Silently, in the darkness of their trenches, the party of which Tom and
Jack were to be members, prepared to go over the top and penetrate
the German front line of defense, in the hope of taking prisoners that
information might be had of them. It was a risky undertaking, but one
frequently accomplished by the Allies, and it often led to big results.
There were about a score in the patrol, and, to their delight, though
they rather regretted it later, Tom and Jack were given positions well
in front, two files removed, in fact, from the lieutenant commanding.
“Now I suppose you all understand what you're to do,” said the
lieutenant as he gathered his little party about him in one of the
larger dugouts, where a flickering candle gave light. “You'll all
provide yourselves with wire cutters, hand grenades and pistols. Rifles
will be in the way. Take your gas masks, of course. No telling when
Fritz may send over some of those shells. Blacken your faces, as usual.
A star shell makes a beautiful light on a white countenance, so don't be
afraid of smudging yourselves. And when we start just try to imagine you
are Indians, and make no noise. One object is to come in contact with
some German post, try to hear what's going on from their talk, and make
some captures if we can. Do you all understand German?”
It developed that they did--at least no one would confess he did not for
fear of being turned back. But, as it developed, they all had some, if
slight, acquaintance with the language.
A little period of anxious waiting followed--a sort of zero hour
effect--until finally the word was received from some source, unknown to
Tom and Jack, to proceed. The night was black, and there was a mist over
everything which did not augur for clear weather on the morrow.
“Forward!” whispered the lieutenant, for they were so near the German
lines that incautious talking was prohibited. Out of their trenches they
went, Tom and Jack well in front, and close to the leader.
As carefully as might be, though, at that, making noise which the
members of the patrol thought surely must be heard clear to Berlin, they
made their way over the shell-torn and uncertain ground in the darkness.
They went down between their own lines of barbed wire to where an
opening had been made opposite what was considered a quiet spot in the
Hun defenses, and then they started across “No Man's Land.”
It was not without mingled feelings that Tom and Jack advanced,
and, doubtless, their feelings were common to all. There was great
uncertainty as to the outcome. Death or glory might await them. They
might all be killed by a single German shell, or they might run into
a German working party, out to repair the wire cut during the day's
firing. In the latter case there would be a fight--an even chance,
perhaps. They might capture or be captured.
On and on they went, treading close together and in single file, making
little noise. Straight across the desolate stretch of land that lay
between the two lines of trenches they went, and, when half way, there
came from the German side a sudden burst of star shells. These are a
sort of war fireworks that make a brilliant illumination, and the enemy
was in the habit of sending them up every night at intervals, to reveal
to his gunners any party of the enemy approaching.
“Down! Down!” hissed the lieutenant. But he need not have uttered
the command. All had been told what to do, and fell on their faces
literally--their smoke-blackened faces. In this position they resembled,
as nearly as might be, some of the dead bodies scattered about, and that
was their intention.
Still each one had a nervous fear. The star shells were very
brilliant and made No Man's Land almost as bright as when bathed in
sunshine, a condition that had not prevailed of late. There was no
guarantee that the Germans would not, in their suspicious hate, turn
their rifles or machine guns on what they supposed were dead bodies. In
that case-well, Tom, Jack and the others did not like to think about it.
But the brilliance of the star shells died away, and once more there
was darkness. The lieutenant cautiously raised his head and in a whisper
commanded:
“Forward! Is every one all right?”
“My mouth's full of mud and water--otherwise I'm all right,” said some
one.
“Silence!” commanded the officer.
Once more he led them forward. They reached the first German wire, and
instantly the cutters were at work. Though the men tried to make no
noise, it was an impossibility. The wire would send forth metallic
janglings and tangs as it was cut. But an opening was made, and the
patrol party filed through. And then, almost immediately, something
happened.
There was another burst of star shells, but before the Americans had an
opportunity to throw themselves on their faces, they saw that they were
confronted by a large body of Germans who had come forward as silently
as themselves, and, doubtless, on the same sort of errand.
“At 'em, boys! At 'em!” cried the lieutenant. “The Stars and Stripes! At
'em!”
Instantly pandemonium broke loose. In the glaring light of the star
shells the two forces rushed forward. There was a burst of pistol fire,
and then the fight went on in the darkness.
“Where are you, Tom?”' yelled Jack, as he flung a grenade full at a big,
burly German who was rushing at him with uplifted gun.
“Here!” was the answer, and in the darkness Jack felt his chum collide
with him so forcefully that both almost went down in a heap. “I jumped
to get away from a Hun bayonet,” pantingly explained Tom.
Jack's grenade exploded, blowing dirt and small stones in the faces of
the chums. There were shouts and cries, in English, French and German.
The American lieutenant tried to rally his men around him, but, as was
afterward learned, they were attacked by a much larger party of Huns
than their patrol.
“We must stick together!” cried Jack to Tom. “If we separate we're lost!
Where are the others?”
“Sam Zalbert was with me a second ago,” answered Tom, naming a lad with
whom he and Jack had become quite friendly. “But I saw him fall. I don't
know whether he slipped or was hurt. Look out!” he suddenly shouted.
He saw two Germans rushing at him and Jack, with leveled revolvers.
There was no time to get another grenade from their pockets, and Tom did
the next best thing. He made a tackle, football fashion, at the legs of
the Germans, which he could see very plainly in the light of many star
shells that were now being sent up.
Almost at the same instant Jack, seeing his chum's intention, followed
his example, and the two Huns went down in a heap, falling over the
heads of their antagonists with many a German imprecation. Their weapons
flew from their hands.
“Come on! This is getting too hot for us!” cried Jack, as he scrambled
to his feet, followed by Tom. “There'll be a barrage here in a minute.”
This seemed about to happen, for machine guns were spitting fire and
death all along that section of the German front, and the American and
French forces were replying. A general engagement might be precipitated
at any moment.
The American lieutenant tried to rally his men, but it was a hopeless
task. The Germans had overpowered them. Tom and Jack started to run back
toward their own lines, having made sure, however, of putting beyond the
power to fight any more the two Germans who had attacked them.
“Come on!” cried Tom. “We've got to have reinforcements to tackle this
bunch!”
“I guess so!” agreed Jack.
They turned, not to retreat, but to better their positions, when they
both ran full into a body of men that seemed to spring up from the very
ground in the sudden darkness that followed an unusually bright burst of
star shells.
“What is it? Who are they? What's the matter?” cried Tom.
“Give it up!” answered Jack. “Who are you?” he asked.
Instantly a guttural German voice cried:
“Ah! The American swine! We have them!”
In another moment Tom and Jack felt themselves surrounded by an
overpowering number.
Hands plucked at them toughly from all sides, and their pistols and few
remaining grenades were taken from them.
“Turn back with the prisoners!” cried a voice in German.
The two air service boys found themselves being fairly-lifted from their
feet by the rush of their captors. Where they were going they could not
see, but they knew what had happened.
They had been captured by the Germans!