The Khaki Boys over the Top Part 13

"What do you mean!" asked Bob, anxiously.

"Well, I don't believe that was a chance shot," went on the young sergeant. "If they see the mill still standing they may try another, and that may take off the roof. And then----"

"Whoa! Hold on a minute! A little at a time!" protested Bob. "This is enough. Don't give us any more."

"We've got to know where we're at!" declared Jimmy, and there was a new quality to his voice. "If this mill is within range of the German guns, and, unquestionably, it is, we've got to get out."

"Or go down cellar," added Roger.

"I don't believe any cellar, unless it was double bomb proof, would be safe if another sh.e.l.l like that came over," said Franz.

"Was it a German sh.e.l.l or one of ours?" asked Bob. "That would be interesting to know. I don't suppose, though," he went on, "that it really makes much difference, after you're dead, whether you're killed by an enemy sh.e.l.l, or by one fired in mistake by one of your friends.

At the same time if the American guns have come up it may mean that the Germans will have to retreat and we'll be safe."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," declared Jimmy. "It will mean a big battle, anyhow, if the Americans and some of the French and British have come up. And that may mean we'll have a chance to join our friends. But, in the meantime, maybe we can tell whether that was a Hun sh.e.l.l, sent to blow this mill off the earth, or whether it was from the good old United States."

Cautiously they advanced across the floor, toward what had been the front of the mill. Caution was necessary, for with the collapse of the front wall and part of the sides, the floor supports were weakened.

"No telling where that sh.e.l.l landed," declared Bob. "It's buried deep, and about ten tons of mortar and bricks are on top of it. If we had seen it coming----"

"Look out--duck!" suddenly yelled Franz, as he grabbed Jimmy, who was nearest him and darted toward the rear of the structure.

"What's the matter?" cried Bob.

"Another sh.e.l.l coming!" shouted Franz, and, even as he spoke there was that horrid screeching sound. "Duck!"

Together they ran to the farthest corner of the old mill. Whether it would have been better to have tried to get out none of them stopped to think. They were in a panic.

And then came the explosion, but so distant that it caused no more than a mere rumble of the ground, and a faintly-felt concussion of the now tottery building.

"Missed us that time," declared Roger. "But they're getting our range."

"No, they didn't fire at us," declared Franz. "If they had they would have hit us, for undoubtedly the gunners know the effect of that first shot. The Huns aren't shooting at us purposely."

"Do you mean that sh.e.l.l came from a German battery?" asked Bob.

"It did," affirmed Franz. "I saw the puff of smoke from a battery on the hill where the Germans are grouped. Then I knew they were firing in our direction. But of course I couldn't see the sh.e.l.l, and I didn't know where it would land. But I didn't want to take a chance. That either went over or fell short. But there's no question, now, as to where the firing is coming from--it's from the German lines."

"Then there's no chance for us," said Roger, gloomily.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," declared Franz. "They don't know we're here, and they evidently aren't firing directly at this mill. They may be using it to get the range, and that's why they dropped the first sh.e.l.l here. But we still have a chance."

"I don't see it!" declared Bob. "We can't get out--surrounded as we are by the enemy, and if we stay here another chance sh.e.l.l may wreck the place."

"Better as we noathing do, maybe; eh?" suggested the Polish lad.

"I guess you've struck it," a.s.sented Jimmy. "There isn't very much we can do. We might take a chance and sneak out, but I think very likely, the Germans are well supplied with gla.s.ses. They are, most certainly, watching this mill, if for no other reason than that it's so conspicuous. If we run out they'll be sure to spot us, and it would mean capture sure."

"Then what do you, advise, Blazes!" asked Roger.

"That we see if there's a chance of getting down in the cellar and staying there. Some of these old mills had very thick foundation walls. I don't know just how long this one will stand up if many more such sh.e.l.ls as the first one came over, but we can try it. In fact, it seems to be our only chance."

"All right--to the cellar!" cried Bob. "And don't forget to take with us what food and water we can. Maybe we'll be held there some time.

If there's a big battle it may last several days, though if our boys drive back the Huns we'll take the opportunity to slip out and join our friends."

"That's right," agreed Jimmy. "Just think, fellows, what's happening to us now may have happened to poor Maxwell. Maybe that's why he hasn't been heard from. If we don't come back they'll list us as missing, and no one will know whether we've run away, been killed or captured. So we'll have to suspend judgment on the man that's got our thousand dollars."

"That's so," agreed Franz. "I never looked at it in just that way. We never thought this would happen to us, any more than I thought I'd be captured."

They were gathering up such food as remained to them, and Bob was looking for something in which to carry some water to the cellar, when there came again that nerve-racking screech, followed by a roar and bang that seemed to knock the very bottom out of the world itself.

And this time the boys were conscious, for a brief instant at least, that the old mill was gone. It seemed to fall apart, to disintegrate, to crumble like some time-worn structure. And then all five of the lads lost consciousness and seemed to be slipping down into everlasting blackness, while all about them fell and rattled and banged stones, bricks, mortar-dust and dirt, mingled with cracked and splintered wood.

It was Iggy who first recovered his senses. Whether he was less shocked, or whether his nerves were in such a state from his recent experience as to make his unconsciousness of shorter duration, does not matter. The fact is he opened his eyes. And he was at once conscious that he was held down by the weight of much debris. It was on his legs and on his body, but his arms and head were free.

"Ach! Back again am I in de sh.e.l.l hole! It was a dream, yes, that I was taken out!" exclaimed the poor Polish lad. "It a dream must of been! I shall sleep again!"

But as he was closing his eyes, for he really, as he said later, thought that he was back in the sh.e.l.l hole, he saw Jimmy, who was half buried near him, moving slightly.

"Oh, Jimmy Blazes! And dey kill you, too!" sighed Iggy. "How sorry I am we both deat are alretty!"

"Who's dead?" asked Jimmy, in a faint voice. "I'm not, anyhow, but blamed near it. Is that you, Iggy?"

"Yes, I it is. But I know not if I am deader or aliver."

"Take my word for it--you're alive so far, though how long you'll be that way--or me, either--I can't say," said Jimmy. "What happened, anyhow?"

To Iggy's relief Jimmy managed to scramble out of the pile of dirt and stones that half buried him. And then, from another corner of what seemed to be the cellar, a third voice said:

"They sent over a proper sh.e.l.l, that time." It was Franz.

"A _proper_ sh.e.l.l? Most _improper_, I call it!" came from Roger. "It blew the mill to pieces!"

"And us along with it," added Bob. "Are we in the cellar?"

"Sub-cellar, bas.e.m.e.nt--anything you like to call it!" put in Jimmy.

"But is it possible that none of us is seriously hurt?"

He walked over a pile of masonry and beams. He saw Bob crawling out of a hole and Franz swinging himself down from what appeared to be a ledge. Roger picked himself up from a corner. Only Iggy seemed to be seriously hurt, but it was demonstrated, a few moments later, that he was not. For he scrambled out, scattering the dust in a cloud, and stood with his chums.

They were a sorry sight--covered with dust and streaks of blood, for the wounds they had bound up had opened again, and they had many fresh scratches and cuts.

"It's very evident what happened," declared Jimmy. "They must have dropped a sh.e.l.l on the roof, and it blew the mill right down into the ground, and us with it. We're in the cellar--or what was once the cellar."

"And the next question is, how to get out," added Bob.

"Hark!" exclaimed Jimmy, holding up a warning hand.

There was silence, broken by a faint, crackling noise.