Part 12 (1/2)

There was a m.u.f.fled exclamation and a short sharp struggle. Then the sentry lay on the ground unconscious, while Frank and Bart hastily improvised a gag, and bound the man's hands and feet.

”Good work,” commended the corporal, as Frank and Bart rejoined their comrades. ”That was the most ticklish part. The rest ought to be easy.”

But he was mistaken, for just then the door of a dugout in a small trench opened, and two men came out with lanterns. It was evidently the corporal of the guard who had come out with a private to relieve the sentry.

There was an exclamation of surprise and alarm, and as the light of the lanterns revealed the group of dark figures at the head of the trench, the men started to leap back into the dugout. But a rifle cracked and one of them fell. The other, however, got inside and slammed and barred the door.

”Rush them, men!” shouted the corporal, and charged, at their head, toward the dugout.

Two or three of them launched themselves against the door, but it held.

”Splinter it with your gun b.u.t.ts!” yelled the corporal, and a series of heavy blows thundered against the barrier.

Some of the planks started to give, but before the door had completely yielded, it was thrown open from within and the Germans rushed out, firing as they came.

They were met by a return volley, and two of them fell. But the others charged fiercely, and in an instant the two forces were engaged in a terrible hand-to-hand battle.

In the narrow confines of the trench there was no chance for shooting after the first volley. It was a matter of fists and knives and in this the Germans proved, as they had many times before, that they were no match for the sinewy young Americans who with a yell went at them like wild-cats.

Sullenly they retreated and their leader held up his hands and shouted ”_Kamerad!_”

His followers did the same. The fight was over. None of the Americans had been killed though one was slightly and another severely wounded.

Three of the Germans would never fight again and two others stood supported by their comrades.

Two of the Americans stood at the door of the dugout and searched the Germans for arms as they came through. Others stood at the head of the trench and herded the prisoners together for transportation to the other side.

The German corporal looked about him as he and his men stood guarded by Americans with loaded rifles, and his chagrin was evident as he realized that he had been captured by so small a force.

”Are these all the men you have?” he asked in pa.s.sable English of Wilson.

”They were enough, weren't they?” answered Wilson with a grin that reflected itself on the faces of his comrades.

”_Donnerwetter!_” growled the German. ”You would never have taken us if we had known!”

”We don't tell all we know,” answered Wilson with a grin.

The prisoners were ferried across in groups of half a dozen at a time, but not before Billy had had the satisfaction of gathering up the insulting placards that had aroused his ire and tearing them up before the Germans' faces.

”Feel better now?” laughed Frank.

”Lots,” replied Billy. ”I couldn't exactly make them swallow them, but they must have felt almost as bad to see so much German Kultur going to waste.”

The party was greeted with exuberant delight on their return, and received the special thanks of the captain.

”It was a big risk,” he smiled, ”but risks have a way of going through when they are carried out by the boys I'm lucky enough to command.”

”You forget, Captain,” smiled the lieutenant who stood nearby, ”that there are no American soldiers in France.”

”That's so,” laughed the captain. ”The U-boats stopped us from coming over, didn't they?”