Part 3 (2/2)
”They felt so sure that they were going to make mincemeat out of us that it was hard to wake out of their dream,” chuckled Frank. ”I wonder if they're still kidding themselves in Berlin that the Yankees can't fight.”
”In Berlin perhaps but not here,” returned Bart. ”They've had too much evidence to the contrary.”
”I wonder if this is really the beginning of the big drive that the Huns have been boasting about?” hazarded Billy.
”I hardly think so,” replied Frank. ”There's no doubt that that's coming before long, but the fighting yesterday and today was probably to pinch us out of the salient we're holding. That would straighten out their line and then they'd be all ready for the big push. When that comes there will be some doings.”
”The longer they wait the harder the job will be,” said Billy. ”They say that our boys are coming over so fast that they're fairly blocking the roads.”
”They can't come too many or too fast,” replied Bart. ”And they'll sure be some busy bees after they get here.”
”Well, we're not worrying,” observed Billy. ”We're getting along pretty well, thank you. By the way, Frank,” he went on with a grin, ”are you feeling any different on this ground today than you felt last night?”
”Bet your life,” laughed Frank. ”It's just about here that I was calling a Heinie a jacka.s.s. And at that same minute I was thinking that my life wasn't worth a plugged nickel.”
”Wonder how the fellow made out that you left in the sh.e.l.l hole,”
chuckled Billy.
”Oh, he was all right,” replied Frank. ”I shouldn't wonder if he was rather chilly during the night, but no doubt they hauled him out in the morning.”
”He got off lucky, though,” put in Bart. ”It's the sentry who got the hot end of the poker. I wonder what he thought when he heard that watchword.”
”He didn't have much time to think,” guessed Billy, ”and to tell the truth, I don't think he's done much thinking since. That revolver must have hit him a fearful crack.”
”It's safe to say that it gave him a headache anyway,” remarked Bart drily.
”Speaking of the revolver,” said Frank, rising to his feet, ”I'm going to take a look for it. It was just over near that tree that I plugged the sentry and it's probably there yet.”
He searched industriously among the welter of debris and after a few minutes arose with a shout.
”Here's it is,” he said, as he held up his recovered treasure, which had his initials scratched upon the b.u.t.t. ”Same old trusty and as good as ever. It's saved my life many a time through the muzzle, but last night was the first time it saved it through the b.u.t.t.”
He fondled the weapon lovingly for a moment, carefully cleaned and reloaded it, and thrust it in his belt.
Just then a French colonel pa.s.sed by, accompanied by two orderlies.
The French had been holding a section of the line at the right of the Americans and their uniform was a familiar sight, so that the boys only gave the group a pa.s.sing glance. But Frank's eyes lighted with pleasure when the colonel detached himself from the others and came over with extended hand.
Frank wrung the hand heartily.
”Why, Colonel Pavet!” he exclaimed. ”This is a great pleasure! I didn't know that you were in this locality.”
”My regiment is only two miles from here,” replied the colonel, his face beaming. ”I need not say how glad I always am to see the brave young soldier who saved my life.”
”What I did any one else would have done,” responded Frank lightly.
<script>