is round. Keep them away by rifle-fire from the bushes. They
know nothing of us now; let them remain as ignorant as possible."

"Right. Ten rounds, rapid, boys! Ready! present! fire!"

The Germans had barely reached the fire and begun to pull away the
burning faggots, when a sudden and withering hail of bullets swept down
upon them. Half of them fell at once, and the remainder recoiled in
confusion and doubt. Fire seemed to spit from the darkness all about
them, and none knew for the moment whether they were in the presence of
a foe, or whether a detachment of their own men, but just arrived, had
taken them for enemy wreckers. Long before the officer in command could
rally his men, push out scouts to ascertain the cause of the rifle-fire,
and set the main body to resume their task, the fire had caught such
firm hold that it was obvious to all that at any moment the shells might
explode.

A general stampede away from the vicinity of the burning wagons ensued,
and at a respectful distance the discomfited Germans gazed at the fire
or occupied themselves in firing in the direction apparently taken by
their unseen foes.

Suddenly, with an ear-splitting roar, the shells exploded. The
concussion was tremendous, and huge showers of shells, broken bits of
wagons, gravel, and flaming wood fell heavily in all directions. Many of
those looking on were killed outright by the avalanche of falling
material, and the remainder fled in mad panic from the deadly scene.

Max had already withdrawn his men beyond the edge of the cutting and
marched them a couple of hundred yards farther down the line. The
explosion caused them no casualties beyond a few minor cuts and bruises,
and, with one last look at the track beneath them, they turned their
backs upon the place and marched silently away towards the Dutch
frontier.

The work of reprisal for a foul deed was done. Where the explosion had
taken place an enormous crater had been torn in the permanent way.
Beyond that the line was blocked by great piles of tangled wreckage
which must have weighed hundreds of tons--Krupp guns and gun mountings,
twisted almost out of all recognition, masses of machinery ruined beyond
redemption, and engines, wagons, rails, and sleepers piled high in
inextricable confusion. Many hours, if not days, of unremitting toil
would be needed before the line could be reopened for traffic. Thus the
main lines of communication of the Germans were severed and a heavy b