Jerry fired from his pistol, prone as he lay, and the shot went true. Then the tall lad resumed his journey, delivered the message and brought back the answer.
The days and nights of terror passed slowly. There was engagement after engagement. Time after time the Americans tried to break through, but were driven back with terrific loss. But the Germans could not approach close enough to wipe them out. Always when the Huns stormed there was such a withering fire from the American guns that the Kaiser’s troops fled back to the fastness of the woods.
Then came the sending, under a flag of truce, of the German commander’s invitation to surrender. He asked the American commander to give up, to save useless bloodshed, and said the Americans taken prisoner would be well treated.
The American commander sent back an answer which rang with defiance. 235
And the fighting went on.
It was awful! The food dwindled away as did the ammunition. But still the surrounded battalions—now less than half their original strength—would not surrender.
“What will be the outcome?” asked Bob wearily, as he and his chums, hidden in a shell hole, held their part of the line.
“We’ll win! That’s what will be the outcome!” cried Jerry fiercely. “We’ll show the Huns how we fight!”
There came a terrific burst of firing, and a hail of bullets swept over their heads.
“They’re coming on again!” yelled Ned.