rn about is fair play.
Tell me how our boys are doing. How is the big drive going on? Have
we stopped the Germans yet?"

"They're slowing up," said Bart.

"We're whipping them," declared Billy.

"I wouldn't quite say that," objected Frank. "We haven't whipped them
yet except in spots. Of course we're going to lick them. The whole
world knows that now except the Germans themselves, and I shouldn't
wonder if they were beginning to believe it in their hearts. But
they'll stand a whole lot of beating yet, and we don't want to kid
ourselves that it's going to be an easy job. But we're holding them
back, and pretty soon we'll be driving them back."

"I'll bet the old Thirty-seventh has been doing its full share," said
Tom proudly.

"You bet it has," crowed Billy. "Tom, old man, you've missed some
lovely fighting."

"You fellows have had all the luck," refilled Tom wistfully.

"Don't grouch, Tom," laughed Frank. "There's plenty of it yet to come.
And I'll bet you'll fight harder than ever now, when you think of all
you've been through. You've got a personal score to settle with the
Huns now, as well as to get in licks for Uncle Sam."

"You're right there," replied Tom, as his eyes blazed. "I can't wait
to get at them. My fingers fairly itch to get hold of a rifle."

"But you ought to have a little rest and get your strength back before
you get in the ranks again," suggested Bart.

"None of that rest stuff for me," declared Tom. "When you boys get in
I'm going to be right alongside of you."

His wish was not to be gratified that day, however, for there was a
lull in the fighting just then while the hostile armies manoeuvred for
position. But the pause was only temporary, and the next day the storm
broke in all its fury.

Of course Tom had to make a report at headquarters. There his story,
especially as it related to Nick Rabig, was listened to with much
interest.

When the fighting began again it was not trench work. That was already
in the past. Of course the armies took advantage of whatever shelter
was offered them, and there were times when shallow trenches were dug
with feverish haste. But these were only to be used for minutes or for
hours, not for weeks and months at a time. The great battle had become
one of open warfare, and it ebbed and flowed over miles of meadow and
woodland, of hill and valley.

It was just the style of fighting that suited the American troops.
They wanted acti