Two days after that found the fighting engineers in a place that was entirely new to them. Here a long line of trenches were under construction by some other engineers, and they were sent in to give assistance before opening up a roadway still further to the northeast.
The weather had been fairly good for some time, but now another storm set in which made trench-digging anything but pleasant. However, it was all a part of the game, as Dave remarked, and consequently he did not complain. He wore his high trench boots and his rubber slicker, and thus protected himself as best he could.
A large part of the trench work in that vicinity had been completed before the fighting engineers arrived on the scene. They, however, were set to work completing the interior of a dugout of large proportions, a place located fully forty feet underground and covered with the trunks of many trees.
“This certainly ought to be a safe place from any bombardment,” remarked Phil, while they were at work.
Sixteen of the engineers were still down in the dugout, the others having been ordered to the surface, when there came a cry of alarm from a distance. Immediately following the cry came a roar of artillery, and this was kept up for fully a quarter of an hour.
“Something is doing—that’s sure!” cried Dave. “I wonder if it is possible that a battle is developing in this vicinity?”
“It certainly sounds like it,” answered Ben. “And it sounds to me as if it was coming nearer every minute.”
“If it comes this way, maybe we’ll be in for another fight!” cried Roger.
CHAPTER XIV
THE MACHINE-GUN NESTS
“The Huns are coming, boys!”