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choking fog and over scores of obstacles。
The halts for realignment consumed much time and caused no little
confusion。 Nervousness began to encompass the Missouri recruit。
He was as brave as the next man。 But there is something creepy
about walking with measured tread through an invisible space；
with no sound but the stealthy pad…pad…pad of equally hesitant
footsteps twenty feet away on either side。 The Missourian was
grateful for the intervals that brought the men into mutual
contact； as the eerie march continued。
The first line of barbed wire was cut and passed。 Then followed
an endless groping progress across No Man's Land； and several
delays； as one man or another had trouble in finding contact with
his neighbor。
At last the party came to the German wires。 The lieutenant had
drawn on a rubber glove。 In his gloved hand he grasped a strip of
steel which he held in front of him； like a wand； fanning the air
with it。
As he came to the entanglement； he probed the barbed wire
carefully with his wand； watching for an ensuing spark。 For the
Germans more than once had been known to electrify their wires；
with fatal results to luckless prowlers。
These wires； to…night； were not charged。 And； with pliers； the
lieutenant and Mahan started to cut a passageway through them。
As the very first strand parted under his pressure； Mahan laid
one hand warningly on the lieutenant's sleeve； and then passed
the same prearranged warning down the line to the left。
Silencemoveless； tense； sharply listening silencefollowed his
motion。 Then the rest of the party heard the sound which Mahan's
keener ears had caught a moment earlierthe thud of many
marching feet。 Here was no furtive creeping； as when the twelve
Yankees had moved along。 Rather was it the rhythmic beat of at
least a hundred pairs of shapeless army bootsperhaps of more。
The unseen marchers were moving wordlessly； but with no effort at
muffling the even tread of their multiple feet。
〃They're coming this way！〃 breathed Sergeant Mahan almost without
sound； his lips close to the excited young lieutenant's ear。 〃And
they're not fifty paces off。 That means they're boches。 So near
the German wire； our men would either be crawling or else
charging； not marching！ It's a companymaybe a battalioncoming
back from a reconnaissance； and making for a gap in their own
wire some where near here。 If we lay low there's an off chance
they may pass us by。〃
Without awaiting the lieutenant's order； Mahan passed along the
signal for every man to drop to earth and lie there。 He all but
forced the eagerly gesticulating lieutenant to the ground。
On came the swinging tread of the Germans。 Mahan； listening
breathlessly； tried to gauge the distance and the direction。 He
figured； presently； that the break the Germans had made in their
wire could be only a few yards below the spot where he and the
lieutenant had been at work with the pliers。 Thus the intruders；
from their present course； must inevitably pass very close to the
prostrate Americansso close； perhaps； as to brush against the
nearest of them； or even to step on one or more of the crouching
figures。
Mahan whispered to the man on his immediate left； the rookie from
Missouri：
〃Edge closer to the wireclose as you can wiggle； and lie flat。
Pass on the word。〃
The Missourian obeyed。 Before writhing his long body forward
against the bristly mass of wire he passed the instructions on to
the man at his own left。
But his nerves were at breaking…point。
It had been bad enough to crawl through the blind fog； with the
ghostly steps of his comrades pattering softly at either side of
him。 But it was a thousand times harder to lie helpless here； in
the choking fog and on the soaked ground； while countless enemies
were bearing down； unseen； upon him； on one side； and an
impenetrable wire cut off his retreat on the other。
The Missourian had let his imagination begin to work； always a
mistake in a private soldier。 He was visualizing the moment when
this tramping German force should become aware of the presence of
their puny foes and should slaughter them against the merciless
wires。 It would not be a fair stand…up fight； this murder…rush of
hundreds of men against twelve who were penned in and could not
maneuver nor escape。 And the thought of it was doing queer things
to the rookie's overwrought nerves。
Having passed the word to creep closer to the wires； he began to
execute the order in person； with no delay at all。 But he was a
fraction of a second too late。 The Germans were moving in hike…
formation with 〃points〃 thrown out in advance to either sidea
〃point〃 being a private soldier who； for scouting and other
purposes； marches at some distance from the main body。
The point； ahead of the platoon； had swerved too far to the left；
in the blacknessan error that would infallibly have brought him
up against the wires； with considerable force； in another two
steps。 But the Missourian was between him and the wires。 And the
point's heavy…shod foot came down； heel first； on the back of the
rookie's out…groping hand。 Such a crushing impact； on the
hand…back； is one of the most agonizing minor injuries a man can
sustain。 And this fact the Missourian discovered with great
suddenness。
His too…taut nerves forced from his throat a yell that split the
deathly stillness with an ear…piercing vehemence。 He sprang to
his feet； forgetful of orders intent only on thrusting his
bayonet through the Hun who had caused such acute torture to his
hand。 Half way up； the rookie's feet went out from under him in
the slimy mud。 He caromed against the point； then fell headlong。
The German； doubtless thinking he had stumbled upon a single
stray American scout； whirled his own rifle aloft； to dash out
the brains of his luckless foe。 But before the upflung butt could
descend；before the rookie could rise or dodge；the point added
his quota to the rude breaking of the night's silence。 He
screamed in panic terror； dropped his brandished gun and reeled
backward； clawing at his own throat。
For out of the eerie darkness； something had launched itself at
himsomething silent and terrible； that had flown to the
Missourian's aid。 Down with a crash went the German； on his back。
He rolled against the Missourian； who promptly sought to grapple
with him。
But even as he clawed for the German； the rookie's nerves wrung
from him a second yellthis time less of rage than of horror。
〃Sufferin' cats！〃 he bellowed。 〃Why didn't anybody ever tell me
Germans was covered with fur instead of clothes？〃
The boche platoon was no longer striding along in hike…
formation。 It was broken up into masses of wildly running men；
all of them bearing down upon the place whence issued this
ungodly racket and turmoil。 Stumbling； reeling； blindly falling
and rising again； they came on。
Some one among them loosed a