CHAPTER XV The Struggle Under the Water

AS John Big Bear stalked away without even so much as saluting the commander of the regiment, the colonel stood gazing after him reflectively, the suspicion of a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. There were several things the colonel might have done, for John Big Bear’s action distinctly came within the official definition of unbecoming conduct, even insubordination.

But after all it is often not so much the act itself that counts, as the motives behind it; and whereas such conduct as the Indian’s might have been deliberate disobedience in one of a different nature, the colonel, who knew men, and who particularly knew the hidden courage and devotion of John Big Bear, merely looked after the Indian as he strode away, muttering something under his breath which, as Ollie Ogden caught it, was far from suggesting the guard house or a court martial.

The boys were standing aside, waiting to learn where their own company was stationed, and the colonel had turned for a moment to speak to another officer who had come up.

“A fighter from the ground up,” Ollie heard him say, undoubtedly referring to John Big Bear.

“Yes,” the other man replied, “the only trouble I have is in holding him in restraint. He constantly wants to go out and clean up the whole German army himself. I must say he hasn’t much respect for the Huns. I believe a dozen men like him could demoralize a whole Boche regiment.”

And the lads became aware for the first time that the speaker was their own captain. They saw, too, that he carried his left arm in a sling. A pang went through them as they realized the action their own company must have been in that day while they were sleeping in the dug-out under Thiaucourt; but the thought also brought with it all that they had accomplished, and though not disposed to flatter themselves, they felt, and justifiably so, that on every occasion they had fulfilled their duty whenever and in whatever guise it presented itself.

The colonel and captain, who had been conversing in low tones, turned and approached the three lads. The captain recognized them for the first time.

“Well, well,” he exclaimed. “Here you are, apparently well and sound, and we thought the three of you were gone. Have you been with another unit? Just arrived I see. What’s the report, sergeant?”

Briefly, but clearly, Tom explained everything—how they had slept on while squads and companies and battalions and regiments and brigades and even the entire division moved out; how they had awakened to find themselves alone; of their capture by the twenty Germans, and later, under the leadership of John Big Bear, of their turning the tables on those of the Germans who remained living after the Indian got through his work.

Sergeant Tom Walton did not spare himself or his two pals in what looked to them like unforgivable carelessness in having slept so soundly that a whole army moved out over their heads without their having heard a sound; neither did he seek to embellish the account of their later daring accomplishment.

The colonel and captain listened in silence until the report was concluded, but the lads found no censure awaiting them. The colonel nodded his head approvingly and again called the captain aside. They conversed for several minutes, apparently giving grave consideration to some important project, and then called the youths over.

“Our company has been pretty well shot to pieces, boys,” the captain began, “but the success of this entire drive of course depends upon the manner in which every unit carries through its especial mission. And ours is a difficult one tonight. The men have been fighting all day, and those who are not dead or wounded are so utterly exhausted that they hardly can be asked or expected to do anything further tonight.”

The colonel was gazing at them intently. The captain paused for a moment. The young men remained at rigid attention, waiting to learn what new service or sacrifice lay before them. Tired as they were, they knew that they had rested and slept since other members of the company had, and that they had not endured the awful conflict of the day, under which hundreds of their friends had gone down. And besides, there was something exhilarating and thrilling in receiving some commission directly from the captain, in the presence, and undoubtedly with the approval, of the commander of the regiment.

“We are not more than a quarter of a mile from a swift but narrow river,” the captain continued, pointing off to the right, “but we were unable to get further before darkness. Most of the enemy are on the other side, but a strong rear guard is holding the near bank.

“To properly lay our plans for the morning it is necessary that we have some definite idea of whether the Germans have decided to make a determined stand here, or whether the main force is retreating beyond the other side of the stream, leaving only this comparatively small guard to harry and delay our advance.

“As I have said, our men are exhausted. It is necessary that we send out scouts to reconnoiter. You men already have gone through a great deal that has earned you the respect and admiration and commendation of your officers. Do you feel that you can go forward on the difficult and dangerous mission that I have outlined? I would send John Big Bear with you, but he has been through enough in the last forty-eight hours to kill an ordinary man. Are you men prepared to take up this necessary task?”

“We are,” the three young soldiers answered in unison, and at the same instant from out of the darkness behind them came a deep grunt and John Big Bear stepped forward.

“Young ’em fellas go; me go, too,” the Indian announced briefly

John Big Bear had been listening! The captain swung on him suddenly, his lips already framing a reprimand, when he caught the colonel’s eye. The latter merely gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head, and the captain at once changed his tactics.

“John Big Bear,” he announced, as though it had been he instead of the Indian who had decided the question, “you and Sergeant Walton and Harper and Ogden are assigned to report upon the approximate strength of the enemy forces on the opposite bank of the river, and also whether they are preparing to make a stand there, or are moving on.”

The four men saluted and a moment later were lost in the darkness. It was not until they were crawling well within the enemy outposts that they remembered that with the exception of John Big Bear, who had equipped himself with a regulation automatic and plentiful ammunition, the others had only what cartridges were in the revolvers they had taken from the Germans.

And it was almost at that instant that an alert sentry discovered their presence. He fired point blank from a distance of not more than fifty feet, and Ollie Ogden felt the bullet whistle by his head.

Bang! It was John Big Bear’s unerring aim, and the Boche was laid low. But in that moment a dozen of the enemy suddenly rose into sight, and there was but one course open—a running fight toward the river bank, for the position of the Germans was such that retreat to the American lines was cut off, even had the four men been disposed to turn back.

Just as they reached the edge of the river a suppressed grunt from John Big Bear indicated that he had been hit, but he did not go down.

“In big water,” he shouted to the others, and with a simultaneous splash they dived into the river.

All were excellent swimmers, but as they came up close together, far out in the stream, the outlook was far from encouraging. The bank from which they had jumped was lined with hostile men, and directly approaching them was a boat containing at least half a dozen others, evidently engaged in ferrying back and forth, gradually depleting the rear guard which had been left upon the American side.

With one long breath the four men dived again, but not before Tom had noticed that John Big Bear was swimming only with his right arm, his left seemingly out of commission.

When they came to the surface again they were above the boat, which was a raft-like affair, but still at a point between it and the American side. Before their whereabouts had been discovered John Big Bear had formulated a plan and in a few swift words imparted it to his companions.

Inhaling all the air they could, in order to remain under water as long as possible, they dived for the third time. The three lads swam with all their strength down stream and ahead of the Indian, to a point just behind the boat.

There, until it seemed that their lungs would burst, they waited. Unable to stay down longer, each struck out again for the top. They lifted their heads into the air not ten feet below the boat, and just at an instant when, if the situation had not been so serious, they could have laughed outright.

John Big Bear, giant of a man that he was, with the strength of a Sampson despite his wounded left arm, had come up unsuspected on the upper side of the boat, and, despite the weight of the men in it, had with one deft and tremendous upward push turned it over. Or, to be exact, with the men all lined up on the opposite side, waiting to take pot shots at the swimmers when they came up where they thought they must, he was just in the act of turning it over, with their unconscious assistance, when the lads came up for air.

The Germans had neither time nor thought for shooting then. It all had happened so suddenly, as most things did that were engineered by John Big Bear, that they were seized with consternation as they hurtled headlong into the river.

Each of the lads had his gun ready, butt end outward, for the struggle that must ensue. John Big Bear, working with one arm and shoulder, as he had to, was having all he could do to right the boat again.

There were shouts from the American side of the bank which indicated that another raft loaded with men was trying to put out. A Boche came up beside Tom Walton, gave one wild stare at him and dived again, just as Tom’s revolver butt hit the water with a resounding splash. Ollie at that moment was struggling in the grasp of a gigantic Hun. With three quick strokes Tom was beside them. He managed to hit the enemy a terrific blow over the head, which released Ollie, but a moment later it was George Harper who had to come to Tom’s rescue as a German who had dived under him dragged him gasping and breathless, below the surface.

Some of the Germans had fled down stream as fast as their swimming abilities could carry them, but enough had stayed to make it a terrible struggle, with all the odds upon the enemy side.

Firing had ceased on the bank when it was seen that Americans and Germans were all mixed up together in the water, but no sooner had John Big Bear righted and crawled into the boat than bullets began to whiz around his head.

This angered John Big Bear, and it’s bad business to get an Indian mad. He is likely to do some damage. John Big Bear was no exception to his race.

Lying flat in the boat, he leveled his revolver over its side. Pop! And a Boche who twice had nearly drowned Ollie Ogden went down to a watery grave. The sight so disconcerted the other Huns who had seen it that they immediately dived. John Big Bear’s gun continued to speak as one by one they came to the surface again. Instantly all dived. The lads saw only two finally reappear. Whether the others had been killed or drowned, or had made their escape in the darkness, they never knew.

Nor did they much care. It had been the most exhausting experience they ever had been through, and as they climbed into the boat which John Big Bear managed to maneuver to them, and each laying to the oars struck out with all their strength for a point of safety down stream, they were thankful enough to have escaped alive.

A bullet had smashed John Big Bear’s shoulder, and all were half frozen from the icy water and chilling winds. But they had learned that for which they had been sent. The rear guard left on the American side of the stream was rapidly being ferried to the opposite side, and no shots worth speaking of had come at them from there. Undoubtedly the Germans were continuing a hasty retreat under cover of the night.

And with all the strength they had remaining in them, after half an hour’s rowing had brought them to a place of safe landing, the lads ran back into the mainland, to report to their commander and get hot coffee and into dry clothes.