Part 22 (2/2)
”Why, can't you see what itwhere the artillery can get over without building a bridge?” he demanded ”To hold up the French here the Ger to sacrifice thousands of their best uns now on the way north There, it's co, I do believe”
None of theood reason Every gun the French had within a round shook under the concussion Across on the other side they could see the shells bursting everywhere It seeht out each place where they suspected hostile batteries or colu the entire vicinity
This was ”preparing the ground for the seed,” as ar” ell under way no doubt the order that had been awaited so long and iiven; when they would start toward the bank of the river and strike into the shalloater, breasting their way across if possible
The three boys fairly held their breath with awe, knoas co like one who had the ”shakes,” yet wholly unable to drag his horrified eyes away fro before hi that there was little or no chance of his being noticed and fired at, unless indeed soroup of French officers observing the progress of the battle froone on for sons that told hi He could not have made his chums hear, no matter how he shouted, and so he contented hi each of the They knehat he h not a as uttered
The violent gunfire was being kept up, but fro strea madly for the ford, and every man apparently wild to be the first to atte
CHAPTER XXIV
A FRENCH HERO
”Can they ever do it?”
Undoubtedly this as filling the heart and brain of each of those boys as they watched the living stream of French rapidly draw nearer the river ford commanded by that destructive German battery, and which thus far they had not been able to reach and silence with their own guns and aeroplane attacks
The ti the shalloater of the ford was of very brief duration Undoubtedly the French had crept up just as close as the nature of the ground would pero unseen
Still to those anxious hearts on the little rise itto the strain they were laboring under As yet the Ger force had fallen save when they stuain
Possibly Hanky Panky may even have deluded himself with the hope that when it caive up their desperate intention of defending the ford to the last gasp Josh knew better, because he understood the holdfast nature of the Teutons better than did his chu on just when the bitter blast would break forth that was going to mon those valiantpell- huzzas
At least thethe instructions of their officers This was bound to be of advantage to them, since the fire of the enerain falls before the scythe of the reaper or the revolving knives of the et across anyhow!” Josh was telling hi comfort
Now the first of the French had reached the bank They leaped impetuously into the water and hastened to start across As they advanced of course they waded deeper, and their pace lessened Was this just what those cool, calculating Ger for? Rod expected to hear the first crash at any second no his heart went out to those gallant fellows splashi+ng through the river at the disputed ford He felt as though he must shut his eyes so as not to see as fated to occur; but for the life of him he could not Some power beyond his control forced hiht andpicture
The ford was now fairly alive withhurriedly toward the other shore, where not a German could be seen The bushes in that quarter lay there as unassuh every one did not conceal a foe with ready rifle waiting for the order to come to pour in a terrific fire
That was the picture Rod would often recall in days to come It was staht, the hovering clouds of billoder s French over the opposite bank of the river--all these things had a part in the never-to-be-forgotten scene
Then it see held in check, hty convulsion Froe of batteries, while a thousand rifles added their sharper notes to the dreadful chorus
And the men in the river, what of them?
Scores could be seen to throw up their ar them away Others were forced to turn and start back to the shore they had so recently left, having been wounded roups, shohat terrible carnage those guns in the leading German battery had already executed
Still the forward movement had not been as yet effectually stopped