diff options
Diffstat (limited to '42733-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 42733-8.txt | 6435 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 6435 deletions
diff --git a/42733-8.txt b/42733-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 73f2cfb..0000000 --- a/42733-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6435 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Brighton Boys in the Trenches, by James R. Driscoll - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Brighton Boys in the Trenches - -Author: James R. Driscoll - -Release Date: May 18, 2013 [EBook #42733] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRIGHTON BOYS IN THE TRENCHES *** - - - - -Produced by Demian Katz and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images courtesy -of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - - - - - - - - - - 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 THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRIGHTON BOYS IN THE TRENCHES *** - -***** This file should be named 42733-8.txt or 42733-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/7/3/42733/ - -Produced by Demian Katz and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images courtesy -of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - |