"It has done enough of that
already."

"And it will do a whole lot more," added Jacques.

As he finished speaking the order to advance came and once more the
troops moved on. They followed the zig-zag course of the German trench
they occupied. It was filled with dead soldiers for it was through
this trench that the Germans had tried to rush reinforcements when the
attack started. The French guns, however, had had the range and
inflicted cruel losses on their opponents.

"This trench leads right over the top of the ridge," remarked Jacques.
"Wait until we get there and we'll catch it."

"Not if we stay in the trench," objected Leon.

"But I don't think we will."

"Do you know for sure?"

"No, I don't, but I imagine we'll have a chance in the open again."

His guess proved to be correct. Arriving at the summit of the hill the
battalion halted. The men were formed in sections about fifty yards
apart.

"What's the idea?" asked Earl.

"When we leave the trench each section will charge in Indian file,"
answered Jacques. "Instead of being abreast we'll be one behind
another. In that way we'll offer a much smaller target."

"True enough," exclaimed Earl. "That's a great scheme."

A moment later the order came. The soldiers debouched from the trench
and in long lines advanced down the hill. From the German positions
the French formation gave more or less the impression of one man every
fifty yards charging at them.

Almost immediately, however, their appearance was greeted by a storm of
shot and shell. Guns of all caliber belched their deadly missiles at
the charging French. The attackers quickened their pace and breaking
into a run, raced down the hill.

At the bottom of the incline were numberless great pits blasted out of
the ground by the prodigious explosions. Into these the attackers dove
pell-mell and a halt was called for a few moments' rest.

Leon, Jacques and Earl found themselves in one of these, along with
five other men of their company.

"Look at those two big howitzers," exclaimed Leon pointing to two big
German guns lying half-imbedded in the earth.

"Where are the men to attend to them?" queried Earl.

"Ask our gunners," advised Jacques grimly. "Perhaps they can tell you."

"What do you mean?" demanded Earl somewhat puzzled by this remark.

"Simply this," said the young Frenchman. "One or two of our big shells
made direct hits on this battery and the gunners are not in exi