n
to me, and getting shot, say in a soft place, ain't half as bad as the
gas. Whew! I don't want any more! So, if I was you, I'd wait until after
dark to make a trip across No Man's Land. You'll stand a better chance
then of coming back alive."

"That's what I think," returned Blake, and though Joe and Charlie were
eager for action, they admitted that their chum's plan was best.

"We'll have to make some preparations," Blake went on; "though I don't
know that we need say anything to Captain Black about what we are going
to do."

"He might stop us," said Charlie.

"Oh, no, he wouldn't do that," Joe assured their assistant.

"I'll tell you what to do," counseled the sentry: "I'm going to be on
duty here until late this afternoon. I'll keep my eyes peeled for
anything that may happen down there where that dugout used to be, and
I'll let you know.

"Meanwhile, you can be getting ready to take a little excursion there
after dark. You'd better take your gas masks with you, and also your
automatics, for you may run into a party of Fritzes out to get the night
air."

"That's what we'll do," decided Blake, and his chums agreed with him.
And then they began to make their preparations for the perilous trip
across No Man's Land that night.

They were not asked to make any pictures that day, for which they were
thankful, as they still felt some of the effects of the gas, though they
were rapidly improving.

Following the fight in which the boys so nearly lost their lives and in
which there were severe losses on both sides, though with a net gain of
territory in favor of the Allies, there was a period of comparative calm
in the American ranks. The soldiers took advantage of this to rest and
repair their damaged uniforms, arms and equipment. And it was on one of
these days, when discipline was somewhat relaxed, that the moving
picture boys made their preparations.

As they were left pretty much to themselves when they were not called
on to be making pictures, it was rather easy for them, without exciting
any comment, to get ready. This consisted in seeing that their automatic
pistols were in good working order. They also applied for new gas masks,
with a fresh impregnation of chemicals. When they received these, and
with a supply of lampblack, they were ready, waiting only for the fall
of darkness.

The lampblack was to be put on their hands and faces so that their
whiteness would not be revealed in case the Germans pla