LIQUID FIRE
It was soon apparent that contact with the Germans had been made in
earnest, for the resistance, which had been comparatively light in the
morning, stiffened perceptibly. Machine gun nests became more and more
frequent, and in every case the machine gunners stood by their pieces
until the last man was killed, or the gun put out of action.
The Americans advanced as they could, some parts of the line of
course preceding others, according to the resistance offered by the
Germans. The portion in which the three friends were placed met with
particularly stubborn resistance. They had to advance into a crossfire
from several closely connected machine gun emplacements, but that was
what they were there for, and they advanced to the task with a dogged
persistence that shook the nerves of the Germans.
“This is getting to be pretty hot work,” panted Frank. “We’ve got to
clean up some of those fellows pretty quick, or they’re going to clean
us up.”
“All right, then, up and at ’em!” exclaimed Tom, and with a shout the
three friends dashed forward, crouching low to avoid the storm of
machine gun bullets that whizzed by over their heads. On they dashed,
until they reached the parapet surrounding one machine gun. Without a
pause, they leaped over this, and, using their revolvers with deadly
effect, quickly despatched the Germans who formed its crew.
“So far, so good,” gritted Frank, the lust of battle in his eyes.
“There’s another parapet over there, fellows, and it’s a cinch there’s
one of these hornets concealed behind it. Let’s get after it before the
crew discovers us. They’re not firing now, but they’re apt to begin any
minute.”
“We’re with you!” shouted Tom and Billy, and the three fearless
Americans raced for this new obstacle. It seemed strange that the
Germans did not open fire on them, but they thought at first this was
because the Germans had not yet seen them. They themselves were on a
slightly elevated portion of ground, and over the Germans’ parapet
could see the men standing about, but making no move to stop them.
The boys did not stop to figure out the reason for this, however, but
raced toward the position, and with shouts of triumph climbed over
the pile of stones and sand bags. They were on the point of falling
savagely on the Germans, when suddenly Tom exclaimed:
“There’s no use wasting ammunition on these fellows. They’re about as
dead as they can be, already.”
And it was indeed as Tom said. Caught, probably, by the gas from a
bursting poison shell, they had died as they stood, and, leaning
against the barricade, most of them had remained in a standing
position, although two or three lay stretched out on the ground.
“We had our worry for nothing, here,” observed Frank, “although we took
the position, and that’s about all anyone can do, after all.”
The boys had outstripped all their companions, so they took a brief
breathing spell while they were waiting for the others to come up.
Soon they could see their comrades approaching, and at the same time
a machine gun about a hundred feet to their right, of whose presence
they had not been aware up to this time, started in a savage fusillade
against the approaching boys in khaki.
“We’ll put a stop to that!” exclaimed Frank, and, as the others caught
his meaning, all leaped to the German machine gun, and in a few seconds
had it trained on the enemy. The Hun position was only lightly defended
on the sides, and the machine gun projectiles bored through these, and
wrought instant execution among the startled Germans. The fire from
their machine gun died out, and the boys knew that here was one more
menace disposed of. The Americans, with this handicap removed, rushed
forward with cheers, and soon the three friends were surrounded by
their comrades in arms.
The line pushed forward again, the places of those falling being taken
by others eager to get their chance at the hated Boche. Machine gun
after machine gun was taken, and trench after trench cleared out, but
the defenses were so elaborate and so numerous that progress was at
times heartbreakingly slow. Shells from the American batteries in the
rear fell constantly before them, helping somewhat to clear the ground,
but still leaving much to be done by the infantry. About the middle of
the afternoon a halt was called, the Americans crouching in captured
trenches for a brief period of recuperation.
“Gosh!” exclaimed Billy, “I may be all wrong, fellows, but just the
same I have a feeling that the Boches don’t want us to capture the
Argonne Forest. Don’t know what gives me that feeling, but I’ve got it
all the same.”
“You certainly have wonderful powers of observation,” said Frank,
dryly. “But come to think of it, I shouldn’t wonder if you were right.
But before we get through with them they’ll wish they had made us a
present of it in the first place, and saved themselves a bad licking.”
“Maybe--” started Tom, but he was cut short by the command to resume
the advance.
The Americans leaped from the trench and with a lusty cheer pressed
onward. But the Germans had a most unpleasant surprise in store for
them. As they approached one trench, instead of bullets, streams of
searing fire came shooting toward them.
The Americans knew that this was the dreaded “liquid fire” that they
had heard about, but up to now had never actually experienced. However,
they knew that the trench had been captured, and so, shielding their
faces as well as they could with their arms, they dashed forward,
throwing hand grenades as they ran. The liquid fire only reached a
distance of about a hundred feet, which made their task a little
easier, cutting down the distance they had to go in the face of this
obstacle to reach the trench.
This liquid fire was one of the most infernal of the German inventions.
The soldier operating it had on his back a bag containing the necessary
chemicals, connected to a short length of hose with a narrow nozzle.
When the chemicals contained in the bag combined, they formed a high
pressure and as the chemical stream left the nozzle it burst into
flame. The pressure was sufficient to carry it a considerable distance,
and the acid seared and ate into any object with which it came into
contact. It was one of the most dreaded of modern instruments of war,
and it took the highest form of courage to face it.
But it was just that kind of courage that distinguished the American
Army, and with shouts and cries of encouragement the American soldiers
leaped forward. Their hand grenades took instant effect, for almost
at once the number of streams turned on them lessened, but there were
still plenty left to make it exciting and hazardous work.
Crouching almost double, the Americans dashed forward through this
shower of death, and at last leaped into the German trenches. Then
their heavy revolvers came into play, and the tables were quickly
turned. In a very few minutes the remaining Boches threw up their hands
and cried for quarter. A number were taken prisoners, but the majority
had made their last accounting.
“By Jove!” exclaimed Frank, when he had recovered his breath. “That’s
the first time I ever bumped up against that stuff, and I sure hope
it’s the last. I’m willing to take my chance against bullets, but that
chemical fire is a little too much to suit me.”
“It came near getting me,” said Billy. “Just take a look at my coat,
will you?”
They looked, and uttered exclamations of astonishment. The entire front
of Billy’s coat was eaten away, with blackened edges for all the world
as if it had been burned by ordinary fire.
“You’re pretty lucky to have gotten off as easy as that,” said Frank,
soberly. “Uncle Sam will give you a new coat. Some of the poor fellows
have been horribly burned,” and he indicated a number of stretcher
bearers who were slowly carrying their burdens to the rear.
“Yes, I guess I can’t kick,” agreed Billy. “Just make out we won’t have
something to tell Bart when we see him again. He’ll certainly be sore
at having to miss all this.”
“He sure will,” agreed Frank, “he’ll never get over not being with us
on this drive.”
“Let’s investigate one of these flame throwing machines,” proposed
Frank. “It looks as though we might be here a little while, and I’m
curious to see what the things look like.”
His companions readily acceded to his proposal, and stripped one of
the machines from a dead German, and were soon familiar with its main
features. They did not have time to make a very thorough examination,
however, for the word to resume the advance was shortly passed down the
line, and they resumed the drive.
From that time on the going was a little easier, and they made
satisfactory progress, inflicting great losses on the Germans, and
losing only a comparatively small number of men themselves. Toward
nightfall, the rain, which had held off all day, began to fall heavily,
and this soon put an end to the advance for that day, as they were
already far beyond the point they had expected to reach.
It was a thoroughly weary but nevertheless cheerful and triumphant
lot of young Americans who made camp that night, for they had the
consciousness of obstacles overcome and difficult work well done that
made their bodily weariness seem a thing of small account.