“Oh, that’s all right, Dave,” was the quick reply. “We would have got wet anyhow. I want you to get your watch back first of all. It won’t do the timepiece any good to be lying out there in the wet.”
The three young engineers were still about a hundred yards away from the hidden shells when the storm seemed to burst directly over their heads with tremendous fury. There was a vivid flash of lightning, followed by a loud crack of thunder, and then off to their left they heard one of the big trees of the forest come down with a crash, carrying some small growth with it.
“Wow! that was some crack, believe me!” exclaimed Phil, after it was over.
“We can be mighty thankful we weren’t under that tree that was struck,” said Roger.
“It certainly is a heavy storm,” put in Dave; “and it seems to be growing worse every minute. Just look how dark it is becoming.”
“I hope it doesn’t get so dark you can’t see to find your watch,” said Phil.
Immediately afterward came a tremendous explosion.—Page [29].
The lightning and thunder had brought them to a temporary halt, but now they started to go forward again, the flash of lightning having left them in a darkness which was almost absolute.
“Be careful you don’t go down in some hole, Dave,” cried Phil, for the young sergeant was in advance, carrying Roger by the knees, while Phil in the rear supported their chum under his arms.