"Well--"
He broke off and shrugged his shoulders.
Now the Germans came on again, the rapid-fire gun covering their
advance. A moment later the side of the farmhouse resembled a sieve, it
was so full of holes. For a man to stick his head out the window meant
instant death.
But as the Germans drew closer, the rapid firer became silent, for,
without risking the lives of Germans as well as French, it was of no
value now. At the same moment the heads of the defenders again
appeared at the windows and renewed the work of picking off the
Germans as they charged.
For some reason Hal took the time to glance at his watch once more.
"Time's up!" he told himself gravely, "and no help in sight."
But the lad was wrong; for, could he have looked from the rear of the
house at that moment, he would have seen advancing several columns of
French cavalry, coming to their relief.
The Germans saw the approach of reinforcements and redoubled their
efforts to gain the farmhouse before the reinforcements could arrive. But
it was too late. With wild cries, the French cavalrymen swept down and
about the house. Cheers from the defenders greeted them. The men left
their places at the windows and ran from the house.
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