Chapter I: Preface

“Dave Porter’s War Honors” is a complete story in itself, but forms the fifteenth volume in a line issued under the general title, “Dave Porter Series.”

As my old readers know, this line was begun years ago by the publication of “Dave Porter at Oak Hall,” in which I introduced a wide-awake American boy at a typical American boarding-school. This was followed by “Dave Porter in the South Seas,” and then by “Dave Porter’s Return to School.” After that we had “Dave Porter in the Far North,” where the lad went on a long journey looking for his father; “Dave Porter and His Classmates,” in which the hero was put to a most severe test; and then by “Dave Porter at Star Ranch,” where a number of strenuous adventures befell him.

Leaving the West, Dave returned again to school, as related in “Dave Porter and His Rivals.” Then came a remarkable voyage, as narrated in “Dave Porter on Cave Island”; following which he taught some of his school friends a much-needed lesson, the particulars of which were set forth in “Dave Porter and the Runaways.”

It was not long after this that we again found our hero in the West, as related in “Dave Porter in the Gold Fields,” where he helped to relocate a lost mine. Coming back, he put in a grand vacation in the Adirondack Mountains, many of the particulars of which are told in “Dave Porter at Bear Camp.”

Graduating from school, our hero took up the study of civil engineering. This at first took him to the Mexican Border, as related in “Dave Porter and His Double,” and then out to Montana, as we learn in “Dave Porter’s Great Search.”

The great war in Europe was now on, and the entrance of our country into the contest caused Dave to become an army engineer. He went to France and there had some decidedly strenuous adventures, as told in “Dave Porter Under Fire.”

In the present volume Dave is still with the “fighting engineers” on the war-scarred battle-fields of France. His adventures are thrilling in the extreme, but no more so than have fallen to the lot of many a young American in this epoch-making conflict.

Again I thank my many readers for the interest they have shown in my books; and I trust that the reading of the present volume will inspire all with an added love for our country.

EDWARD STRATEMEYER.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I NEAR THE FIGHTING FRONT 1

II THE GAS ATTACK 12

III THE FINDING OF ROGER 21

IV LETTERS 30

V NEWS FROM HOME 41

VI A BATTLE IN THE AIR 52

VII THE GERMAN AVIATOR 62

VIII THE PERILS OF ROAD BUILDING 73

IX IN THE THICK OF THE FIGHT 83

X DAVE SHOWS HIS BRAVERY 94

XI IN THE HOSPITAL 104

XII WHAT NAT POOLE SAID 115

XIII THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL 125

XIV THE MACHINE-GUN NESTS 136

XV LIEUTENANT PORTER 146

XVI A PERSONAL AFFAIR 156

XVII AT THE TRENCHES 166

XVIII THE GERMAN PRISONER 175

XIX AT THE BROOK 186

XX ATTACKED IN THE DARK 196

XXI IN THE ABANDONED MINES 205

XXII LOOKING FOR DAVE 215

XXIII A PRISONER OF THE ENEMY 227

XXIV TRYING TO ESCAPE 238

XXV THE ENCOUNTER ON THE RIVER 249

XXVI DEEP IN THE WOODS 259

XXVII WHAT DAVE’S CHUMS DID 269

XXVIII THE GERMAN HEADQUARTERS 280

XXIX THE LAST FIGHT 289

XXX CAPTAIN DAVID PORTER--CONCLUSION 298

ILLUSTRATIONS

He made a long leap forward, bringing the gun-butt
down directly on the head of the German (page 98) _Frontispiece_

FACING
PAGE

Immediately afterward came a tremendous explosion 28

As well as he was able, he put out his uninjured arm and
Dave grasped it 66

Upon the breast of the young sergeant was pinned a
Distinguished Service Medal 132

There came down on their heads a perfect shower of dirt 162

One of them held him at the point of a bayonet 228

Dave took a long breath and then made the leap 252

With a quick move he gathered in the maps and documents 288

DAVE PORTER’S WAR HONORS