“We’ll put a stop to that!” exclaimed Frank, and, as the others caught his meaning, all leaped to the German machine gun, and in a few seconds had it trained on the enemy. The Hun position was only lightly defended on the sides, and the machine gun projectiles bored through these, and wrought instant execution among the startled Germans. The fire from their machine gun died out, and the boys knew that here was one more menace disposed of. The Americans, with this handicap removed, rushed forward with cheers, and soon the three friends were surrounded by their comrades in arms. The line pushed forward again, the places of those falling being taken by others eager to get their chance at the hated Boche. Machine gun after machine gun was taken, and trench after trench cleared out, but the defenses were so elaborate and so numerous that progress was at times heartbreakingly slow. Shells from the American batteries in the rear fell constantly before them, helping somewhat to clear the ground, but still leaving much to be done by the infantry. About the middle of the afternoon a halt was called, the Americans crouching in captured trenches for a brief period of recuperation. “Gosh!” exclaimed Billy, “I may be all wrong, fellows, but just the same I have a feeling that the Boches don’t want us to capture the Argonne Forest. Don’t know what gives me that feeling, but I’ve got it all the same.” “You certainly have wonderful powers of observation,” said Frank, dryly. “But come to think of it, I shouldn’t wonder if you were right. But before we get through with them they’ll wish they had made us a present of it in the first place, and saved themselves a bad licking.” “Maybe--” started Tom, but he was cut short by the command to resume the advance. The Americans leaped from the trench and with a lusty cheer pressed onward. But the Germans had a most unpleasant surprise in store for them. As they approached one trench, instead of bullets, streams of searing fire came shooting toward them. The Americans knew that this was the dreaded “liquid fire” that they had heard about, but up to now had never actually experienced. However, they knew that the trench had been captured, and so, shielding their faces as well as they could with their arms, they dashed forward, throwing hand grenades as they ran. The liquid fire only reached a distance of about a hundred feet, which made their task a little easier, cutting down the distance they had to go in the face of this obstacle to reach the trench.