This time the Germans succeeded in gaining a hold in the French lines, and this they retained in spite of repeated counter assaults by the French.  Bravely the men charged, but they could make no impression on the positions so recently won by the foe.  The troops of the German Crown Prince stood firm.

The French were forced to retreat toward the summit of the hill.

Here the big French guns opened violently upon the enemy, but the invaders remained in spite of the hail of death.

Chester had been carried back with the French retreat and he now found himself almost in the first line.  He was sadly disappointed, for he had felt sure that the French effort to repel the attack would be successful.

His men still falling back before the German advance, General Domont determined upon a bold stroke.  Orders were given thick and fast.  Hal and Chester, returning from their first missions of the day, found themselves again near the front.  The orders to the various French divisional commanders were explicit.  As the Germans advanced again to the attack, the French, too, all along the line, were to take the offensive.

The men awaited the word eagerly.

At last it came.  With a shout the French, still wearing their gas masks, hurled themselves forward with the troops.

Halfway down the hill the lines met with a crash.  Rifles and small arms were fired point blank into the very faces of the foe and then the men fell to the work with bayonets.  Both sides fought desperately.

Hal and Chester had drawn their swords and found themselves engaged with the troops.  So close was the fighting that had it not been for the difference in uniform it would have been practically impossible to distinguish friend from foe.

Hal found himself engaged with a German officer of huge stature, who was endeavoring to bring the lad to earth by fierce sweeping blows of his officer’s sword.  Hal was hard pressed to defend himself.

As the German’s sword descended in a stroke of extra violence, Hal stepped lightly aside and evaded the blow.  Before the German could recover himself, Hal moved quickly forward.  There was a sudden, quick movement of his arm and the German officer toppled over, to rise no more.

Hal turned just in time to see a second German officer level a revolver straight at his head.  The lad ducked and the ball passed harmlessly over his head.  Before the German’s finger could press the trigger again Hal had raised his arm and struck.

Chester, in the meantime, had his own hands full.  He had accounted for a German trooper who had sought to bring his rifle butt down on the lad’s head and was now engaged with two other troopers, who sought to end his career with bayonets.

Chester sprang nimbly back as the two men advanced on him.  One tripped and stumbled over a fallen comrade and as he did so Chester took advantage of his misfortune to strike with his sword.  But the second German protected his fellow by catching Chester’s stroke with his bayonet and for a moment Chester was at a disadvantage.