No Man's Island Read online

  Produced by Al Haines.

  Cover]

  "THEY RESCUED WHAT THEY COULD." _See page_ 152.]

  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, THEADVENTURES OF HARRY ROCHESTER, THEA GENTLEMAN AT ARMSA HERO OF LIEGEAIR PATROL, THEAIR SCOUT, THEBARCLAY OF THE GUIDESBLUE RAIDER, THEBOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADEBRIGHT IDEASBROWN OF MOUKDENBURTON OF THE FLYING CORPSCARRY ONCRUISE OF THE GYRO-CAR, THEFIGHTING WITH FRENCHFLYING BOAT, THEFRANK FORESTERHUMPHREY BOLDJACK HARDYKING OF THE AIRKOBOLONG TRAIL, THELORD OF THE SEASMOTOR SCOUT, THENO MAN'S ISLANDOLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN, THEONE OF CLIVE'S HEROESPALM TREE ISLANDROB THE RANGERROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYSSAMBASETTLERS AND SCOUTSSULTAN JIMSWIFT AND SURETHROUGH THE ENEMY'S LINESTOM BURNABYTOM WILLOUGHBY'S SCOUTSWITH DRAKE ON THE SPANISH MAINWITH 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 inColour_

  "'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 OPENEDPACKAGE"

  "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"