CHAPTER VIII
THE ADVANCE CONTINUES
The queer-looking litter, as Bowers termed it, came suddenly to life.
The quartet of Germans tumbled in a sprawling, jerking heap. One sprangin the air, raising and overturning the litter as he did so. The grayblanket which had covered it fell off and Bowers' suspicions wereconfirmed. It was a machine gun the "Red Cross" counterfeits had beencarrying away.
"Good job there, sir," Bowers called to Hal.
The lad nodded grimly to himself.
"So that's the way they play the game, eh?" he said. "Well, I'll beprepared for them when they try another trick like that."
The tank jangled on.
Out of a hole in the ground, partially hidden by a tangle of old wire,suddenly popped a German boy in soldier's uniform. His appearance was sounexpected that Bowers stopped the tank abruptly.
The German's hands were raised high in the air.
"Kamerad!" he cried. "Kamerad!"
He was so near the tank that Hal could see the tears streaming down hischeeks.
"I haven't got the heart to shoot him," Bowers called to Hal. "Climbout, sir, and see what he has to say."
Hal knew as well as any soldier in the Allied armies that tanks,British, French or American, were not expected to make prisoners unlessthe infantry was in immediate support, and for this reason he understoodwhat Bowers meant when the marine said he couldn't shoot the German boydown in cold blood.
The reason may be readily understood, for the crew of a baby tank iscomposed of only two men. Only now and then is it possible to shepherdprisoners ahead of a tank and it is always bad practice for either ofthe crew to leave his steel fortalice. In this case, however, Hal tookinto consideration the youth of the prisoner.
"Better be careful, sir," Bowers called as Hal opened the door andcrawled out. "Remember the Boche who called 'Kamerad' to me awhileback."
"But this is only a boy," replied Hal, "and he's crying at that."
"Can't help that, sir. They're all bad actors and none is to betrusted."
"I guess I'm safe enough," declared Hal, as he advanced.
"Got your gun?" called Bowers.
Hal shook his head.
"I don't need any gun for this Boche," said he.
"Maybe not," grumbled Bowers to himself, "but I guess I'll just crawlout after you."
As Hal approached the boy, the German's face changed. He saw that Halwas unarmed, while at his side hung a handsome Luger pistol. He stoppedhis cry of "Kamerad" and began jerking at the fastenings of his weapon.The flap of the American holster fastens with a leather button, whichfacilitates hasty action, while the German holster is buckled down.
Before the German could get the buckle unloosed, Hal had him by thethroat. The German fought in despairing silence now, one hand pluckingat the fingers that were choking him and the other still fumbling withthe gun. At this juncture Bowers, also unarmed, closed in.
In spite of his youth, the German was of powerful build and he struggledso furiously that for a moment Hal and Bowers were unable to quiet him.In the struggle, Bowers caught sight of a long, thin stiletto which theGerman wore at his left side. His right hand shot out and clasped thehandle. The weapon flashed aloft.
"Hold on!" cried Hal. "He's only a kid!"
Bowers caught himself just in time. With a mumbled imprecation, he castthe stiletto away from him.
"Good thing you yelled," he said to himself.
Hal had now possessed himself of both the German's hands and hisadversary was unable to fight further. Nevertheless, the struggle wouldhave been at a deadlock had it not been for Bowers, who now approachedand relieved the German of his pistol.
"All right, you can let him go now, sir," the marine said.
Hal released his hold and stepped back, at the same time covering theGerman with the Luger.
"Sit down," said Bowers.
It is doubtful if the young German understood Bowers' words, but hecertainly caught their import, for he sat down in front of the tank.
Bowers turned to Hal.
"You see, they're all alike, sir," he said. "They're not to be trusted."
"So I see." said Hal. "Well, I won't be caught napping again. And thisis the second one that has tried that 'Kamerad' trick on us in the sameday."
"Almost within the same hour, you might say," replied Bowers. "But whatare we going to do with him?"
"That's a hard question," was Hal's reply. "We can't make him prisonerand I'm not disposed to let him go scott-free in view of his actions.Guess we might as well tie him up and leave him here."
"Suits me, sir."
A few moments later the German was lying on the ground, his hands boundwith portions of his own clothing.
"Guess he won't bother about yelling 'Kamerad' again," said Hal.
"Well, we're all here," said Bowers with a smile. "So where do we gofrom here, sir?"
At that moment, far back, came the crash of infantry fire. Turning, Haland Bowers perceived the foremost line of advancing Americans in thedistance.
"Wow!" cried Bowers, and his trench helmet went sailing high in the air."Here they come, sir. Don't they look fine?"
"You bet they do, Bowers," Hal shouted, carried away by his ownenthusiasm.
Indeed, it was an inspiring sight, the long line of khaki-clad figureswhich came sweeping forward at a slow run.
"They'll come up to us presently. All we have to do is wait," said Hal.
The long line came directly toward them. At the pace they were advancingthey would reach Hal, Bowers and their tank in fifteen minutes. Butsuddenly the formation of the charging troops changed.
"Hey!" cried Bowers. "They're not coming this way after all."
It appeared to be true.
Still quite a distance away, the American infantry had wheeled sharplyto the right.
"Flank attack," said Hal briefly, "but it leaves us high and dry."
"Well," said Bowers, "I've heard that these contraptions," referring tothe tank, "carry signal flags."
"We'll hoist one," said Hal briefly. "They may see it."
He climbed back into the tank, reappearing shortly with a small flagwhich he ran up on the turret.
"Now all we can do is sit down and wait."
"And pray that the Germans don't arrive in force first," Bowers addeddryly.
The two sat down in the sunlight and followed the course of the battlein the distance. Gradually the American charge slowed down. From beyond,Hal could see the ranks of the gray-clad hosts as they emerged from theGerman lines farther back to charge the American infantry.
"They'll get all the fight they want," said Hal.
"And more," agreed Bowers.
Directly Hal caught the roar of wings coming toward them. He glancedaloft. An American liaison plane was approaching.
Bowers let out a cheer.
The aeroplane approached close enough to see the signal on the turret ofthe tank, and signalled back that reinforcements would be sent. Then itflew away again.
"In which case," said Hal, "we might as well get busy again."
"My sentiments, sir," agreed Bowers.
They re-entered the tank, leaving their prisoner still tied on theground. The young German eyed them angrily as they disappeared within.
"Machine gun nest to the right, Bowers," called Hal, who again mannedthe gun.
Without further words, Bowers headed the tank in that direction.
"They're firing explosive bullets, sir," called Bowers coolly a fewmoments later as the earth flew high to one side of the tank.
Previous to this, the use of explosive bullets against tanks had beenquestioned, but Hal was bound to believe the evidence of his own eyes.In the instance where the use of explosive bullets had been reportedbefore, they had been effective in that they had set fire to gasoline inthe travel tanks lashed to the machine's sides. Hal, recalling thedetails of that battle, was thankful that there were no tank
s ofgasoline lashed to the tank in which he and Bowers were confined.
Now, it seemed to Hal and Bowers, they were in the center of a group ofmachine-gun nests. Hal fired as rapidly as he could bring his gun tobear.
But the Germans had developed wisdom. The machine gunners crouched downin their holes whenever the tanks were turned on them, and let gunnersin other nests take up the fight. A surprising number of machine-gunswere developed around the tank. Evidently the gunners had kept undercover during the previous activities of the tank and only popped up whenit seemed safe.
It began to grow uncomfortably hot in the tank. The backplace whichseparated the engine compartment from the turret and steering roombecame almost red hot.
Hal's eyes grew dim as he tried to bring the tank's gun to bear on theenemy. He felt his senses leaving him, and his clothes began to scorch.
"Let's go," he called to Bowers. "I'm through."
They jerked open the little door in the tank nose through which men risein jack-in-the-box fashion and hurled themselves out. They struck theground upon all fours, but picked themselves up and ran.
Through all the noise of battle that now was drawing closer to them theyheard the machine-gun bullets twanging above their heads. In thedistance was a bit of ruined wall. Directly they gained its shelter.Before leaving the tank they had seized their revolvers. These they nowcarried in their hands. The German infantry bore down on them.
"We're in a bad way, Bowers," said Hal quietly. "What shall we do?"
Bowers tapped his revolver, affectionately it seemed to Hal.
"We've got our gats!" he said.