f thousands. And
those hundreds of thousands will be millions before long."

"Right you are," agreed Dick. "The jig's up with Germany and she's the
only one that doesn't see it. It's fun to see the way she tries to
belittle America to her own people. Almost every week she has to
change the story. At first she said that America wouldn't fight at
all. We were a nation of money grabbers. Then even if we wanted to
fight the U-boats would keep us from getting over; Then even if we got
over, our troops would be green and run like hares as soon as they
caught sight of the veteran Prussian regiments."

The boys looked at each other with a grin.

"We've run, all right," chuckled Billy, "but we've run toward them
instead of away from them."

"They thought our marines would run too," laughed Frank, "but do you
see what they're calling them now? _Teufelhunden_. They're
devil-hounds, all right, and the dachshund yelps when he sees them
coming."

"What do you think the Germans will aim for when they do begin their
drive?" queried Bart.

"The Allied commanders would give a good deal to know that," smiled
Dick. "Of course the thing the Huns want to do above everything else
is to separate and crush the Allied armies. Everything would be easy
after that. But if they can't do that, they'll probably make a break
for Paris. They figure that if they once got that in their hands the
French would be ready to sue for peace. Or they may try to take the
Channel Ports, where they'd be in good position to take a hack at
England. The only thing that's certain is that the drive is coming and
when it does come it's going to be the biggest fight in the history of
the world."

"Let Heinie do his worst," said Bart.

"Yes," agreed Frank. "And no matter what he does, he'll have to reckon
with Uncle Sam."

CHAPTER VII

IN THE HANDS OF THE HUNS

The last thing that Tom Bradford remembered in the fight that separated
him from his comrades was the sight of Frank in a bayonet duel with two
Germans. He was trying desperately to get to his friend's side and
help him in the unequal combat, when a great blackness seemed to sweep
down upon him and he knew nothing more.

When he came to consciousness, he felt himself dragged roughly to his
feet and thrust into a group of other prisoners who were being sent to
the rear under guard of a squad of German soldiers. He reeled and
would have fallen had he not been supported by some o