He saluted the captain, and talked to him for a moment. Jerry, who was nearest his commander, saw a queer look on the latter’s face. Then, as the runner, with his message disappeared into the depths of the forest, the captain turned to his lieutenant, and our heroes heard him say:
“We’re cut off!”
“Cut off?”
“Yes, our battalion and another is surrounded here in the Argonne Forest. There are Germans all around us. We’re cut off. A runner has just gone to see if he can get through and summon help.”
“Surrounded!” was the thought that came to all who heard. “Surrounded by the Germans! Cut off!”
And then, almost as soon as that thought formed came another.
“We’ll hold out until help comes or fight our way through!”
And then began the tragic story of the “Lost Battalions.”