there an arm appeared and the French were busily
engaged in extricating their enemies from the heap. Seven men were
taken out alive, suffering only from bruises; four more were captured
badly wounded and six were found dead.

"Well I guess the fight's over," sighed Armande when the Germans had
been deprived of their weapons and the pile had been thoroughly
searched for any more bodies.

"Seems to be," agreed Jacques. "How about these men?" he asked, as he
spoke, indicating the prisoners that had been taken.

"We'll take them back to our trenches of course," said Armande.

A few moments later the little band had left the ruined chateau and
were on their way back to their lines. The struggle was still
continuing violently and both sides were fighting desperately for
possession of the disputed positions.

Arriving in the trenches Armande, Jacques, Lippen and the others soon
found their regiment and having turned over their prisoners were
quickly in the fighting again. Leon, Earl and Dubois were posted side
by side and Armande and Jacques joined them at once.

"We thought you were dead, Jacques," cried Leon, delighted to see his
comrade once more. "Where did you come from?"

The story was quickly told and just as it was completed the officer who
had directed Jacques to set off the mine-field approached the place in
which the boys were standing.

"Young man!" he exclaimed heartily, catching sight of Jacques, "you did
splendid work. You saved our lines and made possible this
counter-attack. You disappeared though and I feared you had been lost."

"I saw our men coming forward and I could not resist the temptation to
join them, sir," said Jacques modestly.

"Well, I'm glad to see you again," said the officer. "We need men like
you."

"They're all as good if not better," exclaimed Jacques earnestly.

"That's right too," agreed the officer. "Every Frenchman is a hero in
these days of trouble."

He passed on and Jacques turned again to his comrades.

"Tell me," he exclaimed, "what has happened here?"

"Everything," said Earl grimly. "They certainly did pepper us and it
was only a few minutes before you came back that they let up at all."

"They're still fairly busy I should say," remarked Jacques.

The shells were bursting all around in endless succession but
fortunately the fire of the German batteries was directed mostly upon
the positions to the right and left of those occupied by the _douzieme_.