they
made their way over the shell-torn and uncertain ground in the darkness.
They went down between their own lines of barbed wire to where an
opening had been made opposite what was considered a quiet spot in the
Hun defenses, and then they started across "No Man's Land."

It was not without mingled feelings that Tom and Jack advanced,
and, doubtless, their feelings were common to all. There was great
uncertainty as to the outcome. Death or glory might await them. They
might all be killed by a single German shell, or they might run into
a German working party, out to repair the wire cut during the day's
firing. In the latter case there would be a fight--an even chance,
perhaps. They might capture or be captured.

On and on they went, treading close together and in single file, making
little noise. Straight across the desolate stretch of land that lay
between the two lines of trenches they went, and, when half way, there
came from the German side a sudden burst of star shells. These are a
sort of war fireworks that make a brilliant illumination, and the enemy
was in the habit of sending them up every night at intervals, to reveal
to his gunners any party of the enemy approaching.

"Down! Down!" hissed the lieutenant. But he need not have uttered
the command. All had been told what to do, and fell on their faces
literally--their smoke-blackened faces. In this position they resembled,
as nearly as might be, some of the dead bodies scattered about, and that
was their intention.

Still each one had a nervous fear. The star shells were very
brilliant and made No Man's Land almost as bright as when bathed in
sunshine, a condition that had not prevailed of late. There was no
guarantee that the Germans would not, in their suspicious hate, turn
their rifles or machine guns on what they supposed were dead bodies. In
that case-well, Tom, Jack and the others did not like to think about it.

But the brilliance of the star shells died away, and once more there
was darkness. The lieutenant cautiously raised his head and in a whisper
commanded:

"Forward! Is every one all right?"

"My mouth's full of mud and water--otherwise I'm all right," said some
one.

"Silence!" commanded the officer.

Once more he led them forward. They reached the first German wire, and
instantly the cutters were at work. Though the men tried to make no
noise, it was an impossibility. The wire would send forth metallic
janglings and tangs as it wa