The advance of the British troops under Sir Julian Byng, who was to win in this engagement the sobriquet of "Bingo" Byng, marked a departure from rules of warfare as it had been conducted up to date in the greatest of all conflicts. Heretofore, heavy cannonading had always preceded an advance in force. Heavy curtains of smoke from the great guns had been flung over the enemy's lines to mask the movements of the attackers.
While this smoke curtain had protected, to some extent, the movements of the assaulting party, it also had the effect of "tipping off" the foe that an attack was about to be launched. Now the British were about to advance without the protection of the smoke screens.
But General Byng's army moved forward in the wake of even a more formidable protection than smoke.
British "tanks," armored tractors, showed the way.
General Byng's attack covered the whole length of what had become known as the redoubtable and supposedly impregnable "Hindenburg line," so called because it had been established by that greatest of all German military geniuses, Field Marshal von Hindenburg. From Drocourt, just to the northwest of Douai, the line stretched for forty miles in a fairly straight line down through Vitryen-Artois, Villiers, Cagnocourt to Queant and Pronville, thence on to Boursies, Havrincourt, Gour Zeacourt, Epehy and St. Quentin.
The first, or upper section of this line—from Drocourt to Queant—wascalled the Wotan line. The lower section had become known as theSiegfried line. Both together formed the general scheme of theHindenburg front.
It was along this line, then, that the British struck on the morning of Nov. 20, 1917. The drive had for its chief objective the capture, or possible isolation, of Cambrai, one of the most important positions in this sector in German hands. Cambrai was a railroad center in those days, a terminus from which the German general staff supplied various points of the long line with munitions, food and men, the latter when required.
The capture of Cambrai, it was apparent, would mean the ultimate fall of St. Quentin and Lille, both points of strategic advantage.
General Byng ordered his third army forward shortly before daylight so that when the moment came for the first blow his men would have daylight with which to go about their work.
As has been said, there was no preliminary bombardment of the enemy's positions sufficiently in advance to give the enemy time to prepare his resisting measures. Instead of the uprooting barrage, British tanks cleared the path for the infantry, and what few cavalry was used in the attack. Thus the enemy was given no warning.
The attack was a complete surprise—and a surprise attack in this great war had been called well nigh impossible. Even the German air service was fooled. As a result of its inability to anticipate General Byng's movements, the German fighting machine naturally lost some of its efficiency.
As dawn broke, the British tanks bore down on the foe steadily and without the appearance of undue haste; in fact, the tanks could not have made haste had such been General Byng's plan. Formidable instruments of warfare that they are, they do not number speed among their many accomplishments.
Hundreds of these tanks, bearing every resemblance to mythical monsters of a prehistoric day, crawled across the ground that separated the opposing armies. What must have been the surprise of the German general staff when the break of day showed these monsters so near?
Having had no warning of the impending attack, the enemy naturally was taken at a disadvantage. The warning of the advance was flashed along the German first-line defenses the moment daylight disclosed the hundreds of tanks advancing to the fray. The second-line defenses were made ready to withstand an attack should the first line be beaten back, and, although it was not within the comprehension of German leaders that it could be possible, the third-line defenses also were made ready to repel the invaders.
Between the German first-line trenches and the British front at this point the distance was something under half a mile. Between the various German lines of defense, the distance was almost an even mile. As the British tanks advanced across the open ground, smashing down barbed-wire entanglement and crawling in and out of shell craters as though they did not exist, defenders sprang to their positions. Rapid-firers opened upon the British from every conceivable angle; but the shells dropped harmlessly from the sides of the armored tanks. The tanks just seemed to shake their heads and passed on.
Behind the tanks the infantry advanced slowly, flanked here and there by squadrons of cavalry, the horses of which could hardly be held back, so anxious did they seem to get at the foe.
The British tanks spat fire from the rapid-fire guns that formed their armament. Streams of bullets flew into the German lines, dealing death and destruction.
From the rear the great British guns dropped high explosive shells in the German trenches.
The German first-line defenses, prepared with days of hard labor, and formed of deep ditches, of concrete and pure earth, offered no difficulties to the British tanks. Straight up to these emplacements they crawled, shoved their noses into the walls, and uprooted them; then crawled calmly over the debris.
Into the gaps thus opened, the British infantry poured, while cavalrymen jumped their horses across the gaps and fell upon the foe with sword and lance.
The Germans fought bravely, but they were so bewildered by this innovation in the art of warfare that their lines had lost their cohesion long before the tanks plowed into them, and they scattered as the British "Tommies" dashed forward, after one withering volley, with the cold steel of the bayonet.
Here and there small groups collected and offered desperate resistance, but their efforts to stem the tide of advancing British were in vain.
An hour after daylight first-line defenses of the entire Hindenburg line were in the hands of the British.
But General "Bingo" Byng was not content to rest on these laurels. He ordered his left wing—those of his troops who had advanced against the Wotan line—to advance farther, and also threw his center into the conflict again. Troops opposed to the Siegfried line he held in reserve, that he might strike a blow in that sector of the field should his main attack fail.
Again the British on left and center dashed to the attack. Again the tanks plowed over the uneven ground, and advanced against a second apparently impregnable barrier. Flushed with victory, the British "Tommies" cheered to the echo, as they moved forward gaily.
Many a man fell with a song on his lips, as he stumbled across the shell craters that made walking so difficult, for the Germans from their second-line defenses poured in a terrible fire, but the others pressed on as though nothing had happened. There was no time to pause and give succor to a wounded comrade, the command had been to advance. Besides, the Red Cross nurses and the ambulance drivers would be along presently to take care of those who could no longer take care of themselves. It was hard, many a man told himself, but he realized that the first duty was to drive back the foe.
Shell after shell struck the British tanks as they waddled across the rough ground. One, suddenly, blew into a million pieces. An explosive had struck a vital spot. For the most part, however, the shells fell from the armored sides like drops of water from a roof.
German troops lined the second-line defenses and poured a hail of bullets into the advancing British. It was no use. The British refused to be stopped.
Straight to the trenches the tanks led the way, and nosed into them. Down went emplacements that the Germans had spent days in making secure. The tanks rooted them up like a steam shovel. Men fled to right and left, and there, at command from their officers, paused long enough to pour volleys of rifle fire into the Britons, as they swarmed into the trenches in the wake of the tanks.
From the second-line defenses the tanks led the way to the third line, where they met with the same success. This, however, took longer, and when the British found themselves in possession of these, with Cambrai, the immediate objective, less than four miles away. General Byng called a halt. He felt that his men had done enough for one day. There would be a renewed attack on the morrow, but now he realized that the most important thing was to straighten out his lines, consolidate them against a possible counter-assault, and work out his plan of attack for the following day.
Therefore, the "Tommies" made themselves as comfortable as possible in their newly won positions. Prisoners were hurried to the rear, and captured guns were swiftly swung into position to be used against their erstwhile owners should they return to the fight.
In these positions the British third army spent the night.
The British losses had been heavy, as was only natural in view of the nature of the work they had accomplished. But the German casualties had been tremendously greater. This, no doubt, was because of the fact that the German general staff had been taken by surprise and had had no time to prepare against the attack.
The British, according to the report of General Byng, on the first day's offensive, had captured in the neighborhood of 5,000 prisoners. Of artillery and munitions, great stores had fallen into the hands of the victors.
It was a great day for Old England and all her Allies. The victory was the greatest achieved by the Allies since the Battle of the Marne.
Cambrai was almost in the hands of the British. The importance of the victory could not be estimated at that time, but every soldier knew that if the enemy could be driven from Cambrai it would necessitate a realignment of the whole German defensive system in Flanders and along the entire battle front. With the victory the British menaced the main German line of communications—Douai, Cambrai and St. Quentin.
Around Lavasquere, formidable defenses, known as Welsh Ridge and Coutilet Wood, had been, captured. Flesquires had been invested and the Grand Ravine crossed. Havrincourt was in British hands.
Trench systems north of Havrincourt and north of the west bank of the Canal du Nord also had been captured. The Masnieres Canal was crossed, and the British had stormed and captured Marcoing Neufwood. East of the Canal du Nord, the villages of Graincourt and Anneux were now in possession of General Byng's men; while west of the canal the whole line north to the Bapaume-Cambrai road was stormed. Bonaires hamlet and Lateau Wood had been captured after stiff fighting.
East of Epehy, between Bullecourt and Fontaine les Croisilles, important positions also had been captured by the gallant "Tommies."
"The enemy was completely surprised."
This was the laconic message sent to Field Marshal Haig by the man who had led the British to victory, as he rested until the morrow. Along the entire forty-mile line the attack had been successful.
There were no American troops in General Byng's drive. The forces were composed solely of English, Scots, Irish and Welsh—a combination that more than once before in this war had proved too much for the Germans to combat successfully.
It was a happy army that slept on reconquered territory on the night of November 20,1917. Men talked of nothing but the most glorious victory since the Marne. They knew that the offensive in all likelihood would be resumed the following morning, and most of the troops turned in early that they might be fit on the morrow to make the foe hunt a new "hole." There was no doubt in the breasts of the "Tommies" that the following day would take them nearer to Cambrai and, consequently, Berlin.
Hal and Chester had had no active part in the first day's fighting. They had stuck close to headquarters of General Byng, and several times, while the fighting was at its height and the general was short of aides, each of the lads had carried messages for him. Both chaffed somewhat because of the fact that they were not in the midst of the fighting, but they bided their time, confident that they; at length, would get a chance for action.
They had followed the advance of the British troops with admiring eyes. It was, indeed, an imposing spectacle.
"Wonder if our Canadian friends are in this attack?" asked Chester.
"I don't believe so," declared Hal. "I suppose they are still at VimyRidge. They're still needed there, you know."
"That's so, but they would be good men to have around at a time like this."
"These fellows seem to be doing fairly well, if you ask me," said Hal dryly.
Then the conversation languished, as the lads looked toward the fighting front.
As it developed, Hal and Chester soon were to see their Canadian friends again. During the night several divisions of Canadians were hurried to General Byng's support that he might have fresh blood in his ranks when he renewed his attack against the Hindenburg defenses. And, as it chanced, the commander of one of these divisions was the lad's old friend, Colonel Adamson-general now, however.
Hal and Chester were standing close to General Byng when announcement of the arrival of the Canadians was brought to him. All of the general's aides were busy. He espied Hal and called to him.
"You will carry my compliments to General Adamson," he said, "and tell him to go into camp for the night. Instructions will be sent him before morning."
Hal saluted, mounted his horse, and dashed away.
General Byng summoned Chester to his side.
"Come with me," he said.
He led the way into a tent that had been erected hastily, and which served him as field headquarters. There the general scribbled hastily for some minutes, then passed a piece of paper to Chester.
"You will ride after your friend," he said, "and present this to General Adamson. Then you had better turn, in for the night. You may stay with General Adamson's command and lend what assistance there you can."
Chester was soon speeding after Hal.
General Adamson recognized Hal instantly when the lad reported to him, and professed pleasure at seeing him again. He also saluted Chester, when the latter arrived a short time later.
"And so you are going to stay with me, eh?" he said. "Well, I have no doubt I shall be able to make use of you. However, you'd better turn in now. I suppose we'll be at it bright and early in the morning."
General Adamson proved a good prophet.
Hal and Chester met several men whom they had known when they were with the Canadian troops at the capture of Vimy Ridge, and these expressed delight at seeing the lads again. A young officer invited the lads to spend the night in his quarters, and they accepted gratefully.
They followed General Adamson's injunction and turned in early. They were very tired, and they were asleep the moment they hit their cots.
It seemed to Hal that he had just closed his eyes when he was aroused by the sound of a bugle. It was the call to arms, and the lad sprang to his feet and threw on his clothes. Chester also was on his feet, and the two lads dashed from the tent together.
They made their way to General Adamson's quarters, where they stood and awaited whatever commands, he might give them.
The Canadian troops were all under arms. Each and every man was eager for the fray. They had not been in the battle the previous day, but they had heard full accounts of British success and they were determined to give a good account of themselves when the time came.
And the time came soon.
It was just growing light when the British army launched the second day's drive.
Along the whole forty-mile line the troops under General Byng advanced simultaneously. This time, however, the Germans were not caught napping. They anticipated the second attack by the British, and a terrific hail of shells and bullets greeted the Allied troops, as they moved across the open ground.
But these men were not raw troops. Hardly a man who could not be called a veteran. They advanced as calmly under fire as though on parade. Men went down swiftly in some parts of the field, but as fast as one dropped, his place was instantly filled. The lines were not allowed to break or be thrown into confusion.
The Canadian troops advanced calmly and with a sprightliness that seemed strange for men used to the grim work of war. There was something in their carriage that told their officers that they would give a good account of themselves this day.
General Adamson eyed his men with pride, as they moved off in the semi-light. He dispatched Hal with a command to Colonel Brown, commander of one regiment, and Chester to Colonel Loving, commander of another. As it chanced, these two regiments were marching together, so the two lads once more found themselves together in the midst of an advancing army.
Their messages delivered, they did not return to General Adamson, and without even asking permission of their superiors, ranged themselves behind. Colonel Loving, and pressed forward with the troops.
Colonel Loving and Colonel Brown, besides Hal and Chester, were the only mounted men with the Canadian advance. Ten minutes after the lads had gone forward, Colonel Loving dismounted and turned his horse over to one of his men, who led it toward the rear. Colonel Brown followed suit. Hal and Chester did likewise.
"Good idea," commented Chester. "We make too good targets there."
Hal nodded, and looked toward the front.
The British tanks again led the way. Bullets whistled over the heads of the Canadians. Hal saw that the first-line German defenses were less than 200 yards away.
"Good." he told himself. "Now for the battle."
The first British tank nosed into the German trench.
The early stages of the morning fighting were repetitions of the first day's advance. Success perched upon British standards from the first. Try as they would, the Germans were unable to hurl back the British infantry, which advanced steadily under the protecting wings of countless armored tanks.
Every now and then one of these terrible instruments of warfare burst to pieces, killing its crew, as a German shell struck in a vital spot, but, for the most part, they advanced unharmed.
Over the German trenches they plowed their path, as though there was nothing in the way to bar their progress. Walls, earth, and human bodies were crushed beneath them, and they passed on as though nothing had happened. In vain the Germans charged straight up to their sides. There was nothing they could do when they reached the monsters, except to fire ineffectual rifle shots in an effort to penetrate the apertures and reach the gunners, or to hurl hand grenades, which had no effect.
Each time the enemy charged it was never to return. While they wasted their energies attempting to put the tanks out of commission, British infantry mowed them down with, rifle fire. At length these attempts were given up.
The Germans, after an hour's desperate fighting, deserted their first-line trenches, and sought the shelter of the second; from these they were driven to the third.
Hal and Chester found themselves in the midst of the fighting, alongside the heroic Canadians of Vimy Ridge fame. The part of the field in which they found themselves was to the extreme north of the Hindenburg line, almost opposite Douai.
Time after time the Canadians drove the foe back at the point of the bayonet. The Canadians, it appeared soon after noon, had been the most successful of the entire British army. They had pushed their lines almost to Douai. To the south, General Byng's forces had not advanced quite so far.
Suddenly there was an explosion inside a tank scarcely a hundred feet from Hal and Chester. Great clouds of earth ascended into the air. The tank stopped stock still. Apparently it was undamaged, but it proceeded no further. A moment later, the armored door swung open, and the half-dozen men who composed its crew got out.
"Something the matter with the engine," one said in reply to a question by a Canadian officer.
Members of the tank's crew secured rifles and joined the advancing infantry. Hal pressed close to Chester.
"I've a hunch I can fix that thing so it will run," he shouted to make himself heard above the din of battle.
"Lets have a try," Chester shouted back.
The boys left their places in the line, and approached the tank. Hal climbed inside first. Chester followed him.
He bent down and tinkered with the engine. It was not the first time the lads had been inside a tank, so they were fairly familiar with the mechanism.
After some tinkering, Hal gave an exclamation of satisfaction.
"She'll go now," he cried.
He opened the throttle, and the machine moved forward. Hal brought it to a stop almost immediately.
"We can't man all these guns," he cried. "We must have a crew."
Chester alighted and approached a captain of infantry who was passing at that moment.
"We want a crew for this tank!" he exclaimed. "Can you give me four men?"
"Take your pick," the captain called back.
Chester motioned four stalwart Canadians to follow him. They entered the tank not without some foreboding, for it developed that none had been mixed up in such warfare before. But they were not afraid and took the places Hal assigned them.
"You can handle these guns, can you?" Hal shouted.
The men nodded affirmatively.
"All right. Take your places. Looks like there is ammunition enough there for a week. Ready?"
"Ready, sir," one of the men answered.
Chester made the door secure, and Hal now moved the tank forward.
Straight over the German trench plunged the car tilting first to the right and then to the left, as one side or the other sunk into a deep hole. But, although it jostled the crew considerably, it did not roll over, as it seemed in imminent danger of doing.
The other tanks had gone forward some time before; so had the mass of the infantry. Hal's tank now lumbered forward in an effort to overtake the others. It moved swiftly enough to push ahead of the soldiers afoot, and gradually it overtook the others, which went more slowly in order that the infantry might keep pace with them. At last the lads found themselves on even terms with the most advanced tank.
Perhaps a dozen of these monsters, pressing close together, now made a concerted attack on the second-line German trenches. Down went barbed-wire entanglements directly in front of the trenches. There was a loud crash as the tanks pushed their noses into the trench itself, and threw out rocks, boards, and earth in shattered fragments. The troops poured into the trenches behind them.
Half an hour's desperate fighting in the trenches and the Germans fled. As the tanks would have pushed along further, a bugle sounded a halt. Instantly the infantry gave up pursuit of the enemy, and all the tanks came to a stop—all except the one in which Hal was at the throttle.
"Whoa, here, Hal!" shouted Chester. "Time to stop. Can't you see the others have given up the pursuit?"
"I can't stop!" Hal shouted back. "The blamed thing won't work."
Every second they were approaching where the Germans had made a stand.
"Come about in a circle then and head back!" shouted Chester.
Hal swung the head of the tank to the left. It moved perhaps two degrees in that direction, then went forward again.
"Something the matter with the steering apparatus!" Hal shouted. "I can't turn it. I can't stop it. I can't shut off the power, and the brakes won't work."
"Let's jump for it, then!" cried Chester. "We'll be right in the middle of the enemy in a minute."
The tractor was still spitting fire as it advanced. It was plain that the Germans took the advance of the single tank as a ruse of some kind, which they were unable to fathom. They could not know that the occupants of the tank were making desperate effort to stop its advance or bring it about and head back toward the British lines.
From the British troops shouts of warning arose. Crews of other tanks had now dismounted, and these men added their voices to those of the others calling upon the apparently venturesome tank to return. These men could understand the advance of the single tractor no more than could the Germans.
"The fools!" shouted one man. "They'll be killed sure; and what good can they do single-handed against the whole German army?"
But the tank driven by Hal took no cognizance of the remarks hurled after it; nor did it swerve from its purpose of waddling straight up to the foe.
"Let's jump!" called Chester again.
"We'll be killed sure, or captured if we do," said Hal.
"Well, we'll be killed or captured if we don't," declared Chester.
"Exactly. It doesn't make any difference just what we do, so I'm in favor of seeing the thing through."
"By Jove!" said Chester after a moment's hesitation, "I'm with you!"
He explained the situation to the man.
"Let's go right at 'em, sir," said one of the Canadians, grinning. "Maybe they won't hit us with a shell. We'll shoot 'em down as long as we have ammunition—and it's about gone now."
"Suits me," said Hal quietly.
The other men nodded their agreement.
So the tank still waddled forward. With but one foe now to contend with, the Germans braved the fire of the single gun, advanced and surrounded the tank.
"Surrender!" came a voice in German. "Surrender or we shall blow you to pieces."
Hal smiled to himself.
"Can't be done, Fritz," he said quietly.
At the same moment one of the crew fired the last of the ammunition.
"Well, we've nothing left but our revolvers," said Chester. "Here goes."
He poked his weapon out one of the portholes, and emptied it into the foe.
"Give me yours, Hal," he said.
Hay obeyed, and the contents of this also was poured at the enemy.
"That settles it," said Chester.
One of the Canadians drew out a cigarette and lighted it.
"Might as well be comfortable," he said.
Outside, the Germans danced wildly around the car, shouting demands for surrender, all the while bombarding the tank with rifle and revolver fire.
"No use, Fritz," said Hal. "We just can't, whoa!"
The tank had stopped abruptly.
"Now what do you think of that?" Hal muttered to himself. "Must be a German tank, I guess. Seems to know when it gets home. Well, what now, Hal?" asked Chester.
"You know as much about it as I do," said Hal grimly. "See all that merry gang outside dancing around us? Guess we'll have to surrender. We can't fight with nothing to fight with."
"You're right, Sir," said one of the men. "No use staying here and being blown up when we can't fight back."
As the occupants of the tank so far had made no signs of complying with the German demand for surrender, bullets were still being rained upon the tractor. Hal now took a handkerchief from his pocket, put it on the end of his empty revolver, and poked it through the porthole.
A cry of triumph went up from the outside, and the firing ceased.
Chester threw open the door of the armored car, and, with Hal and the four members of the crew, got to the ground. An officer approached them and saluted.
"You are my prisoners, Sir," he said.
"So it seems, captain," said Hal with a smile. "Well, it can't be helped now."
He passed over his empty revolver, the only weapon he possessed. Chester followed suit. The members of the crew had no arms. They had discarded their rifles when they entered the tank.
"I shall conduct you to Colonel Hertlitz," said the German captain."Come."
The four followed the German officer far back into the German lines, where the officer ushered them into a tent where sat a German officer whose insignia proclaimed him a colonel of infantry.
"These are the men who manned the armored car, sir," said the captain.
"Take the men and lock them up safely," was the reply. "Send my orderly to attend me while I converse with these officers. See, too, that the captured car is made safe."
The captain withdrew and the colonel's orderly entered, and stood at attention. The four Canadian members of the tank's crew were ordered to the rear, but for the night they would be kept in the lines behind the trenches.
"You are brave young men," said the colonel to Hal. "I watched you advance into our army single-handed. At the same time, it was a fool's trick—or a youngster's."
"We're not so brave as you would think, sir," said Hal with a slight smile. "Neither are we such fools. We would gladly have turned about, but the thing wouldn't work; neither could I stop my engine."
"Oh-o! I see," said the colonel. "I took your deed for an act of bravery, and for that reason I had planned to have you particularly cared for, so it was only an accident, eh? Orderly, have these fellows locked up with the others."
"We're officers in the United States Army, sir," Hal protested, "and, as such, are entitled to treatment as becomes our rank."
"You are American pigs!" was the angry response. "So American troops are really in France, eh? I never believed they would come. America is a nation of cowards."
Hal took a threatening step forward.
The German did not move from his chair, but called to his orderly:
"Take them away."
A moment later a file of soldiers entered and Hal and Chester were escorted from the colonel's quarters. An hour later they found themselves in a tent behind the German trenches together with the four Canadians who, such a short time before, had formed the crew of the tank that had advanced single-handed into the German lines.
"You went and spoiled it, Hal," Chester muttered when they were left to themselves again.
"Well, I was just trying to be honest. They say 'honesty is the best policy,' you know."
"That's all right," said Chester, "but you don't have to go around telling how honest you are."
"I'll admit I put my foot in it," Hal a I greed. "But here we are, six of us, captured by the enemy with the chances that our days of fighting are over."
"Never say die," said Chester. "We've been in some ticklish places before now and we're still alive and kicking."
"We'll hold a council of war," Hal decided. "I don't know your names," he said to the Canadians, "but I take it you'll all be glad to get out of here if possible."
"You bet," said one. "I've no hankering for a German prison, sir."
"Good! Now what are your names?"
"Crean, sir," said the man who had spoken.
"Yours?" said Hal, turning to the next man.
"Smith, sir."
The other two men admitted to the names of Jackson and Gregory.
Hal then introduced Chester and himself.
"This is not the first time we've been captured by the enemy," he explained, "and we've found that because escape is looked upon as such a remote possibility, it is much simpler than in days when wars did not cover so much territory as the whole world."
"We're with you in anything you decide, sir," said Smith. I
"You can count upon us to the finish," Crean agreed.
"I was sure of it," said Hal quietly. "Now, we'll take stock. Of course, we've no weapons."
"Nothing that looks like one," Chester agreed.
"The first thing, then," said Hal, "is to secure weapons. Makes a fellow feel a bit more comfortable if he has a gun in his hand."
"Or even a sword, or a knife, sir," said Gregory.
"Well, I'm not much of a hand with a knife," Chester declared. "I have been slashed a couple of times, but every time I think of a knife being drawn through my flesh it makes me shudder. Now, a gun is another matter."
"I agree with you, Chester," said Hal. "However, if we can't get guns we won't turn down knives if we can get our hands on them."
"Right you are, sir," said Gregory. "Now, I've lived long enough in the northwest to realize the value of a good knife when I get my hands on it. A weapon is a weapon after all, sir."
"Only some are better than others," Smith interrupted.
"We won't argue about that," said Hal, "since we have decided that the first thing we need are weapons. Of course, that means that first we must have one weapon. One will mean others. Now, I'll suggest this: I'm no pickpocket, but someone will come in here directly to give us food or something, and I'm no good if I can't, relieve him of a gun or a knife, providing I get close enough to him."
"And then what?" demanded Chester.
"One thing at a time, old man," said Hal. "We'll have to leave most of this to chance."
"Anything suits me," Chester declared. "Listen, I think someone is coming now."
Chester was right. A moment later the officer to whom the lads had surrendered entered the tent. He greeted the lads with a smile.
"I've heard of your treatment," he said. "I won't presume to criticize my superior officer, but I just want to say that I admire your bravery no matter what brought you into our lines."
"Thanks," said Hal. "We appreciate it. I suppose I should have kept my mouth shut, but I guess it won't make any difference in the long run. What will be done with us, do you suppose?"
"Well, you are prisoners of war, of course," was the reply. "You'll probably be sent to a prison camp until peace is declared—and nobody knows when that will be."
"You're right on that score," said Hal. "Oh, well, I guess we should consider ourselves fortunate that we are prisoners rather than dead soldiers."'
"And yet you don't," said the German with a smile.
"Well, no, that's true," Hal admitted. "'I just said we should."
"I must be going now," said the young German, "So I'll say good-bye. I hope I may see you when the war is over."
"Thanks," said Chester.
He extended a hand, which the German grasped. Hal pressed close to the man's side with extended hand, which he offered as the German grasped Chester's fingers.
As the lad stood close to the German, his left hand stole forth cautiously, and dropped to the revolver which the German carried in a holster at his side.
He removed the weapon so gently that the German did not feel his touch. Quickly Hal slipped the revolver into his coat pocket, and then grasped the man's hand as Chester released it.
"Good-bye," he said quietly. "I'm sure I second your wish."
The German bowed and left the tent.
Chester turned to Hal and said in a low voice:
"Get it?"
Hal nodded.
"You bet!" said he.
"Lieutenant," said the Canadian named Gregory, "before I joined the army I was considered somewhat of a detective in Montreal. I've had some experience with pickpockets. It's a pleasure to see you work."
"That sounds like rather a left-handed compliment," said Chester with a smile, while Hal and the others laughed.
"Nevertheless, it was very neatly done," said Gregory.
"Well, Hal," said Chester, "you've got one gun, what are you going to do with it?"
"Hold your horses, old man," returned Hal. "Nothing was ever gained by too great haste. Something will turn up."
Something did a moment later in the form of the German officer who so recently had left the tent. He came in quickly, looked around, and stood undecided.
"Why, I thought you'd gone, captain," said Chester, though his heart sank.
The lad realized the import of the other's return.
"I've lost something," said the German.
"What was it?" asked Hal.
"Well, it's my revolver," said the German. "I thought maybe I had dropped it here."
"Hope you didn't expect to find it if you had?" said Hal.
The German laughed good-naturedly.
"Maybe not," he said. "However, I'm going to ask you if any of you have it."
"If we had," said Hal quietly, "I'll guarantee we wouldn't stay here half an hour."
The German looked at Hal keenly. Apparently he took the lad's answer for a denial, for he said:
"Well, all right. I just thought I'd make sure. I know you wouldn't lie about it."
He bowed again and was gone.
"Well, by George!" exclaimed Hal. "I didn't tell him I didn't have his gun, did I?"
"You did not," said Chester, "but you seem to have convinced him that you didn't have it."
"It's just as well," said Smith.
Five minutes later a German soldier entered, bearing a tray on which was water and dry bread.
"Well, well," said Hal. "What a feast for the hungry, eh?"
He took the tray from the man's bands, while Chester edged closer to him. When the man left the tent, Chester produced an object which he held aloft.
"Something for you, Gregory," he said.
Gregory eyed the object in surprise. It was a long-handled knife.
"I just happened to see it sticking in his belt," said Chester.
"I believe that you two fellows have been fooling us," said Gregory with evident sincerity. "Come, now. What was your occupation before you joined the army?"
"Well, it wasn't picking pockets, if that's what you mean," saidChester with a laugh.
"If this thing keeps up," said Crean, "we'll soon have weapons enough to equip a first-class arsenal."
"And that's no joke," said the man called Jackson.
"We can't hope for any more such luck," said Hal quietly. "We'll have to create what opportunities come to us now."
"You take this knife, Gregory," said Chester. "I wouldn't know what to do with it."
Hal approached the canvas door to their prison and poked his head out.
"Get back there!" came a guttural command in German.
Hal spied a sentry standing before the tent.
"Hello," he said pleasantly. "Didn't know you were there. All by yourself, too, eh?"
"Not much," was the reply. "There's a man in the rear, too."
"I just wondered," murmured Hal.
"Get back inside," commanded the guard.
"Oh, all right," said Hal, "if you are going to be nasty about it.But, say, do you have a pack of cards you can lend us?"
"No, I don't," said the guard.
"Well, all right," and Hal would have withdrawn but the German halted him.
"I didn't say I didn't have a pack," he said.
"But I heard—"
"No, you didn't. I said I didn't have a pack to lend."
"Well, what's—?"'
"I've a pack to sell," said the guard.
"Oh, I see," said Hal. "Rather hard up, are you."
"If you mean I have no money, yes."
"I've a few German coins, I believe," said Hal, and explored his pockets. "I'll give you these for the pack of cards."
He held forth two coins.
The German grunted.
"All right," he said.
He produced a pack of cards, and took the money Hal extended.
"Times must be getting hard in Germany," said Hal suggestively.
Again the German granted.
"We don't have any bread, and we don't have any meat," he declared. "I haven't had a good meat for a year, it seems."
"It'll be worse before the war's over," said Hal pleasantly.
The German grounded his rifle with a thump. "Don't you think I know it?" he demanded with some heat.
"Well, don't get angry," said Hal, struck with a sudden idea.
"You've got some money," he said.
"Not very much."
"Well, I'll tell you something. We're going to have a little card game inside. I don't have any too much money, either, and I'd be glad to win some. What's the matter with you sneaking in and getting in the game? Your money's as good to me as anyone else's."
"And an officer'll come along, and I'll face a firing squad," grumbled the German.
"Pshaw!" said Hal. "Nothing risked nothing gained, you know. Besides, we're in an out of the way place here. When will you be relieved?"
"Not before 10 o'clock."
"And it's only a little after six now. However, if you won't, you won't. You know your own business best."
The German smiled an evil smile.
"Have you any objection to my inviting another in the game?" he asked.
"Not a bit. Who?"
"The man who is guarding the tent in the rear. He will come in handy, too. If you should try to escape, we'd do for you. We will be armed, and you won't."
"Who said anything about trying to escape?" demanded Hal. "This is to be a little friendly game of poker."
"Poker?" exclaimed the German.
Again his eyes gleamed.
"You go back in the tent," said the guard. "I'll probably be along later with my friend. I need the money, and will take a chance."
"Good!" said Hal, and disappeared within.
Hal explained the situation to the others, and added:
"Of course, the man's idea is that he and his friend, by playing together, will win by cheating. Well, that doesn't make any difference to us. Let them have the money. All we want is to get out of here. I don't know much about playing cards, anyhow. But let no man make a move until I give the word."
The others nodded their understanding of this to him.
"We may as well get started, so it won't look bad," said Chester.
The six seated themselves on the ground, and Gregory dealt out the cards.
"I can't understand how a man will take a chance like this guard," saidChester.
"He says he needs money," declared Hal.
"But even so," said Chester, "he should have sense enough—?"
"You haven't forgotten he is German, have you?" demanded Jackson. "I was brought up among them to some extent. One idea is all a true German's head will hold at one time. That's the truth. And if he gets an idea in his head, you can't get it out.
"Shh-h!" said Hal. "Here comes someone."
A moment later the guard with whom the lad had conversed entered the tent. A second man followed him.
"Quiet!" whispered the first guard.
The two men sat down among the others. Each laid his rifle within easy reach of his hand, and each loosened a revolver in his belt.
"Go on with the game," said the first German in a low voice.
Gregory dealt out the cards.