The Khaki Boys Fighting to Win; or, Smashing the German LinesChase, Josephine
General
The Khaki Boys Fighting to Win; or, Smashing the German Lines
Chase, Josephine
World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
But they did not seem to know what to do. As a matter of fact they
lacked a leader, and a quick glance directed to the prostrate figures
on the raft showed that one was an under officer. But he seemed to be
dying.
And so, leaping from their rock, the two Americans landed on the raft.
One German tried to push Jimmy off, but was sent staggering back with a
blow in the face, and he fell over one of the prostrate figures. Then
Roger overcame the man who rushed at him, and for the time being the
Khaki Boys were victorious.
But the situation was almost changed for the worse a moment later. The
under-officer, corresponding probably to an American second lieutenant,
raised his head from a pool of blood and cried, in German, of course:
"Throw off the American pigs!"
It was just this command that the German privates needed, and it seemed
to galvanize them into action. The four, who of those on the raft alone
seemed to be unwounded, sprang at Jimmy and Roger. But one missed his
footing and fell heavily. This left only three, and two of them sprang
at Jimmy.
But once more luck was with the Khaki Boys. With a flash of
inspiration, Roger, as he saw his antagonist coming at him, reached in
his back trousers pocket and pulled out a small nickle oil-can that he
used on his rifle. Holding it out, as though it were a revolver, Roger
pointed it at the German's head. In an instant the man's hands went up,
and he cried:
"_Kamerad!_"
Pausing not an instant in his actions, Roger dashed his fist, oil can
and all straight into the man's face, knocking him off the raft and
into the river.
"Now I can help you, Jimmy!" cried Roger, and he sprang to the
assistance of his chum. And sorely did Jimmy need help, for the two
Germans had almost overpowered him in their endeavor to thrust him off
the raft.
With desperate energy Roger and Jimmy fought the two, and for a few
seconds hard blows were given and taken on both sides. The wounded
officer shouted encouragement to his men, but the desperate plight of
Roger and Jimmy made them fight to such good end that in a few minutes
they had forced their assailants overboard.
The man who had fallen seemed to have either broken or badly strained
his leg. He was groaning and unable to rise, and this left no
able-bodied Germans to attack Jimmy and Roger. They were satisfied that
none in the party of Huns was armed, and so they had the situation well
in hand.
"Well, this is a little better than being on the rock--after we've got
things our own way," declared Jimmy, as he began to get his breath back.
"What's to be done now?" asked Roger, while the wounded officer glared
at them.
Jimmy looked down the foaming river. They were in a wider and deeper
part now, and the raft was swinging in toward shore.
"We'll land at that point below," said Jimmy, indicating the spot
meant. "We can leap ashore, and--well, we'll have to trust to luck."
"Yes, I'll feel better once we get ashore," said Roger.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account