Fighting in France

" thought Leon. "W

would be with his gun in his hand and his face set toward the enemy

e effort. A quick breath and more dirt filled his mouth. He could not move a muscle in his

it was not so bad. He had done his best and now it was all over. That was the chance

ebody suddenly. "

another voice. "Get th

rking his arms up and down and his wounded shoulder pained him. He

ice which Leon recognized as belonging to Duboi

was feeling much better now and all the men except Earl returned to their holes

me, Earl?"

l. "A shell exploded jus

ave been a

250-mil

h, isn't it? Did

ess in our company than w

lucky," exclaim

e a hole in the ground about six feet deep and spi

arrived on the spot to take Leon ba

piled on me and that didn't do me any harm. Besides there

trength and began to dig his two German overcoats out from under the pile of dirt. He

s crater is much larger and safer than your ditch and l

ig out Leon. There was plenty of room for all three and for a time they felt quit

out lightning?" dema

pretty close, aren't the

y a question of time before one lands on us.

all right," exclaimed Earl. "I don't see wh

n. "We certainly

head though,

manded Leon puzzled by

e German trench about forty

es

go out and take p

ree of us?"

ember that there has been no firing from

an reach it?" excl

n by the Boches. If we remain here it is but a question o

," replied L

oo," ech

up out of the crater and started across the space intervening between th

ven their intimate friends became confused at times. They looked alike, their voices were alike, and

," warned Dubois. "If that should happen I don

to-night anyway," said Leon. "I

oise now and it seemed as if bedlam had been let loose. Closer and closer they came to their goal. Indisti

ll followed by Earl and Leon, he crawled around the end of it. Then he continued until

ld yell split

Franzosen!" (The F

rmans in the trench for all that Dubois and his two comrades could tell. For that matter the Ger

ng out of a trench they had supposed to be vacant, but they were undaunted. Dub

bois, calling upon the small amount

ed again and Leon and

m. It was a strange sensation for two American boys to experience. There they were standing in a deep trench somewhere in France, in

reateningly and the three comrad

chuckled audibly. He and two companions had forced the occu

ove their heads to march towards the French lines. One by one they stepped out and as the three friends saw them outlined

tay here in this trench and you'd better tell the rest of t

s hand to guard against any attempts to escape he and Earl