Army Boys on the Firing Line; or, Holding Back the German Drive

ked to his comrades, a few days later, as they were resting after a hard

e-table," grinned Billy. "He seems to have a passi

ways go wrong," laughed Fran

lly. "I suppose they figure that just by the law of

down like wolves on a fold," said Bart. "But it seems that things were quiet

They'd say that there was 'considerable activity on a section of the line over near Hougomont Farm yesterday, where certain units under Napoleon and Wellington came in conta

oys l

to be armies that did the fighting. Now it's whole natio

kened, for they themselves had once been engaged in a battle in

e rival aviators were masters of their profession. They circled deftly about each other like giant falcons, jockeying for position, each trying t

f admiration came from the lips of the fascinated onlookers as some specially daring mano

rk!" excla

clared Billy. "It's a toss

which is which," said Bart, "but I've got

k. "One of them was hit t

shouted. "It's on fire! A bulle

ne, and it began to fall, fire streaming out in its wak

exclaimed Bart. "Scatter, fellows,

ing mass, whirling over and over as it descended. The aviator, knowing that his only

the boys. It was blazing so fiercely that they could not approach very close to it,

ooked at each o

remarked Frank. "You'd hav

he straightened up and shook, h

tead of flying off toward his own lines, was c

ere going to land here!"

atisfaction of taking him pri

ane is injured and he has t

be in perfect control. Swiftly and steadily it came down, and a cry of as

fearful mistake somewhere. This fellow has down

for that or I miss my gues

s after us without trying to kil

ideal place for a landing, and the American

n astonishment when they recognized, in the aviator who stepped forth, Dick Lever,

with his machine and carrying them off from their captors. It was with mixed feelings that they greeted him, as he came gaily

" he greeted. "W

much for that. We're only sorry that you happened to make

eyes tw

" he chuckled. "I don't m

the wrecked and partly burned pl

k still seemed unabashed and

wrong. That fellow set out to take photographs over our lines and he didn't want to be disturbed, so he painted out his own ma

had been called to it, they could readily see

assurance doubly sure we'll go over to where the aviat

hed there, but the clothing and the effects found proved b

re about. And I'm glad that you came out of the scrap safe

my hands full, and there was one time when he came within an ace of raking me. But luck was wit

ly. "You surely couldn't have read the German markings und

smi

ur plane. That's like asking for the countersign. If the other fellow's all right he makes a certain signal in return. If he doesn't do it the first time, we try again, because there's always a chance t

ff!" appr

suppose that is what he was doing, as he evidently wasn't out looking for fight. I thought it wouldn't do any harm to take a look at him, although I saw the machine had French markings. I gave

ky number for him, all

himself out on the ground for a brief resting spell. "I noti

it's nothing to what it will be after the big German drive gets started.

out it. The roads back of the German lines are just black with troops. It's like an endless swarm of ants. The trains move along in endless procession

them all, I wonde

Russian front. The breakdown of Russia means a cool million at

to work in her factories so that German workmen can be sent into the ranks. She's calling up mere boys who ought to be at their schoolbooks. I tell you, boys, Germany

le Sam's boys are coming into France by the hundreds of thousand

Almost every week she has to change the story. At first she said that America wouldn't fight at all. We were a nation of money grabbers. Then even if we wanted to fight the U

d at each othe

d Billy, "but we've run toward

u see what they're calling them now? Teufelhunden. They're devil-ho

will aim for when they do beg

r that. But if they can't do that, they'll probably make a break for Paris. They figure that if they once got that in their hands the French would be ready to sue for peace. Or they may try to take the Channel

do his worst

matter what he does, he'll ha