Etext prepared by Juliet Sutherland and Project Gutenberg DistributedProofreadersARMY BOYS IN THE FRENCH TRENCHESORHAND TO HAND FIGHTING WITH THE ENEMYBYHOMER RANDALLAUTHOR OFArmy Boys in France and Army Boys on the Firing LineIllustrated by ROBERT GASTON HERBERT1919Illustration There was a grinding tearing screeching soundas wire entanglements were uprootedCONTENTS    I A SLASHING ATTACK   II THE UPLIFTED KNIFE  III TAKING CHANCES   IV BETWEEN THE LINES    V THE BARBAROUS HUNS   VI A TASTE OF COLD STEEL  VII NICK RABIGS QUEER ACTIONS VIII COLONEL PAVET REAPPEARS   IX THE ESCAPE    X A GHASTLY BURDEN   XI WITH THE TANKS  XII BREAKING THROUGH XIII CAUGHT NAPPING  XIV IN CLOSE QUARTERS   XV THE FOURFOOTED ENEMY  XVI CHASED BY CAVALRY XVII THE BROKEN BRIDGEXVIII RESCUE FROM THE SKY  XIX PUTTING ONE OVER   XX SUSPICION  XXI A FAMILIAR VOICE XXII THE SHADOW OF TREASONXXIII A HAIL OF LEAD XXIV A DEED OF DARING  XXV STORMING THE RIDGECHAPTER IA SLASHING ATTACKStand ready boys We attack at dawnThe word passed in a whisper down the long line of the trench where theAmerican army boys crouched like so many khakiclad ghosts awaiting thecommand to go over the topThat will be in about fifteen minutes from now I figure murmuredFrank Sheldon to his friend and comrade Bart Raymond as he glanced atthe hands of his radio watch and then put it up to his ear to make surethat it had not stoppedItll seem more like fifteen hours muttered Tom Bradford who was onthe other side of SheldonToms in a hurry to get at the Huns chuckled Billy Waldon He wantsto show them where they get offI saw him putting a razor edge on his bayonet last night added BartNow hes anxious to see how it worksHell have plenty of chances to find out said Frank This is goingto be a hot scrap or I miss my guess I heard the captain tell thelieutenant that the Germans had their heaviest force right in front ofour part of the lineSo much the better asserted Billy stoutly They cant come too thickor too fast Theyve been sneering at what the Yankees were going to doin this war and its about time they got punctures in their tiresAt this moment the mess helpers passed along the line with buckets ofsteaming hot coffee and the men welcomed it eagerly for it was late inthe autumn and the night air was chill and penetrating Come littlecup to one who loves thee well murmured Tom as he swallowed hisportion in one gulpThe others were not slow in following his example and the buckets wereemptied in a twinklingThen the stern vigil was renewedFrom the opposing lines a star shell rose and exploded casting agreenish radiance over the barren stretch of No Mans Land thatseparated the hostile forcesFritz isnt asleep muttered FrankHes right on the job with his fireworks agreed BartMaybe he has his suspicions that were going to give him a littlesurprise party remarked Billy and thats his way of telling us thathes ready to welcome us with open armsFix bayonets came the command from the officer in charge and therewas a faint clink as the order was obeyedIt wont be long now murmured Tom But why dont the guns open upThey always do before its time to charge commented Billy as heshifted his position a little I suppose they will now almost anyminuteI dont think therell be any gun fire this time before we go over thetop ventured FrankWhat do you mean asked Bart in surprise as he turned his head towardhis chumDo you know anything queried TomNot exactly know but Ive heard enough to make a guess repliedFrank I think were going to play the game a little differently thistime Unless Im mistaken the Huns are going to get the surprise oftheir livesPut on gas masks came another order and in the six seconds allowedfor this operation the masks were donned making the men in the longline look like so many goblinsIt was light enough for them to see each other now for the gray fingersof the dawn were already drawing the curtain of darkness aside from theeastern skyOne minute more passeda minute of tense fierce expectation while theboys gripped their rifles until it seemed that their fingers would burythemselves in the stocksCrashWith a roar louder than a thousand guns the earth under the Germanfirstline trenches split asunder and tons of rock and mud and guns andmen were hurled toward the skyThe din was terrific the sight appalling and the shock for an instantwas almost as great to the Americans as to their opponents though farless tragicNow men shouted their lieutenant over with you and with a wildyell of exultation the boys clambered over the edge of the trench andstarted toward the German linesWere off panted Frank as with eyes blazing and bayonet ready forinstant use he rushed forward in the front rankTo a flying start gasped Bart and then because breath was preciousthey said no more but raced on like greyhounds freed from the leashOn on they went with the wind whipping their faces On still on tothe red ruin wrought by the explosion of the mineFor the first fifty yards the going was easy except for the craters andshell holes into which some of the boys slid and tumbled The enemy hadbeen so numbed and paralyzed by the overwhelming explosion that theyseemed to be unable to make any resistanceBut the officers knew and the men as well that this was only the lullbefore the storm Their enemy was desperate and resourceful and thoughthe cleverness of the American engineers had carried through the mineoperation without detection it was certain that the foe would rallyFifty yards from the firstline trenchfortythirtyand then theGerman guns spokeA long line of flame flared up crimson in the pallid dawnDown men down shouted their officers and the Yankee lads threwthemselves flat on the ground while