“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 shell, 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 shell 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 shell 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 shell 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 shell, 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 shell 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 shell may wreck the place.”

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

“I guess you’ve struck it,” assented 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 glasses.  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.”