The Khaki Boys over the Top; Or, Doing and Daring for Uncle SamChase, Josephine
History
The Khaki Boys over the Top; Or, Doing and Daring for Uncle Sam
Chase, Josephine
World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
But it was at a heavy cost, for many Americans had been killed or
wounded, and several taken prisoners, including our three friends.
Later, however, they learned that the losses of the Huns had been
heavier, except in the matter of prisoners. Only two had been captured
as against perhaps a score of Americans. The raid had been a surprise,
and this quality of it led to its success.
For a time, after he had learned of the presence of his two chums
in the raiding party of Huns, Jimmy was separated from them in the
darkness and confusion. He could not locate them by calling their
names, for each time he tried this he was struck by one of his
captors, which led him, finally, to desist. He realized that if he
exasperated the Germans too much they would not hesitate to kill him,
even though he was a prisoner.
But later on, when it seemed as though he had been pulled and dragged
over miles and miles of rough country, Jimmy was aware that the party
of men who had him in charge had been joined by another squad of the
Boches. And to his delight he heard some one say:
"Wonder what became of Blazes?"
It was Bob's voice, and Jimmy at once answered:
"Here I am! Is Roger there?"
"Yes," came a voice out of the darkness, and it ended in a gasp of
pain, as if the words had been stopped by a blow.
Jimmy felt as though he could tear himself loose and hurl himself on
the cruel captors, but he was held fast.
There was rapid talk in German among the members of the raiding party,
and it could not be doubted that they were exulting over the success
of the sortie, such as it had been.
A little later Jimmy was prodded forward again by the butts of German
guns, and he was aware that Roger and Bob were advancing along with
him. Whether there were any other Americans in that party Jimmy could
not tell, as it was dark now, since the "fireworks" had ceased.
"Tough luck!" murmured Bob, as he limped along beside Roger.
"You said it," answered Jimmy. They spoke in low voices so as not to
incur the further enmity of their captors.
"What do you think they'll do with us?" asked Roger.
"Try to get information," was Jimmy's answer. "But don't give them
any! Keep stiff upper lips and let 'em ask all they want to. Don't
answer!"
"We won't!" murmured Roger and Bob, but they did not realize how hard
it was going to be to keep that resolve.
Forward in the darkness they stumbled, being pushed and shoved when
they were not roughly seized and dragged, and at last they seemed to
have been brought to a place where they were to be detained for some
time. They were led down into a trench and along this in single file,
a German preceding and following each of the three captives, so they
were thus separated. They discovered that the German trenches were not
much better as regarded mud and water than their own, and they did not
have the protection of "duck boards" except in a few places. So that
the progress of Bob, Roger and Jimmy was through mud that came nearly
to the knees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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