Ned, Bob and Jerry on the Firing Line Part 33

And the fighting went on.

It was awful! The food dwindled away as did the ammunition. But still the surrounded battalions--now less than half their original strength--would not surrender.

"What will be the outcome?" asked Bob wearily, as he and his chums, hidden in a sh.e.l.l hole, held their part of the line.

"We'll win! That's what will be the outcome!" cried Jerry fiercely.

"We'll show the Huns how we fight!"

There came a terrific burst of firing, and a hail of bullets swept over their heads.

"They're coming on again!" yelled Ned.

The firing increased, but it did not seem to approach nearer. Instead, it appeared to be going away.

"What can it mean?" asked Jerry.

"There's heavy fighting going on over there," and Ned indicated a point in the forest where it was known the Germans were in strong force.

There was activity among those that were left of the two battalions.

Last desperate efforts had been made to send runners through the enemy line to regimental headquarters to summon help, but all had been killed or captured. It seemed the end of everything, when this new and heavy firing was heard.

And then, like a drink of cold water to a fever-dying man, a ringing American cheer came through the woods to the ears of the exhausted ones.

"What is it? What is it?" cried Bob. "What does it mean?"

"It means we're rescued!" shouted Jerry, jumping up and swinging his cap, disregarding possible German snipers. "It means the relief has come through!"

The lost battalions were found, the Germans holding them in the forest were killed or driven away, and the remainder of the men were saved.

So ended one of the most dramatic episodes of the war, the losing and finding of these brave men who would not surrender, but preferred death first.

On came the relieving army, and there was rest and food and sleep for the beleaguered ones--and of it all perhaps they needed sleep most, for they had not dared to rest much during that terrible week.

"But it will be something to tell the folks back home," said Bob, as the three chums sat down together, able to eat and talk without the fear of a German bullet or sh.e.l.l.

"Yes, if we ever get there," admitted Ned.

"And, all this while, we haven't heard a word from the professor,"

said Jerry. "I'm worried about him."

So were his chums, and if they could have seen their friend at that moment their anxiety would have been justified.

For briefly to chronicle the adventures that befell the little scientist: The morning he had wandered from his temporary French boarding place without his hat, he really had gone in pursuit of a strange and rare b.u.t.terfly.

Then, as so often happened, he became so engrossed in his scientific work that he forgot all about everything else, and, before he knew it, he was miles away from home--or what pa.s.sed for home in those days.

It was late afternoon when Professor Snodgra.s.s finally captured the b.u.t.terfly which had eluded him so long, and put it carefully away in a pocket case. Then he began to think about getting back. His stomach told him it was long past his dinner hour.

Just how it happened he never knew, and probably it would never happen again, but he managed to wander across No Man's Land at a place secluded, and thinly guarded, and found himself behind the German lines.

Professor Snodgra.s.s was not aware of this. He saw only that he was approaching a small French village down a pleasant valley, so far away from the immediate theater of war that the distant guns made but a dull rumble.

At first the little scientist thought it was his own humble village he was coming to, and it was not until he saw some German soldiers about, and noted the queer looks on the faces of the French inhabitants, that he realized his mistake.

As it happened, the big American attack was in progress, and every available soldier was being rushed to the front, the few remaining in this village being among the number. They were preparing to leave.

So that, in their haste to obey orders and get to their firing line, or perhaps because they were too busy to notice one lone little American scientist, no attention was paid to Professor Snodgra.s.s.

When he saw that he was in an unfamiliar village and began to ask questions, he was met with astonished looks, perhaps as much at his peculiar way of speaking French as anything else. But one Frenchman said:

"How did you, an American, manage to get through?"

"I don't know," answered the professor. "But now I want to get back."

"Impossible, Monsieur. But come, I will hide you, if I can. I have some fellow countrymen of yours at my house, or rather, some fellow countrywomen."

"Americans?"

"Yes, two young ladies. They were left behind by a certain German, by name of Louder or Chowder--name of a name--and I looked after them.

They will be glad to see you."

"Oh, dear!" said the professor. "Ladies--American ladies--here in this terrible place! I must do what I can for them. Take me to them, please."

And the Frenchman did so, with all the caution he could use. But it was not needed. Events were transpiring that made the Germans think of beginning a retreat instead of capturing one lone United States college professor.

"Here!" exclaimed the Frenchman, as he ushered his new friend into his humble home. "Here are the ladies. I have brought you a fellow countryman," he added, nodding to his guests.

Two girls, whose pretty faces bore worried looks, arose to confront Professor Snodgra.s.s. He bowed, rather fl.u.s.tered as he always was in the presence of women, and then, as he looked intently at the girls, a strange look came over his face.

"Excuse me," he murmured, as he reached for something in his pocket.

He took a card from an envelope and, looking at one of his companions, asked:

"Are you Gladys Petersen?"

"I am!" was the surprised answer. "But how----"

"And are you Dorothy Gibbs?" went on the little scientist, turning to the other.

"That is my name, but----"

"Then I have found you," said the little man quietly. "My name is Snodgra.s.s, and I have a letter to you from your uncle, Professor Emil Petersen. He leaves you half his fortune and me the other half. I have been looking everywhere for you, and now I have found you. But I wish the boys were here."

"What boys?" asked Miss Petersen.

Without answering this question the professor explained his errand, and told of his long search for the girls, to their no small astonishment. They were shocked to hear of their uncle's death, but they had, long since, given up all hope of ever sharing in his wealth, even though he had become reconciled to them after the deaths of their parents.

"But it is all true," said Professor Snodgra.s.s. "He wants you to share in his fortune, or rather, he wanted you to, and I am to carry out his wishes as expressed in his will. By so doing I get a fortune for myself. It is really a great relief. But now tell me--how did you girls get here? The last I heard of you was that you were near Metz."

"We were there," answered Miss Petersen; "but the German family with whom we were staying after uncle went away thought the place in danger of capture and left, taking us with them. Finally, after traveling about, they said we had better shift for ourselves, as it was dangerous for any German to befriend any American, which we are.