ound. He
chuckled softly to himself at the sight.

They did not hesitate long, however. The order was passed along for
them to advance and on they came. They began to sing, "The Watch on
the Rhine," and dashed forward. The French guns of every caliber began
to pour a perfect deluge of lead and steel upon the solid masses of the
attackers.

"Why do they still use that massed formation?" muttered Jacques. "You
might think they had men to waste."

Great gaps appeared in the German lines. Always they were closed up
immediately, however. Like waves the Germans came on, line after line.
Should a man fall, there was someone ready to step into his place and
continue the advance. The slaughter was horrible, but still onward
they pushed. It seemed as if they must succeed by sheer weight of
numbers. Could they possibly be stopped?

Nearer and nearer they came. Jacques' heart was beating like a trip
hammer. It seemed to him it must be heard even above the roar of the
cannonade. He flashed his light on the switchboard. "Not yet," he
told himself.

They were a hundred yards away now, but the mine field was only a
hundred feet distant. He must wait. It was hard work, however, and
brave as he was, the young soldier had all he could do to restrain
himself. The bullets whined and whistled past his shelter; the big
shells exploded with a deafening noise and still the Germans came on.

They seemed to falter once. The punishment being meted out to them by
the French guns was cruel. They rallied instantly, however, and once
more pushed forward. They were almost over the spot where the mines
were buried now and Jacques set himself.

CHAPTER XIV

IN THE CHATEAU

Jacques' hand shook violently as he took hold of the switch. He peered
out through the narrow slit in his shelter and saw the Germans through
the opening, almost as if he was looking behind the curtain of a
theater. Was now the time to set off the mine field? Not quite yet,
he decided. Behind him he knew his comrades were expecting him to do
his work right and he must not disappoint them.

It was a great responsibility that had been placed upon the shoulders
of this young soldier. Jacques realized that fact and was determined
to be true to his trust. Perhaps the safety of all that portion of the
French line depended upon him alone.

Nearer came the Germans. Losses, appalling though they were, did not
seem to hold them in check. They were