Clair W. Hayes

“ It burst among the emerging men; he hurled another. A leap of blue flame, which flared high and blinding, followed its detonation. He hurled at the other causeway, first halting by a bomb the out rush of men; and thus he marked the mouth of this second causeway the next instant by a sheet of blue game.
Off to the side, 200 yards, blue flames shot up and glared. Hal was alive, that meant—at least, he had been alive a moment ago, calling shells upon himself from the French batteries, as well as attack from the Germans coming from the ground. ”

“ Between the various German lines of defense, the distance was almost an even mile. As the British tanks advanced across the open ground, smashing down barbed-wire entanglement and crawling in and out of shell craters as though they did not exist, defenders sprang to their positions. Rapid-firers opened upon the British from every conceivable angle; but the shells dropped harmlessly from the sides of the armored tanks. ”

“ CHAPTER XXVIII OVER THE LINES "You will carry these with you, of course," said Captain O'Neill, "those who will be found in, the plane?"
"Yes, sir," said Hal. "They need not be aviators, but merely in uniform."
"You drop from the machine as she strikes, I suppose?" said the captain. "She will run after that, of course."
"Certainly it will leave us unsuspected," said Chester. "It will aid our escape. Certainly no one would suspect a man had planned to fall in flames." ”

“ Captain O'Neill and his followers got to their feet and dashed upon the enemy—all but Private Briggs.
Besides his rifle, each man was armed with hand grenades—bombs—which he carried in his pockets.
When Private Briggs sprang to his feet, it took him so long to untangle himself that the others had gone on ahead of him.
He could see no one.
However, want of courage was not one of his failings. He determined upon a plan of his own. While the other combatants were locked in a death grapple, he would advance by himself to the German trenches and hurl his grenade. ”

“ From the British troops shouts of warning arose. Crews of other tanks had now dismounted, and these men added their voices to those of the others calling upon the apparently venturesome tank to return. These men could understand the advance of the single tractor no more than could the Germans.
"The fools!" shouted one man. "They'll be killed sure; and what good can they do single-handed against the whole German army?"
But the tank driven by Hal took no cognizance of the remarks hurled after it; nor did it swerve from its purpose of waddling straight up to the foe. ”

“ Mademoiselle Vaubaun, in turn, told the lad how she had been left in Cambrai when German troops had swept across Belgium and France in the early days of the war, and how, from time to time, she had found it possible to send word to the French and British staffs of impending German movements.
"But how about me and my friends?" inquired Hal.
"I can hide you all, too. Beyond the room in which your friends are now is a second room and beyond that a false wall. It is there, I will hide the major. I was about to take him there when you came to the door tonight. There is room for all." ”

“ Over the German trenches they plowed their path, as though there was nothing in the way to bar their progress. Walls, earth, and human bodies were crushed beneath them, and they passed on as though nothing had happened. In vain the Germans charged straight up to their sides. There was nothing they could do when they reached the monsters, except to fire ineffectual rifle shots in an effort to penetrate the apertures and reach the gunners, or to hurl hand grenades, which had no effect.
Each time the enemy charged it was never to return. ”

“ General Pershing broke off and became silent. Hal and Chester did not interrupt his meditations. At length the general continued:
"I wish to say before going any further that this mission, if you undertake it, in all probabilities, will mean death for one of you. It is for this reason that the task in hand requires the services of at least two men. One to go and come back, and the other to go—and come back if he can. It may be that neither will return, and yet one must return if the safety of his country is to be maintained." ”

“ This woman here is a distant relative of mine. She is a patriot to the soul. Under the gruff exterior which you have seen she is the most kindly soul in the world. She is risking her life every minute she remains here, for she is accounted one of the most successful of French spies."
"Great Scott!" exclaimed Hal. "You don't mean it. Why, her very actions toward us, if used toward other Germans, it strikes me, would mean a firing squad for her." ”

“ It was a happy army that slept on reconquered territory on the night of November 20,1917. Men talked of nothing but the most glorious victory since the Marne. They knew that the offensive in all likelihood would be resumed the following morning, and most of the troops turned in early that they might be fit on the morrow to make the foe hunt a new "hole." There was no doubt in the breasts of the "Tommies" that the following day would take them nearer to Cambrai and, consequently, Berlin.
Hal and Chester had had no active part in the first day's fighting. ”

“ Chester came up at that moment, and his revolver, glistening in the darkness, lent added weight to Hal's words.
"Oh, well, of course, if you insist," said the German.
He quickly stepped from his uniform, which Chester tossed back to Gregory, who donned it hastily. As hastily the German was bound and gagged, and Hal, Chester and the four Canadians moved forward again.
"We're safe enough for the moment," said Hal, as they walked along. "The enemy will have no suspicion that we are other than we pretend to be until daylight, when one look at your Canadian faces will give the whole thing away." ”

“ The attack was a complete surprise—and a surprise attack in this great war had been called well nigh impossible. Even the German air service was fooled. As a result of its inability to anticipate General Byng's movements, the German fighting machine naturally lost some of its efficiency.
As dawn broke, the British tanks bore down on the foe steadily and without the appearance of undue haste; in fact, the tanks could not have made haste had such been General Byng's plan. Formidable instruments of warfare that they are, they do not number speed among their many accomplishments. ”

“ The Germans fought bravely, but they were so bewildered by this innovation in the art of warfare that their lines had lost their cohesion long before the tanks plowed into them, and they scattered as the British "Tommies" dashed forward, after one withering volley, with the cold steel of the bayonet. ”

“ Captain O'Neill questioned. "There will be men all about, of course; you will be observed."
"What's the matter with coming down observed sir?" said Chester.
"Observed," repeated the captain. "How do you mean?"
"It is something we have talked of before," said Hal. "We have often considered this method of getting a man down inside the German lines, even in a section where discovery is certain. A machine goes up carrying bombs, perhaps; it drops them and attracts anti-aircraft fire. It appears to fall, sir, and comes down in that way." ”

“ Americans though they were, each felt that he would rather be where action were swifter than lying idle in the trenches with their countrymen. It was hard telling how long it would be before the British and French general staffs would consider the American troops sufficiently seasoned to take over a complete sector of the battle line, and for that reason, the "Sammies," as they were affectionately called at home, were unlikely to see any real fighting for some time. ”

“ McKenzie scrambled in the back seat alongside Stubbs, while Hal sprang to the wheel. A moment later the automobile moved slowly from the garage.
As the big machine came clear into the street, a bright light suddenly flashed around the next comer and headed toward them. Hal knew in a moment what it was. It was a motorcycle, bearing a policeman. There was but one course to pursue, and Hal acted without hesitation. He threw the machine into high and it dashed directly toward the motorcycle.
The man saved his life by swerving swiftly to one side. ”

“ Germany has overrun Holland, as well as the rest of the world with spies. Holland is offended, but cannot afford to show it—now. But while we are kept quiet, there are few of us who would not do much to help the Allied cause."
Hal thought quickly. He glanced at the young Dutchman shrewdly. He felt he could be trusted.
"Then," said the lad quietly, "can you conceive of any way by which we can get passports from the Dutch government that will pass us into Germany?"
The young Dutchman manifested no surprise.
"Have no fear," he said, as Chester and McKenzie manifested some anxiety at Hal's words. ”

“ CHAPTER II THE AMBUSH At the point decided upon for the American troops to take their stand was a collection of shell holes. In order that the attack upon the Germans might have all the elements of surprise when it came, Captain O'Neill ordered his men into these holes to guard against any possibility of surprise.
Now, it is an undoubted fact that when a man curls himself up with two or three preliminary twists, after the fashion of a dog going to bed, in a perfectly circular shell hole on a night as black as this, he is extremely likely to lose his sense of direction. ”

“ True, it would require time to put the American fighting machine into shape to take the field, but once its energies had been turned to making war, even Germany knew that America would put her best foot foremost.
The latest British successes had been in the vicinity of Vimy Ridge, which position, believed by the Germans to be impregnable, had been carried by Canadian troops in a single attack. German counter-assaults in this sector had failed to dislodge them, and there they remained secure. ”

“ At the command from the French general, pursuit of the enemy was abandoned, much to the disgust of the American troops, who were for pursuing the Germans clear to their trenches, and beyond, if possible. Hal and Chester, however, realized the wisdom of the French commander's order, for there was a possibility, should the French and Americans advance too close, of their being set upon by overwhelming numbers from the German trenches, or of their being caught by batteries of rapid-firers, which most likely would have meant extermination. ”

“ There is one person in the German capital whom you may trust." General Pershing lowered his voice. "That person," he said, "is the wife of the German undersecretary for foreign affairs. She is an American woman, and upon several occasions has been of service to her own country. Her name is Schweiring."
"We shall remember, sir," said Chester.
"Now," said General Pershing, "I have no advice to offer as to how you shall reach Berlin, nor how you shall go about your work. Once in Berlin, however, you will have to be governed by circumstances. You speak German, I am told?" ”

“ At length General Pershing got to his feet, and, approaching Hal and Chester, laid a. hand on the shoulder of each.
"You are brave youngsters," he said quietly. "From what you have done since the American troops reached France, I know that Marshal Joffre and General Haig have not spoken too highly of you; and yet," here the American commander hesitated a moment before continuing; "and yet the piece of work I have in sight will entail, perhaps, more danger, more finesse, and more resourcefulness than any mission you have ever undertaken." ”

“ It was just growing light when the British army launched the second day's drive.
Along the whole forty-mile line the troops under General Byng advanced simultaneously. This time, however, the Germans were not caught napping. They anticipated the second attack by the British, and a terrific hail of shells and bullets greeted the Allied troops, as they moved across the open ground.
But these men were not raw troops. Hardly a man who could not be called a veteran. They advanced as calmly under fire as though on parade. ”

“ The four friends climbed in, and the car dashed away in the darkness.
For perhaps four or five hours they rode along at a fair speed and soon, Hal knew, they would once more be within their own lines.
It was half-past four o'clock in the morning when Herr Block stopped the car and said:
"I'll leave you here. You must make the rest of the trip alone."
"Great Scott! You can't get out here in the middle of the wilderness," said Hal.
"Don't worry," laughed Herr Block. "I haven't far to go. If you'll look to the right there you will see the lights of a little town. ”

“ With enough of them, irreparable injury could be done to the foe before they could prevent it."
"I notice you say foe," said the young German; "Yet you have American blood in your veins."
"A trifle," returned Hal quietly; "not enough to make me lose sight of justice and right."
"Good!" cried the young German. "Listen. It's true that we have many agents abroad, but some of them have fallen under suspicion and consequently will be of no further value. We need more such men who have lived in America and know the customs, and also will not be suspected. ”

“ In their minds they could see General Rentzel bursting in upon Hal and McKenzie in the middle of their work.
"What are we going to do?" cried the mother.
"They must be warned!' cried the daughter.
"But how?"
"I will warn them myself. It is a long ways to the general's quarters. He will be in no hurry. I can get there ahead of him."
"But if you should be discovered?"
Gladys shrugged her shoulders and was gone before her mother could protest.
Outside she dashed up to the Schweiring automobile and cried to the chauffeur.
"To General Rentzel's quarters! Quick!" ”

“ He placed implicit confidence in the man, for it was perfectly plain that Block was telling the truth when he said his sympathies were with the Allies.
For two days the three friends were the guests of the young Dutchman at his bachelor apartments in Amsterdam. Upon the morning of the third day, Block presented them with passports properly vised by the Dutch authorities.
"These will get you through," he said quietly.
"We can never thank you enough," declared Hal, quietly. "Some day you will realize what a great thing you have done for the world." ”