pass up, or down," he said aloud to himself, "I want to
+do it according to Hoyle and not as Hamburger steak or mincemeat. Let us
+proceed where we can estimate on repairs, if the works are worth it."
+
+He got on, suffering from time to time bitter stabs of pain just below
+his hip when his limb twisted. Not able to lift the lower portion of his
+body from the ground by his uninjured leg because of the agony when the
+other dangled he was compelled to drag his entire weight on his elbows,
+gun still in hand, but the lad's pluck and spirit never left him.
+
+"A turtle's got nothin' on me for getting down to it. Wish I was a
+snake. Then I could bite a Hun. Mebbe this little thing--" thinking of
+his pistol--"might do it yet; drat 'em! Here's this little old heap of
+earth, and--oh, glory be! It's a shell pit! Like home and mother! In we
+go! Whurrah! That'n nearly got me!"
+
+It had almost. A conical mass of iron ripped clear across his back,
+cutting the cloth like a knife, but doing no other damage. The boy
+spread himself out, feeling a little easier, and lay still for a moment.
+The cold rain fell on his face and he pulled his hat over his eyes.
+
+"But ye don't sting quite like those Boche hailstones," he said. "Well,
+I've luxuriated enough now. Go to it, m'lad, and look to your hurt. If
+not, the rain'll help to make this slope all unnatural blue with me
+arterial fluid; me ancestors way back to Brian Boru would have it that
+it's as blue as indigo. Better look to see the damage; but how can I?"
+
+How could he, indeed? Was there nothing for him but to lie there and let
+his blood ebb away, unless his comrades missed him in the pit and the
+barrage fire ceased? And then a fear seized him. Would they tell Herb
+and would that loyal friend risk his life to reach him?
+
+The bullets fell thicker and faster now, the rattle of the guns at the
+German trench had increased and no man could steal out from the pit and
+hope to survive. Perhaps Roy could drag himself out again and up the
+slope in time to keep his friend from attempting----
+
+The boy struggled to get his arms fully under him and then to sustain
+the weight of head and shoulders. But the former effort had been too
+great; the reaction now was final. He sank back on the soggy ground and
+the hem of his blouse stretched across the wound, his weight firmly
+holding it. This and the coagulating effect of the cold earth must have
+stopped the flow. But the lad lay white and still, no longer gazing up
+at the black sky, nor conscious of his hurt, nor the curtain of lead and
+iron above and about him.
+
+"Flynn? Where is he?" was Herbert's first question of the men who had
+leaped into the welcome shelter of the pit.
+
+Watson glanced around. "He was with me; yelled to me. Must have been
+hit! I was; my heel's off, and one hit my pocket fair. And there's
+what's-his-name, wounded, though he got in. Flynn must have been hurt
+bad, or he'd made it!"
+
+One of the Regulars limped away to his couch, a bullet had cut his side
+and broken a rib, but this was a minor matter. The other man who had
+been out on the slope had lost his hat; a shot had struck his gun also.
+A barrage fire is truly a curtain of missiles, a shower of bullets
+that, like rain, reaches in time every spot in the area against which it
+is directed.
+
+"You musn't go out, Corporal! My orders, please! You couldn't live to
+reach Flynn now, and he may be dead or out of harm's way in some
+shelter."
+
+"But, Lieutenant, think of it! He may be suffering, dying out there,
+unable to help himself, bleeding to death! If I could only try to
+reach----"
+
+"No! A thousand times no! You are too useful here; have done too much of
+value already to run a risk of that kind. Just wait a bit until our
+fellows down there in their trench start a fusillade. I wish Letty could
+get at his gun and perhaps he can."
+
+And Letty did. The telescopic-looking weapon stood on a revolving iron
+base at such a height as to be within zone of the enemy's fire when the
+gun was being used; and though it took but an instant to elevate, aim
+and shoot with accuracy under ordinary conditions, it now was likely to
+be pelted thoroughly by the barrage. So Corporal Letty called on his men
+to sand-bag the gun clearance space, standing by to pull bags away where
+he would indicate it; this gave him a chance, after he had timed his
+fuse, to slip in a shell, elevate and let her go straight at the line of
+barrage guns.
+
+"There goes Susan Nipper at last!" exclaimed Smith, who was a reader of
+Dickens and had named the big gun after a noted character in "Dombey and
+Son," which name stuck.
+
+"Yes, and a few of them placed like Letty knows how to place 'em will
+fix their feet good and proper. Hit 'em again, old girl!"
+
+And the old girl did. She was a termagant, altogether too violent of
+tongue and slap to suit those "laying down the barrage," as they term
+it, and after a lot of the German machine and rapid-fire gunners, who
+had believed they were so strafing the Americans as to have rendered the
+big gun useless, had felt the effects of her bursting shells even fifty
+feet away, they lay down on their jobs.
+
+But this was only a little sooner than they expected to do it, anyway.
+As soon as the firing ceased, out of their trench and up the slope came
+the Boches, more than two hundred of them to oppose less than quarter
+their number in the pit. But the pit boys were on the job.
+
+It took the clumsy, heavily-booted Huns quite a while to get up the
+slope and Susan Nipper paid them some compliments as they came, but when
+ordered to do a certain thing by their superior officers they tried hard
+to do it, or they died trying.
+
+Yes, they died trying, and the Americans, experienced now in the
+fighting game, saw to it that this program was carried out.
+
+Two things the Boches had for an objective: the recapture of their
+general, made a prisoner the night before, and the destruction of the
+terrible gun of American manufacture.
+
+Lieutenant Jackson lifted the little 'phone in his quarters and spoke
+quite calmly into it.
+
+"Jackson talking. North side gun pit. The Germans are coming; from the
+sound and what lights we have been able to use I think there are a great
+many of them. You heard the barrage, of course. They're hot foot after
+these prisoners of ours. Better come a-runnin' some of you and if I
+might be permitted to suggest it, have a company or two make a detour
+over the hill and below the pit; this might cut off the Huns when they
+go back and get a good many of them. What's that? Oh, yes. We can hold
+them awhile. Eh? Sure! Good-by."
+
+Rapid orders quickly followed, the Regulars, however, knowing well
+their places and having already had experience in repulsing two small
+raids, much to the enemy's discomfort. But Herbert's squad was a little
+green in the matter.
+
+"Get your men out there on their bellies, on the hillside, so you can
+pick off all the Huns you can get a line on! Letty, got your Colt
+spitters placed? Good! Now, boys, line up at the trench and use your
+guns first, but hold your bayonets till the very last; they'll outnumber
+us, as you know. Make use of your revolvers; that's the game! Every man
+of you ought to be good for about four Germans at close range, counting
+the misses. A revolver will reach farther than a hand grenade or liquid
+fire. Give it to them a little before you see the whites of their eyes
+and make every shot tell! Go to it!"
+
+They went to it, with a muffled cheer that the Germans must have thought
+was an expression over a game or a joke, perhaps; anyway, it seemed
+apparent that, until two powerful searchlights were thrown upon the
+advancing enemy, they had believed they were taking the Americans
+entirely by surprise.
+
+But when the beams of light suddenly glared upon them, to be followed
+instantly by the staccato of the three machine-guns and the crack of
+rifles, the first phalanx of Teutons became demoralized for a moment,
+with more than half their number struck down.
+
+The second rank also had suffered, but their purpose now was a big one
+and with that dogged determination for which the German soldiers under
+training and supported by each other in close touch are noted, rather
+than a dashing bravery that sweeps all before it, they rallied and
+returned to the charge.
+
+On they came again, in open formation, and at a run, the darkness
+enveloping them, except when the flashes of gun fire illuminated dimly
+the surroundings. For they had instantly shot out the searchlights and
+their objective was now the black hillside in the center of which they
+knew the gun pit and dugout lay. And they meant to penetrate that spot
+and wipe it out past further injury to them.
+
+Is it not best, even when the most graphic recital seems necessary in
+the portrayal of a battle scene, to draw the mantle of delicacy over
+those details of horror that follow a close conflict between forces long
+trained and superbly fitted to kill?
+
+It suffices to say that the Americans found their Southern leader,
+experienced in the choice of weapons with which man can do most injury
+to his fellowman when he so desires, was right concerning the revolver
+as a most effective means of defense and offense.
+
+Even in the dark the pet American weapon worked wonders. An arm drawn
+back to hurl a grenade or bomb was pretty sure to drop limp, with its
+owner down and out, and a flashing bayonet in the hands of a chap
+tumbled over by the same means was hardly a weapon to be feared, even
+against vastly inferior numbers.
+
+After the machine-guns and rifles had performed their work the ready
+revolvers, each hand holding one trained in its use to practical
+perfection, did a work that was more murderous than anything the Huns
+had so far witnessed.
+
+It is not pleasant to think even of enemies going down in such numbers.
+The death of one man, forced into a death grapple by the red-tongued
+furies of war, is enough to draw pity from all who are humane, but when
+dozens, scores, in the space of a few minutes are made to suffer and die
+for a cause not rightly known to them, and others also, because of the
+inhumanity of a power-mad despot, it is beyond the full telling.
+
+If the raiders were slaughtered and turned back from their purpose, they
+did not make their effort entirely in vain, as was proved shortly after
+the Americans had seen the last of the dusky backs of the remaining Huns
+disappearing down the slope and the defenders of the pit had turned to
+take account of the results.
+
+When they counted their own dead and wounded, could they be greatly
+blamed for being overjoyed upon hearing, half way to the German
+trenches, several more shots fired and a clear American voice call out:
+"Surrender, all of you!"
+
+The lieutenant's suggestion had been adopted and all that were left of
+the raiding companies, fully a hundred men, were cut off in their
+retreat and so swiftly disarmed and thrust back over the hill that no
+rally to their relief from the farther trenches could be made.
+
+But however ill the wind that had blown those raiding Huns to the attack
+of the gun pit, leaving death and suffering in their wake and many more
+of their own to care for, it was indeed ill if it blew no good.
+
+Part way down the slope a German helmet, knocked from the head of a
+soldier boy by a fateful bullet, rolled into a certain shell pit and lay
+by a prostrate form.
+
+In the retreat, with the glare of a renewed searchlight upon them, the
+vengeful Huns would have thrust a bayonet into every one of their
+enemies that might possibly have been alive, but the helmet deceived
+them; this must be one of their own who had fallen in the first fire.
+And so they went on.
+
+After the supporting force and their prisoners had gone to the rear,
+there crept into the renewed blackness of the night figures that
+searched everywhere for the unfortunate.
+
+"Here's a Boche, Corporal, that looks as if he was asleep, not dead. A
+young fellow, from the get-up of him, but can't quite see his face.
+Red-headed--and, hello, look here!"
+
+Herbert, with his one free hand, the other having had a Boche bullet cut
+across the thumb, flashed the electric torch on the occupant of the
+shell pit. Then, with an order, he was down on hands and knees and with
+knowing fingers feeling for possible heart beats.
+
+"Bring a stretcher, quick, two of you! It's Flynn! Dear old Roy! I
+believe he's alive! Yes, yes; he's still alive! Come on, you fellows,
+quick!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+WING SHOOTING WITH A RIFLE
+
+
+The blessed, the brave, the indispensable Red Cross! Just back of the
+pit, exposed to the vicious German fire and yet intent only upon the
+duty of mercy, the panting ambulances were being loaded with their
+precious, their pitiful human freight soon to be billeted in warm,
+clean, homey hospitals far in the rear where German shells, even from
+the biggest guns, might seldom reach. And laboriously through the mud
+the springy cars went away, one at a time.
+
+"Herb, I'd like to have been with ye to help stop those devils, but I
+couldn't. And if ye can't, how can ye? Now I mebbe never can. It's a
+fine, good, hard, tryin' old world, it is, Herb. As me old granddad in
+Ireland used to say: 'Whurrah, me lad, but life's mainly disappointin'.'
+I know what they'll do to me, me boy. They'll leave me go round as if I
+was playin' hop scotch as long as I live, but faith, no longer. Me
+leg'll have to come off, Herb; I know it will. But what of it? It's all
+in the game."
+
+"I don't believe it, Roy, old man; I think not," the corporal made
+answer, sick at heart.
+
+"Come see me at the hospital, Corporal," groaned Smith, rolling his
+eyes, that told of suffering, toward his chief. "That is, if I'm still
+sticking round there when you can get relieved. If I'm still above
+ground I'll look for you."
+
+"Say, Corporal, I want to thank you for being good to me; always jolly
+and kind, even when I felt like grumbling. Will you do me a big favor?
+You see I can't write with this arm; never can, I guess. Won't you just
+drop a line to dad and mother? You have my home address and it would
+come better from you than anybody else; and you might say that I didn't
+run and hide when the Boches were coming. I think dad always believed I
+would do that. Will you?" Such was Geddes' request.
+
+And all Herbert could do was to take their hands and press them, nod
+rather violently and perhaps get out a very few words like: "Oh, you'll
+be all right. See you later." Had he attempted more he would have quite
+broken down; and that, he believed, would not have been exactly the part
+of a soldier.
+
+They were gone and the boy turned to his chief. "Lieutenant, there's
+only four of us left out of the nine; one dead, three wounded, one a
+traitor. This is war! But there's something more to be said; it is, how
+to get back at those devils down yonder? Of course, we're after them,
+too, but they had no business to start this war."
+
+"I don't think those poor chaps did start it and I don't believe the
+most of them would have started it, either, if they'd had any say in the
+matter. They are mere puppets, even the higher commanders, working in a
+vile system that makes monkeys of them at the behest of their ambitious
+and conscienceless rulers, or the one ruler, Kaiser Bill. But as long as
+these fellows have made their bed as practical slaves, let them lie in
+it as victims, however the fortunes of war may swing, and we have to
+teach them a lesson about coming over here too readily; got to get back
+at them.
+
+"To-morrow the communicating trench between our pit and the lower trench
+will be completed; that is a less distance across No Man's Land and some
+of us can join those boys down there in a counter-raid to-morrow night.
+
+"And, Whitcomb, don't be too down-hearted; I see you are. Those fellows
+will mend up and we must expect some to be killed. We lost seven in all
+and eleven wounded. What is left of you can do very efficient work yet.
+The Huns are not done sniping and I will ask for some more men to refill
+your squad, along with two other squads of our command to take up the
+losses. And say, my boy, keep your eyes open for enemy airplanes; it'll
+be good flying weather in the morning and I've a notion they'll try
+again to do what the raid failed in. But Susan Nipper will wing 'em if
+she gets a show!"
+
+It turned out precisely as the lieutenant predicted. The morning dawned
+clear and still, like an Indian summer day in the dear old United States
+and the men in the pit and those in the trenches below praised heaven
+for smiling upon them and Old Sol for drying up a bit of the bottom ooze
+where the trenches were poorly drained. The pit did not suffer so much,
+being on high and sloping ground where, even had the bottom been level
+and not drained, the rain water would have soon seeped away.
+
+Herbert and Watson went out on the slope to watch for snipers in the
+early morning. But no snipers were in evidence and, strangely, they
+were not shot at even once; at that time this section could truthfully
+be called quiet. Not so?
+
+Well, considering that one airplane engine makes as much noise and keeps
+it up longer than the shooting of a machine-gun, and that now no less
+than three airplanes made their appearance low down and came on at a
+tremendous rate, the quiet sector suddenly took on a different
+character. And then Susan Nipper commenced to talk out loud and to do
+things spitfire fashion.
+
+At the very first shot, timing the shell fuse long or short, the
+foremost plane was hit precisely in the center; a long range wing shot
+with a single projectile at that. The German taube went to pieces and to
+earth as though it had been a dragon-fly smashed with a brick-bat, and
+there could hardly have been enough of the propeller and engine left to
+take up with a pitchfork. As for the poor driver and bomber, they passed
+into the other world without knowing a thing about it.
+
+But this was no check to the other machines, for the quality of mind
+that makes or permits a man to go aloft at all makes of him no coward
+under any circumstances. On the two came, straight for the side of the
+hill, at such a furious speed that Corporal Letty had time only for one
+more shot at them. Hastily timed, this was a clean miss, the shell
+bursting high in the air beyond. And the gun squad was making a record
+to get in another shell as the machines, one a little above and behind
+the other, swept almost over the pit.
+
+Two of the gun squad were working the Colt rapid-fire gun now, but they
+did not seem to swing it fast enough, all their stream of missiles being
+wasted.
+
+Watson, farther down the slope than Whitcomb, now held to his shoulder a
+rifle that was hot with repeated action, and yet he, too, had scored no
+hits. Though an airplane, if not over three hundred feet in air and
+flying steadily ought to be scored on, its height makes it look mighty
+small and hard to hit, and moving objects are no cinches for a single
+bullet. As the disappointed fellow stopped to slip in still another
+cartridge clip he heard a yell from Herbert.
+
+"Lookout, Watson! Dodge!"
+
+Watson did dodge just in time. He saw a conical-shaped thing descending
+toward him and, a baseball player of skill with an eye for
+sky-scraper flies, he gauged correctly where that thing was going to
+hit and he got away from that place. And when the thing did hit and tore
+up the earth and gravel and stones Watson was glad he had dodged.
+
+[Illustration: HE FIRED TWICE IN QUICK SUCCESSION.]
+
+Another was flung down at him, but it went wide, and a third was started
+toward Herbert, who stood, spread-legged, gun to shoulder.
+
+There is an art in aiming at a moving object that probably estimates its
+speed and direction, the speed of the bullet and allows for all of this.
+Herbert's skill with his little .22-caliber at objects tossed in air
+stood him in good stead when at rifle practice in the training camp and,
+however excited and eager with the necessity of shooting straight, it
+did not fail him now.
+
+He fired twice in quick succession, meaning to hit exactly under the
+fish-like belly of the machines, directly below where he knew the driver
+sat and the first shot he believed he had missed. He felt pretty sure of
+the other; he even thought he saw the direct result of it in a glare of
+light, a shower of jumbled sparks and stars, and then, there was sudden
+blackness.
+
+"What in thunder--how'd I get here?" was the corporal's question of
+Lieutenant Jackson, who stood over his cot, smiling a little. But that
+was not an important matter just then; there were big comments being
+saved for Herbert's return of wits.
+
+"Great Jupiter, my boy! By jingo! I never saw shooting like that! None
+of us ever did! The next minute they would have played havoc with things
+in here. Letty couldn't get at them and Watson couldn't and not one of
+my men, but _you_--oh, _you_ could beat Doc. Carver! Wonderful!"
+
+"Say, if you'd make it a little clearer to me I'd know what you're
+referring to," Herb protested. "Let's see; it was--oh, yes; I think I
+remember: taubes, weren't they? Where'd they get to?"
+
+"They got to earth, you bet! Can't you recollect? You must have been
+worse stunned than I thought. You got 'em both, boy; got 'em both. Hit
+the first one so that it went down into the hill above and your second
+bullet started something going in the hind machine and it blew up and
+tossed those two fellows out and it turned turtle. She lies out there,
+looking more like a dump heap at home than anything else. You were hit
+by a fragment. You're a dandy!"
+
+"You are that!" echoed Letty, from the opening. "I'll bet those Boches
+down there will study awhile before they send on any more fliers here!
+Feel better, Whitcomb?"
+
+"Pretty much. Head aches. Any bones busted? Guess not. Sore in spots,
+though. Well, getting out in the air and sunshine would feel better.
+Want to see what happened," said Herbert, rising from his cot.
+
+"Wonderful! Wonderful shooting!" repeated the lieutenant.
+
+"Yes, and four Boches the less!" declared Letty.
+
+"Is it true? Poor fellows!" said Herbert.
+
+"Poor nothing! They'd have got my gun if you----"
+
+"Hadn't murdered them, poor chaps!" put in Herbert. "This business of
+killing makes me sick. But I must get out; they'll be sending others to
+drop some more bombs."
+
+"You're a queer chap," said Corporal Letty, and Lieutenant Jackson once
+more reiterated: "Wonderful shooting! Wonderful!"
+
+But the Germans sent no more airplanes over on that day, nor many a day
+thereafter; they are brave, but rarely foolhardy. And as they appeared
+to have lapsed into inactivity for a time, probably seeking some
+surprises to spring, it seemed up to the Americans, true to their
+reputation for originality, to do some more surprising themselves.
+
+The day wore on uneventfully. Watson and Herbert were replaced on the
+slope of No Man's Land by Gardner and Rankin, and the latter once so far
+forgot himself as to walk uprightly for about ten yards. Whereupon half
+a dozen whiz-bangs, or very light shells, from a small rapid-firer, came
+his way. Letty saw whence they came, trained Susan on that whiz-bang
+slinger and it went out of commission, along with three men working it.
+Rankin, meanwhile, had hunted cover.
+
+Reinforcements arrived, as asked for. They were Regulars and more than
+anxious to get into the fighting, the actual work of getting into touch
+with the enemy. And, expert with revolvers, they were chosen for the
+night's work.
+
+Herbert went to the lieutenant. "We fellows all want to get into this
+thing. We know something about work with pistols; perhaps we are as
+handy with them as with rifles. It's a cinch that we can do some good."
+
+Lieutenant Jackson hesitated. "If we lose any more of you boys, and you
+in particular, Whitcomb, we won't be as sure of holding off attempts to
+get at Susan Nipper. But, nevertheless, this once, as it is to be an
+effort to demonstrate pistol work almost exclusively, I expect you
+fellows ought to be included. Sergeant West is to command; Corporal
+Gerry will lead. There will be about forty men and they will start from
+the lower communicating trench at about three o'clock to-night. Each man
+will carry two revolvers only, and six more rounds of ammunition and go
+as light as possible. There will be no barrage, as we want to surprise
+them. So be ready."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+"OVER THE TOP"
+
+
+Had the entire bunch of fellows, from Regulars to Draftees been planning
+for a football game or a very strenuous social lark of some kind, they
+could not have appeared more happy, in the beginning, over it. The fact
+that the raiders had first in mind the killing of the enemy, men like
+themselves sent to cut down their opponents, proved what custom will do.
+For custom is everything, and men in a body can fit themselves to
+observe almost any procedure and to twist it whichever way that gives
+the greatest satisfaction.
+
+In times of peace we regard the murder of one person as something over
+which to get up a vast deal of excitement and much indignation, but in
+warfare we plan for the killing of thousands as a business matter and
+read of it often with actual elation. Such are the inconsistencies of
+mankind.
+
+"Say, Corporal, if I don't get at least a half dozen of those Huns
+during this little picnic you can call me a clam! These little
+get-theres have got to do the job!" Rankin stood gazing lovingly at his
+two service pistols, held in either hand, as he spoke. He was admittedly
+the best revolver shot amongst the gun-pit contingent.
+
+"I'll run you a little race as to who makes the best score on real
+deaders!" spoke up a youthful-looking fellow who was one of the recently
+arrived squad of Regulars. "I sort of like to punch holes with these
+small cannons myself."
+
+But Herbert heard no other boasts of the sort from the men contemplating
+the night raid; indeed, there was very little talk about it at all,
+except that some were curious as to how the program might work out, or
+what the hitches might be, and some, though determined to do their duty,
+seemed to be a bit nervous as time went on.
+
+The boy, having now gone through enough in the crucible of death-dealing
+to sear him against the fear of possibilities, even of probabilities,
+regarded this raid only as a matter of duty, of necessity, and with very
+little thought about it, resolved to do his part to the very best of his
+ability.
+
+"Over the top!" This has become a familiar phrase now since a large
+part of the present method of warfare consists in those in the opposing
+trenches finding a way of getting at each other over No Man's Land,
+often not more than twenty yards across and on an average perhaps a
+hundred and fifty feet, though the turns and twists of the trenches make
+it difficult to draw an average.
+
+Open attacks, except by large bodies of men in what is termed a drive,
+are not generally successful in the military, the strategic, sense, for
+there are more men lost in getting across barbed wire entanglements,
+machine-gun and rifle fire than will pay for what they gain. A section
+of trench which is part of the enemy's system will very likely have to
+be given up, unless the entire trench is soon after taken, which may
+result in a general drive.
+
+The military tactics compel that which the scientific boxer adopts and
+calls his art, that of self-defense. Anyone can wade in and hammer a foe
+if he does not care how he is hammered in turn, but often the hammering
+he gets is more than he can give, unless he studies to shun injury. In
+this case often the weaker fighter will outdo the stronger if the former
+avoids being punished while getting in some hard cracks on the other
+chap's weak spots.
+
+And just so with trench fighting. The opposing armies are precisely like
+two trained-to-the-minute prize fighters with bare knuckles and out for
+blood; they are watching each other's every move, dodging, ducking and
+delivering all sorts of straights, hooks, swings and upper-cuts, all
+sorts of raids, bombings, grenadings, shellings, air attacks and what
+not?
+
+But the raids at night are the best card that, so far, the opposing
+platoons or companies have learned to deliver, and they often result in
+a knockout blow, at least to that section of the trench attacked. The
+raid must be delivered as a surprise to be most effective and thus may
+be compared to the fist fighter's sudden uppercut or swing to the jaw.
+
+The night came on cold, still, with gathering clouds, and the men in the
+lower portion of the communicating trench, and mostly within an offset
+that had also been dug and roofed over with heavy poles, brush and sod
+for camouflage, gathered to partake of the evening meal and converse in
+low tones.
+
+Two enemy airplanes bent on scouting duty, started just before dusk
+toward the American lines, but with glee the boys heard Susan Nipper
+begin to talk again and the planes disappeared, one veering off out of
+range, the other being knocked into the customary mass upon the unkind
+ground.
+
+Whitcomb, Gardner, Watson, and Rankin chummed together, as was their
+habit when all off duty together; not at this time cooking, as there was
+no place handy where a fire could be camouflaged. The men now all ate
+their grub cold, which was not so bad for an occasional change; the
+tinned meats, fresh fruit and fresh biscuits made at the barracks well
+satisfying a soldier's appetite.
+
+Hot coffee in a big urn was sent down from the gun pit, and the
+lieutenant added a good supply of chocolate candy recently shipped over
+from the good old United States for the boys in the trenches and
+appreciated as much as anything could be. After this many indulged in
+pipes and tobacco, but they were careful to keep the glow of their smoke
+well out of sight of the prying eyes of the enemy, for who can tell when
+a squirming Hun may wriggle himself up to almost the very edge of his
+foeman's trench and spot those gathered within, or overhear their
+plans!
+
+[Illustration: "MAYBE I'LL HEAR THEM PRONOUNCE MY DOOM."]
+
+All this while there had been someone at the listening post, that point
+of the zigzag trench which was nearest the enemy. The job is an exacting
+one and the listeners are frequently relieved by those men most alive to
+the interests of the trench.
+
+Presently Sergeant West came to the snipers and addressed Whitcomb:
+
+"Corporal, you fellows are all wide awake and with your eyes sharpened.
+I'd like to have one of your men on relief at the listening point."
+
+"All right. Rankin has got ears like a rabbit for hearing, even if he is
+a pretty boy. Go to it, old man!"
+
+Rankin got up and stretched himself. He seemed more than usually
+serious.
+
+"Maybe I'll hear them pronounce my doom," he remarked and turned away.
+
+"He seems extra solemn tonight," said Gardner. "Wonder if we'll all come
+out of this business skin whole."
+
+"All? I'll wager not all of us will. Those Huns can fight; I'll say that
+for them. But it's the only good thing I can say for them," Watson
+commented.
+
+"That's where you're wrong, old man," Gardner replied. "As you know, I
+spent a year in Germany----"
+
+"Or in jail? 'Bout as leave!" Watson jested.
+
+"---- after I left school. Dad sent me over with our buyer to get on to
+the toy importing business, and I'll say this for the doggone Germans.
+They are rough, they are brags, they are all a little crazy; but they
+are wonderfully painstaking, remarkably thorough and persevering, and
+here and there, now and then you come across some mighty fine, good,
+upright, altogether decent chaps whom you may be glad and proud to have
+as friends. It is all wrong, unfair and a little small to consider all
+the people in any land unworthy; don't you think so? You remember what
+Professor Lamb used to say at school----"
+
+"Professor Lamb?" interrupted Herbert. "Say, man, what school did you
+attend?"
+
+"Brighton Academy. Best school in the----"
+
+"Here, too! I was a junior when I enlisted; Flynn and I. Put it there,
+old chap!" Herbert thrust out his hand.
+
+"Now, isn't that funny we didn't know that before about you?" Gardner
+said. "Yes, Watson here and I were classmates. We were chums at school,
+and have been chums ever since; enlisted together."
+
+"And we're mighty glad to be under one who has the same Alma Mater," put
+in Watson.
+
+"Or, as poor old Roy Flynn would say: 'We're all the same litter and
+bark just alike; mostly at the moon'," Herbert quoted.
+
+"Flynn, too, eh?" questioned Gardner. "He, like many another fitted for
+some very different task, came out here to be unfitted. I have thought,
+ever since the days in camp back home, that he was admirably cut out for
+the law."
+
+"A man doesn't need both feet to talk with," Watson suggested.
+
+"And he may not lose his leg at all," Herbert protested, hoping against
+hope.
+
+"It won't still his tongue, I'll wager, if he does."
+
+As the night wore on conversation grew less and many of the men dozed,
+sitting on the ground and propped against the dirt wall, or each other.
+One little fellow slept and even snored lying across the stretched legs
+of two others, until they tumbled off to rest their limbs. Others knew
+only wakefulness and either stood about or paced up and down between the
+narrow walls of the trench, stopping now and then to exchange a
+whispered word with their fellows.
+
+The sniper squad took turns in making pillows of each other. Once, when
+they were shifting positions for comfort, Watson remarked rather
+sharply:
+
+"We can't yell 'Hurrah for old Brighton!' but we can all pull together,
+by gum!"
+
+Rankin, who had been in turn relieved from duty at the listening post
+and who was very wide awake, remarked:
+
+"Mebbe we'll all pull together for the other shore before this night's
+over."
+
+Herbert waked up at that. "Pull yourself together, old man. You were
+telling a while ago what you're hoping to do with those guns of yours
+and----"
+
+"If I have any sort of a chance," Rankin said grimly.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"We can't call you fellows together with a bugle," Sergeant West
+announced, in a stage whisper. "But it's a few minutes of three o'clock;
+everything is as quiet as a mouse. Two of our men are over there to give
+an alarm. All get ready. There'll be no falling in, no formation. Keep
+well spread out. Orders will be given only by signals. Three of us have
+whistles and we hope they won't get all three. One short blow means
+follow the leader; two means all return; three means retreat in a
+hurry, but with prisoners, if you can get them; a long-continued blast
+means retreat for your lives. I guess all understand. But no signals
+will be given until after we attack. We must go across absolutely
+without noise and we must go quickly. Get the fellow at their listening
+post, or any sentinel first. It's our first raid in this sector and they
+will hardly expect us. Now, boys, follow Gerry. He knows the lay of the
+land."
+
+And over the top went the forty odd, wishing they could do so with a
+cheer, but keeping as silent as an army of cats after an army of
+rabbits--only the prey they sought was by no means as harmless as
+rabbits, and this fact made the need of silence greater.
+
+Not a word came from the scouts, and if the men in the enemy's trench
+were apprised of the coming of the Americans they were not able to
+communicate with their fellows before the raiders had scrambled through,
+or rapidly pulled aside the barbed wire, squirmed over a pile of sand
+bags and leaped into the German trench.
+
+Not a man hesitated, and the first signal of any kind they heard was the
+bark of Gerry's revolver as he sent down the foremost and lone Hun he
+encountered just as the fellow tried to raise his gun.
+
+At short range the handier, expertly used revolver won and it was so
+throughout the mêlée that followed.
+
+As the Americans landed, some few dashing on and into a wide shelter or
+dugout lined with berths and concrete-floored, in which fifty men
+reposed or waited for night duty, the short, sharp, rapidly repeated
+bark of the ready pistols sounded almost like, though less regular than,
+a machine gun.
+
+But the revolvers were used only against those that opposed them; the
+foeman who indicated surrender, who was without a weapon or who dropped
+it, or who held up his hands was fully disarmed and pushed aside between
+guards, quickly signified by Sergeant West.
+
+It was not all surrender, however; at the very rear of the dugout a
+dozen men quickly leveled their Mausers and discharged a volley,
+point-blank, at the Americans who had entered, the most of them being
+still in the trench fighting the Huns who had rallied from either end.
+
+The snipers' squad, all light and active young fellows, had been the
+first into the trench; the first into the dugout, they were in the fore
+when the volley came. Herbert, a gun in both hands, leaped to prevent
+two Germans from seizing their guns; Gardner on the other side held up
+three men; Watson blazed away at a commander who blazed away at him,
+without making a hit, and half a dozen Regulars behind were coming on to
+perform a like duty. But it was Rankin who saw more of the resisting
+squad at the far end of the dugout.
+
+The young man, a gun in each hand, became transformed instantly into a
+sort of fire-spouting mechanism; the red streaks of flame from his
+weapons stabbed the semi-darkness almost with one continuous glare and
+when the twelve shots were expended every man of the opposing force had
+fallen. But not alone! The last to stand before that burst of fury aimed
+true; and as more Regulars rushed into the place to make good the
+surrender of the other Huns some stumbled over brave Rankin's body.
+
+The whistle sounded once, twice, thrice. Was the work so soon completed?
+That meant hurry, but with prisoners and, of course, the American
+wounded and dead.
+
+As though long drilled for this work, knowing precisely what to do and
+being not once confused, the boys hustled the Huns before them, some
+guarding against any possible flank attack; and Herbert, feeling for the
+moment like a young Hercules, lifted Rankin over his shoulder and,
+climbing again the ramparts of the enemy's trench, staggered rapidly
+back again over No Man's Land, keeping up with his comrades. And a
+little behind him came other stalwart fellows, carrying also their
+precious human burdens, some groaning, some quiet, two limp and fast
+growing cold.
+
+Then came rest, though there was readiness against counter-attack, which
+did not then occur. With the coming of dawn a few new men guarded the
+communicating trench and the raiders returned to the gun pit. Herbert
+listened to Sergeant West's terse report to Lieutenant Jackson:
+
+"Very successful, sir. Captured twenty and left about thirty-five enemy
+dead and wounded. Two of ours dead; four wounded. Got a lot of their
+guns and smashed a machine-gun they were trying to use in the trench."
+
+Then he added in an altered voice:
+
+"Want to recommend every man for bravery, but especially Corporal
+Whitcomb, Privates Gardner and Watson for holding the dugout against
+odds until more men arrived, and Corporal Long and Privates Finletter,
+Beach, Thompson and Michener for capturing the machine-gun. If I may
+mention it, we would all be glad to make another raid at any time."
+
+Herbert saluted. "May I add to that, Lieutenant? Thank you! I want to
+tell you what Rankin did before he died." And with a voice a little
+unsteady at times the boy related briefly the heroic work of the young
+fellow who had shot faster and truer than eight or nine men against him
+and had made it possible for the few Americans in the dugout to take the
+prisoners they did.
+
+"I think this, more than anything that has occurred yet, shows clearly
+the superiority of the Americans' expertness with the revolver and what
+may be done with it against odds, if men are taught to shoot accurately
+and with great rapidity," he added.
+
+"I am going to report that to our captain," said Lieutenant Jackson,
+"and I hope it goes to Washington. I know what I'd do if I had the say.
+I'd give each man two pistols and a lot of training and omit a lot of
+this liquid-fire business and grenades. A poor shot can do nothing, nor
+can a man attempt it who is unfamiliar with the weapon, but an expert
+could stop half a dozen men with bayonets before the latter could get
+near enough to use them."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+HERBERT'S LITTLE SCHEME
+
+
+"Keep an eye open for anything the enemy may spring on us," cautioned
+Lieutenant Jackson, at the daily conference of the officers under him,
+their men now occupying the gun pit and the trench near, which had been
+enlarged from a communicating trench. In all there were now a platoon
+and three squads of new men. "They have all sorts of schemes. We must
+have only the sharpest-witted fellows at the two listening posts,"
+continued the commander.
+
+"For this duty I would like to pick Corporals Whitcomb and Kelsey and
+Privates Marsh, Ferry, Drake and Horn, with two others that may be
+selected later. Experience and practice will do the best work in this
+duty and it will be well for you men to arrange regular watches, as they
+do on shipboard. Whitcomb, I know you are thinking of sniping duty, but
+send your two men out on that, alternately, and you will have some time
+for it also. Yes, go ahead, Corporal. Got another idea?"
+
+"I was just thinking this might work, Lieutenant," offered Herbert. And
+briefly he outlined a scheme that made the rest of those present open
+wide their eyes. It was a little bit of strategy that was worth trying.
+
+"Fine, fine!" declared the lieutenant. "They'll be most apt to attack
+the trench and you can work it best there. Get ready for tonight; it'll
+be as dark as pitch. Sergeant"--to West--"you are in command in the
+trench, but in this case give the matter over to Whitcomb and the two of
+you can put it through according to his plan. We shall look after the
+gun up here with half our men and I'll ask Lieutenant Searles, beyond,
+to back you up on that side. So, go to it, men!"
+
+The carrying out of a strategic move in the army is nothing like that in
+any other organization; the action is settled by one or two heads,
+planned in detail by whoever is put in command, and the rest merely
+follow orders. West, Whitcomb and Townsend went at the matter with all
+the energy they could show and the help of some others who were handy.
+
+Just before dark a German airplane, reconnoitering high in air, and
+purposely let alone by Susan Nipper, discovered a long section of the
+trench very poorly guarded and manned. This ruse, if not found out as
+such, is an instant temptation to a raiding party, and the Germans are
+never slow to seize an advantage.
+
+Massed and ready at one end of the trench near the gun pit, West's and
+Whitcomb's men were waiting patiently, and in the dugout were more than
+a dozen stuffed figures posed as though sleeping, a few others propped
+standing in the trench. A small number of bombs were set to go off with
+the pull of a string.
+
+The Germans came across silently, a hundred strong, prepared to inflict
+all the damage they could and to capture prisoners; especially to
+capture prisoners, for there were promotion and the Iron Cross ahead for
+those who could bring in Americans.
+
+Hidden in a shell hole, almost in the middle of No Man's Land, his head
+covered with bunches of grass, and thus successfully camouflaged, a
+volunteer spy from out of the ranks heard and saw the Germans dash
+across and into the American trench and he at once gave the signal to
+the waiting fifty. Without a second's hesitation they went over the top
+and dashed toward the enemy's trench section, to which the spy led them,
+he having been able to tell from what direction they had come.
+
+Herbert led the men and without much trouble they found the breach in
+the wire through which the raiders had come. Swiftly the Yanks ran
+forward, leaped over the sand bags down into the trench, and an
+astonished German on duty there got tumbled over so quickly that he knew
+not what hit him.
+
+Corporal Whitcomb instantly comprehended the exact situation and to
+further carry out his plan acted accordingly. To the left a right-angled
+bend led to a communicating trench that could be held by half a dozen
+men; a little to the right of this another cut led to an elaborate
+shelter, a guard to which had been standing in the entrance-way. To a
+dozen men Herbert ordered:
+
+"In there, quick, and hold them up till you hear the signals, and don't
+come out until then!"
+
+The guard had alarmed those in the dugout, who were the remaining men of
+the trench contingent off duty and sleeping, and the Americans had a
+lively time of it, but of that nothing was known until later.
+
+"Here at the bend line your men up!" Herbert said to Sergeant West, "and
+fire when I signal! Carey and I will watch them."
+
+Finding nothing but stuffed figures, the German officer must have
+suspected a trap in the American trench and he signaled his men to
+return quickly. This they did, retreating across No Man's Land exactly
+as they had come. Hidden behind sand bags a little to one side of the
+wire breach, Herbert saw them come and he waited until twenty-five, or
+more, in a bunch had leaped into the trench.
+
+At Herbert's signal a volley rang out at the trench bend, followed by
+groans and curses from the Germans. By this time others, thinking only
+of getting back into shelter, and not comprehending that their enemies
+were within the German trench, leaped in also and met much the same
+fate.
+
+Those not yet in the trench began a retreat along the inner line of wire
+entanglement and over the sand bags away from the shooting and going
+into the trench at a point farther along. Here they must have
+encountered more of their fellows and at once formed a plan of reprisal.
+Anticipating this and also an attack from the other side over the more
+easily sloping rear of the trench, Herbert leaped back, gave the signal
+as agreed upon for the retreat with prisoners, and the men got busy.
+There were a dozen or more of the enemy unhurt in the trench.
+
+Meanwhile, the Germans in the dugout had put up a fight, and had thrown
+some hand grenades at the entrance among the Americans, with the result
+that some of the attacking party of a dozen must have been put out of
+the business of active participation. The others had begun to shoot,
+rather at random, but largely accounting for those who had attempted to
+resist; and then, as the Americans were about to round up their
+prisoners, some brave, foolhardy or fanatic German managed to set off a
+box of bombs or grenades, enough explosives to upset an average house.
+
+But one man, Private Seeley, came out of that volcano able to tell what
+happened; two rushed out into the trench to fall on their faces, blinded
+and dying. Within was a holocaust of flame, smoke and poisonous gases
+presiding over the dead and dying, Americans and Germans alike.
+
+Sergeant West and Corporal Whitcomb reached the crumbling entrance and
+tried to gaze within.
+
+"We must get our boys out!" began Herbert.
+
+"Impossible!" protested West.
+
+"Let's try! There may be some alive----"
+
+"Not one! Let's get out of this!"
+
+"You detail squads at the ends of the trench to fight to the last man
+and give me a rescuing party----"
+
+"No use, Corporal. You can see that. We shall be outnumbered and hemmed
+in soon. We've got to go!"
+
+"Gardner and Watson are in there!"
+
+"Dead as mackerels! They'll stay there forever. Come, now; we must go
+back!" With that Sergeant West blew the signal again, and the men, with
+no wounded, but rushing a number of prisoners, turned once more to
+retreat.
+
+And then the thing happened which Herbert had expected, in part, and had
+planned to circumvent: a rally of reprisal had been started. But not
+being sure of their ground, the Huns had meant, in turn, to cut off the
+Americans by another detour.
+
+Carey had been left on guard outside of the wire. Paying little
+attention to what might be going on in the trench, he had followed the
+German survivors and he had seen and heard them return to No Man's Land
+and reach a place of ambuscade. This was along the line of some tall
+Lombardy poplar trees, that had probably once been a farm lane, and the
+spot was easily noted. Directly past it the Yanks must go to regain
+their trench.
+
+Carey's speedy progress toward his comrades was hardly marked by
+caution. His information was received by West and Whitcomb with as much
+elation as they could show in the face of the loss of their companions
+in the dugout. This was no time for sentiment; only for action.
+
+"Follow me, men; double file as much as you can and pussy-foot it for
+keeps!" Herbert ordered, caring no more for technical terms than do many
+other officers when bent upon such urgent duty.
+
+West ordered three men to conduct the prisoners straight across to the
+gun pit. Carey indicated the line of trees. Herbert led his men to a
+point fifty yards behind the trees; then he went to West.
+
+"You order the charge, will you? You inspire the men more than I. I
+will give you the signal again, this time the soft whistle of a
+migrating bird."
+
+The Germans heard a low, plaintive call come from somewhere near; some
+might have suspicioned it; others hardly noticed it. But almost
+immediately afterward it was followed by such a yell that the enemy must
+have believed Satan and all his imps were on the job. Perhaps they were.
+
+What followed was another mêlée; the Huns, being unable to swing their
+several machine-guns around, turned with rifles, bayonets and grenades
+to find their foes upon them, the revolvers of the Americans spitting
+fire quite as usual. The Huns were being mowed down most disastrously
+and in less than half a minute they were separated, beaten back, thrown
+into confusion, overpowered in numbers, disarmed and completely at the
+mercy of their superior and more dashing adversaries. Again the ready
+and effective revolvers had won.
+
+"Back to our trench! March! Double quick!" shouted Sergeant West.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"A success, men; a success! I cannot give this too high praise in my
+report. It is worthy of being imitated. The men in the dugout were
+unfortunate; you couldn't help that. It is terribly hard to foresee
+anything, and no one would have been to blame if the whole scheme had
+failed. You only did your duty magnificently! And, Whitcomb, the credit
+for the idea belongs to you. We will have to term you our Lord High
+Executioner."
+
+"Please don't, sir!" the boy protested. "We may have to do this sort of
+thing in the business of fighting, but I wouldn't care to have it rubbed
+in."
+
+The lieutenant laughed. "Well, at any rate, your scheme, though it
+practically wiped out your squad, and you are the only one left, must
+have accounted for at least ninety of the Huns, in dead and wounded, and
+you took fifty prisoners. Not bad out of perhaps two hundred men in that
+section of their trench!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+THE BIG PUSH
+
+
+Susan Nipper was talking very loud, very fast, and she had need. The
+Germans had started something toward the American lines and gun pits--a
+cloud of something bluish, greenish, whitish and altogether very
+ominous. It was a gas attack.
+
+On the other side of the hill Susan's sister, and still farther beyond
+another one of the same capable family, were also talking loud and fast
+and very much to the purpose, so that wherever their well-timed shells
+reached the gas-emitting guns and machinery the terrible clouds, after a
+moment, ceased to flow out and the atmosphere and the sloping ground
+became clearer and clearer.
+
+Then, all that the American boys had to do was to put on their gas masks
+for several hours and burn anti-gas fumes, the Boches having been put to
+a lot of trouble and much expense for very little gain; one or two
+careless fellows were for a time overcome. After that there was a
+wholesome contempt for the gas on the part of the boys from over the
+ocean.
+
+But Susan kept right on speaking her mind. As the gas men retreated from
+the field in a terrible hurry they got all that was coming to them and
+many had come on that did not go off at all, unless upon litters.
+
+Then, Susan paid her respects to aircraft of several kinds that had come
+over, not on scouting duty, but to drop their bombs here and there.
+There was a regular fleet of aircraft planes, or it might seem better to
+call a bunch of them a flotilla, or perhaps a flytilla. Anyway, they
+made an impressive sight, though not all coming near enough for Susan to
+reach.
+
+Most of the enemy airplanes went on, despite the guns aimed at them from
+the earth, until, sighting a number of French machines coming out to do
+battle, they strategically fell back over the German lines, thus to gain
+an advantage if they or their enemies were forced to come to the ground.
+
+The Americans had not before witnessed such a battle in the air as that.
+The birdmen turned, twisted, dived, mounted, maneuvered to gain
+advantage, French and German being much mixed up and now and then
+spitting red tongues of flame, singly or in rapid succession, at each
+other.
+
+Two machines were injured and came to earth, one German, that descended
+slowly; the other French, that tumbled over and over, straight down.
+Then two other German planes were forced to descend, and, finally,
+others coming from far behind the lines, the French retreated, being
+much outnumbered; they had to be outnumbered to retreat from the hated
+Boches. And the Boches did not follow them up.
+
+This had all happened soon after daylight, the different incidents
+following each other rapidly. It was hardly eight o'clock when Susan
+Nipper let fly her last shell at the airplane. Before noon a messenger
+arrived at the pit, and Corporal Whitcomb was sent for.
+
+"My boy, they must be aware of you back there at headquarters. You know
+you have been mentioned in dispatches a number of times as resourceful,
+altogether fearless, capable in leadership and----"
+
+"I don't know how to thank you sufficiently--" Herbert began, but the
+lieutenant shut him off.
+
+"Don't try it, then! Merely justice, fair dealing, appreciation,
+recognition of worth. We aim toward that in the army; military
+standards, you know. Well, as I was going to say, there is a general
+advance ordered, in conjunction with our Allies. We want to push the
+Huns out of their trenches and make them dig in farther on, somewhere.
+If the attempt is successful, the engineers will place Susan in a new
+pit somewhere ahead. But the main thing you want to know is what your
+duty will be."
+
+The lieutenant settled back with a half smile; half an expression of
+deep concern.
+
+"They expect us fighting men in the army, and in the navy, too, I
+suppose, to have or to show not one whit of sentiment. We are expected
+to be no more subject to such things than the cog-wheels of a machine.
+But they can no more teach us that than they can teach us not to be
+hungry, or to want sleep. I have begun to think, of late, that they
+don't expect us to sleep, either.
+
+"Well, my boy, if you would like to see an example of military brevity I
+will show it to you. Ahem! Corporal, report to-night to regimental
+headquarters, with your company; Captain Leighton, Advanced Barracks. By
+order of Colonel Walling.
+
+"But hold on! Here's a little of the absence of military brevity. It
+appears that they so admire your record back there at headquarters that
+they have picked you out for almost--no doubt you think me pessimistic,
+or a calamity howler--for almost certain injury or death. My boy, I
+wanted you to stay here with me until we are relieved, which will be
+soon, but now they are going to take you away from me. An old man like
+me--I am getting on toward fifty--gets to have a lot of feeling in such
+matters. He likes to think of his military family, of his boys, and
+becomes more than usually attached to some of them. But let that pass.
+
+"They're going, I am told, to put you on special scouting duty before
+the drive. Of course, you'll go and glory in it, but, my boy--Well, good
+luck to you; good luck! If you get out all right, look me up when we are
+all relieved. Look us all up; the men will all wish it."
+
+Herbert's leave taking of the pit platoon and the squads in the
+adjoining trench, that night, was one that was more fitting for a lot of
+school cronies than hardened soldiers bent upon the business of killing.
+But human nature is human all the world over and under pretty much all
+conditions.
+
+That night, in the half light of a moon darkened by thick clouds, and in
+a cold, steady rain, Corporal Whitcomb journeyed with a patrol and on an
+empty ammunition lorry back again toward the rear, though not far. After
+bunking in the one empty cot in the barracks of a former National Guard
+battalion and messing with same, he reported to Captain Leighton, of his
+own company. He was received with a more than cordial handshake.
+
+"It's a pleasure to see you again, Whitcomb, especially after what we
+have heard concerning you. And you are the last man of your squad; the
+one survivor! Well, I learn that was not because you tried to save your
+skin. We have lost a good many men; sniping is one of the very hazardous
+things. The plan now is to form new squads as fast as we can get the men
+in from the trenches and they will be assigned to new points, mostly.
+You will be given eight other men, but we want you for special duty. The
+British have sent us a tank; one of these new-fangled forts on wheels,
+or belts, or whatever they call them, and it is to blaze a certain
+trail, to be followed by an armored motor car in which your squad will
+travel right into the enemy's lines. The car has trench bridges to lay
+down anywhere. Reaching an advanced spot, hereafter to be indicated and
+where a mine is to be laid, you will guard this from attack until a
+counter-drive; then fall back and set the mine off at a signal."
+
+"Are we to carry any other weapons but----"
+
+"Only your rifles and pistols, and, of course, gas masks. No packs.
+There will be tools to dig you in and the car will carry all supplies.
+Perhaps the spot will not be attacked at all; perhaps it will be
+overwhelmed at once. In the latter case you are to use your own judgment
+about the setting off of the mine. You want to hold the enemy back until
+a large number attack you."
+
+The general drive was ordered. The Allied armies were to attack almost
+simultaneously and over the frozen ground of winter, rain or shine, snow
+or blow. The firing of big guns and smaller guns from the Cambrai sector
+to the Aisne indicated to friend and foe alike what must be the plan.
+After some hours of this, when half of those in the German trenches had
+been made nearly crazy by the incessant hammering and many had been
+killed, the great push was on.
+
+But the Germans were wise to the purpose. There had been other mighty
+drives launched against them, some to force them back a few miles and to
+win their first, second and even third line trenches; some to win
+nothing at all; some to be pushed back a little here and there, in turn,
+showing what a deadlock it is for armies of great nations to battle with
+those of others long and splendidly prepared.
+
+But this was a new thing in drives; it was fully simultaneous; it was
+launched in the early part of winter when the ground was frozen hard to
+a depth of several inches, to be broken up by the tramp of men over
+certain spots, the dragging of heavy ordnance, the armored cars, tanks
+and motor trucks, until in spots there was a sea of mud, holding back
+the advance to some extent, but still bravely overcome by pluck and
+persistence.
+
+And there were several new schemes launched, largely the result of
+American strategy and suggestion.
+
+Herbert knew all of the men in his new squad; they had all qualified as
+snipers at Camp Wheeler and otherwise he approved of them. A bunch of
+athletic chaps, skilled with rifles and revolvers and having already
+known the baptism of fire, were to be relied on in any emergency.
+
+Not one of them ever forgot that motor-truck ride. They forged along
+over rough and rocky ground, through muddy and oozy ground, even through
+bits of swamp and, following the great, lumbering tank a hundred yards
+ahead, they plowed through once prosperous farmyards, along the street
+of a ruined and deserted village, seeing only a cat scamper into a lone
+cellar, through orchards, that had once blossomed and fruited, but with
+every tree now cut down by the dastardly Boches.
+
+Finally, still following the iron monster that was now spitting flame,
+they crossed the empty trenches of their Allies, putting into use the
+grooved bridge planking on which their wheels ran as over a track, and
+then came to the first line trenches of the enemy. Whereupon things
+began to get interesting.
+
+On either side was orderly pandemonium; a concentrated Hades with
+motive, its machinery of death carried out with precision, method,
+exactness of detail, except where some equally methodical work of the
+enemy overthrew the plans for a time.
+
+Long lines of infantry in open formation were running forward, pitching
+headlong to lie flat and fire, then up again and breaking into
+trenches, shooting, stabbing with bayonets, throwing grenades and after
+being half lost to sight in the depths of the earth for a time, emerging
+again beyond, perhaps fewer in numbers, but still sweeping on.
+
+Here and there were machine-gun squads struggling along to place their
+deadly weapons and then raking the retreating or the standing enemy with
+thousands of deadly missiles, sometimes themselves becoming the victims
+of a like annihilating effort or the bursting of a well-directed enemy
+shell.
+
+Herbert rode with the driver; and before them and all around them the
+heavy sheet-iron sides and top of the armored truck protected them from
+small gun fire.
+
+It was a risky thing to peep out of the gun holes in the armor to
+witness the battle, but this most of the boys did, the driver by the
+necessity of picking his way, and Herbert's eyes were at the four-inch
+aperture constantly.
+
+Just behind him Private Joe Neely knelt at a side porthole, and next to
+him came young Pyle and Bill Neely, brother of the before-mentioned Joe.
+Cartright, Appenzeller, and Wood occupied the other side, back of the
+driver. Finley and Siebold lay on the straw in the center and hugged the
+water keg and the boxes of explosives and food to keep them from
+dancing around at too lively a rate on their comrades' feet.
+
+The going was as rough as anything that a motor truck had probably ever
+tackled, especially a weighty vehicle of this kind. It was well that the
+car had an engine of great power, an unbreakable transmission and a
+driver that knew his business.
+
+On swept the great push, seemingly as irresistible, for a time, as the
+waves of the ocean, but presently to cease on the shore of human
+endurance; and the battle, so called, came to an end almost as quickly
+as it had begun five hours before.
+
+Over the ground won the Americans and the Allies generally were digging
+in anew, or utilizing and refortifying the conquered German trenches.
+Once again were the great armies to face each other across a new No
+Man's Land the old area having been reclaimed.
+
+But the active fight was not over, for then came the enemy's
+counter-thrusts here and there, which, as important as winning the
+battle proper, must be checked by every means possible. It was the plan
+of the American commander and his staff to teach the Boches a lesson in
+more ways than one.
+
+Along the British sector the tanks, as formerly, had done wonderful
+work; the one tank with the American troops had also fulfilled its
+mission. It had ridden, roughshod, over every obstacle, crushing down
+barbed wire entanglements, pushing its way across trenches, its many
+guns dealing death to the foe on every side. In its wake and not far
+behind it the armored truck had followed faithfully the trail thus
+blazed by the tank.
+
+At one spot, in line with a bend of the first line trench, a Hun
+machine-gun had let go first at the tank and then at the truck, doing no
+damage to the former. The boys in the latter hardly knew at first what
+to make of the direct hitting and glancing bullets that pattered on the
+iron sides, but they took quick notice of one that came through a
+port-hole and rebounded from the inside. It caused some commotion.
+
+"Hey there, you chump! You don't need to dodge now; it's done for!"
+shouted Appenzeller, addressing young Pyle.
+
+"Sho! Ye might think it was a hoop snake come in here 'stead o' nothin'
+but a old piece o' lead," remarked Cartright, and there was a general
+laugh.
+
+"What's the matter with Joe? Here, man, do you feel sick? Say,
+Corporal, reckon he's got it!" called Finley, with one hand trying to
+hold Neely from falling backward, the fellow also trying to hold himself
+up.
+
+Herbert swung round; Bill Neely was beside his brother and talking to
+him:
+
+"Say, Joe, are you hurt? How, Joe? When? Just now? Blast them devils!
+Mebbe you ain't bad, Joe; you only think so. Lots do."
+
+"Stop the car, driver! Here's where we leave the track of the tank,
+anyway, I take it," ordered Herbert, getting down to business. "Where
+are you hurt, Neely?"
+
+For answer the poor fellow placed his hand on his back; then suddenly
+fell limp in his brother's arms. Bill began to mumble over him.
+
+"He isn't dead, Bill; he's just fainted," said Herbert. "We must get him
+back, Joe, somehow, to a hospital. But there are no ambulances following
+us this closely. And we must go on, whatever happens; those are our
+orders."
+
+"Corporal, let me take him back!" Bill Neely made the request
+pleadingly. "I'll get him there somehow and then I'll come back and find
+you. I'll find you. I've got to put some lead into them Huns to get
+square for Joe, if he dies! Will you, Corporal?"
+
+"Go ahead, then, Bill. Slide that bolt and push that door open, Wood,
+and help get Joe down. Poor fellow! I hope he isn't badly hurt. Go
+straight for that bunch of pines, Bill, and you'll be pretty safe. If
+you come back bear off to the right a little from here and you'll find
+us pretty soon. So long, old man!"
+
+Bill Neely with his brother humped over his shoulder, started back, as
+directed; the great armored car went on. Herbert told Wood to peep out
+back and watch Bill's progress, if he could, and the car progressed, as
+indicated by his orders. He had reached what he believed was a proper
+place, hardly two hundred yards from where they had stopped; he was
+ordering all out, the supplies unloaded and the driver to return, when
+Wood called to him:
+
+"They're both gone! Wiped out! Shell! It hit right at Bill Neely's feet!
+I couldn't see anything but legs and arms and things."
+
+"Killed?"
+
+"Done for."
+
+"Poor chaps! The only two boys in the family, too. Their poor old
+mother'll miss them."
+
+"Know them, Pyle?"
+
+"Sure; since we were kids. Just across the street."
+
+"Well, men; it's terrible, as we all know, but we've got to hustle if we
+don't all want to suffer the same fate. Get out those trench tools,
+Appenzeller, and give me a pick! We've got to dig in quick!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+LIEUTENANT WHITCOMB
+
+
+The great push had served a big purpose; it was to be followed by others
+quickly. In this manner it was hoped to strike the most effective blows
+at the enemy, giving it little time to recover. It could not be
+expected, however, that the Germans would take the matter at all calmly;
+they must be met with two blows to their one.
+
+The place that Herbert had chosen was a small natural depression of a
+few feet; a pile of stones and hastily filled sand bags helped this much
+until a trench, really a nearly square hole, had been dug. Then this was
+roofed over with some half-charred planks and boards brought from a
+nearby pig-sty which the Huns had tried to burn, but could not.
+
+Herbert and Cartright succeeded in throwing some earth on the roof
+without being hit by shells and other gun fire that had begun to come
+their way and they were delighted to notice that an anti-aircraft gun,
+undoubtedly well guarded, had been installed not a fourth of a mile
+back of them, insuring much safety from that quarter, at least.
+
+When night fell half the squad went on guard outside; the others worked
+like beavers, and without food until the task was done, to successfully
+camouflage the shelter, using grass and weeds pulled up by the roots
+from the half frozen ground and placed upright on the roof. The entrance
+down earth steps was made through the dead-leaved branches of a large
+uprooted bush.
+
+Meanwhile, with Cartright as his most skilled assistant, Herbert was
+placing the fifty pounds of explosives in a large niche cut in the side
+of the pit and guarded by stakes, from which spot, under cover of
+darkness, a wire was laid for fully four hundred yards and the battery
+that was to set the charge off was buried in the ground and the spot
+marked.
+
+The Germans did not seem at first to pay much attention to the pit until
+the final act of camouflage. A messenger, at night, sneaked to the pit
+and informed Corporal Whitcomb that it was deemed advisable to take this
+step now, as from airplane observations the previous day the Huns were
+getting ready to make a heavy counter-attack.
+
+At once, therefore, a flexible steel flag-staff was firmly planted
+beside the pit and from it, with the first streaks of the coming day,
+the enemy viewed a division staff headquarters flag and a signal station
+flag flying in the sharp breeze. Then the shells flew, but the flags
+also kept right on flying. The steel staff was struck and shaken again
+and again, but its tough flexibility saved it; the flags showed many a
+hole, but still they fluttered proudly and the Boches went mad.
+
+Snipers tried to down the banners and incidentally pick off a few of the
+supposed officers and observers that must grace such a spot, but the
+squad of American experts with the rifle was more than ready for them
+and they quit that game both through the day and the night following.
+Perhaps because of this or the night-long bright moonlight, no raid was
+attempted; perhaps it was because a bigger move was in process of
+formation.
+
+And on the next day the enemy launched a mighty counter-thrust to regain
+lost ground.
+
+A barrage fire was laid down and it continued for a full hour. Private
+Wood took it upon himself to make some observations as to how the flags
+and staff were bearing this and he got too far above the shelter with
+his head. There are those who will do, against all sane judgment, most
+foolish, unnecessary things, and Wood was one such.
+
+Sad, indeed, was every member of the squad as all stood about with
+uncovered heads and placed poor, uncoffined Henry Wood into a hastily
+dug grave in the bottom of the pit, Finley, a minister's son, stumbling,
+half bashfully, over a short prayer.
+
+Suddenly the barrage fire was lifted and over a wide front the Huns were
+coming.
+
+"Get out, fellows, and back, or they'll catch us! We can outrun the best
+of them, but do it! Stick together, if possible, but all report later to
+Captain Leighton! Cartright and I are going to wait for the Huns and set
+off the mine."
+
+The men all filed out through the birch branches and retreated straight
+back toward a certain spot, each waving a small American flag, as per
+agreement with the men in that section of the trench. But Appenzeller
+and Finley protested. The former uttered nothing less than a command.
+
+"Corporal, let's stand and soak it to 'em for a little! We can reach 'em
+from this rise nicely as they come over the hill, and I'm good for about
+a dozen. Finley is, too. We all are!"
+
+Of course, in its sporting sense, this sort of thing appealed to Herbert
+and, moreover, he must have regarded it as a duty. A little good
+shooting would undoubtedly account for a good many of the Boches. But he
+and Cartright could not join in, as they had a more important duty to
+perform. But the others might do as they pleased.
+
+"You fellows that want to, try it on them," he said. "We will have to
+leave you. But don't get caught or headed off! Go to it!"
+
+Herbert and Cartright ran to the wire end. The corporal stood with the
+battery in his hand, watching through his field glasses the doings of
+the enemy. The Huns could not pass what they believed was a headquarters
+and signal station without, at least, an investigation. They swarmed
+toward the flag and pit from their advancing lines, no doubt believing
+they were to receive a warm reception and intent upon taking important
+prisoners.
+
+The young American corporal was conscious of a greater degree of
+excitement than he had ever experienced before and with it there was
+uppermost that gentle humanity that makes a better man, even of a
+soldier.
+
+"They're rushing up, Cartright! And they're a little puzzled, perhaps.
+They think they're going to get the very devil presently and they're
+preparing for a rush. It will be awful, old man! Say, how do you feel
+about it?"
+
+"I'd like to blow the whole bunch up so high that they'd stick fast up
+there; clean beyond our attraction of gravitation! And I'd like to see
+the Kaiser and old Hindenburg in the bunch!" growled Cartright.
+
+"Well, say, then, you take this battery and spring it! I guess I'm
+chicken-hearted. It seems like murder, but of course it's war."
+
+"You bet I'll spring it! Give the word; that's all! Say, what's going on
+over yonder? For Heaven's sake, Corp; look there!" Cartright almost
+shrieked the last word.
+
+And Herbert, for a moment forgetting his first duty, gazed where the
+other's hand indicated.
+
+The four had been putting in their best licks, as it were. No doubt but
+that they had reduced the number of approaching Germans, four hundred
+yards, nearly a quarter of a mile distant, and their guns must have been
+hot. But sweeping forward on the other side of a rise of ground, a place
+also hidden somewhat by hedges and battle-ruined buildings, a large
+body of the enemy came suddenly almost between the four and any chance
+they had to retreat in that direction.
+
+That also offered the only chance the boys had to withdraw in safety,
+for almost at the same instant a rapid-fire gun had discovered them; and
+to try to get away over the clear ground directly behind them would have
+proved certain death. And so, stooping and looking back, they made
+straight for the hedge and saw the unintended trap too late. In a moment
+Hun soldiers, detached at a command and running forward on either side,
+had surrounded them. There was nothing to do but surrender.
+
+With a groan Herbert turned back to the important business in hand.
+There were now no scruples in his heart as to performing any acts of
+war. The whole business is merely one of retaliation, anyway, from first
+to last.
+
+"There they are, a whole company or more, right on the spot! And some
+are down in the pit! Spring it, old man; push it! Ah! It worked! Poor
+devils! They could not have expected that. Come, we've got to beat it!"
+
+The retreat of the two was largely made under the cover of a little
+natural valley, somewhat thicketed. In only one place were they exposed:
+while crossing a narrow bit of open field. They were hardly half way
+across it, Cartright, also an athlete, running just behind Herbert, when
+the corporal heard again that well-known sound that a bullet makes in
+striking a yielding substance, in tearing through flesh. A little moan
+followed it.
+
+Herbert stopped and turned. "Hit, old man? Where?"
+
+"Go on, Corp! Get out of this, or they'll get you, too!"
+
+"And leave you? Not for all the Boches. Arms all right; are they? Get
+'em around my neck and hold on! Honk, honk!"
+
+It was a long, hard struggle. The wounded man, the last private of
+Herbert's second squad, was a heavy fellow. Herb was still unhurt, and
+he managed, though sometimes seeing black, to get into cover again, and
+there he could go more slowly, though he dared not stop. It seemed like
+hours, perhaps, instead of minutes, and the torture of struggling on and
+on with a weight greater than his own upon his back appeared a thousand
+times worse than anything of endurance that he had ever known on
+gridiron or long distance runs. Still he kept right on going, with ever
+the thought of the avenging Huns behind.
+
+And at last he knew not how far he had progressed and had begun almost
+to lose interest in the matter, having the mad desire to get on and on,
+fighting another mad desire to rest and ease his straining muscles, when
+in his ears welcome sounds were heard.
+
+"Drop him, fellow! You've done enough. We'll take him. Hey, Johnny, I
+guess we'll have to carry both of 'em!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Not an hour later Herbert saluted Captain Leighton in the trench. The
+rapid firing of guns, big and little, was everywhere; the counter-attack
+of the Boches had successfully been repulsed and the new drive was
+scheduled to take place, following another and very terrible barrage.
+The captain grasped the boy's hand.
+
+"Splendid work, Whitcomb! Put out of business about two hundred of them;
+let her go just at the right time. Cartright has given me an account of
+it. And your bringing him in was great! No; he isn't badly wounded. Gone
+back; left grateful remembrances for you. But that's not the matter in
+hand--feel all right now? Good! Well, then, I have been empowered to
+brevet a lieutenant for this platoon; Loring was killed yesterday. I
+have chosen you and you ought to know why; reasons are too numerous to
+mention. Your commission will arrive soon. Probably you'll be the
+youngest commissioned officer in the army. Well, come with me."
+
+They walked down the trench, stopping here and there where the officers
+of squads waited with their men for the word to "go over the top and at
+'em!" To each group the captain's words were pretty much the same:
+
+"Men, you all know Whitcomb and you've all heard of his work. He's your
+commanding officer now, lieutenant of this platoon. The order to advance
+now will come in about ten minutes, I think."
+
+A low cheer, intense with feeling, with expectation, with eagerness,
+greeted these words; there were mingled expressions of approval of their
+new leader and the idea of again going forward against the Germans.
+
+Lieutenant Whitcomb never could remember much about the new push. He
+went with his men over the top; they charged in open formation again
+across the country over which he had come back with poor Cartright.
+
+They cut and tore aside wire entanglements; they faced and overcame
+machine-gun fire; they encountered long bursts of liquid flame and with
+rifle and revolver fire at short range finished the devils who dealt it.
+They leaped over piles of sand bags and into trenches, using only their
+pistols against a brave attempt to meet them with bayonets, and when all
+of the Huns in the first line had been accounted for or made prisoners
+the Americans went up and on again, always forward.
+
+And then the gas. It came at them like a small typhoon of white and blue
+smoke, showing again the iridescent colors, the gray-black center of its
+spreading force, and this time there was no Susan Nipper to disperse the
+poisonous fumes with her fiery tongue lashes sent into their midst.
+
+Herbert knew the awful danger that confronted them and he feared that
+his men, with only the lust of battle in their eyes, hardly comprehended
+it. He turned and dashed down the line.
+
+"Your masks, men! Every man get on his gas mask! Keep your wits about
+you! Get on those masks in a hurry, but get them on right! You're down
+and out, if you don't!"
+
+Bent on saving his men, bent on disproving Captain Leighton's
+half-jesting comment as to his luck with a command, he forgot for the
+moment his own safety, his own mask, and the fumes were upon them.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Captain Leighton rose with difficulty from the bountifully spread table
+and looking about him at the kindly faces, seeing the broad, gentle
+humor of his host who had asked a few words from him, he said:
+
+"You good people here at home, though you read and hear of these things
+and try to imagine them, can really have no adequate conception of them;
+of the hardships, the discomforts, the cold and the lack of sufficient
+rest amidst constant dangers and the almost continuous hammering of
+guns. And then, when in battle--well, no poor words of mine can picture
+it.
+
+"You, Mr. Flynn, and you, Madam, the proud mother of this boy"--the
+captain stood with his hand across Roy's shoulder--"would feel a
+thousand times more proud if you could fully know what he went through
+when he lost his limb. And with a spirit like his, this loss cannot dim
+for one moment the usefulness of the lad in the world's activities. He
+will be doing his duty wherever he sets his--foot, as he did with both
+feet in and out of the trenches. I saw this even more plainly when we
+three came over, invalided home, in the good ship _Ingomar_.
+
+"And now, Mr. and Mrs. Flynn, I want to call on my young friend here on
+my other side, as you know, your son's dearest friend, to say a few
+words to these charming guests who are so appreciative. Though his eyes
+are slightly and permanently impaired as a result of a gas attack,
+though he cannot again enter the ranks, the country thereby being the
+loser, his energies also are not diminished. Most of you know him--some
+of you well--Lieutenant Whitcomb."
+
+Herbert rose slowly, awkwardly, protestingly, his face, behind the big,
+round, new spectacles, very red.
+
+"I always have to thank Captain Leighton, late the captain of our
+company, for the kindness of his words concerning me. I have tried many
+times to express this to him, but talking is out of my line, as you can
+see. What we did over there was just all in the game; that's all. We
+bucked into the fortunes of war; it's a sort of accident, a sort of
+on-purpose accident, all the way through. It's duty first and it's all
+the time a concentrated Hades.
+
+"But why always look at the dark side of this? It's going to be a better
+world after this war; a better understanding between nations. Everyone
+agrees to that. America will be the model upon which the nations will
+run their governments, and no people will want to fight, except for a
+just cause. If everybody feels like that, as the United States feels
+about it, why, then, nobody can make an unjust cause and wars will be
+over and done away with. Thank you; thanks!
+
+"I want to say one thing more, and this is entirely personal. It
+concerns our host and hostess and their son, my chum. I want to thank
+them all, publicly, for something they have done for me. Oh, yes, Roy,
+old man, I will say it. While I was away over there and getting these
+eyes bunged up, and all that, Mr. Flynn here took it upon himself to
+inquire into my affairs with my guardian. It seems that instead of being
+a beggar, I am not quite that, and now, Mr. Flynn is my guardian. And so
+Roy and I, next term, go back again to dear old Brighton and take up our
+studies where we left off. That's the best news I can tell you about
+ourselves, if it interests you at all, and I know how Uncle and Aunty
+Flynn--that's what I call them now--feel about it. Roy can tell you far
+better than I could ever express it just how he and I feel about it."
+
+Herbert sat down, still red of face, and Roy was up instantly, leaning
+on his crutch, but his old self seen in his round, freckled face.
+
+"Whurrah! as me old granddad used to say over in Ireland. Eh, dad? This
+boy here can't talk as well as he can shoot and scrap, and so you can
+see what kind of a soldier he was. There was no danger he feared; no
+duty he shunned; no gentleness he----"
+
+"Oh, blarney!" escaped from Herbert.
+
+"Bedad, you see it! Modesty is his only sister and if you say 'hurrah
+for you!' to him he wants to fight. But though I never would have gone
+over and lost this leg if it hadn't been for him, yet I'd do it again,
+and if I'm a bit sorry for it, I'm glad of it. So there you have it and
+it's the way we soldiers all feel!"
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+Critics uniformly agree that parents can safely place in the hands of
+boys and girls any book written by Edward S. Ellis
+
+The "FLYING BOYS" Series
+
+By EDWARD S. ELLIS
+
+Author of the Renowned "Deerfoot" Books, and 100 other famous volumes
+for young people
+
+During his trip abroad last summer, Mr. Ellis became intensely
+interested in æroplane and airship flying in France, and this new series
+from his pen is the visible result of what he would call a "vacation."
+He has made a study of the science and art of æronautics, and these
+books will give boys just the information they want about this marvelous
+triumph of man.
+
+  First Volume: THE FLYING BOYS IN THE SKY
+  Second Volume: THE FLYING BOYS TO THE RESCUE
+
+The stories are timely and full of interest and stirring events.
+Handsomely illustrated and with appropriate cover design.
+
+  =Price            Per volume, 60 cents.= Postpaid
+
+
+This series will appeal to up-to-date American Girls. The subsequent
+volumes will carry the Ranch Girls through numerous ups and downs of
+fortune and adventures in America and Europe
+
+  THE "RANCH GIRLS" SERIES IS A
+  NEW LINE OF BOOKS FOR GIRLS
+
+  ---- THE ----
+  Ranch Girls at Rainbow Lodge
+
+By MARGARET VANDERCOOK
+
+This first volume of the new RANCH GIRLS SERIES, will stir up the envy
+of all girl readers to a life of healthy exercise and honest
+helpfulness. The Ranch Girls undertake the management of a large ranch
+in a western state, and after many difficulties make it pay and give
+them a good living. They are jolly, healthy, attractive girls, who have
+the best kind of a time, and the young readers will enjoy the book as
+much as any of them. The first volume of the Ranch Girls Series will be
+followed by other titles carrying the Ranch Girls through numerous ups
+and downs of fortune and adventures in America and Europe.
+
+=Attractive cover design. Excellent paper. Illustrated. 12mo.=
+
+  =Cloth        Price, Per volume, 60 cents.= Postpaid
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+A PENNANT-WINNER IN BOYS' BOOKS!
+
+Hugh S. Fullerton's Great Books
+
+The Jimmy Kirkland Series of Baseball Stories
+
+By HUGH S. FULLERTON
+
+America's Greatest Baseball Writer. Author of "Touching Second," Etc.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Combining his literary skill with his unsurpassed knowledge of baseball
+from every angle--especially from a boy's angle--Mr. Fullerton has
+written a new series of baseball stories for boys, which will be seized
+with devouring interest by every youthful admirer of the game. While the
+narrative is predominant in these books, Mr. Fullerton has encompassed a
+large amount of practical baseball instruction for boys; and, what is of
+greater value, he has shown the importance of manliness, sportsmanship
+and clean living to any boy who desires to excel in baseball or any
+other sport. These books are bound to sell wherever they are seen by
+boys or parents. Handsomely illustrated and bound. 12mo. Cloth. New and
+original cover design.
+
+  JIMMY KIRKLAND OF THE SHASTA BOYS' TEAM
+  JIMMY KIRKLAND OF THE CASCADE COLLEGE TEAM
+  JIMMY KIRKLAND AND A PLOT FOR A PENNANT
+
+Sold Singly or in Boxed Sets
+
+Price per volume, 75 cents
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+A STERLING SERIES OF BOOKS FOR BOYS
+
+The "Bell Haven" Series
+
+By George Barton
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The "Bell Haven" series is a group of stories for boys depicting life in
+an American preparatory school. They are full of action from start to
+finish and will stir the red blood of every youth. The characters are
+life-like and based upon observation and an intimate knowledge of
+school-boy life. These stories are bright and original, replete with
+plot interest, and out of the beaten path. A distinctive cover design
+for each book adds to the attractiveness of the series. 12mo. Cloth.
+
+  I. THE BELL HAVEN NINE
+  A Story of the Baseball Team
+
+  II. THE BELL HAVEN EIGHT
+  A Story of the School Crew
+
+  III. THE BELL HAVEN FIVE
+  A Story of the School Basketball Team
+
+  IV. THE BELL HAVEN ELEVEN
+  A Story of the School Football Eleven
+
+Price per volume, 45 cents
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+The American Boy Series
+
+By Edward S. Ellis
+
+Books of stirring interest that are founded upon and written around
+facts in American History and American romantic achievement.
+
+Each of the Series have Special Cover Designs
+
+[Illustration]
+
+  ALAMO SERIES
+  The Three Arrows
+  Remember the Alamo
+
+  OVERLAND SERIES
+  Alden, the Pony Express Rider
+  Alden Among the Indians
+
+[Illustration]
+
+  BOY PATROL SERIES
+  Boy Patrol on Guard
+  Boy Patrol Around the Council Fire
+
+  COLONIAL SERIES
+  An American King
+  The Cromwell of Virginia
+  The Last Emperor of the Old Dominion
+
+[Illustration]
+
+  LAUNCH BOYS SERIES
+  Launch Boys' Cruise in the Deerfoot
+  Launch Boys' Adventures in Northern Waters
+
+  ARIZONA SERIES
+  Off the Reservation
+  Trailing Geronimo
+  The Round Up
+
+[Illustration]
+
+  FLYING BOYS SERIES
+  The Flying Boys in the Sky
+  The Flying Boys to the Rescue
+
+  CATAMOUNT CAMP SERIES
+  Captain of the Camp
+  Catamount Camp
+
+  12mo.      Cloth.      Illustrated.
+  Price per volume, 45 cents
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+THE NORTH POLE SERIES
+
+By Prof. Edwin J. Houston
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Dr. Houston has spent a lifetime in teaching boys the principles of
+physical and scientific phenomena and knows how to talk and write for
+them in a way that is most attractive. In the reading of these stories
+the most accurate scientific information will be absorbed.
+
+HANDSOMELY BOUND
+
+The volumes, 12mo. in size, are bound in Extra English Cloth and are
+attractively stamped in colors and full gold titles. Sold separately or
+in sets, boxed.
+
+  THE SEARCH FOR THE NORTH POLE
+  THE DISCOVERY OF THE NORTH POLE
+  CAST AWAY AT THE NORTH POLE
+
+3 Titles
+
+Price per volume, 75 cents
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+Harry Castlemon's Books for Boys
+
+[Illustration]
+
+NEW POPULAR EDITION
+
+This series comprises thirty titles of the =best stories= ever written
+by =Harry Castlemon=. But few of these titles have ever been published
+in low-priced editions, many of them are copyright titles which will not
+be found in any other publisher's list. We now offer them in this =new
+low-priced edition=. The books are printed on an excellent quality of
+paper, and have an entirely new and handsome cover design, with new
+style colored inlay on front cover, and stamped in ink. 12mo. Cloth. 30
+titles.
+
+  A Sailor in Spite of Himself
+  Buried Treasure
+  Carl, the Trailer
+  Floating Treasure, The
+  Frank, the Young Naturalist
+  Frank Among the Rancheros
+  Frank Before Vicksburg
+  Frank in the Mountains
+  Frank In the Woods
+  Frank on a Gunboat
+  Frank on Don Carlos' Ranch
+  Frank on the Lower Mississippi
+  Frank on the Prairie
+  Haunted Mine, The
+  Houseboat Boys, The
+  Mail Carrier
+  Marcy, The Refugee
+  Missing Pocketbook, The
+  Mystery of the Lost River Canyon, The
+  Oscar in Africa
+  Rebellion in Dixie
+  Rod and Gun Club
+  Rodney, the Overseer
+  Rodney, the Partisan
+  Steel Horse
+  Ten-Ton Cutter, The
+  Tom Newcomb
+  Two Ways of Becoming a Hunter
+  White Beaver, The
+  Young Game Warden, The
+
+THE VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES COMPRISE SOME OF THE BEST WRITINGS OF THIS
+POPULAR AUTHOR
+
+Price per volume, 40 cents
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+Universally APPROVED BOOKS for Boys
+
+[Illustration]
+
+A collection of books by well known authors that have been generally
+approved by competent critics and library committees as safe books for
+young people.
+
+WORLD FAMOUS BOOKS FOR BOYS
+
+
+JACK HAZARD SERIES By J. T. TROWBRIDGE
+
+Price $1.25 per volume
+
+  Jack Hazard and His Fortunes
+  A Chance for Himself
+  Doing His Best
+  Fast Friends
+  The Young Surveyor
+  Lawrence's Adventures
+
+
+FRANK NELSON SERIES By HARRY CASTLEMON
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  Snowed Up
+  Frank in the Forecastle
+  The Boy Traders
+
+
+SPORTSMAN CLUB SERIES By HARRY CASTLEMON
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  The Sportsman Club in the Saddle
+  The Sportsman Club Afloat
+  The Sportsman Club Among the Trappers
+
+
+ROUGHING IT SERIES By HARRY CASTLEMON
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  George in Camp
+  George at the Fort
+  George at the Wheel
+
+
+ROD AND GUN CLUB SERIES By HARRY CASTLEMON
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  Don Gordon's Shooting Box
+  Rod and Gun Club
+  The Young Wild Fowler
+
+
+DEERFOOT SERIES By EDWARD S. ELLIS
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  Hunters of the Ozark
+  Camp in the Mountains
+  The Last War Trail
+
+
+NEW DEERFOOT SERIES By EDWARD S. ELLIS
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  Deerfoot in the Forest
+  Deerfoot in the Mountains
+  Deerfoot on the Prairie
+
+
+BOY PIONEER SERIES By EDWARD S. ELLIS
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  Ned in the Blockhouse
+  Ned on the River
+  Ned in the Woods
+
+
+LOG CABIN SERIES By EDWARD S. ELLIS
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  Lost Trail
+  Camp Fire and Wigwam
+  Footprints in the Forest
+
+
+RAGGED DICK SERIES By HORATIO ALGER
+
+Price 75 cents per volume
+
+  Ragged Dick
+  Fame and Fortune
+  Mark, the Match Boy
+  Rough and Ready
+  Ben, the Luggage Boy
+  Rufus and Rose
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+EDWARD S. ELLIS'
+
+Pioneer Series of Books for Boys
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Edward S. Ellis has been constantly growing in favor as an author of
+Boys' Books, and he now has admirers in all parts of the world. His
+stories are largely founded on history, and portray stirring adventures
+of daring American boys on the prairies, mountains, forest and stream.
+
+We are now enabled to offer this series of low-priced books, which have
+until recently been published only in editions at double the price.
+=They are all copyright titles, and will not be found in any other
+publisher's list.= The books are printed on an excellent quality of
+paper, and have an entirely new and appropriate cover design. 12mo.
+Cloth. 30 Titles.
+
+  Across Texas
+  Brave Tom
+  Cabin in the Clearing
+  Dorsey, the Young Adventurer
+  Fighting Phil
+  Four Boys
+  Great Cattle Trail
+  Honest Ned
+  Hunt of the White Elephant
+  Iron Heart
+  Lena Wingo, the Mohawk
+  Lost in the Forbidden Land
+  Lucky Ned
+  Mountain Star
+  On the Trail of the Moose
+  Plucky Dick
+  Queen of the Clouds
+  Righting the Wrong
+  River and Jungle
+  River Fugitives
+  Secret of Coffin Island
+  Shod with Silence
+  Teddy and Towser
+  Through Forest and Fire
+  Two Boys in Wyoming
+  Unlucky Tib
+  Upside Down
+  Up the Forked River
+  Wilderness Fugitives
+  Wyoming
+
+THE VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES COMPRISE SOME OF THE BEST WRITINGS OF THIS
+POPULAR AUTHOR
+
+Price per volume, 40 cents
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+BOYS' ADVENTURES SERIES
+
+NEW POPULAR EDITION
+
+This series comprises the =best stories= ever written by Stephens,
+Ballantyne and Coryell. These books are printed on an excellent quality
+of paper, and have an exceedingly attractive cover design. 12mo. Cloth.
+8 titles.
+
+  LEFT ON LABRADOR
+  By C. A. Stephens
+
+  LYNX HUNTING
+  By C. A. Stephens
+
+  FOX HUNTING
+  By C. A. Stephens
+
+  ON THE AMAZON
+  By C. A. Stephens
+
+  DICCON THE BOLD
+  By John R. Coryell
+
+  DOG CRUSOE
+  By R. M. Ballantyne
+
+  FLOATING LIGHT
+  By R. M. Ballantyne
+
+  SHIFTING WINDS
+  By R. M. Ballantyne
+
+Price per volume, 40 cents
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+The Big Series of Boys' Books for 1918
+
+
+THE BRIGHTON BOYS SERIES
+
+By Lieutenant James R. Driscoll
+
+[Illustration]
+
+An entirely new series of Boys' Books which have their setting in the
+Great War and deal with patriotism, heroism and adventure that should
+make a strong appeal to American boys. The volumes average 250 pages and
+contain four illustrations each.
+
+  The BRIGHTON BOYS in the TRENCHES
+  The BRIGHTON BOYS with the SUBMARINE FLEET
+  The BRIGHTON BOYS in the FLYING CORPS
+  The BRIGHTON BOYS in the RADIO SERVICE
+  The BRIGHTON BOYS with the BATTLE FLEET
+
+12mo. Price per volume, 45 cents
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+Eclipse Series of the Lowest Price Alger Books
+
+[Illustration]
+
+This low-priced series of books comprises the most popular stories ever
+written by =Horatio Alger, Jr.= As compared with other low-priced
+editions it will be found that the books in this series are better
+printed, on better paper, and better bound than similar books in any
+competing line. Each volume is handsomely and durably bound in cloth
+with new style colored inlay, assorted designs, and stamped in three
+colors of ink. New and attractive colored jackets. 12mo. Cloth. 40
+Titles.
+
+  Adrift in the City
+  Andy Grant's Pluck
+  Ben's Nugget
+  Bob Burton
+  Bound to Rise
+  Boy's Fortune, A
+  Chester Rand
+  Digging for Gold
+  Do and Dare
+  Facing the World
+  Frank and Fearless
+  Frank Hunter's Peril
+  Frank's Campaign
+  Helping Himself
+  Herbert Carter's Legacy
+  In a New World
+  Jack's Ward
+  Jed, the Poorhouse Boy
+  Lester's Luck
+  Luck and Pluck
+  Luke Walton
+  Only an Irish Boy
+  Paul Prescott's Charge
+  Paul, the Peddler
+  Phil, the Fiddler
+  Ragged Dick
+  Rupert's Ambition
+  Shifting for Himself
+  Sink or Swim
+  Strong and Steady
+  Struggling Upward
+  Tattered Tom
+  Telegraph Boy, The
+  Victor Vane
+  Wait and Hope
+  Walter Sherwood's Probation
+  Young Bank Messenger, The
+  Young Circus Rider
+  Young Miner, The
+  Young Salesman, The
+
+Price per volume, 40 Cents
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+Winston's De Luxe Series of Juvenile Classics
+
+This series has been made with a view to cultivating in youthful readers
+a love for the beautiful and best in books. In contents, in
+illustrations and in binding, these books satisfy every requirement, and
+will afford a degree of permanent pleasure far beyond the possibilities
+of ordinary juvenile books. Size of each volume when closed, 7-1/4 x
+9-1/2 inches. Rich cloth binding, stamped in gold, with beautiful
+colored inlay.
+
+
+Myths and Legends Of All Nations
+
+By LOGAN MARSHALL
+
+[Illustration]
+
+A book to win the heart of every child. Famous stories from Greek
+mythology and the legendary literature of Germany, England, Spain,
+Iceland, Scandinavia, Denmark, France, Russia, Bohemia, Servia, Italy
+and Poland--stories in which children, and men and women, too, have
+delighted through the centuries. They are told in simple, graphic style
+and each one is illustrated with a beautiful color plate. The work has
+considerable educational value, since an understanding of the many
+stories here set forth is necessary to our own literature and
+civilization. 24 full-page color plates. 320 pages.
+
+
+Tales From Shakespeare
+
+  By CHARLES and
+  MARY LAMB
+
+[Illustration]
+
+A superb edition of these famous tales has been prepared in similar
+style to "Fairy Tales of All Nations." Each of the twenty tales is
+illustrated with a magnificent color plate by a celebrated artist. It is
+one of the finest books ever published for children, telling them in
+simple language, which is as nearly like that of Shakespeare as
+possible, the stories of the great plays. The subjects for the
+illustrations were posed in costumes of the nation and time in which
+each story is set and are unrivaled in rich color, lively drawing and
+dramatic interest. 320 pages. 20 full-page color plates.
+
+
+
+
+Fairy Tales Of All Nations
+
+By LOGAN MARSHALL
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The most beautiful book of fairy tales ever published. Thirty superb
+colored plates are the most prominent feature of this new, copyrighted
+book. These plates are absolutely new and portray the times and customs
+of the subjects they illustrate. The subjects were posed in costumes of
+the nation and time in which each story is set, and are unrivaled in
+rich color, lively drawing and dramatic interest. The text is original
+and interesting in that the famous fairy tales are taken from the
+folklore and literature of a dozen principal countries, thus giving the
+book its name. Many old favorites and numerous interesting stories from
+far away lands, which most children have never heard, are brought
+together in this charming book. 8vo. 314 pages.
+
+
+Rhymes Of Happy Childhood
+
+By MRS. ANDREW ROSS FILLEBROWN
+
+A handsome holiday book of homely verses beautifully illustrated with
+nearly 100 color plates and drawings in black and red. Verses that sing
+the irrepressible joy of children in their home and play life, many that
+touch the heart closely with their mother love, and some not without
+pathos, have been made into a very handsome volume. Gilt top, uncut
+leaves.
+
+Price per volume, $2.00
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+How to Read Character in Handwriting [***]
+
+BY MARY H. BOOTH
+
+[Illustration]
+
+This work is authoritative, interesting, and so popular as to appeal to
+everyone. Since the earliest days science has recognized the fact that
+handwriting is an index of character and placed reliance on the
+deductions from it. Criminals have been punished and accused men set
+free on the strength of a scrap of handwriting. Knowledge of this
+interesting science is imparted in a simple but thorough manner in this
+new work by a recognized expert, and will prove of great value not only
+as a source of entertainment, but of business men, lawyers, students,
+bankers and collectors of autographs.
+
+  ATTRACTIVE COVER, BOARDS      50 cents
+
+
+Palmistry Made Easy
+
+BY THOMAS D. GRATZ
+
+[Illustration]
+
+An authoritative work giving the fundamental principles in the language
+of the hand in a clear and concise manner. The study of Palmistry is a
+most interesting and entertaining subject to those who make it a study
+and to those to whom it may be told. The author has been a student of
+the hand and its lines. After digesting the many works of authorities on
+the subject he has added many facts of his own observation, presenting
+the principles of Palmistry in a =new manner= and with a unique system
+of showing the principles of the art, by illustrations of the human hand
+which is =easily understood= and committed to memory.
+
+  BOARDS, POCKET SIZE      50 cents
+
+
+THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., Publishers
+
+PHILADELPHIA, PA.
+
+
+
+
+HURLBUT'S STORY OF THE BIBLE [***] FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION
+
+BY REV. JESSE LYMAN HURLBUT, D.D.
+
+
+A BOOK FOR OLD AND YOUNG
+
+Told in language that interests both Old and Young. "Supersedes all
+other books of the kind." Recommended by all Denominations for its
+freshness and accuracy; for its freedom from doctrinal discussion; for
+its simplicity of language; for its numerous and appropriate
+illustrations; as the best work on the subject. The greatest aid to
+Parents, Teachers and all who wish the Bible Story in a simplified form.
+168 separate stories, each complete in itself, yet forming a continuous
+narrative of the Bible. 762 pages, nearly 300 half-tone illustrations, 8
+in colors. Octavo.
+
+
+THE FLEXIBLE MOROCCO STYLE
+
+"=HURLBUT'S STORY OF THE BIBLE=" can be obtained in =FLEXIBLE MOROCCO
+BINDING= with red under gold edges. This new binding will give the work
+a wider use, for in this convenient form the objection to carrying the
+ordinary bound book is entirely overcome. This convenient style also
+contains "=HURLBUT'S BIBLE LESSONS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS=," a system of
+questions and answers, based on the stories in the book, by which the
+Old Testament story can be taught in a year, and the New Testament story
+can be taught in a year. This edition also contains 17 Maps printed in
+colors, covering the geography of the Old Testament and of the New
+Testament.
+
+These additional features are not included in the Cloth bound book, but
+are only to be obtained in the new Flexible Morocco style.
+
+  Cloth, extra      Price, $1.50
+
+     FLEXIBLE MOROCCO STYLE. Bound in FRENCH SEAL, round corners, red
+     under gold edges, extra grained lining, specially sewed to produce
+     absolute flexibility and great durability. Each book packed in neat
+     and substantial box
+
+  Price      $3.75
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+WINSTON'S POPULAR FICTION
+
+
+Comprising twenty-four books published at $1.25 and $1.50 per volume,
+and until recently sold only in the original editions. Now offered for
+the first time in popular priced editions. All are bound in extra cloth
+with appropriate cover designs, and standard 12mo. in size.
+
+  24 Titles      Price per volume, 75 cents
+
+
+=BABCOCK (WILLIAM HENRY)--Kent Fort Manor.= A romance in the nineteenth
+century on the Isle of Kent near Baltimore, where in the earlier days
+Puritans, Jesuits, Indians and Sea Rovers came and went. 12mo. Cloth 75
+cents
+
+=BARTON (GEORGE)--Adventures of the World's Greatest Detectives.= The
+most famous cases of the great Sleuths of England, America, France,
+Russia, realistically told, with biographical sketches of each
+detective. Fully illustrated. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=BLANKMAN (EDGAR G.)--Deacon Babbitt.= A story of Northern New York
+State, pronounced by some critics superior to "David Harum." 12mo. Cloth
+75 cents
+
+=CLARK (CHARLES HEBER)--(Max Adeler)--The Quakeress.= A charming story
+which has had great success in the original edition, and listed among
+the six best selling novels. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=Captain Bluitt, A Tale of Old Turley.= Humorous fiction in this
+     well-known author's happiest style. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=Out of the Hurly Burly, or Life in an Odd Corner.= A
+     delightfully entertaining piece of humor, with numerous
+     illustrations, including the original work by A. B. Frost, and
+     other illustrations, 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=In Happy Hollow.= The amusing story of how A. J. Pelican boomed
+     the little town of Happy Hollow. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=EDWARDS (LOUISE BETTS)--The Tu Tze's Tower.= One of the best novels of
+Chinese and Tibetan Life. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=GERARD (DOROTHEA)--Sawdust, A Polish Romance.= The scene of this
+readable tale the Carpathian Timberlands in Poland. The author is a
+favorite English writer. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=GIBBS (GEORGE)--In Search of Mademoiselle.= The struggle between the
+Spanish and French Colonists in Florida furnish an interesting
+historical background for this stirring story. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=GOLDSMITH (MILTON)--A Victim of Conscience.= A mental struggle between
+Judaism and Christianity of a Jew who thinks he is guilty of a crime,
+makes a dramatic plot. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=ILIOWIZI (HENRY)--The Archierey of Samara.= A semi-historic romance of
+Russian Life. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=In the Pale.= Stories and Legends of Jews In Russia. Containing
+     "Czar Nicholas I and Sir Moses Montefiore," "The Czar in
+     Rothschild's Castle," and "The Legend of the Ten Lost Tribes," and
+     other tales. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=MOORE (JOHN TROTWOOD)--The Bishop of Cottontown.= One of the best
+selling novels published in recent years and now for the first time sold
+at a popular price. An absorbing story of Southern life in a Cotton Mill
+town, intense with passion, pathos and humor. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=A Summer Hymnal.= A Tennessee romance. One of the prettiest love
+     stories ever written. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=Ole Mistis=, and other Songs and Stories from Tennessee. 12mo.
+     Cloth 75 cents
+
+=NORRIS (W. E.)--An Embarrassing Orphan.= The orphaned daughter of a
+wealthy African mine owner, causes her staid English Guardian no end of
+anxiety. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=PEMBERTON (MAX)--The Show Girl.= A new novel, by the author of many
+popular stories, describing the adventures of a young art student in
+Paris and elsewhere. It is thought to be the most entertaining book
+written by this author. 12mo. Cloth, Illustrated 75 cents
+
+=PENDLETON (LOUIS)--A Forest Drama.= A Tale of the Canadian wilds of
+unusual strength. 12mo, Cloth 75 cents
+
+=PETERSON (HENRY)--Dulcibel.= A Tale of Old Salem In the Witchcraft
+days, with a charming love story; historically an informing book. 12mo.
+Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=Pemberton, or One Hundred Years Ago.= Washington, Andre, Arnold
+     and other prominent figures of the Revolution take part in the
+     story, which is probably the best historical romance of
+     Philadelphia. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+=STODDARD (ELIZABETH)--(Mrs. Richard Henry Stoddard).=
+
+     --=Two Men.= "Jason began life in Crest with ten dollars, two suits
+     of cloths, several shirts, two books, a pin cushion and the
+     temperance lecture." 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=Temple House.= A powerful story of life in a little seaport
+     town--romantic and often impassioned. 12mo. Cloth 75 cents
+
+     --=The Morgesons.= This was the first of Mrs. Stoddard's Novels,
+     and Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote to the author:--"As genuine and
+     life-like as anything that pen and ink can do." 12mo. Cloth 75
+     cents
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+MISCELLANEOUS JUVENILE BOOKS
+
+
+=BANGS (JOHN KENDRICK)=--=Andiron Tales.= The story of a Little Boy's
+Dream--his wonderful adventures in the Clouds---written in Mr. Bangs'
+happiest vein, and handsomely illustrated with colored drawings by
+Dwiggins. Octavo. Cloth $1.25
+
+     --=Molly and the Unwiseman.= A Humorous Story for Children. 12mo.
+     Cloth $1.25
+
+=BUTTERWORTH (MEZEKIAH)=--=A Heroine of the Wilderness.= A Girl's Book
+telling the romance of the mother of Lincoln. 12mo. Cloth $1.00
+
+=DIMMICK (RUTH CROSBY)=--=The Bogie Man.= The story in verse of a little
+boy who met the Bogie Man, and had many surprising adventures with him;
+and found him not such a bad fellow after all. 34 Drawings. 72 pages.
+Octavo. Boards with colored cover $0.65
+
+=FILLEBROWN (R. H. M.)=--=Rhymes of Happy Childhood.= A handsome holiday
+book of homely verses beautifully illustrated with color plates, and
+drawings in black and red. Colored inlay, gilt top. New Edition 1911.
+Flat 8vo. Cloth $2.00
+
+=HOFFMAN (DR. HENRY)=--=Slovenly Peter.= Original Edition. This
+celebrated work has amused children probably more than any other
+juvenile book. It contains the quaint hand colored pictures, and is
+printed on extra quality of paper and durably bound. Quarto. Cloth $1.00
+
+=HUGHES (THOMAS)=--=Tom Brown's School-days at Rugby.= New edition with
+22 illustrations. 12mo. Cloth $1.00
+
+=LAMB (CHARLES AND MARY)=--=Tales from Shakespeare.= Edited with an
+introduction by The Rev. Alfred Ainger, M.A. New Edition with 20
+illustrations. 12mo. Cloth $1.00
+
+=MOTHER'S PRIMER.= Printed from large clear type, contains alphabet and
+edifying and entertaining stories for children. 12mo. Paper covers Per
+dozen $0.50
+
+=TANNENFORST (URSULA)=--=Heroines of a School-Room.= A sequel to The
+Thistles of Mount Cedar. An Interesting story of interesting girls.
+Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth $1.25
+
+     --=The Thistles of Mount Cedar.= A story of a Girls' Fraternity. A
+     well-told story for Girls. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth $1.25
+
+=TAYLOR (JANE)=--=Original Poems for Infant Minds.= 16mo. Cloth $1.00
+
+=WOOD (REV. J. G.)=--=Popular Natural History.= The most popular book on
+Birds, Beasts and Reptiles ever written. Fully illustrated. 8vo. Cloth
+$1.00
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+CHARLES ASBURY STEPHENS
+
+
+This author wrote his "Camping Out Series" at the very height of his
+mental and physical powers.
+
+     "We do not wonder at the popularity of these books; there is a
+     freshness and variety about them, and an enthusiasm in the
+     description of sport and adventure, which even the older folk can
+     hardly fail to share."--_Worcester Spy._
+
+     "The author of the Camping Out Series is entitled to rank as
+     decidedly at the head of what may be called boys'
+     literature."--_Buffalo Courier._
+
+
+CAMPING OUT SERIES By C. A. STEPHENS
+
+All books in this series are 12mo., with eight full-page Illustrations.
+Cloth, extra, 75 cents.
+
+     =Camping Out.= As Recorded by "Kit."
+
+"This book is bright, breezy, wholesome, instructive, and stands above
+the ordinary boys' books of the day by a whole head and
+shoulders."--_The Christian Register_, Boston.
+
+     =Left on Labrador; or, The Cruise of the Schooner Yacht "Curlew."=
+     As Recorded by "Wash."
+
+"The perils of the voyagers, the narrow escapes, their strange
+expedients, and the fun and jollity when danger had passed, will make
+boys even unconscious of hunger."--_New Bedford Mercury._
+
+     =Off to the Geysers; or, The Young Yachters in Iceland.= As
+     Recorded by "Wade."
+
+"It is difficult to believe that Wade and Raed and Kit and Wash were not
+live boys, sailing up Hudson Straits, and reigning temporarily over an
+Esquimaux tribe."--_The Independent_, New York.
+
+     =Lynx Hunting.= From Notes by the Author of "Camping Out."
+
+"Of _first quality_ as a boys' book, and fit to take its place beside
+the best."--_Richmond Enquirer._
+
+     =Fox Hunting.= As Recorded by "Raed."
+
+"The most spirited and entertaining book that has as yet appeared. It
+overflows with incident, and is characterized by dash and brilliancy
+throughout."--_Boston Gazette._
+
+     =On the Amazon; or, The Cruise of the "Rambler."= As Recorded by
+     "Wash."
+
+"Gives vivid pictures of Brazilian adventure and scenery."--_Buffalo
+Courier._
+
+
+Sent Postpaid on Receipt of Price
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+J. T. TROWBRIDGE
+
+
+Neither as a writer does he stand apart from the great currents of life
+and select some exceptional phase or odd combination of circumstances.
+He stands on the common level and appeals to the universal heart, and
+all that he suggests or achieves is on the plane and in the line of
+march of the great body of humanity.
+
+The Jack Hazard series of stories, published in the late _Our Young
+Folks_, and continued in the first volume of _St. Nicholas_, under the
+title of "Fast Friends," is no doubt destined to hold a high place in
+this class of literature. The delight of the boys in them (and of their
+seniors, too) is well founded. They go to the right spot every time.
+Trowbridge knows the heart of a boy like a book, and the heart of a man,
+too, and he has laid them both open in these books in a most successful
+manner. Apart from the qualities that render the series so attractive to
+all young readers, they have great value on account of their
+portraitures of American country life and character. The drawing is
+wonderfully accurate, and as spirited as it is true. The constable,
+Sellick, is an original character, and as minor figures where will we
+find anything better than Miss Wansey, and Mr. P. Pipkin, Esq. The
+picture of Mr. Dink's school, too, is capital, and where else in fiction
+is there a better nick-name than that the boys gave to poor little
+Stephen Treadwell, "Step Hen," as he himself pronounced his name in an
+unfortunate moment when he saw it in print for the first time in his
+lesson in school.
+
+On the whole, these books are very satisfactory, and afford the critical
+reader the rare pleasure of the works that are just adequate, that
+easily fulfill themselves and accomplish all they set out to
+do.--_Scribner's Monthly._
+
+
+JACK HAZARD SERIES
+
+  6 volumes      By J. T. TROWBRIDGE      Per vol., $1.25
+
+  Jack Hazard and His Fortune
+  The Young Surveyor
+  Fast Friends
+  Doing His Best
+  A Chance for Himself
+  Lawrence's Adventures
+
+
+Sent Postpaid on Receipt of Price
+
+
+  THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., _Publishers_
+  WINSTON BUILDING         PHILADELPHIA
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Notes:
+
+
+Converted asterisms to [***] for text edition.
+
+Italics are represented with _underscores_, bold with =equal signs=.
+
+Retained inconsistent hyphenation when no clear majority was found (e.g.
+tonight vs. to-night).
+
+Some questionable spelling (e.g. "musn't") retained in dialogue on the
+assumption that it is intentional.
+
+Page 21, changed "than" to "then" in "and then a decided cheer."
+
+Page 53, changed "most woman are fine" to "most women are fine."
+
+Page 62, changed "pasued" to "paused."
+
+Page 74, added missing close quote after "cinch."
+
+Page 77, changed "prefectly" to "perfectly."
+
+Page 127, added missing close quote to end of page.
+
+Page 128, changed "tomorrow" to "to-morrow" for consistency.
+
+Page 152, removed stray quote after "attempting----"
+
+Page 171, added missing space to second instance of "Wonderful
+shooting!"
+
+Page 226, changed "diminshed" to "diminished."
+
+Harry Castlemon's Books for Boys ad, capitalized "the" in "Houseboat
+Boys, The."
+
+Winston's Popular Fiction ad (second page), changed "Embarrasing" to
+"Embarrassing" and added missing close quote after "ink can do."
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Brighton Boys in the Trenches, by 
+James R. Driscoll
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42733 ***