Army Boys in the French Trenches | Page 7

"Prince Lichtenstein."
"How many men have you lost in the last few days' fighting?"
Obstinate silence.
The captain repeated the question.
"I do not know," the prisoner answered evasively.
"Well, were your losses heavy or light?" pursued the captain patiently.
"I cannot tell."
The captain switched to another line.
"Do you know who have captured you?" he asked.
"The English," was the prompt answer.
"No," replied the captain. "We are Americans."
The prisoner permitted himself an incredulous smile.
"Can't you see these are American uniforms?" asked the captain, with a
sweep of his arm.
"Yes," was the reply. "But our captain tells us that the English wear

that uniform to make us think that the Americans have arrived in
France."
A grin went around the circle of listeners.
"You blawsted, bloody Britisher," chuckled Bart, giving Frank a poke
in the ribs.
"Where's my bally monocle, old top?" whispered Frank, while Billy
and Tom grew red in the face from trying to control their merriment.
The captain himself had all he could do to maintain his gravity.
"Do you believe your captain when he tells you that?" he inquired.
"I must believe him," answered the prisoner simply.
"There's discipline for you," muttered Billy.
"Such childlike faith," murmured Tom.
"But even if the Americans are not already here," persisted the captain,
"don't you believe they are coming?"
"They may try to come," answered the captive doubtfully; "but if they
do, they will never get here."
"Why not."
"Our U-boats will stop them."
"That settles it," whispered Bart. "We think we're here, but we're only
kidding ourselves. We _can't_ be here. Heinie says so and, of course,
he knows."
"What a come-on he'd be for the confidence men," gurgled Billy.
"They'd sell him the Brooklyn Bridge before he'd been on shore for an
hour."

Questioned as to food supplies, the German admitted that their rations,
although fairly good, were not so abundant as at the beginning of the
war. Then with characteristic arrogance he added:
"But we will have plenty to eat and drink too when we get to Paris."
"I suppose your captain tells you that too," remarked the inquisitor.
"Yes," was the reply.
"That eternal captain again," murmured Bart.
"He must be a wonder," chuckled Tom.
"You've been rather a long time on the road to Paris, haven't you?"
asked the captain, with a tinge of sarcasm. "Seems to me I've heard
something about a banquet that was to celebrate the Crown Prince's
entry into Paris a month after the war was started."
A discomfited look stole over the prisoner's face.
"That was Von Kluck's fault," he said sullenly.
"Seems to me the French army had something to do with it too,"
whispered Frank to Bart. "What does your captain tell you your armies
are fighting for?" continued the questioner.
"To give Germany her place in the sun," answered the prisoner without
hesitation.
"That seems to be a stock phrase of the Huns," whispered Billy. "I'll bet
it's part of the lesson taught in every German school."
A few more questions followed, but failed to elicit any information of
special importance, and the prisoner was dismissed, to have his place
taken by some of his comrades.
But what they told the boys never knew, for just then Corporal Wilson,
who had been in close conference with his lieutenant, beckoned to them

and they filed silently out of the quarters.
"Back to the firing line for us," remarked Frank.
"About time too," replied Bart, as he shouldered his rifle. "We've been
missing all the fun."
But the first words of the corporal showed them that they were
mistaken.
"You lads are out of it for the rest of the day," he remarked. "Go back
to your old trench now, get some grub and tumble into your bunks."
They looked at each other in surprise, for the sun had not much more
than risen.
"You heard what I said," reiterated the corporal. "Get all the sleep you
can to-day, for you won't do any sleeping to-night!"


CHAPTER IV
BETWEEN THE LINES
The Army boys looked at each other in blank inquiry, but the corporal
did not offer to enlighten them, and they were too good soldiers to ask
questions when orders were given.
"What do you suppose is in the wind now?" asked Bart, as they made
their way to their sleeping quarters.
"Search me," replied Frank.
"Aeroplanes," chirped Billy.
Bart made a thrust at him which Billy dodged.

"I guess we're picked for a scouting party," remarked Tom. "The
captain may want to confirm some of the information he's getting from
those chaps."
"Information!" snorted Bart. "More likely misinformation. Those
fellows struck me as being dandy liars."
"They wouldn't be Huns if they weren't," remarked Billy. "You know
Baron Munchausen came from over the