"We'll try the left now," went on Jimmy, after a bit. "It would seem to be the least promising of all, but there's no telling. Come on, if you're ready." "I'm as ready as I ever shall be," said Roger grimly. "Go ahead." Once more they dropped prone and began to crawl along. This time they went more cautiously, making their way behind such shelter as was afforded by fallen trees, old stumps, and clumps of bushes. They also were careful not to move the foliage about them more than was absolutely necessary. For, in the opinion of Sergeant Jimmy, it was this movement, rather than direct views of themselves, which enabled the snipers to shoot at them. "Guess maybe we'll make it this time," said Roger in a low voice, as he crawled along behind his chum. "What are you going to do when you get to the open place, Jimmy, old man?" "Wait until we get there," advised Jimmy. "But I guess the only thing we can do is to run for it, and fight as we run. See that bunch of woods right ahead of us?" "I see it," assented Roger. "Well, let's make for that, and then, maybe, we can swing around and get back to our company. We can't stay very long in the open with all these snipers around us, and that bunch of trees is the nearest shelter. I don't know what they are, nor what they cover. They may be full of Huns, but we've got to do something, and we can't stay back here." "I guess that's right," said Roger. "Keep on going. We haven't been fired at since we started on this path." This was true, and the two young soldiers began to have hopes that they might get through. "Though why it is I can't understand," said Jimmy. "I thought this section would be full of Huns, since we haven't done any fighting in this direction to drive 'em back." Strange and hardly understandable as the situation was, still it remained as Roger and Jimmy noticed--that they were not fired upon during their painful progress to the left. "Maybe they're saving it up for a grand bang-up," suggested Roger, when the twain had made their way perhaps fifty feet farther along. "Don't be cracking jokes at a time like this!" half-growled Jimmy. "It won't be a joke if it happens," snapped back Roger. He and his chum went on a little farther. They were getting close to the edge of the woods now, and an open space lay before them. Across this, and it was rough ground marked by shell-holes, was another bunch of trees, the open place being perhaps five hundred feet in width. "If we cross that and gain the woods, maybe we'll be safe, and--maybe not," murmured Jimmy. "Anyhow, we've got to make a try for it, Rodge. Are you ready?" "Go ahead!" was the short answer. "All right--come on. Jump up and run for it. But don't stand upright. Crouch as much as you can and run zigzag. And shoot--if you see anything to shoot at. Now come on!" As Jimmy cried these words he leaped to his feet, an example followed by Roger. Then the two of them, crouching over and darting from side to side, ran into the open.