Victory, it appeared, was with the Americans. But Colonel English had no mind to allow the enemy to rest. His instructions had been to capture the village of Pouilly, and he would not rest content until he had accomplished that feat. Accordingly, he ordered another advance. The Americans dashed forward with the same recklessness that has always characterized the charge of the American fighting man. In vain German officers sought to bring some semblance of order out of the confusion that reigned in the enemy ranks. The effort was vain. Young lieutenants stood in the path of the retreating men and beat them with the flat of their swords, but they could not stay the rout. Others fired their revolvers point-blank into the faces of their own men, but even these heroic measures failed to have the desired result. The Germans were beaten and they knew it. So it was just as the first faint streak of dawn appeared in the eastern sky that the Americans set foot in the village of Pouilly. And still the fighting was not ended. Scores of German soldiers, under command of subordinate officers, barricaded themselves in the houses that lined the streets and poured a hail of bullets upon the Americans as they passed. The Yankees suffered severely under this fire. "We can’t stand for this," said Colonel Johnson suddenly to Hal. "The enemy is doing too much damage." "Drag up a couple of big guns and destroy the houses," said Hal briefly. "Good!" said Colonel Johnson. "Lieutenant Bennings!" A young officer approached and saluted. "Take twenty men and enough guns to destroy the houses that line this street," said the colonel. "Also, you will report while the battle lasts to Major Paine, here." The lieutenant saluted and hurried away. "Major," said Colonel Johnson to Hal, "I will detail you to see that the sniping from the houses is stopped." Hal saluted. "I’ll stop it, sir," he promised. "Very well. Don’t let me detain you longer." Hal strode away to where the young lieutenant and a score of men were wheeling two big field pieces into position. "Hurry, men," he cried. "We’ve no time to lose." Meantime, because of the heavy execution by the enemy from inside the houses, the Americans had sought what shelter they could find in doorways and around corners. This situation, Hal knew, could not be allowed to exist, for it would give the demoralized enemy time to recover their scattered wits and to reform. Therefore, the houses must be cleared of snipers immediately. From the first house in the block where Hal found himself, the snipers seemed to be more active than in any other. Hal determined to give this house his attention first. He sighted the gun himself, then gave the command to fire. "Boom!" The voice of the big gun rose high above the rattle of machine gun and rifle fire. "Crash!" Almost simultaneously with the sound of the gun the heavy explosive missile reached its mark.