undred and one incidents connected with our toil and trouble and
joy in fixing up our nest flocked through my tired mind.

They were hard at work mending the damage done at daybreak by that
messenger of hell. As I reached the spot, one of the boys remarked, "If
that shell explodes before we get through, there will be no need of a
grave for us." Very nearly fifteen hours had passed, however, since it
had struck, and none of us felt there was any danger from that
direction, as it was quite uncommon for any of them to burst if they had
not done so within at least twelve hours, and I answered, "Oh, no,
fellows, there is nothing to fear from it." I stepped to the back of the
trench where the shell was imbedded in the parados and examined the
spot. "I guess it is there for keeps," I said, and returned to work. In
a few minutes one or two of the boys complained of thirst, and I
volunteered to get water. I ran down the steps into my dugout, got
Billy's water bottle and my own, and doubled down to the cook's dugout,
filled them with drinking water, and was just starting back when the
ground under me shook with an explosion, splinters coming from all
directions, and one of them slightly wounding the cook. I thought at
first Fritz had struck an ammunition depot, so tremendous was the roar.
I grabbed the bottles and shot back to my party.

They did not need the water; they had been swept into eternity by the
dead shell, and I was the sole surviving man of the thirteen-squad that
I had taken into the line the night before.

CHAPTER XV

SATAN'S SHELLS AND SCENTED GAS

Prior to an attack in the morning, we cleaned up the gun and ammunition,
getting everything in shape and retiring at 11:30. "Stand to!" was
called at four o'clock, firing commenced at 4:30, and we worked our guns
for two hours, during which time the boys went over, took three lines of
trenches from Fritz and in a remarkably short time, hundreds of
prisoners were turning into our lines without escort.

That night the prisoners were employed going up and down our lines
carrying out wounded. I shall never forget the contented look on the
faces of these captives as they worked inside our lines; they did
everything required of them with a willingness and cheerfulness that at
first seemed to be amazing. Most of them were young Bavarians and
presented a very shabby appearance.

We then decreased our rate of fire, letting go one round every two
minutes, giving u