Fighting in France | Page 8

they came to the spot where the passage led off to the left. Jacques peered cautiously around the corner and quickly drew back his head.
"Come," he whispered, beckoning to his two companions. "Have your grenades ready."
All three boys took hand grenades in their right hands and prepared for instant action.
"Lean your rifles against the wall here," Jacques directed.
This done, they crept stealthily forward, the grenades in their right hands and their automatic revolvers in their left. Making almost no sounds, they walked gingerly around the corner of the passage and there before their eyes they saw what had caused Jacques to draw back so speedily a few moments before. Standing in the center of a little room similar to the one they had just left were six Germans.
Their plan had been to steal upon their foes, taking them by surprise and forcing them to surrender. This plan was unexpectedly thrown awry however. One of the rifles leaned against the wall of the passage slipped; it fell to the ground carrying the others with it and a loud clatter was the result.
"Hein!" exclaimed one of the Germans wheeling quickly in the direction whence the noise came. Seeing three French soldiers stealing towards him he instantly whipped out his revolver and fired.
Leon, Jacques and Earl ducked quickly and instinctively.
"Let 'em have it!" shouted Leon and he let fly his hand grenade.
Straight down the passageway it sped and a tremendous explosion instantly occurred. The little room was filled with smoke and the three young soldiers could not see what was taking place in front of them. Earl too hurled his deadly handbomb into the chamber and a second explosion instantly took place.
"That's the way!" shouted Jacques. "That'll fix them I guess!"
All of the Germans had not been disposed of however. A moment later the sharp crack of a revolver sounded from behind the wall of smoke and a bullet winging its way through the half-light tore Jacque's hat from his head. Another and still another shot followed the first.
"That's enough of that," muttered the young Frenchman grimly and his hand-grenade took the same course that the two others had followed. A deafening concussion ensued and then all was still.
"Keep back against the wall," warned Leon. "Have your pistols ready."
Crouching low and keeping as far away from the center of the passage as possible the three boys awaited developments. Every boy grasped his revolver firmly in his right hand and peered eagerly in the direction of their enemies. Not a sound came from the room where the Germans had been assembled.
"They're all dead I guess," whispered Earl at length.
"Don't be so sure," cautioned Leon. "Wait a minute longer."
With muscles tense and every nerve alert the three young soldiers waited. It seemed as if the smoke from the three explosions would never lift and the three boys felt as if hours had elapsed before they could catch a glimpse of the room. Finally however the atmosphere cleared away and they saw the results of their work.
"Let's go in there," exclaimed Jacques.
"Go slow," warned Leon. "It may be a trap."
"We'll be ready for them," said Jacques. "Come along."
Prepared for instant action, the three boys cautiously approached the tiny room. They were fearful of a surprise attack but their fears proved to be groundless. On the floor lay the bodies of six dead Germans. The hand-grenades had done their work well.
"A man doesn't stand much chance against these grenades, does he?" exclaimed Leon. "They're certainly deadly."
"Lucky for us they are," said Jacques shortly. "Now for a souvenir."
He drew his knife and bending low he quickly cut the buttons from the jacket of one of the dead soldiers at his feet.
"What are you going to do with them?" demanded Earl curiously.
"Make rings," said Jacques calmly slipping the buttons into his pocket. "These men belonged to the Imperial Guard."
"How do you know?"
"Look at the eagle on the buttons here; that proves it," and, as he spoke, Jacques drew forth one of his trophies to show his comrades.
"We'd better move on," exclaimed Leon a moment later. "Go pick up your hat, Jacques, and we'll get the rifles."
"My poor hat," laughed Jacques. "It will have a window in it now."
"You'd better be glad it isn't your head that has the window," said Leon grimly. "I don't see that you have anything to complain about."
"I'm not complaining," smiled Jacques. "I agree that I am fortunate."
"Come along," urged Leon. "We may run into some more of the Boches any minute."
"Boches" was what the French soldiers always called the Germans.
"I'm ready," exclaimed Jacques, and they returned to the spot where their guns had been left. The young Frenchman rescued his hat which had a hole cut cleanly through the crown. "It will give good ventilation," he remarked laughingly.
They picked up their guns and were