A PERILOUS SITUATION
Hal and Chester held no conversation with Anthony Stubbs the following
day, and therefore were unable to learn more than they already knew of
the war correspondent's great "story."
Before they rose Stubbs was up and gone, and when he returned, several
hours later, Hal and Chester were receiving orders from General Petain.
The German advance had continued the day before in spite of the heroic
stand of the French troops. Successive charges by the Teuton hordes had
driven the defenders back along practically the entire front. Here, with
the coming of night, they had taken a brace with the arrival of
reinforcements and had stemmed the tide; but not a man failed to realize
that there would be more desperate work on the morrow.
The French lines now had been pushed back well to the west of the city
of Verdun itself and the civil population of the town had fled. The town
had been swept by the great German guns until hardly one stone remained
upon another. North of the city, the French had been bent back as the
Germans thrust a wedge into the defending lines almost to the foot of
Dead Man's Hill.
This hill was of particular importance to the Germans, for it commanded
the approach on all sides; and now the German Prince had determined upon
its capture. General Petain anticipated the move and acted promptly.
It was toward this point, then, that Hal and Chester found themselves
moving upon the sixth day of the great battle. They bore despatches from
General Petain and each bestrode a high-powered motorcycle, which the
French commander had placed at their disposal. The two lads rode swiftly,
for there was no time to be lost.
Even above the "pop-pop" of their motorcycles could be heard the
terrible roar of the German guns as they were brought to bear on Dead
Man's Hill, paving the way for an infantry advance, which was to come a
few hours later. It was risky business upon which the lads were bent,
for the great shells struck on all sides of them, throwing huge masses
of dirt in the air like giant fountains and digging immense excavations
in the hard ground.
But the lads reached their destination in safety; and here, for the
first time, Hal and Chester were to come in contact with a new method
of fighting.
General Domont, in command at Dead Man's Hill, having read the despatches
the lads carried, announced that they would remain with him during the
day, acting as members of his staff. He ordered Hal forward with
instructions for the troops holding the crest of the hill to the north
and Chester was despatched upon a similar mission to the south.
Hardly had Chester delivered his message when a shout told him the German
infantry was advancing to the attack. The lad glanced around, and as he
did so, a sharp order rang out and a moment later the French troops
clamped queer-looking devices over their faces and heads.
Chester knew what they were--gas masks to protect the defenders from
the poisonous vapors of German gas bombs, which, had the defenders not
been protected by masks, would have killed them instantly. A passing
officer said something unintelligible to the lad as he passed and
pointed to the ground. Glancing down, the lad perceived a mask and then
understood that the officer had meant for him to put it on. Chester did
so, though not without some difficulty, for he had trouble adjusting
it. But with his nostrils protected at last, Chester turned to watch
the approach of the enemy.
The Germans came forward in a dense mass, despite the fearful execution
worked in their ranks by the French guns. In the lines of the defenders
dropped huge bombs that sent up dense vapors--the deadly gasses of the
foe--but they caused little harm, for the French were protected. Now and
then a man fell, however; perhaps he had failed to adjust his helmet
properly, or perhaps it was not perfect. But for the most part the gas
bombs had little effect.
The first concerted attack of the German troops availed little; and after
trying for half an hour to gain a foothold in the French lines they
withdrew. But a second attack followed a few moments later. This also was
beaten off. A third attack, however, met with better success.
This time the Germans succeeded in gaining a hold in the French lines,
and this they retained in spite of repeated counter assaults by the
French. Bravely the men charged, but they could make no impression on the
positions so recently won by the foe. The troops of the German Crown
Prince stood firm.
The French were forced to retreat toward the summit of the hill.
Here the big French guns opened violently upon the enemy, but the
invaders remained in spite of the hail of death.
Chester had been carried back with the French retreat and he now found
himself almost in the first line. He was sadly disappointed, for he had
felt sure that the French effort to repel the attack would be successful.
His men still falling back before the German advance, General Domont
determined upon a bold stroke. Orders were given thick and fast. Hal and
Chester, returning from their first missions of the day, found themselves
again near the front. The orders to the various French divisional
commanders were explicit. As the Germans advanced again to the attack,
the French, too, all along the line, were to take the offensive.
The men awaited the word eagerly.
At last it came. With a shout the French, still wearing their gas masks,
hurled themselves forward with the troops.
Halfway down the hill the lines met with a crash. Rifles and small arms
were fired point blank into the very faces of the foe and then the men
fell to the work with bayonets. Both sides fought desperately.
Hal and Chester had drawn their swords and found themselves engaged with
the troops. So close was the fighting that had it not been for the
difference in uniform it would have been practically impossible to
distinguish friend from foe.
Hal found himself engaged with a German officer of huge stature, who was
endeavoring to bring the lad to earth by fierce sweeping blows of his
officer's sword. Hal was hard pressed to defend himself.
As the German's sword descended in a stroke of extra violence, Hal
stepped lightly aside and evaded the blow. Before the German could
recover himself, Hal moved quickly forward. There was a sudden, quick
movement of his arm and the German officer toppled over, to rise no more.
Hal turned just in time to see a second German officer level a revolver
straight at his head. The lad ducked and the ball passed harmlessly over
his head. Before the German's finger could press the trigger again Hal
had raised his arm and struck.
Chester, in the meantime, had his own hands full. He had accounted for a
German trooper who had sought to bring his rifle butt down on the lad's
head and was now engaged with two other troopers, who sought to end his
career with bayonets.
Chester sprang nimbly back as the two men advanced on him. One tripped
and stumbled over a fallen comrade and as he did so Chester took
advantage of his misfortune to strike with his sword. But the second
German protected his fellow by catching Chester's stroke with his bayonet
and for a moment Chester was at a disadvantage.
Even as the bayonet of the first trooper, who had regained his balance,
would have pierced him, however, Chester dropped flat on the ground and
seized one of the man's legs. The German dropped his bayonet and crashed
to the ground. Chester sprang up quickly and jumped to one side to escape
the point of the bayonet in the hands of the second trooper.
Chester thrust with his sword, but the effort was futile. The point of
the lad's sword fell short. Again the lad was at a disadvantage and the
German grinned as he stepped forward to end the combat. His bayonet was
pointed straight at the lad's breast and it seemed as though nothing but
a miracle could save the boy.
But the miracle happened. Suddenly the German dropped his bayonet with a
crash and threw up both arms. He spun on his heel and then fell to the
ground without an outcry. A stray bullet had done what Chester had been
unable to accomplish, and for the moment the lad was safe.
The second trooper now returned to the attack and engaged Chester
fiercely. All this time the French were gradually being forced back, and
of a sudden Chester found himself the center of a mass of German troops.
But the lad had no mind to give up. Throwing caution to the winds, he now
struck out swiftly and sharply with his sword. Once or twice the thrusts
went home. Chester felt a sting in his left shoulder. The bayonet of a
German trooper had pricked him slightly. Chester whirled about and seized
the bayonet with his left hand. A powerful wrench and it was wrested from
the hands of the German soldier, who had been caught off his guard.
Without taking time to reverse the weapon, Chester hurled it in the faces
of the foe who pressed in about him. It struck one man squarely on the
forehead and he toppled over with a groan.
Again Chester laid about him with his sword, retreating slowly as he did
so. The gas helmet that he wore impeded his progress somewhat, for it was
strange to his head and felt uncomfortable. Now the lad realized for the
first time that the Germans before him also wore the heavy helmets.
He aimed a blow at one man's breast and it went home. At the same moment
a second German brought his rifle butt down upon the lad's sword and the
weapon snapped off. Chester felt a second sting in his arm and then he
felt a blow across the helmet.
There was a sudden roaring sound, Chester saw a million stars flash
through the air; then he threw up his arms, made a move to step forward
and crashed to the ground.
The last blow had broken open Chester's gas helmet and the lad was at the
mercy of the poisonous vapors!