Climbing a tree, our hero surveyed the situation as well as the semi-darkness permitted. He could see numerous flashes of fire from the great German guns along a line which stretched out as far as his eye could reach.
The young lieutenant knew he would be running a tremendous risk to attempt to pass through that line, and yet he felt he must undertake to do this if he was to escape at all. He descended from the tree, and with great caution moved slowly through the brushwood, making sure of every step that was in front of him. Once or twice he thought he was coming upon a German guard, but these alarms proved false, and he continued on his way with as great caution as before.
As he advanced he presently made out the forms of a small body of men moving across a corner of a field in the direction of a patch of timber much mutilated by artillery fire. Even at that distance and in such a dim light, he felt sure that the moving men were Germans.
“It’s a night raid of some sort,” he reasoned. “Maybe they are going over to see if they can’t get hold of some Americans and make them prisoners. Probably they want some information and that is the only way they can get it.”
Hardly knowing why he was doing it, Dave followed the Germans until he saw them disappear among the trees of the wood. Then he came to a hole, and just as some star shells flamed forth, lighting up the scene, he dropped down into this.
For several seconds the light in the hole was quite distinct, and during that time our hero made a discovery that shocked him. A German lay in the hole, holding his rifle in his hands as if ready to use the weapon instantly.
With a quick leap Dave sprang for this man, taking him completely by surprise. The fellow struggled to rise, but the young lieutenant held him down, and at the same time made a quick grab for the gun, tearing it from the German’s grasp.
“Kamerad! Kamerad!” yelled the German, when Dave turned the weapon around and pointed it at his head. “Kamerad!” he repeated, and at the same time both of his hands went high into the air.
“Quiet!” ordered Dave in German, and the fellow understood and kept still. Then our hero made the man turn around in the hole and, watching him carefully, deprived the fellow of his ammunition.
With the gun and the bayonet ready for use, our hero felt somewhat relieved. If attacked, he would now have a chance to defend himself.