The Khaki Boys Fighting to Win; or, Smashing the German Lines

that,

t's

a party coming along th

aki-clad Sammies stood on the alert in the muddy ditch, dignified by the title, "trench

uired he who h

guttural voice, with a foreign a

want the lieutenant dropping in on us!" And Corporal Robert Dalton c

ng with no trace of German accent. "Don't forget that the Boches may have listening parties out right in f

ike the relief coming, and yet we can't be going to

his Polish tongue to the strange language called En

tzel, the talk now being reduced to

-repossible," sai

variously called by his comrades. "There is some

tightly. The sound of advancing footsteps, cautious as they

Who goe

on the job!"

ness of the foremost trench, waiting, listened for the answe

geant Barlow, ordered to

Blazes und Rud

is enthusiasm, had spoken above a whisper, and even

er from the sentry, evidently acting on advice from the l

f the three who stood so close together, and then

find your friends

s were grasping hands in the da

united again," said Rog

mented Jimmy Blaise. "Now we

damp, foggy weather," was Bob Dalton's contribution. He sometimes "p

did you manage to g

answer. "They haven't had to carry me

z. "I mean, did you ask to be transfe

know after we wrote our letters to-night-or, rather last night,

to wait for the zero si

told to report to Lieutenant Dobson here," resumed Jimmy. "And when we rememb

sh lad, and there was rather a pathetic note in his

English language than the Boches c

a much hardness to

g, that's sure!" declared Roger. "Put her there, old

en the five had taken such easy position

"Everybody's on their tiptoes. I wish it was over-

nted Franz. "But it

o you make i

Jimmy in a low voice. "It was nearly th

cing one finger over the bulb so that no rays wou

o four," h

nutes more,

fteen years, though,

on in the World War. Tensely and quietly they waited in the trench for the hands of time to move to the hour of four. This was the "zero" period, when in

se and Roger Barlow-went to a distant part of the intricate trench system, while the two corporals, Robert Dalton and Ignace Pulinski and Sergeant Franz Schnitzel were together in a ditch near the middle o

ey stood in the mud and darkness waiting. For it had rained and

this time to-morrow," m

sister' stuff!" said

my enough here

hispers on either side of them, for their comrades up and down the

r, trying to speak cheerfully. "Somehow I've got

gy. "Of my dream I now know only one cl

f Mike! Don't croak

mand. Jimmy had spoken too loudly, and

d. Once again Roger caref

is it?" whi

minute

ince you looked before! It seems like

he night

l about it. Earlier in the night there had been dis

h his little pocket electric torch again when suddenly the

nal!" cr

t!" shrilled Roger in

" yelled Bob.

ckness, the five Brothers, and their comrades up and down the trenches, leaped

sang Iggy. "Now I can of

they raced over the rough ground, through the gaps cut in t

and boom they sang their anthem of death. The rattle of rifles c

m by surprise, they were not slow in responding. With all that we think of the Boches we must give them cr

ome on!" ye

Up and at 'em!

ng to be some fig

ated by the flashes from hundreds of guns. Lines of khaki-clad Sammies were

Jimmy, as, looking back, he saw Bob, the P

adly at the distant gray lines of German soldiers in front of them.

der their feet. They felt the shock of rushing air.

rough the air. Whether this was the effect of the big shell that had exploded, or whether it was caused by a smaller one going off a moment later, Jimmy cou