Part 12 (2/2)

In addition to this the lads had a few rounds left for their own rifles, though, as Roger had said there was very little available.

They had fired fast and fiercely in the rush on the old mill.

”Let's look around and see if the Huns had any food they didn't gobble,” suggested Roger. ”That ration of mine was only a sample.”

A look from the mill windows showed that the advancing German army had no present intentions, as far as could be judged, of attacking the red mill. They did not seem to be paying any attention to it.

So far there had been a total absence of either artillery or rifle fire. The advance had been made silently and comparatively quietly.

On either side of the mill, in the far distance, and to the rear, however, were dull rumblings and booms that told of war's activities.

Greatly to their relief, the lads found quite a store of food the Germans had put away, evidently in preparation for a long stay in the mill. It was not food of the best quality, but it was better than nothing, they all agreed. And there was water in plenty.

”If they come at us we'll fight as long as we can,” decided Jimmy, which was the sentiment of all, ”and we'll live to the best of our ability meanwhile.”

”But they don't seem to be going to attack,” ventured Roger. ”They look to me as though they were settling down for a long stay. I can't see 'em digging trenches yet, but maybe there are some already dug.”

While getting the food and ammunition in readiness, and dragging back the dead bodies out of the way, the boys occasionally looked from the mill windows. As Roger had said, the army appeared to have come to a halt, both the center and the wings.

The Khaki Boys had just finished binding up their minor hurts, and were talking of their chances for escape, when there suddenly sounded outside a whine, a scream and a mingled roar.

The next instant there was an explosion that threw them all flat from the force of the concussion, and a terrific noise deafened them. They seemed to be at the ending of the career of this part of the old earth as they saw the whole front wall of the red mill collapse, falling as though sliced off by a gigantic cleaver.

CHAPTER XI

A STRANGE RESCUE

Stunned by the concussion, half choked by the clouds of dust and smoke, terribly jarred when they had been felled by the force of the explosion just outside the mill, our five heroes lay, for several seconds, totally unable to stir. Had there been a rush of Huns on them at that moment, or had some following explosion endangered the mill, they would not have been able to move to save themselves.

But, for a time, there was no further explosion, so that the Khaki Boys had a chance to recover their breath, and, what was more important in their perilous situation, gather their no less scattered wits.

”What--what in the name of the great Attila himself was that?” gasped Roger.

”I think it was yet a gun what went off,” mildly said Iggy.

”A gun? Say, it must have been the grandfather of all the cannon the Huns ever made,” declared Jimmy. ”Are any of you alive?”

”Guess we're all alive,” answered Bob, as he slowly arose and shook some of the dust from him. For the dust was thick all over, in clouds and scattered about. Some of it was flour dust and other was the lime and mortar that had held together the front wall which had collapsed and slid outward. The whole front of the mill was open.

There was no doubt about their all being alive, but, for a time, even this had been in doubt. They were still stunned, but they managed to gather in a knot about Jimmy. They were hardly able to breathe, partly because of the shock and partly because of the choking dust.

”There goes our defense,” said Bob, gloomily, pointing to where the machine-gun stood--the one they had decided to use against their enemies. It had been crushed by the falling wall.

”Lucky we had the rations in the back room,” commented Roger, ”Else we'd go hungry.”

”We may yet,” returned Jimmy, grimly.

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