It would have been an easy matter for the young sergeant to have killed this enemy then and there; but he could not bring himself thus to shoot a fellow human being in the back, and besides he did not consider it good policy to make any unnecessary noise in the gully. The success of the task he had undertaken lay, largely, he felt certain, in advancing in utter silence.
He motioned to Phil and Roger, and both understood. Then all three advanced side by side and laid down their rifles.
The next instant Dave was on the German and with both hands had caught him directly over the mouth, pulling him backward. Then Roger and Phil leaped forward, one to kneel on the fellow’s breast and the other to catch him by the legs.
The German was taken completely by surprise, and with his mouth full of bread and sausage he came close to choking. He spluttered and gasped, and then, seeing he was helpless in the hands of the Americans, gasped out hoarsely: “Kamerad! Kamerad!”
“All right, ‘kamerad’ it is!” announced Dave in a whisper. “But you keep quiet.” And to make the fellow understand he pointed to his mouth and placed his hand over that organ of speech.
The fellow understood and nodded. His gun had rested across his lap, so he was easily disarmed. Then Dave detailed two of the engineers to take the fellow back to the American lines.
“And don’t let him make any noise while he is in this gully,” cautioned the young sergeant.
“You bet your boots he’ll never let out more than one peep!” announced one of the engineers who was to take the prisoner back. And, looking at the prisoner, he pointed to the fellow’s mouth and then to the point of his own bayonet, to intimate that if the fellow made any noise he would be stabbed to death. But the German prisoner had no intention of risking his life further, and he nodded vigorously to show that he understood.
With this German thus disposed of, Dave and those remaining with him again advanced, this time with increased caution, for if one German had found his way into the gully others might do likewise, and the engineers did not wish to be treated to a disagreeable surprise.
As they progressed it must not be supposed that they did not keep their eyes and ears open for what was going on beyond the gully. Every few feet they stopped to look up and peer between the rocks and the stunted undergrowth which overhung the edges of the depression. Beyond this hollow the landscape had been torn up and in many places swept clean by the heavy artillery fire of that day and of days gone by.