Chapter I: Front Matter

NO MAN'S ISLAND

BY

HERBERT STRANG

ILLUSTRATED BY C. E. BROCK

HUMPHREY MILFORD
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW
TORONTO, MELBOURNE, CAPE TOWN, BOMBAY
1921

PRINTED 1921 IN GREAT BRITAIN BY R. CLAY AND SONS, LTD.,
PARIS GARDEN, STAMFORD STREET, S.E.1, AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.

HERBERT STRANG

COMPLETE LIST OF STORIES

ADVENTURES OF DICK TREVANION, THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY ROCHESTER, THE A GENTLEMAN AT ARMS A HERO OF LIEGE AIR PATROL, THE AIR SCOUT, THE BARCLAY OF THE GUIDES BLUE RAIDER, THE BOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE BRIGHT IDEAS BROWN OF MOUKDEN BURTON OF THE FLYING CORPS CARRY ON CRUISE OF THE GYRO-CAR, THE FIGHTING WITH FRENCH FLYING BOAT, THE FRANK FORESTER HUMPHREY BOLD JACK HARDY KING OF THE AIR KOBO LONG TRAIL, THE LORD OF THE SEAS MOTOR SCOUT, THE NO MAN'S ISLAND OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN, THE ONE OF CLIVE'S HEROES PALM TREE ISLAND ROB THE RANGER ROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS SAMBA SETTLERS AND SCOUTS SULTAN JIM SWIFT AND SURE THROUGH THE ENEMY'S LINES TOM BURNABY TOM WILLOUGHBY'S SCOUTS WITH DRAKE ON THE SPANISH MAIN WITH HAIG ON THE SOMME

CONTENTS

CHAP.

I. NO MAN'S ISLAND
II. BELOW THE BELT
III. PRATTLE
IV. THE FACE IN THE THICKET
V. THE GAME BEGINS
VI. A SCRAP OF PAPER
VII. TIN-TACKS
VIII. PIN-PRICKS
IX. REPRISALS
X. A SOFT ANSWER
XI. INFORMATION RECEIVED
XII. QUEER FISH
XIII. FIRE!
XIV. A CIRCULAR TOUR
XV. UNDERGROUND
XVI. WATERMARKS
XVII. THE TOPMOST ROOM
XVIII. ZERO
XIX. THE PRISONER
XX. THE PACE QUICKENS
XXI. TRAPPED
XXII. A PARLEY
XXIII. "VI ET ARMIS"
XXIV. A LEVY EN MASSE
XXV. SQUARING ACCOUNTS

EPILOGUE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"THEY RESCUED WHAT THEY COULD" (see p. 152) . . . _Frontispiece in Colour_

"'CLEAR UP ALL THIS DISGUSTING LITTER'"

"THE FOREIGNER CHARGED UPON HIM LIKE AN INFURIATED BULL"

"THE OTHER WAS DIVING INTO THE STREAM"

"'GOT A PUNCTURE, OLD MAN?'"

"THEY SHINNED UP A SMALL TREE"

"HALF A MINUTE LATER THE CAR RAN PAST"

"PRATT THREW THE INTRUDER HEAVILY TO THE GROUND"

"'ZE TOWER? NO, IT IS RUIN, FALL TO PIECES'"

"THEY LIFTED THE BUNDLES OF GEAR, AND CARRIED THEM INTO THE HUT"

"'THE BOTTOM'S ONLY ABOUT FIVE FEET DEEP'"

"THEY SAW A SHORT, STOUT MAN DRAWING SHEETS OF PAPER FROM THE OPENED PACKAGE"

"BETWEEN THEM THE TWO BOYS ASSISTED THE MOTHER"

"HE STRODE UP AND DOWN, HIS LARGE BONY HANDS CLASPED BEHIND HIM"

"HE REMAINED FOR AN INSTANT IN HIS BENT POSITION, MOTIONLESS"

"RUSH SWIFTLY ROPED HIS ARMS AND LEGS TOGETHER"

"HE STAGGERED BACKWARD, AND THE PISTOL WAS KNOCKED FROM HIS HAND"

"'SQUEEZE INTO THE BOAT'"

"THE FARMER WAS UPPERMOST"