"You said a mouthful that time," replied the irrepressible Billy, with more force than elegance.
CHAPTER XV
THE FOUR-FOOTED ENEMY
"The first thing to do is to make a barricade of these barrels," said Frank, when the four privates had made an inventory of what the cellar afforded in the way of defense.
"They will help us in putting up a fight if the Huns discover us here," agreed Bart.
"Let's see if there's anything in them," suggested Billy.
"Swell chance," commented Tom. "They smell as if they'd had wine or beer in them, and you can trust the Heinies to have drained them to the last drop. Not that I want any of the stuff, but if they were full they'd stop a bullet better than if they were empty."
They tested the barrels by knocking against them with the butts of their rifles and the hollow sound they gave back proved that Tom had conjectured truly.
"Dry as the Desert of Sahara," pronounced Frank.
"And that reminds me," said Bart. "What are we going to do for water to drink? We've got grub enough in our kits to last us a couple of days in a pinch. But we can't hold out long without something to wash it down with."