“I think we came out of that disaster remarkably well,” was Captain Obray’s comment, after he had made a survey of the damage wrought by the two German shells.
“It’s a wonder to me that all of you weren’t killed,” remarked Frank Andrews. “Just look at the holes those two shells made behind where the trees stood.”
So far Dave had been so interested in what had occurred to himself and his companions that he had not looked at the spot. Now he walked to that vicinity, and his eyes opened widely when he beheld the two shell craters. One was all of twenty feet in diameter and probably fifteen feet deep in the center, while the other crater, through some freak of nature, was shaped like a trench, ten feet wide and about as deep and nearly three times as long.
“Those must have been some of the largest of the Hun shells,” was Phil’s opinion. “Gee! when those holes fill with water there will be a regular pond here.”
“The Heinies couldn’t have made a neater job of it, try their best, if they were aiming to block this roadway,” said Ben. “It’s going to be a job to clear the way again.”
“That isn’t the worst of it, Ben,” returned Dave. “Now that they have got our range they may be sending more shells this way.”
It was fortunate that the shock of the explosions had come just as the day’s work was drawing to a close. After so much excitement nobody felt like going to work again, and the young engineers were glad enough to seek their shelter, there to care for their hurts and to rest until supper was announced.
It must be admitted that some of the engineers were a trifle nervous when operations were resumed the following morning. But the bombardment on both sides had ceased, and everything throughout the forest was as quiet as it had formerly been. The work of clearing the roadway was started without delay, and this having been completed, the gang under Dave was sent forward for a full quarter of a mile. Here there was a small ravine, and the engineers were instructed to bridge it in a rough but substantial manner, so that some field artillery would be able to cross without danger.
“This is what I call bridge-building with a vengeance,” remarked Ben, when the task was in progress. “I wonder what the folks at home would say if we threw such a structure as this across Dixon’s gully or the brook back of Henderson’s apple orchard?”
“Well, they’d have to give us credit for building something substantial if not ornamental, Ben,” answered Dave, with a grin. “When we get through with it, a herd of elephants could use it without fear of a collapse.”