"Keep cool, conserve your energy, and I feel certain everything will be all right," the lieutenant told the two friends with whom, in such a short time, he already had gone through so many harrowing experiences.
At that very same moment, a quarter of a mile away, Joe brought his companion to a halt, took out his flashlight, and, facing the American line, began making and breaking the connection in a way to give a number of short, even flashes.
Presently a light appeared, was extinguished and appeared again, at the edge of the American-French lines.
Joe had resorted to another sort of wireless—the "blinker"—and, not knowing the call signal for the station he was nearest, had given the prescribed call in such a case, a series of short flashes, or dots. The station had acknowledged, and he began sending his message out of the little battery in his hand:
"Americans. Three of party caught in cave-in. Need help."
And the answer was flashed back in the same code:
"Approach. Keep light on. Countersign."
Following these instructions, with Joe in the lead with the flashlight held out in front of him, they dashed on to the trenches. They gasped out the countersign, and were escorted by a sentry to the quarters of the officer of that particular section.
In a few words they told him what had happened.
Without an instant's delay the latter, a colonel of artillery, reached for his telephone.