Part 19 (1/2)

”But we were ordered to hold them for two hours,” protested the other.

”Of course,” returned the man addressed as Francois. ”That settles it.

Two hours are two hours.”

”Right,” said the other. ”Also two hours are only two hours, which makes it that much better.”

”But at the end of two hours, then what?” asked a third soldier.

The man who had first engaged Francois in conversation shrugged his shoulders.

”That,” he said, ”is not for us to decide. But we will not be forgotten, you may be sure of that. Our general will see that we are relieved.”

”You may rest a.s.sured on that score,” Hal agreed. ”Having picked you as the men to defend this important position, it is not to be expected that he will see you all sacrificed.”

There was another cheer from the men, followed a moment later by a shout from one at the front window.

”Here they come again, sir!”

CHAPTER XIV

HAL LEADS A SORTIE

Hal sprang forward and gave a quick look at the enemy.

Apparently, the a.s.sault was to be made on the same plan as before. After the last retreat of the enemy, their officers had succeeded in re-forming them beyond the zone of French fire and now were about to hurl the troops forward in another grand offensive against the farmhouse. The Germans moved forward silently and doggedly.

”It'll be a little warmer this time,” Hal muttered to himself.

And the lad was right.

Straight on came the Germans at the charge in spite of the withering fire poured in among them by the French; straight up to the side of the house they rushed, though there were many men who did not get that far; and then the German troops deployed.

While perhaps a hundred men remained at the front of the house, apparently to seek entrance through the doorway blocked with their own dead, the others divided and dashed round the house, some to the right and some to the left.

Now, for the first time, French troops who had not been posted at the front windows came into action.

As the Germans rushed around the house, these French troops leaned from their windows on the side of the house and poured volley after volley into the German ranks. They were almost directly above the Germans and the latter were at a great disadvantage; for they could not return the fire of the French without pausing in their mad rush; and when they did pause and bring their rifles to bear upon the windows above, there were no French heads to be seen there.

But when they dashed on again, the French heads reappeared and again the Germans fell in large numbers.

But the losses of the French by this time, in spite of the comparative safety afforded by their position, had been extremely heavy, considering the size of the original force. Chester, in the bas.e.m.e.nt, still had suffered no casualties, but fully a third of the men on the two floors above had been killed or wounded.

And there had been no time to care for these wounded, except for the brief respites occasioned by the retreat of the Germans. Now that the fighting was on again the wounded were left to s.h.i.+ft for themselves; and the air was filled with moans and groans.

The Germans in front of the house again had tried in vain to force a pa.s.sage of the doorway, choked with their own dead and dying. This had failed, for the French, under the direction of Captain Leroux, had poured in such a galling fire that the Germans dropped as fast as they appeared in the doorway.

From above, the defenders at the front of the house, also, had done heavy execution among the enemy below. Again the Germans wavered; then retreated; and the French mowed them down as they ran.