“Maybe—” started Tom, but he was cut short by the command to resume the advance.
The Americans leaped from the trench and with a lusty cheer pressed onward. But the Germans had a most unpleasant surprise in store for them. As they approached one trench, instead of bullets, streams of searing fire came shooting toward them.
The Americans knew that this was the dreaded “liquid fire” that they had heard about, but up to now had never actually experienced. However, they knew that the trench had been captured, and so, shielding their faces as well as they could with their arms, they dashed forward, throwing hand grenades as they ran. The liquid fire only reached a distance of about a hundred feet, which made their task a little easier, cutting down the distance they had to go in the face of this obstacle to reach the trench.
This liquid fire was one of the most infernal of the German inventions. The soldier operating it had on his back a bag containing the necessary chemicals, connected to a short length of hose with a narrow nozzle. When the chemicals contained in the bag combined, they formed a high pressure and as the chemical stream left the nozzle it burst into flame. The pressure was sufficient to carry it a considerable distance, and the acid seared and ate into any object with which it came into contact. It was one of the most dreaded of modern instruments of war, and it took the highest form of courage to face it.
But it was just that kind of courage that distinguished the American Army, and with shouts and cries of encouragement the American soldiers leaped forward. Their hand grenades took instant effect, for almost at once the number of streams turned on them lessened, but there were still plenty left to make it exciting and hazardous work.
Crouching almost double, the Americans dashed forward through this shower of death, and at last leaped into the German trenches. Then their heavy revolvers came into play, and the tables were quickly turned. In a very few minutes the remaining Boches threw up their hands and cried for quarter. A number were taken prisoners, but the majority had made their last accounting.
“By Jove!” exclaimed Frank, when he had recovered his breath. “That’s the first time I ever bumped up against that stuff, and I sure hope it’s the last. I’m willing to take my chance against bullets, but that chemical fire is a little too much to suit me.”
“It came near getting me,” said Billy. “Just take a look at my coat, will you?”
They looked, and uttered exclamations of astonishment. The entire front of Billy’s coat was eaten away, with blackened edges for all the world as if it had been burned by ordinary fire.
“You’re pretty lucky to have gotten off as easy as that,” said Frank, soberly. “Uncle Sam will give you a new coat. Some of the poor fellows have been horribly burned,” and he indicated a number of stretcher bearers who were slowly carrying their burdens to the rear.