Part 19 (2/2)

Suddenly Hal bethought himself of a daring plan. Das.h.i.+ng down stairs he confided it to Captain Leroux. The latter clapped his hands in approval.

”You shall direct the move,” he exclaimed. ”I'll take your post and see that the Germans in front continue to fall back; also I shall be able to cover you to some extent.”

He ran quickly upstairs.

Quickly Hal picked fifty men.

”Clear away those bodies,” he said, pointing to the German dead that blocked the doorway.

It was the work of but a few minutes.

”Now,” said Hal, ”when we go out the door, I want half of you to go around the house to the left. The others follow me.”

He divided the men into two squads.

”We'll catch the fellows who got behind us by surprise,” the lad explained. ”They are still engaged with the men at the windows above. We can't afford to be surrounded. We must drive them off.”

Silently, the men filed from the house.

The strategy of Hal's plan was at once apparent. The Germans who had circled the house, after dividing after the grand a.s.sault, still were unaware of the retreat of their fellows. They did not know that this support had been lost to them. Therefore, they were sure to be at a great disadvantage when attacked from a position that they believed to be held by their comrades.

Above, the defenders still continued to fire rapidly, seeking to keep up the delusion.

There was only one thing that worried Hal--one thing that he felt possibly might bring disaster following his surprise attack. He knew that the Germans who had recently retreated from before the farmhouse would understand his plan the minute he led his men from the farmhouse. This would mean another grand a.s.sault. The question in Hal's mind was whether he could get his men back inside the house before the main force of the enemy could advance and cut him off.

But he was depending upon the French still within the house to hold the foe off until he could get back.

As the French dashed suddenly around the house, there came a wild cry from the distant German lines to the east. The ruse had been discovered and Hal realized that the bulk of the enemy would be upon them before long. Therefore, he knew he must hurry.

”Quick!” he cried to his men.

The latter needed no urging.

Swiftly they dashed around the house in either direction and fell upon the Germans, who had sought shelter at the far side, with their bayonets.

The enemy, taken completely by surprise, uttered cries of consternation and sought to retreat; for their officers had no means of telling the numbers of these new foes.

But the French pressed them closely. Although the Germans were taken at a great disadvantage because of the suddenness of the attack, they, nevertheless fought bravely.

No quarter was asked.

For safety's sake the enemy pressed close to the French, engaging them hand-to-hand. In this was their only hope of success, for every time a man strayed from the struggling ma.s.s, a keen-eyed French soldier above dropped him with a rifle bullet.

But the struggle could have only one end. Bewildered by the sudden appearance of the French, the Germans never gained time to recover themselves. The French pushed the fighting; and soon it was all over.

There remained now only half a score of Germans standing.

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