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sort of annoyance； and he had learned to sleep snugly through it
all。
Meanwhile； outside his dugout； life was speeding up at a dizzying
rate。 The German artillery had sprung to sudden and wholesale
activity。 Far to the right of the Here…We…Come regiment's
trenches a haze had begun to crawl along the ground and to send
snaky tendrils high in air…tendrils that blended into a single
grayish…green wall as they moved forward。 The hazewall's gray…
green was shot by yellow and purple tinges as the sun's weak rays
touched it。 To the left of the Here…We…Comes； and then in front
of them； appeared the same wall of billowing gas。
The Here…We…Comes were ready for it with their hastily donned
masks。 But there was no need of the precaution。 By one of the
sudden windfreaks so common in the story of the war； the gas…
cloud was cleft in two by a swirling breeze； and it rolled dankly
on； to right and left； leaving the central trenches clear。
Now； an artillery barrage； accompanied or followed by a gas…
demonstration； can mean but one thing： a general attack。
Therefore telephonic word came to the detachments to left and
right of the Here…We…Comes； to fall back； under cover of the gas…
cloud； to safer positions。 Two dogs were sent； with the same
order； to the Here…We…Comes。 （One of the dogs was gassed。 A bit
of shrapnel found the other。）
Thus it was that the Here…We…Comes were left alone （though they
did not know it）； to hold the position；with no support on
either side； and with a mere handful of men wherewith to stem the
impending rush。
On the heels of the dispersing gas…cloud； and straight across the
half…mile or less of broken ground； came a line of gray。 In five
successive waves； according to custom； the boches charged。 Each
wave hurled itself forward as fast as efficiency would let it； in
face of the opposing fire； and as far as human endurance would be
goaded。 Then it went down； and its survivors attached themselves
to the succeeding wave。
Hence； by the time the fifth and mightiest wave got into motion；
it was swelled by the survivors of all four of its predecessors
and was an all…but…resistless mass of shouting and running men。
The rifles and machine…guns of the Here…We…Comes played merrily
into the advancing gray swarms； stopping wave after wave； and at
last checking the fifth and 〃master〃 wave almost at the very
brink of the Franco…American parapet。
〃That's how they do！〃 Mahan pantingly explained to a rather shaky
newcomer； as the last wave fell back。 〃They count on numbers and
bullrushes to get them there。 If they'd had ten thousand men； in
that rush； instead of five thousand； they'd have got us。 And if
they had twice as many men in their whole army as they have；
they'd win this war。 But praise be； they haven't twice as many！
That is one of the fifty…seven reasons why the Allies are going
to lick Germany。〃
Mahan talked jubilantly。 The same jubilation ran all along the
line of victors。 But the colonel and his staff were not
rejoicing。 They had just learned of the withdrawal of the forces
to either side of them； and they knew they themselves could not
hope to stand against a second and larger charge。
Such a charge the enemy were certain to make。 The Germans； too；
must soon learn of the defection of the supports。 It was now only
a question of an hour or less before a charge with a double…
enveloping movement would surround and bag the Here…We…Comes；
catching the whole regiment in an inescapable trap。
To fall back； now； up that long bare hillside； under full fire of
the augmented German artillery； would mean a decimating of the
entire command。 The Here…We…Comes could not retreat。 They could
not hope to hold their ground。 The sole chance for life lay in
the arrival of strong reenforcements from the rear； to help them
hold the trenches until night； or to man the supporting
positions。 Reserves were within easy striking distance。 But； as
happened so many times in the war； there was no routine way to
summon them in time。
It was the chance sight of a crumpled message lying on his
dugout…table that reminded the colonel of Bruce's existence and
of his presence in the front trench。 It was a matter of thirty
seconds for the colonel to scrawl an urgent appeal and a brief
statement of conditions。 Almost as soon as the note was ready； an
orderly appeared at the dugout entrance； convoying the newly
awakened Bruce。
The all…important message was fastened in place。 The colonel
himself went to the edge of the traverse； and with his own arms
lifted the eighty…pound collie to the top。
There was tenderness as well as strength in the lifting arms。 As
he set Bruce down on the brink； the colonel said； as if speaking
to a fellow…human：
〃I hate to do it； old chap。 I HATE to！ There isn't one chance in
three of your getting all the way up the hill alive。 But there
wouldn't be one chance in a hundred； for a MAN。 The boches will
be on the lookout for just this move。 And their best
sharpshooters will be waiting for youeven if you dodge the
shrapnel and the rest of the artillery。 I'm sorry！ Andgood…by。〃
Then； tersely； he rasped out the command
〃Bruce！ Headquarters！ Headquarters！ QUICK！〃
At a bound； the dog was gone。
Breasting the rise of the hill； Bruce set off at a sweeping run；
his tawny…and…white mane flying in the wind。
A thousand eyes； from the Here…We…Come trenches； watched his
flight。 And as many eyes from the German lines saw the huge
collie's dash up the coverless slope。
Scarce had Bruce gotten fairly into his stride when the boche
bullets began to singnot a desultory little flurry of shots； as
before； but by the score； and with a murderous earnestness。 When
he had appeared； on his way to the trenches； an hour earlier； the
Germans had opened fire on him； merely for their own amusement
upon the same merry principle which always led them to shoot at
an Ally war…dog。 But now they understood his all…important
mission； and they strove with their best skill to thwart it。
The colonel of the Here…We…Comes drew his breath sharply between
his teeth。 He did not regret the sending of the collie。 It had
been a move of stark military necessity。 And there was an off
chance that it might mean the saving of his whole command。
But the colonel was fond of Bruce； and it angered him to hear the
frantic effort of the boche marksmen to down so magnificent a
creature。 The bullets were spraying all about the galloping dog；
kicking up tiny swirls of dust at his heels and in front of him
and to either side。
Mahan； watching； with streaming eyes and blaspheming lips；
recalled the French sergeant's theory that Bruce bore a charmed
life。 And he prayed that Vivier might be right。 But in his prayer
was very little faith。 For under such a fusillade it seemed
impossible that at least one highpower bullet should not reach
the collie before the slope could be trave