Boy Allies on the Firing Line; Or, Twelve Days Battle Along the Marne Read online

  CHAPTER III.

  WITH THE ARMY AGAIN.

  In the dimness of the little woods in which they stood, the boys, atfirst, could not see the man who had accosted them.

  At a word from Hal the little party came to a halt.

  "Who goes there?" came the question from the darkness.

  "Friends!" replied Hal in German, which he spoke like a native.

  "Advance!" came the reply, and the shadow of a German soldier, withhis rifle raised, ready to fire, suddenly appeared before them.

  It was too dark for the German soldier to make out their uniformsuntil the English were upon him. Then he started back with a cry.

  "English!" he exclaimed in surprise.

  His amazement, slight though it was, proved his undoing. For as hestaggered back Hal sprang forward, and the butt of his upraised riflefell with stunning force upon the German's head. The soldier droppedto the ground with a slight moan.

  "We'll have to get away from here quick!" exclaimed Chester. "Comeon, men, follow us!"

  Silently the little party, bearing off slightly to the right, wentforward. Suddenly Chester stopped and clutched Hal by the arm.

  "Great Scott!" he whispered. "Look! We are right in the middle ofthem!"

  It was true. Ahead of them, in a long line running in each direction,the boys could see figures sprawled on the ground. It was a Germanforce sleeping. There was not the sign of a light, a tent, or a hut.Here and there the boys could make out the dim form of a sentryflitting about.

  "We have certainly got into a mess," whispered Hal.

  "We have that," replied Chester. "Shall we make another detour?"

  Hal thought for a few moments.

  "I believe the best way is to try and go right through them withoutbeing seen," he replied at length. "There is no telling how far thisline stretches out, and if we didn't get around them by daylight itwould be all off with us."

  "But the sentries?" asked Chester.

  "Well, we shall have to dispose of anyone who sees us without beingheard. That's all there is about it."

  "All right, then," said Chester. "We might as well move at once."

  The plan was outlined to the men and they went forward. A moment andthey were in the midst of the sleeping Germans. It was plain now thatthe line of sleepers stretched out for some distance, but that it wasnot very deep. Three minutes undiscovered and they would be throughsafely.

  Silently they crept between the sleeping soldiers. There was acertain amount of safety in the very boldness of the plan, for it wasunlikely, should a sentry see them moving about, he would take themfor English; and even if he did now, they would be able to make a dashwith some hope of success. The German soldiers, tired and completelyexhausted, slept heavily, and not one so much as moved in his sleep.

  The little party was now at the last line of sleepers, and just asHal, believing they had accomplished their difficult task, drew abreath of relief, a form suddenly appeared from the darkness beforethem. It was a German sentry.

  Before he could make an outcry Chester and Hal both leaped forward.The former's hands grasped the German by the throat, stifling thesound of his voice, and Hal quickly delivered two hard blows to theman's face. The German fell limply into Chester's arms, and the boylaid him quietly on the ground.

  Then they moved forward again. The sounds of the scuffle had arousedno one. But suddenly there was the sound of a fall behind. Turninghis head quickly, Hal perceived the cause of this commotion whichcaused such a racket in the stillness of the night.

  One of the English soldiers had tripped over the body of a sleepingGerman and had fallen across him. He was up in a moment, but so wasthe German, sleepily hurling imprecations at the disturber of hisslumber.

  Before the German soldier was able to arouse himself, the Englishmandealt him a heavy blow over the head with his rifle butt. But thenoise had brought another to the scene. There was the sharp crack of arifle, and the English soldier who had caused all the trouble pitchedto the ground. To the right Hal and Chester saw another sentry, asmoking rifle in his hands.

  At the sound of the shot the whole German camp sprang to life as if bymagic; and at the same instant Hal shouted:

  "Run!"

  At full speed the little party, only nine now, dashed forward. Theother man lay dead in the German camp. There was a hoarse German cryof command, and a hail of bullets followed the fugitives into thewoods. No man fell, though two groaned, and one dropped his rifle. Thedarkness made accurate shooting by the Germans impossible.

  Not pausing to return the fire of the enemy, the fugitives stumbled onthrough the woods. Another and another volley came from the pursuingGermans, but they were firing at random now, and the fact that Hal andChester had led the way well to the right augured well for theirchance of safety.

  But as the darkness made accurate shooting by the Germans impossible,so it made speed by the fugitives impossible also. They stumbled alongas well as they could, now and then tripping over a fallen limb ortumbling into a hole. Tired and almost exhausted, they at lengthemerged into the open, and broke into a weary run.

  "We have got to get under cover of some kind before they reach theedge of the woods, or we are gone goslings," panted Hal.

  Suddenly, in the darkness, they came upon another clump of trees, andas they stumbled into their shelter another volley rang out. One mangroaned and stumbled. A comrade lent a supporting hand and dragged himinto the woods.

  "We'll stop here a moment and pick off a few of 'em," said Hal grimly.

  The Germans were now advancing across the open space. Lying upon theground, the nine opened fire. They aimed carefully and not a shot waswasted, and so rapid was their fire that the Germans halted.

  "They don't know how many of us there are," said Hal, "and they areafraid to take a chance. One more volley, men, and then up and run forit again."

  A final volley was delivered with telling effect, and the Englishsprang to their feet and darted through the woods. The Germans gavethem a parting shot, but there was no pursuit.

  "That was pretty close," said Chester.

  "It was, indeed," replied Hal, "and there is one more of our men gone.Was anyone wounded?" he asked, turning to the others.

  "Shot in the shoulder, sir," replied a man named Brown.

  "They got me in the arm," said another.

  "Anyone else?" questioned Hal.

  There was no reply, and Hal asked:

  "Are you two men able to go on without assistance?"

  "Yes," was the reply.

  "Good! Then come on."

  All night long the little party continued on their march, and it wasnot until the first gray streak of dawn showed them, in the distance,the first British line that the boys felt entirely safe.

  Their report made, they were returning, later in the day, to theirquarters to seek a much needed rest, when a well known voiceexclaimed:

  "Well, boys, how are you?"

  The lads turned quickly about; then each gave a cry of delight andgrabbed the man who had accosted them by the hand.

  "Captain Derevaux!" they exclaimed in a single voice.

  "No," replied the gallant Frenchman, with a smile. "Major Derevaux, ifyou please!"