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Hancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving), 1868-1922

"Uncle Sam's Boys with Pershing's Troops Dick Prescott at Grips with the Boche"


The last wire had now been passed. Still lying nearly flat, Captain
Prescott raised his head, staring ahead into the nearly complete
blackness of the night. He was in No Man's Land!


CHAPTER XVI
THE TRIP THROUGH A GERMAN TRENCH

It was the sergeant who led the way. He and his detail moved,
except at special times, in a fan-shaped formation with the
noncommissioned officer ahead, three men on either side of him
formed lines obliquely back.
In the center, within these oblique flanks were the French lieutenant
and Captain Prescott.
It was a compact formation, useful in keeping all hands together
and in instant touch, yet likely to prove highly dangerous should
the enemy open on them with rifle or machine-gun fire.
In the center of No Man's Land was a wide, deep shell crater,
caused by the explosion at that point of one of the largest shells
used by the Germans.
Crawling down between friendly and hostile lines, the sergeant
made for this shell-hole. When still several feet away he held
up a hand, whereupon Lieutenant De Verne gripped Prescott's leg.


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