bursts from the flaming mouths of great guns.
And through this mist rushed the Americans, some to horrible death or
agony, and some to escape scatheless--to inflict just punishment on a
mass of men who had lost all sense of right and wrong--men who had
reverted to beasts.

"Are we all here?" yelled Jimmy, above the horrid din of battle, as he
tried to see if Bob, Roger and the others were near him.

"I guess we're here--yet," snapped back Franz, grimly. "No telling how
long we shall be, though!"

"Come on now--sharp's the word!" yelled the commanding officer.
"Separate there, you!" he cried to Jimmy and the other four, for they
were too close together. "Spread out! You're too good a target for a
machine-gun as you stand!"

They knew the advice was good, and they took it. But they did not
separate too far, for they wanted to be together as they went into
this fight. It might be the last for all or any one of them.

The din was terrific. It seemed as if all the guns of the world were
letting go together, and as Jimmy rushed forward, firing at a foe he
could not see, he reflected that this same terrific havoc and riot
of sound was taking place for miles along the front held by the
Americans, and also along the sectors where the gallant French and
British were disputing with the Huns the right to rule the world.

"Forward! Forward! No lagging!" cried the young lieutenant, leading
his men. It was getting lighter now, as the sun arose, but the orb
itself could not be seen because of the smoke and mist.

But he need not have concerned himself about the laggards. There
were none in the 509th Infantry. Too often had they had their mettle
proved.

A shell rushed screechingly over Jimmy's head seemingly within a few
feet of him, and instinctively he ducked. Then he almost laughed at
himself, for he realized that if he heard the noise he was safe.

"We're getting closer," mused Jimmy as he leaped forward, firing as
he went, now crouching down, and again standing partly upright, as he
hurried on. He and his chums were passing through an orchard, now, on
their way to come to grips with the Germans. That is, it had been an
orchard, but all that was left of it now were a few broken stumps of
trees. The firing of heavy guns, and the bursting of big shells had
wiped out the work of nature.

There came an explosion on Jimmy's left--an explosion from a small
German shell that blew up a section of the orchard, tossing the
black