and superior skill in bayonet work began to tell. The Americans would
not be denied. The German line was pierced, and the forces broke up into
a number of battling groups.

Frank and Bart, Billy and Tom, who all through the fight had managed to
keep together, found themselves engaged with a squad of Germans double
their number, two of whom were frantically trying to bring a machine gun
to bear upon them.

With a bound Frank was upon them. He toppled one over with his bayonet,
but while he was doing this the other fired at him point-blank with a
revolver. At such a close range he could not have missed, had not Bart,
quick as a flash, clubbed him over the arm with his rifle, making the
bullet go wild.

"Quick, Bart!" panted Frank, as with his comrade's help he slued the
machine gun around, gripped the trigger, and sent a stream of bullets
into a group of the enemy charging down upon him.

Before that withering fire they dissolved like mist, and a circle was
cleared as though by magic.

What Germans were left in that immediate vicinity leaped back into the
trench on the edge of which they had been fighting.

"Now we've got them!" cried Frank, as with his friends' assistance he
quickly wheeled the gun to the brink of the trench and depressed the
muzzle so that it commanded the huddled bunch below. "Come out of that,
you fellows. Hands up, quick!"