“The authorities won’t forget you for what you have done,” said Captain Obray. “It was simply great, and I congratulate you with all my heart.” The captain himself had done some wonderful work during the last great advance by the Americans, leading a wire-cutting detachment in person over a stretch of territory where the bullets and shrapnel were flying freely. For this the captain received special mention and was, later on, advanced to the position of major of engineers.
Dave, of course, had been reported as missing, but now his name was placed back on the roll. He lost no time in sending long letters to the folks at home, acquainting them with what had taken place.
Awaiting him was a bunch of letters from his father and his sister, as well as from Jessie, and these, my readers may rest assured, he read with great eagerness.
“Dear, dear folks at home!” he murmured to himself, after he had read one of Jessie’s letters a second time. “How glad I am that this war is almost over. I’ll be mighty glad to get back to them once more!”
And now let us pass over a period of some months and then bring this tale of Dave Porter’s war activities to an end.
As our hero had remarked, the war was almost over. Deserted by her allies and beaten back on the fields of battle, Germany could hold out no longer, and so begged for an armistice, which, when granted, was so severe in its terms that its acceptance was equal to Germany’s complete surrender. She gave up her entire navy, the second largest in the world, abandoned all the territory she had invaded, and in addition allowed the United States and the Allies to occupy a large portion of her own country along the Rhine.
“It’s a complete collapse,” was the way Dave expressed himself when this had taken place; and the young lieutenant was right. The signing of the armistice was followed some time later by the opening of the real peace negotiations.
And while all these things were taking place something occurred to make our hero’s heart bound with pleasure. He was cited for special bravery in obtaining the maps and the documents from the German field headquarters, and also for his daring in the fight which had followed during his endeavor to get back to the American lines. For these deeds he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and a little later obtained a commission as a full-fledged captain of engineers.
“Dave, I congratulate you!” cried Roger, when he heard this news.