"The Boches launched a terrible bombardment on that portion of the line held by the douzième," continued Jacques. "Then they turned loose one of those massed infantry attacks on our trenches and though the douzième was outnumbered nearly four to one they held fast. Not without paying the price though and half of our comrades were either killed or wounded so that they are out of it."
"Did the Germans take the trench?"
"They reached it at some points and even entered it; just as things looked blackest, reënforcements arrived and drove them out and saved the trench."
"Good!" cried Leon heartily. "It must have been splendid!"
"More bloody than splendid I guess," said Earl grimly. "I think we were pretty lucky to have missed it."
"So do I," agreed Jacques. "Still I hate to be absent when the rest of our regiment is fighting."
"Weren't you fighting all that time?" demanded Earl.
"Oh, yes, but somehow I feel so much safer up in the air than I do in the trenches."
"There aren't many safe spots left in Europe now anyway, I guess," remarked Earl.
"Nor any other place in the world, for that matter," added Leon. "Just stop a minute and think where there have been battles fought in this war."