oke from the three explosions would
never lift and the three boys felt as if hours had elapsed before they
could catch a glimpse of the room. Finally however the atmosphere
cleared away and they saw the results of their work.

"Let's go in there," exclaimed Jacques.

"Go slow," warned Leon. "It may be a trap."

"We'll be ready for them," said Jacques. "Come along."

Prepared for instant action, the three boys cautiously approached the
tiny room. They were fearful of a surprise attack but their fears
proved to be groundless. On the floor lay the bodies of six dead
Germans. The hand-grenades had done their work well.

"A man doesn't stand much chance against these grenades, does he?"
exclaimed Leon. "They're certainly deadly."

"Lucky for us they are," said Jacques shortly. "Now for a souvenir."

He drew his knife and bending low he quickly cut the buttons from the
jacket of one of the dead soldiers at his feet.

"What are you going to do with them?" demanded Earl curiously.

"Make rings," said Jacques calmly slipping the buttons into his pocket.
"These men belonged to the Imperial Guard."

"How do you know?"

"Look at the eagle on the buttons here; that proves it," and, as he
spoke, Jacques drew forth one of his trophies to show his comrades.

"We'd better move on," exclaimed Leon a moment later. "Go pick up your
hat, Jacques, and we'll get the rifles."

"My poor hat," laughed Jacques. "It will have a window in it now."

"You'd better be glad it isn't your head that has the window," said
Leon grimly. "I don't see that you have anything to complain about."

"I'm not complaining," smiled Jacques. "I agree that I am fortunate."

"Come along," urged Leon. "We may run into some more of the Boches any
minute."

"Boches" was what the French soldiers always called the Germans.

"I'm ready," exclaimed Jacques, and they returned to the spot where
their guns had been left. The young Frenchman rescued his hat which
had a hole cut cleanly through the crown. "It will give good
ventilation," he remarked laughingly.

They picked up their guns and were preparing to move on when Earl
suddenly held up his hand. "Listen," he whispered tensely. "I hear
someone coming."

CHAPTER V

HAND TO HAND

Instantly the three boys were all attention. They shrank back into the
shadow of the passage and with guns raised to their shoulders and their
fingers on the triggers they waited. Undoubtedly some on