“But, sir,” said one of the men, “we would like—­”

“Silence!” said Chester.  “Back to your places.”

The men obeyed, though they continued to murmur.  Chester softened a few minutes later and again addressed his men.

“I have no doubt you fellows will have all the fighting you want before this thing is over,” he said quietly.  “As nearly as I can make out from here the men upstairs must be about done for.  I question whether they will be able to beat off another attack.”

“And are the two hours up, sir,” asked one of the men.

Chester glanced at his watch.

“Not quite,” he returned.

“How much to go, sir?”

“A little more than five minutes.”

The man’s face darkened.

“And we’ll be relieved at the end of that time without having done any fighting,” he said.  “Here we sit down here in the dark and the other fellows have all the fun.”

“You’re liable to get yours yet,” said Chester.  “If I mistake not, the Germans are returning to the attack.  I hear the sounds of firing from above.”

Chester was right.  The Germans again had advanced to the charge.

Above, Hal and Captain Leroux were issuing orders to their men for what each believed would be the final effort.  Should this attack be repulsed, both had some slight hopes that they would not be compelled to face another—­that French reinforcements would arrive before the Germans could advance again.  But, also, neither was sure in his own mind that the approaching attack of the foe could be beaten off.

And this time the Germans seemed to be advancing in even greater numbers than before.

“Crack!  Crack!  Crack!  Crack!  Crack!” came the spatter of German bullets against the side of the house; and occasionally a bullet struck home and left no sound, unless it was the sound of a man toppling over backwards to the floor, or a man as he clapped his hand to his head.  The rifle bombardment was having its effect.

The sharp crack of French rifles answered the challenge of the Germans, though, because of the fact that the ranks of the defenders had been sadly depleted, their weapons spoke not so often.  But when they did speak, men fell; for, at this crucial stage of the battle, they were making every shot count.

But this time, it seemed, the Germans were not to be denied.  Men as well as officers understood the slowness of the French fire.  The Germans were flushed with the spirit of victory, despite the fact that the field on all sides of the farmhouse was covered with their own dead and dying.  The German soldiers realized, as did their officers, that the end of the courageous defense was near.  Another effort and the farmhouse would be theirs.

For some reason, in spite of the fact that the German troops appeared to be making fair progress, their advance was suddenly stayed.  At some distance they halted and continued to pepper the house with rifle bullets, doing little damage at that distance.