The Boy Allies in the Trenches Part 8

"Had we not been struck motionless by your great display of courage, we might have done so," replied Chester, smiling to himself. "But surely you would not have had us rob you of the glory?"

"Well, no, I wouldn't have wished that," answered Stubbs. "But just the same when a man is attacked by a bunch of wild cats, the first thing he thinks of is help."

"But tell me, Mr. Stubbs," said Chester, "what were you doing in the road in the first place?"

"Why," muttered the little man, somewhat confused, "I was seeking to make out the number of the enemy so that I might tell you whether we were strong enough to defeat them."

"That's all right; I just wanted to know."

Mr. Stubbs peered out from behind the tree, and as he did so a German bullet went whizzing by. Mr. Stubbs hurriedly threw himself upon the ground.

"What's the matter?" demanded Chester, although he knew well enough.

"A slight illness," replied Mr. Stubbs. "I am somewhat faint. I fear I overexerted myself in my struggle with the wild cats."

He lay there behind the tree, stretched out at full length. Nor could he be induced to get to his feet.

Slowly the last half of a moon arose, giving a little light but making the shadows deeper.

Bullets whistled through the trees at regular intervals now, and wherever a man exposed himself the German sharpshooters ran him quickly back to cover or shot him down.

But the British, excellent marksmen that they were, in spite of their losses were having the better of the encounter. Wherever a German arm or leg was exposed, there a British bullet struck. Consequently the firing soon became desultory and then ceased altogether.

Taking advantage of this lull, Chester made a dash, and succeeded in reaching a tree behind which Hal and Captain Anderson had taken shelter.

"What are we going to do?" he demanded. "Surely we can't stay here much longer."

"Well, what shall we do?" demanded Hal. "At the first break the Germans will shoot us down."

"We must do something," replied Chester. "Wait a moment"--as Hal turned away--"I have an idea."

"What is it?" demanded Hal.

"Yes, let's have it," said Captain Anderson.

"Well, why can't a few of us--say ten men--crawl toward the rear, and, when out of sight, make a detour and catch the Germans from the rear?

Those who are left here will fire only at intervals, so that when we open from the rear the enemy will believe that the major part of our men are there. Naturally they will present their strongest front there. Then you can take them by surprise from this side."

"By Jove!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Captain Anderson. "That's not a half-bad idea."

"It's a good idea," said Hal. "It shall be acted upon at once. Now, who shall go and who shall stay here?"

"Well," said Chester, "as it was I who suggested the plan, I guess I am the one to head those who go. Detail ten men, Hal, and I'll start at once."

The men placed at his disposal Chester made ready to go; but, before he left, he called to Hal:

"By the way, when you leave here don't forget Stubbs. He's lying behind a tree over there," pointing.

"I'll get him," Hal called back, "if I have to carry him on my shoulder."

Dropping to all fours Chester and his ten men soon disappeared in the distance.

Feeling sure that he was out of sight in the thick underbrush, Chester jumped to his feet. The ten men did likewise, and turning to the left all dashed off through the brambles as fast and as quietly as possible. Among the bushes it was very dark, and for this reason the little party was unable to make much speed; but, nevertheless, they pushed on as rapidly as possible.

Finally, feeling that he had gone far enough, Chester turned once more sharply to the left, and pushed on in the way he had come.

At length they came again to the road, and, making sure that there was no German in sight, Chester silently led his men across the highway to the German side. Here they pushed straight on for a considerable distance, until the lad felt certain that they had penetrated to the rear of the German line. He then led his men sharply to the left again.

If his calculations were correct he must now be behind the enemy.

The little band of British crept forward silently now and more slowly. It was ticklish work, and not a soldier but recognized the fact as, very cautiously, they pressed on.

Chester halted abruptly. Directly ahead, perhaps fifty yards, he made out the form of a single figure. Silently the lad crept closer. It was as he had expected. The man was a German, and undoubtedly one of the force which had so recently attacked them.

Chester threw his men out in a thin line, the distance between each man being perhaps twenty yards.

"Fire when I give the word, and not until then," he ordered. "And make every shot count. If the enemy rushes us give way as slowly as possible; but if they try a hide-and-seek game, keep your positions behind shelter as much as you can."

The men repeated this order to show that they understood, and all crept forward. Three minutes of silent crawling and they came within full view of the German line. It was still facing the road, across which were the British. In the faint moonlight the entire force was clearly exposed to Chester's party.

When Chester believed that he had approached near enough, he raised his hand for a halt. Quickly each man concealed himself behind the largest tree he could find.

So far they had not been discovered.

Chester glanced quickly around. Everything was ready.

Drawing a bead upon the German soldier who was nearest, Chester at last gave the command his men had been eagerly awaiting:

"Fire!"

The eleven British rifles cracked out as one, and as many of the enemy toppled over, for the British, unseen, had approached so close that a miss was practically an impossibility.

Immediately confusion reigned among the enemy. Taken completely by surprise, as Chester had intended they should be, the Germans lost all signs of formation. Before they could recover their scattered wits and turn upon their new foes, or even seek new shelter, the British had poured in a second volley.

But the German officers, displaying great skill and bravery, soon had their men under control, and turned upon the little party of British in the rear.

Chester perceived what was about to happen and cried out to his men:

"They are going to rush us! Pick 'em off as they come!"

The Germans, at a command, sprang forward, and the British fired full in their faces.

The Germans reeled, and for a moment it seemed they would seek shelter once more; but they rallied and came on.

But, as they came, a volley was poured into them from the rear. Hal's men, on the opposite side of the road, had advanced quickly, and again the Germans had been surprised.

Caught thus between two fires, and unable to tell the number of their foe, the Germans were at a great disadvantage. Nevertheless, outnumbering the British as they did, they fought bravely, jumping quickly behind the nearest trees, determined to sell their lives as dearly as possible.