CHAPTER XXVI.
TRAPPED.
It was two days later. The battle was raging fiercely. On all sidesmen were dropping singly, in pairs, in tens and in hundreds. Sinceearly morning, when an advance guard of Germans had approached theBritish line, the struggle had continued without a minute's breathingspace.
Gradually giving way before the English attacks, the German troopsfell back mile after mile, the English, in the section of the fieldwhere the fighting had been going on, pursuing them closely. Unmindfulof their support on either side, the British still pressed forward,until now they were far beyond either flank.
Suddenly from either side of the English troops came a thunderingvolley. Taken by surprise, the British halted suddenly, while mentumbled to the earth on every hand.
Before the officer in command could give the order to fall back, aforce of Germans was hurled into their rear, completely cutting themoff from any possible hope of aid from that direction. A thousand menwere in this little force now completely surrounded.
But the officer in command of the British was not of the caliber tosurrender. He was a typical son of Albion, a fighting man, none otherthan Captain Harry Anderson, whose part in the expedition across theMarne had raised him to that rank.
Advancing with his command, he soon found himself the ranking officerstill on his feet. Hal and Chester, who the night before had sharedhis quarters, at the call to arms had plunged into the thick of theconflict alongside the gallant captain. In spite of the terrificcarnage, in spite of the shot and shell that fell about them, they hadso far escaped injury.
Perceiving that retreat was cut off, Captain Anderson conceived apossible escape. With a loud cry of "Forward!" to his men, he dashedright into the face of a terrible rifle and artillery fire.
Men dropped as though mowed down by the wind, but the little columnhalted not. They had spread out, fan-wise, at the command of CaptainAnderson, to avoid as much as possible the sweeping fire of theGermans, and they now pressed forward at a run.
Completely surprised at this sudden charge by the little body of men,that the German officers evidently believed entirely in their power,and still more surprised by their desperate offense in the face ofoverwhelming odds, the Germans, for a moment, gave way.
That moment was enough for the success of Captain Anderson's strategy.At the point of the bayonet the British burst through the German line,dealing out death on every hand as they did so. A moment and theGermans rallied, but it was too late.
The British were now through the barrier of steel, and had takenrefuge behind a little ridge. And now the reason for the captain'ssudden charge became apparent.
Directly ahead was a large house, and for this refuge the Britishdashed madly. The first man to reach the door tried the knob. The doorwas locked. From behind came the plod of the heavy German feet and thesharp crack of rifles.
There was not a moment to lose. With a swift blow of his rifle butt,the British soldier smashed in the door, and into this opening thetroops poured. A second squad had dashed around to the rear of thehouse and performed a similar operation. In less time than it takes totell it injured and uninjured alike were in the house. The groundoutside, however, was strewn with their companions.
Quickly every window in the house was manned, the doors barred. Andthe British stood silently awaiting the approach of the enemy, whichthey knew would come in a very few minutes.
"If it were not for the artillery we could hold this placeindefinitely," said Captain Anderson.
"Yes," agreed Chester; "or, if we can manage to hold out till night,we may be able to get away."
"It is possible, too," said Hal, "that our absence will be noticed andaid sent to us."
"I'm not banking much on that," replied Captain Anderson, "for, if weare missed, our loss probably will be put down to the fortunes of war.It is hardly possible General French would know we are cooped up inthis house."
"That's so," said Chester. "Well, we will have to hold on as long aswe can. That's the best we can do."
"Exactly," agreed Hal quietly.
The three approached the window in front of the house on the secondfloor. But, even as they neared it, the rifle of the soldier guardingit spoke.
"Evidently the siege has begun," said Hal grimly. "Poor fellow!" headded, as one of the men at the window toppled to the floor, a bulletin his head.
His place was quickly taken by another, and the battle went on. Thefiring became fiercer with each passing moment. The British barred thewindows with chairs, tables, and whatever other articles of furniturethey could find, leaving an opening just large enough to poke theirrifles through.
But even this was not enough to keep out all the German bullets. Stillmen fell, though not as fast as before. Captain Anderson assigned Halto direct the fire of the British in the front of the first floor andChester in the rear. The captain took command of the second floorhimself.
The three were everywhere encouraging the men, seemingly being allover their respective stations at once. Occasionally, as a man fell,Hal or Chester would step into the breach and hold the place untilrelieved by another soldier.
Noon came and went, and still the fighting continued. Apparently, thusfar, the Germans had not conceived the idea of battering the house topieces with their big field guns. Evidently they thought they couldtake it without this trouble.
And now darkness drew on. The German fire had played havoc with thedefenders, but, if they had suffered severely, the enemy's loss,exposed as they were to the grilling fire from the house, had beenenormous.
Night fell, and with it came a lull in the firing. Hal took advantageof this respite to hurry upstairs for a word with Captain Anderson. Asthey conversed in low tones, they were startled by an outcry from thefloor below.
Hurriedly descending the stairs, they beheld the cause of thecommotion. Struggling in Chester's arms was a man in civilian garb.
"I caught him just as he was about to open the front door," Chesterexplained.
The man's struggles were soon quieted, and he stood before CaptainAnderson, pale and trembling.
"What are you doing here?" demanded the latter.
"I was hiding in the cellar," said the man in a shaking voice. "Whenyou English burst in I didn't know what to do. I remained in myhiding-place until there was a lull in the fighting. I was afraid Iwould be killed if I was found, so I tried to get out the first time Ithought I had a chance."
Captain Anderson looked at him queerly.
"Surely you are not a German?" he asked.
"No, sir," was the reply, "I am French."
"Then what need had you to be afraid of us?"
"Well, you see, sir," was the nervous reply, "I am a peace-loving man.I don't want to fight, and I won't fight if I can help it."
"A nice specimen of a Frenchman, to be sure," said the captain, with asneer. "If you are such a peace-loving man, how does it happen we findyou here? Why haven't you fled with the rest of the old women andchildren?"
"Well, you see, sir," quavered the man, "I have been hiding here. Iwas afraid that if I went to Paris I would be forced to fight."
"And you have been hiding here ever since war broke out?"
"Yes, sir. I have a nice hiding-place downstairs," and he rubbed hishands in satisfaction.
"And you were not discovered by the Germans?"
"No, sir; and a party of officers were here only yesterday."
"Then, no doubt, you heard their plans. Perhaps you can give usimportant information?"
"I could, yes, sir," was the reply. "But, if I do, will there be anypay for me?"
The captain was taken by surprise.
"And you call yourself a Frenchman," he said in contempt. He took athreatening step forward. "No," he said angrily, "there will be nopay, but I can promise you that if you don't tell what you know youwill be shot right here and now."
"Oh, sir, you wouldn't do that," said the man in a wheedling voice.
"Wouldn't I?" exclaimed the captain. "Yo
u shall see."
He turned to his men, and, in response to a signal, two of themapproached the Frenchman. But the stern tone had convinced the manthat the officer meant what he said.
"I'll tell, sir," he cried, falling on his knees.
Captain Anderson waved his men away.
"Very well," he said coldly, "and see that you make no mistake. Ifyour information is of no value you shall be shot anyhow."
"But it is, sir," protested the Frenchman.
"All right. Then let's have it."
"The Germans are planning an aeroplane raid on the English," said theman, in a low voice. "There is a park of aeroplanes hardly two milesfrom here, on the road leading to Viviers. They are ready for instantflight."
"What!" exclaimed Captain Anderson. "Are you sure?"
"Perfectly," was the reply. "I heard the German officers talking of itonly yesterday. They said it would deal a death-blow to the English."
"And so it would," said the captain, "unless it can be stopped."
Hal broke suddenly into the conversation.
"Can you point the approximate whereabouts of this park of machinesout to us?" he asked.
"Easily, sir."
"What's your idea?" asked Captain Anderson.
"Simply this," said Hal. "I believe that by a dash we can get throughthe Germans. They will not expect it, and, if they did, would notexpect us to go forward. Consequently, the guard in front is notlikely to be vigilant. We have enough men here to make a successfulraid on these machines and destroy them."
"A first-class idea," said the captain. "We'll do it."