ted silently, awaiting the word of command.
Eagerly they longed for the word, "Fire!"

At last it came, and almost as if by magic a thousand rifles went off
at the same moment, leaving great gaps in the German ranks which had a
few seconds before been filled with a living, breathing humanity.

Again the crack of rifles, and again gaps were made. But still the
enemy came forward. Bob even thought he heard the cry of "_Vorwaerts!
Vorwaerts!_"

Now and then above the din he heard what seemed like the sound of
singing. It sounded like the tune he had heard early in the morning.

Meanwhile the cannonade continued to rage. The heavens were full of
bursting shells, even the very skies seemed like hell.

Hour after hour the fusillade continued, and presently there was a halt
in the enemies' progress. They were falling back.

"Now at them! Give 'em ----"

There was a wild rush forward. How long it continued Bob could not
tell. Behind them the big English guns were booming, and he knew that
our artillery was pounding at the German trenches a long distance away.

Forward! forward!

Shot and shell were dropping thickly around, while on the right and
left men were falling. In the distance lay the German trenches. Could
they be reached? Yes, a few minutes later our men were in them. For a
time at all events Bob's company was in comparative safety.

Panting aloud the hardy lads threw themselves into position. They had
gained their immediate object, but could they hold it?

Suddenly amid the din a musical note rang out; it pierced the very
heavens, it was more penetrating than the boom of the big guns, the
screech of shells, or the crack of rifles.

From the distant heather, perhaps half a mile away, men with clear
sight could see great masses of humanity in grey rise, seemingly out of
the earth, and Bob heard the distant sound of fifes and drums.

"They are going to charge us!"

Who said this no one knew, but it did not matter. All knew it was
true. Strong stalwart men they were who rushed madly forward. They
were commanded to do so, and they must not disobey. Every step meant
death to many, but Germany was careless about her losses. They must
win the victory, they must get back the position they had lost, no
matter what it might cost.

"We are lost!" thought Bob: "what are we against so many?"

But even before the thought had passed his mind, out from their cover
came the British--sections, compan