There was absolutely nothing to be seen except the line of sand bags that they knew marked the positions of the enemy. Nothing broke the monotonous expanse of shell-torn earth. They had an uncanny feeling as though they were the only living creatures left in the world. "It looks as though all the Germans had gone back to Berlin," remarked Frank in an undertone. "Does it?" said the corporal grimly. "Give me your hat." He took the hat that Frank extended and lifted it above the parapet on the point of a bayonet. Zip! came a bullet, missing the helmet by a hair and thudding into one of the sand bags. "Take it all back," said Frank as he resumed his hat. "They're on the job!" A week passed by with only two casualties on the American side, for the sector was indeed a quiet one. But certain signs of a projected movement on the part of the enemy had made the American officers uneasy, and one day Corporal Wilson called Frank apart. "Sheldon," he said, "Captain Baker has ordered me to take a squad of men on the first dark or foggy night for patrol duty in No Man's Land. I want you, Raymond, Bradford and Waldon to go with me." "Good," said Frank, promptly. "We'll be ready." He sought out his comrades and eagerly imparted the information. They received it with delight. "Bully!" cried Bart. "Best news I've heard since Hector was a pup!" chortled Billy. "Here's hoping we'll slip one over on Fritz!" chuckled Tom, gleefully. CHAPTER XXIV IN NO MAN'S LAND It was a misty, muddy night upon which the reconnoitering party, including Frank, Bart, Billy and Tom, was sent out under Corporal Wilson, with orders to get as close as possible to the enemy's line and learn all they could regarding their positions. This included information in regard to the general direction of the enemy trenches, the extent and strength of his barbed wire entanglements and, if possible, the approximate force with which the trenches were manned. Of course, this order involved taking pretty long chances, but the picked men sent out did not give much thought to that side of the question. By now it was all, not only a part of the day's work to them, but the excitement of such an expedition was, in truth, something of a relief from the growing monotony of trench life. They left their own trenches with the least possible sound and crept cautiously forward toward the enemy defences. The night was heavy and starless, an excellent one for their project. The soft earth deadened their footsteps and they slipped forward like a company of ghosts, hardly a sound breaking the stillness save the distant roar of the heavy guns that caused the ground to quiver and tremble under their feet. The mist enveloping them began to grow denser minute by minute and before they had gone more than a hundred yards it was with the greatest difficulty that they kept from becoming separated.