He began reading off some
names, and when he had finished, having mentioned Tom and Jack, he
said:
"Prepare for patrol duty at once."
"Good!" whispered Tom to his chum: "Now there'll be something
doing."
He little guessed what it was to be.
CHAPTER XX
CAPTURED
Silently, in the darkness of their trenches, the party of which Tom
and Jack were to be members, prepared to go over the top and
penetrate the German front line of defense, in the hope of taking
prisoners that information might be had of them. It was a risky
undertaking, but one frequently accomplished by the Allies, and it
often led to big results.
There were about a score in the patrol, and, to their delight,
though they rather regretted it later, Tom and Jack were given
positions well in front, two files removed, in fact, from the
lieutenant commanding.
"Now I suppose you all understand what you're to do," said the
lieutenant as he gathered his little party about him in one of the
larger dugouts, where a flickering candle gave light. "You'll all
provide yourselves with wire cutters, hand grenades and pistols.
Rifles will be in the way. Take your gas masks, of course. No
telling when Fritz may send over some of those shells. Blacken your
faces, as usual. A star shell makes a beautiful light on a white
countenance, so don't be afraid of smudging yourselves. And when we
start just try to imagine you are Indians, and make no noise.
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