nose.

"There's two of those bloomin' tac-tacs of theirs--one covering the
communication trench, and t'other one yonder sweeping the front of the
wood," he said. "What price that Lewis gun, sir, that chipped in on our
right flank? Couldn't I go back and 'urry it up? If we could bring it
into action from the other corner of this 'ere wood, it 'ud mean saving
a lot of lives, for it's a sure thing the ridge has got to be taken."

While he was speaking they heard men running behind them, and looked
round, hoping to see their own people, but it turned out to be a little
party of the engineers laying a field telephone; and Dennis crawled on
hands and knees towards them.

"What's become of the machine-guns?" he inquired of an intelligent
corporal.

"Can't get 'em through the wood, sir. There are half a dozen on the
other side hung up. I rather think they're waiting for you to give 'em a
lead."

"Oh, are they? Any Lewis guns there?"

"Yes, there's one, sir. They were just starting along a path over yonder
when we left."

"I say, do you hear that, Bob?" Dennis called out, as his brother came
back, dodging from trunk to trunk, as every now and then one of the
German guns on the ridge raked the wood with a stream of bullets. "The
corporal says our Lewis is over yonder. What about my going over with a
couple of chaps to give them a hand? I believe we could do something."

"Right you are," said Bob. "I've just been talking to that Highland
officer, and he agrees with me that we must lie doggo until we are
reinforced. I have sent two men back to the C.O. Bunk off and see what
you can do."

"Thanks, old man," said Dennis, his face beaming with delight. "Hawke
and Tiddler, this way!" And at his call the two inseparables crept back
to where he stood.

"We're through now, sir, if you'd like to give them a shout at the other
end," said the corporal of the engineers.

"Oh, good business!" cried Captain Bob. "If I can get on to the Governor
that will buck things up a bit." And, leaving him kneeling behind a tall
poplar, the telephone receiver in his hand, Dennis and his companions
ran back a few yards into the shelter of the trees, and struck away at
right angles.

CHAPTER XVIII

With the Lewis Gun--and After!

In the old Elizabethan days, before scene-painting was invented, they
used to hang a placard on a black cloth behind the actors with such
inscriptions as "This is the seashore," "This is a wood." And such