s cut. But an opening was made, and the
patrol party filed through. And then, almost immediately, something
happened.

There was another burst of star shells, but before the Americans had an
opportunity to throw themselves on their faces, they saw that they were
confronted by a large body of Germans who had come forward as silently
as themselves, and, doubtless, on the same sort of errand.

"At 'em, boys! At 'em!" cried the lieutenant. "The Stars and Stripes! At
'em!"

Instantly pandemonium broke loose. In the glaring light of the star
shells the two forces rushed forward. There was a burst of pistol fire,
and then the fight went on in the darkness.

"Where are you, Tom?"' yelled Jack, as he flung a grenade full at a big,
burly German who was rushing at him with uplifted gun.

"Here!" was the answer, and in the darkness Jack felt his chum collide
with him so forcefully that both almost went down in a heap. "I jumped
to get away from a Hun bayonet," pantingly explained Tom.

Jack's grenade exploded, blowing dirt and small stones in the faces of
the chums. There were shouts and cries, in English, French and German.
The American lieutenant tried to rally his men around him, but, as was
afterward learned, they were attacked by a much larger party of Huns
than their patrol.

"We must stick together!" cried Jack to Tom. "If we separate we're lost!
Where are the others?"

"Sam Zalbert was with me a second ago," answered Tom, naming a lad with
whom he and Jack had become quite friendly. "But I saw him fall. I don't
know whether he slipped or was hurt. Look out!" he suddenly shouted.

He saw two Germans rushing at him and Jack, with leveled revolvers.
There was no time to get another grenade from their pockets, and Tom did
the next best thing. He made a tackle, football fashion, at the legs of
the Germans, which he could see very plainly in the light of many star
shells that were now being sent up.

Almost at the same instant Jack, seeing his chum's intention, followed
his example, and the two Huns went down in a heap, falling over the
heads of their antagonists with many a German imprecation. Their weapons
flew from their hands.

"Come on! This is getting too hot for us!" cried Jack, as he scrambled
to his feet, followed by Tom. "There'll be a barrage here in a minute."

This seemed about to happen, for machine guns were spitting fire and
death all along that section of the German front, and the American and
Fren