"Then you expect to leave Oscar here, do you, Rod?" questioned Josh.

"Oh! he'll find assistance, if his sore feet get to hurting him
dreadfully again," replied the leader, whimsically. "But I'd advise him
to sit down by the roadside, and not attempt to bother me any. He knows
how well his gun is loaded; and I think I could hit that top button of
his coat, even when on the move, the first clip!"

Oscar, as they would still have to call him for want of a better name,
shrugged his shoulders at hearing this declaration.

"Believe me, young M'sieu, I do not mean to give you the chance. I know
when I have enough. Things have not gone to my liking at all. And this
is a very comfortable seat, I assure you."

He sat down and folded his hands while Josh started off, Hanky Panky
speedily following him, and calling back:

"Don't trust him too far, Rod, please; really, I hardly like the look of
his eye."

"That's all right," laughed Rod, unconcernedly, "Oscar can't help his
looks; but he knows enough to sit tight sometimes, and this is one of
them."

Rod moved his machine far enough away from the seated man to prevent any
possibility of the other playing him any treacherous trick. Then he got
himself ready to mount.

Even as he started off, holding the weapon still in his right hand so as
to be in a position to use it on Oscar, he had a glimpse of the fellow
tumbling backward; and at the same instant his voice rang out in loud
shouts. Perhaps he was calling to his comrades, hoping to hasten their
arrival so that they might yet cut off the flight of the last boy, who
evidently had on his person the paper they were after.

So Rod passed down the road, with the late prisoner still whooping it up
in the rear. Taking a fleeting look behind him, Rod could see that Oscar
had now managed to scramble to his feet, doubtless deeming the danger
point passed. He was wildly accentuating his extravagant gestures by
renewed shouting; and Rod even imagined he could catch some movement
further back, as though those who were being summoned might be hurrying
to the spot.

Well, let them come. He and his two comrades could afford to laugh,
because the game had turned so nicely in their favor after all. And then
they were ahead one bulky revolver in the bargain.

Rod was at first tempted to toss this weapon away, but on second
thoughts concluded to retain it for the present. That wily schemer Jules
Baggott might have yet another ambuscade prepared for them a little
further on, and such a tool was apt to come in handy in case of a
surprise.

Although no mention has been made of the fact, because other stirring
events continued to face the boys, they knew that they must be steadily
drawing nearer the scene of warfare, because the roaring of big guns
became more and more insistent with every mile they covered.

It would not surprise Rod in the least should they come in sight of some
spirited action at almost any time now. Realizing that it was his duty
to be in the van at such a critical juncture, so as to occupy a position
to decide on their course of action, he gave the signal so well known to
the others, and which meant that they were to hold up.

They were several miles away from the spot where Oscar had been left in
the lurch, so no danger hung over their heads from that source. Rod soon
explained just why he had called the temporary halt; and then once more
the journey was resumed, this time in their regular order, with Hanky
Panky bringing up the rear.

Rod knew they must be drawing near the bank of the Marne, which river
flowing from the east empties into the Seine. He had been given to
understand that it was along the banks of this river that the vast
German host had retreated after their bold plan for taking Paris had
been frustrated, and their flanks were threatened by the Allied forces.

Looking ahead when there came a more than usually fierce outburst of
cannonading, he believed he could see where the battle was progressing,
though the distance was still too great to make out which side manned
the guns that were being fired. It was just then that in turning a bend
of the road he suddenly came upon a most interesting sight, though at
the same time it struck his soul with a feeling akin to awe, and sent a
shiver through his frame.

Evidently a field hospital had been established in a spot where it was
out of range of the German guns beyond. He saw numerous shelters of
canvas, with busy surgeons and attendants, both men and women nurses.
Along the roads, and across the level fields were hurrying ambulances
and vans of every description, each bearing its load of wounded picked
up along the front.

Rod threw up his hand. It was the signal that he was about to stop, and
wanted to let his chums know so that they might be prepared to follow
suit.

A few seconds later and they were at his side, gaping at the strange
picture now spread before them. Josh was going to have his dearest wish
realized, for they had undoubtedly now reached the battle line, and
could see some of the desperate charges and counter-charges attempted on
both sides.

The Germans had evidently turned at bay in their great retreat, and were
seeking to hold back the pursuit of the furious French, whose ardor was
apt to carry them to desperate attempts to break that solid line of
green-gray.

Hanky Panky was almost holding his breath. He did not possess the same
disposition that Josh had, and all this dreadful suffering was apt to
fill him with horror. Still, he had a boy's ordinary share of curiosity,
and might even be morbid enough to run so as to see an injured man in a
railway accident, even if he came near fainting immediately afterwards.

"It's a French field hospital, isn't it, Rod?" asked Josh.

"There's no mistaking the tri-color flag that waves near the one with
the Red Cross," replied the other, without the least hesitation.

"Oh! what a pity we lost our field glasses," continued Josh,
disconsolately. "We could never have such a splendid chance again to
watch the play of a real battle like that going on over there; and it's
a bit too far for the naked eye to get the full benefit of it all. I'd
give everything I own for binoculars right now. Rod, don't you think we
might push on a little nearer the firing line?"

Rod shook his head in the negative.

"The chances are we'd be rounded up in a hurry, and forced to turn
back," he told the eager comrade. "As it is I'm surprised we've been
able to get as close as we have right now. It's a part of our luck, I
guess. But I was thinking that if we chose to go over to the field
hospital perhaps after we'd made friends with some of the doctors and
attendants, helped a little it might be, we'd find a chance to borrow a
pair of binoculars from some one."

"Bully for you, Rod; that sounds good to me!" exclaimed Josh; while
Hanky Panky gave a little gasp, and was heard to say almost helplessly:

"Oh! my stars, do we have to run smack into that hospital business, when
often the sight of blood gives me the creeps, and makes my knees
wobble?"

"You can squat down right here, and stay if you want to, Hanky Panky,"
volunteered Josh; whereat the other seemed to make a swift mental
calculation, after which he shut his teeth firmly together, and went on
to say resolutely:

"I'm game if you both are; besides, something might happen to me here,
if that miserable Jules and his crowd came along the road back of us.
Yes, I'll go," but it could easily be seen that Hanky Panky was not
taking any great pleasure in the outlook.

They could use their machines for a short distance along the road; then
it became necessary for them to dismount, break down a fence, and
trundle the motorcycles across a field to where the temporary hospital
had been established, in touch with the battle lines.

Motor vehicles were coming and going at speedy intervals. Rod noticed
that they all used another road, which evidently must be the direct
course to Paris, where the wounded heroes were being hurried after their
injuries had received first care; because that is usually all a field
hospital is intended to accomplish, staunching the flow of blood, and in
other ways holding the spark of life until operations can be attempted
further removed from the scene of action.

Every one inside the limits of the place seemed to be desperately busy.
Men were rushing this way and that with stretchers, carrying wounded
soldiers back and forth. Vehicles were coming and going, and these
seemed of all descriptions, from the customary ambulance to big lorries
run with a motor; and all of them bore the sign of the Red Cross on
their sides, in order to protect them as much as possible from the fire
of the enemy.

It was in this manner therefore that the three Motorcycle Boys found
themselves entering a new phase of their extraordinary adventures, and
one that would doubtless never be forgotten, even when they found
themselves once again safe in their distant homes.

CHAPTER XIV.

WHERE THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE RAGED.

"Look, an aeroplane coming this way!" exclaimed Hanky Panky, pointing
upwards.

"If you glance off yonder," added Josh, "you'll see more than one of the
same. They're hanging over the battle lines, and I guess sending signals
back to tell what the observer notes from his perch away up aloft."

"Just what they're doing, Josh," Rod went on to say, as he stopped for a
brief time to take a look in the direction indicated.

In fact, they could make out as many as half a dozen of the fliers, some
darting about as swift as swallows on the wing, others more stationary,
and evidently with the operators busily engaged transmitting signals.

"There, see that one dropping something white!" cried Hanky Panky;
"chances are he's giving the gunners on his side a tip, so they can get
the range of the German battery, and put it out of action with a
volley."

"And there's going to be something doing pretty soon, or I miss my
guess," added Josh, excitedly; "because there comes a pair of those
Taube machines bent on giving the French ones battle. Rod, we're going
to watch a fight in the sky, don't you see? Whee! but this _is_ the
life, take it from me. I never dreamed I'd be so lucky as to be right on
the lines when a big battle was taking place."

The pair of Taube machines came swiftly along to engage the rival
aeroplanes that had been making so free with the secrets of the German
defences. Evidently the aviators had been ordered to put a stop to the
operations of the French pilots, no matter at what cost to themselves.

"They're shooting at each other now!" cried Josh; "you can see the puffs
of smoke break out every second; and it's different from the bursting of
shrapnel shells all around them."

"Gee! whiz! but this is awfully exciting!" gasped Hanky Panky,
stretching his neck still more in order to follow the swift evolutions
of the rival air machines; "what if one of them has the hard luck to get
his motor smashed by a ball; or his gasoline tank exploded?"

"That'd be a bad thing for the men in the aeroplane, I should say!" Josh
informed him. "They must be all of half a mile high, and a fall would
flatten a poor chump out like a pancake."

"There's one of the Germans turning tail right now and running away!"
called out Hanky Panky; "and the other--why, see how queer that machine
is acting, will you? It keeps turning around like a corkscrew, and seems
to be dropping all the while."

"A good reason, too," snapped Josh. "French guns proved superior to the
Kaiser's, for they did some damage. That Taube is falling! Only for the
skill of the two men aboard it'd be coming down right now like the stick
of a spent rocket, or a meteor aiming to strike the earth."

All of them watched the erratic course of the disabled aeroplane with
the keenest interest. Indeed, the valiant pilot certainly deserved a
great deal of praise for the way in which he manipulated his charge. At
the same time the Taube was going to strike the earth with a severe
blow.

"I wouldn't like to be aboard that poor craft, let me tell you," said
Hanky Panky, as it neared the earth, not far back of the French front;
"the people in it are going to get broken arms or legs, and the machine
will be smashed in pieces."

"Huh! they'll call themselves lucky if it ends at that," snorted Josh;
"some men would have their necks or backs broken; but these German
aviators are a tough lot, I've heard, and can stand a heap of pounding."

Even as they looked the wrecked Taube struck the ground. Some soldiers
had hastened in that direction, and were on the spot almost as soon as
the disabled German machine landed. They could be seen moving about
amidst the wreckage of the aeroplane. Then they appeared carrying
something in their midst.

"They've picked up the occupants of the fallen Taube," said Rod, "and
from the way they carry them the poor chaps must be badly hurt. Yes,
there they've stopped that ambulance coming from the front, and are
getting the wounded birdmen aboard. The French admire bravery, even in a
mortal foe, and you can be sure that those gallant fellows will receive
just as good care as if they were their own men."

He again started to move forward. The field hospital was now close at
hand, and they could expect to be within its borders in a few minutes
more.

Hanky Panky nerved himself for the terrible ordeal he knew was before
him. Both the other lads also shut their lips firmly, so that they might
endure the gruesome sights without feeling faint; for they were not
accustomed to such things, and but boys after all.

Some of those they met eyed them in wonder, doubtless at a loss to know
who the three youngsters were, and what brought them to the battle
lines. No one seemed to think of stopping them and asking questions; it
might be from lack of time.

Whenever Rod noticed some officer near by he gave the regulation salute,
which may have induced the others to believe the boys actually belonged
to some branch of the service; though their khaki uniforms would rather
indicate a connection with the British army just then co-operating with
General Joffre.

The boys had just succeeded in stacking their machines when an
opportunity came that allowed them to render assistance in carrying
several poor fellows into one of the tent shelters. A lorry had arrived,
and there did not seem to be any attendant on hand to help the driver,
who looked around in despair.

"Come along, Josh, and lend a hand here!" exclaimed Rod, equal to any
emergency, as he sprang forward.

Hanky Panky started, but soon held back, unable to bear the sight of the
wounded men who were in the motor truck.

The two boys succeeded in carrying three of them inside the shelter,
where they were placed as comfortably as possible, awaiting the time
when the bustling surgeon, engaged with other cases, could attend to
their hurts. One of them was in a very bad way, having been terribly
injured by a bursting shell. It pierced Rod's sympathetic heart just to
look at his white, blood-specked face. But the black eyes were still
full of fire and animation; and when Rod held a dipper of cold water to
the lips of the soldier of the republic the other drank greedily, and
then thanked him in French.

"It may be the last drink I shall ever want," he told Rod complacently,
"but I rejoice to know I have lived to see the day when a French army
has made the German beast turn tail and run. My father died before Paris
many years ago, and I have prayed for this glorious day to come. I am
satisfied. I have done my duty to France."

It made a powerful impression on both the boys. Such bravery and
devotion to country could hardly fail to do otherwise. Secretly they
hoped the valiant soldier might survive his terrible injuries, and live
to see the day when victory crowned the tri-color of France, which he
adored.

The busy surgeon now found a chance to pay attention to the later
victims of German bullets and bursting shells and bombs. At the same
time he started a conversation with Rod, the latter being the only one
of the boys who could speak French.

Presently Rod turned again to Josh to say:

"Here's a streak of luck for us, Josh. Just as soon as he's through with
the case he's now working on, the gentleman, Dr. Gervaise, is going to
loan us his binoculars. He also says there is a slight elevation twenty
yards back of this shelter, from the top of which we can get a pretty
fair view of the battle lines. From what he tells me I figure we'll be
just in good time to witness something that is going to take place
before long."

Of course this pleased Josh exceedingly, because it was a field-glass he
had been yearning for ever since they found themselves within touch of
the field of battle. He even tried to assist the wearied army surgeon as
best he might, for Josh had an abundance of nerve, and could accustom
himself to almost any sight if he had a motive controlling his actions.

Presently, armed with the Lemaire binoculars, Rod led the way out of the
temporary shelter under which the victims of the fierce fighting could
be shielded from the hot September sun while the principle of "first aid
to the injured" was being applied.

Hanky Panky was lingering near by, watching some of the interesting
sights, and evidently finding it a difficult thing to retain a firm grip
on himself. He greeted the reappearance of his chums with eagerness.
Perhaps he even hoped that they meant to quit the confines of the field
hospital, and depart to other regions. At sight of the field-glasses
which Rod waved at him Hanky understood, however, just why they were
hurrying toward that elevation close by; and he trotted at their heels
as an obedient little spaniel might have done.

Once they reached the summit of the rise it was found that the French
surgeon had not overstated the fact when saying that a very good view of
the battle lines could be obtained from this point. Rod took a look and
then handed the glasses over to Josh, knowing how eager the other was to
see at close range what was going on over where the big guns were
thundering so fiercely--where also the French lay in hiding, ready to
again charge desperately upon the German trenches when the word to
advance was given. The ground between the hostile armies was covered
with the fallen. Josh shivered as he contemplated the terrible
spectacle. It would doubtless haunt him for many a day and night to
come. He looked everywhere, not even omitting to glance upward so as to
see what the flying birdmen might be doing; then he handed the
binoculars over to Hanky Panky, who received them eagerly, despite his
sensation of horror.

When Hanky Panky leveled the glasses at the distant line of hastily
thrown up German trenches the first thing he saw was what seemed to be
an innumerable army of men in drab working feverishly to strengthen
their defences.

Already they had tasted of the new-born French enthusiasm, and could
anticipate that much more of the same sort was bound to break loose.
Long years had those fiery Gauls been hugging to their hearts the
thought of revenge for the humiliation suffered away back in '71, when
their beloved Paris echoed to the tramp of the victorious Teutonic
hosts.

They began to believe the day had dawned at last when the shame of their
fathers could be wiped out, and the tables turned on the hated foe.

How Hanky Panky did turn from one point to another and "soak" it all in,
as Josh remarked aside to Rod, impatiently waiting for a second chance
to observe what was going on over there beyond the windrows of the dead.

It seemed as though Hanky Panky could not tear his eyes away from the
amazing sight which fairly fascinated him. As though held in the grip of
a nightmare the boy was staring and muttering to himself. Sometimes his
words signified wonder and awe; then again there was an underlying vein
of compassion in what Hanky Panky said; for his heart was greatly
touched by the sight of all this terrible misery. He could see some of
the forms on the late battlefield moving. He realized that men in
anguish must be calling out for a drink of cooling water so as to quench
their burning thirst. Others were doubtless suffering all sorts of
tortures from the wounds they had received.

To be sure the hospital attendants were doing everything they could to
gather up the wounded. Men bearing the sacred Red Cross, from both the
French and the German sides, were moving about, searching for those in
whom life still remained. Vehicles could also be seen in places,
receiving some of these victims, while the men with stretchers stumbled
about carrying their groaning burdens to the rear.

Yes, Hanky Panky would never forget what he saw that day, though he
lived to a ripe old age, for it was burned upon his memory indelibly.

Josh, getting impatient, was just about to demand the binoculars when
the other uttered a sudden cry that gave them a new thrill:

"Oh! see what's going to happen now, will you, fellows?" was the burden
of his announcement; "there's a new French army hurrying up to attack
them on the flank; and they've given the signal for a general advance.
Great snakes! but it's going to be an _aw_ful sight when they come
to close grips!"

CHAPTER XV.

THE TAKING OF THE GERMAN TRENCHES.

That was too much for Josh to stand. He had been at the point of
rebellion before, and this was the "last straw that broke the camel's
back." He snatched the glasses from the trembling hand of his comrade
almost rudely, though perhaps Josh did not mean it that way, only he was
fearfully excited.

Of course Rod could see something of what was transpiring, even without
the aid of the binoculars, though they were bound to be a great help. He
had immediately turned his gaze upon the spot indicated, and discovered
that what Hanky Panky called out was true.

A great mass of men clad in the regulation French uniform came rushing
forward from the left quarter. Guns were fast starting up here, there,
everywhere, to rain a perfect hail of shells on the German line, so as
to prevent the defenders from springing forward to meet the new attack.

At the same time those Frenchmen lying concealed in front also sprang to
do their part of the work. The air was rent with shouts from thousands
of throats, though the tattoo of the guns became so insistent that even
this sounded faintly, as rain might on the roof between thunder-claps.

Riveted to the spot with the wonder of the spectacle, which they had
never dreamed would fall to their vision, the three boys stood there,
unable to speak a single word. Indeed, with all that frightful noise
going on speech was next door to folly, and they wisely held their
breath.

The Germans had anticipated just such an assault, no doubt, for it was
along their flank that they had been so industriously throwing up new
entrenchments at the time Rod and his chums first sighted them.

They had not been given sufficient time, however, to get more than half
prepared when the mighty blow fell. Those enthusiastic Frenchmen,
realizing that they had Von Kluck's army finally on the run, did not
mean to lose any of their advantage by unnecessary delay. They could not
be held in, even had their officers wished to attempt such a thing. Rod
indeed was reminded of the impetuous charge of hounds, once they were
released from the leash.

It was all very plain to Rod, who was a boy with a long head. He knew
that when the vast German host had advanced so steadily toward Paris,
sweeping everything out of their path with such apparent ease, they had
certainly brought along with them many great siege guns, with which to
batter down the forts defending the city.

Some of these were the famous forty-two centimetre guns which had proved
at Liege and Namur that no modern fort could hold out against the
enormous weight of metal they were capable of dropping, almost
vertically, on the works, from a distance of many miles.

Then when the sudden alteration came about in the plans of Von Kluck,
and his army turned aside from Paris so as to save its exposed flank,
the one thought in the mind of the general was to save those wonderful
guns, without which all his work would be for naught.

It was for this purpose that these desperate rearguard actions were
being undertaken by the retreating Germans. Some of the big guns were
drawn by traction engines, and their progress even over good roads must
necessarily be very slow. To enable them to be transported to the
positions already prepared along the Aisne River, looking to a possible
retreat, the victorious French had to be kept at bay.

So tens of thousands of Teutons must fall during those bitter days in
order that the Krupp guns might be saved to the cause. Manfully they
stood up to their task. There was not a sign of wavering as they met the
furious charge of the French, who seemed determined on thrusting the
enemy out of their newly made trenches at the point of the bayonet.

Josh, remembering how he had felt a brief time before, presently gave a
sigh and reluctantly handed the glasses over to Rod. The latter gladly
received them, and without a second's delay proceeded to glue his eyes
to the smaller end.

It was like a living picture of other battles that Rod remembered
seeing, done in colors; but the realization that this was the
_real_ thing he now gazed on so entranced thrilled him again and
again.

Backed by every gun that could be brought to bear upon the German front,
the living stream of blue and red-clad French soldiers, men of the line,
zouaves, chasseurs and all, plunged madly along. Little they recked that
many fell by the way under the storm of missiles that belched from the
hostile trenches; the lines closed over the gaps almost mechanically,
and only the figures that dotted the field after their passage told of
the terrible price with which the action was accompanied.

Now they were close up to the trenches, and some even leaping over the
redoubt, to grapple hand to hand with those who so desperately defended
it.

Brave though they were, the French had been so decimated in their mad
rush that it seemed as though there could not be enough of them left to
overcome the resistance of the defenders of the works.

It was while Rod was filled with this sense of anxiety that he noticed
something calculated to arouse new hope; for somehow he found himself in
sympathy with the French soldiers, perhaps because they had been the
under dog in the other war, when their fair country was overrun by
Bismarck's armies.

The wise French commander-in-chief, possibly General Joffre himself, had
seen to it that reserves were on hand to take up the fight after the
first line had hewn a way into the hostile trenches. Yes, there they
came along like a serried mass, or the waters bursting from a vast
reservoir after the dam has been broken.

He saw the living wave strike the first embankment and pass over. He
knew what terrible work must be going on beyond that thrown-up earth,
for in bayonet work the French have ever been without a rival. He pitied
the Germans who were trying to hold the first line of trenches so
valiantly, for they would mostly be either killed, wounded, or taken
prisoner.

The French guns still roared unceasingly, though that part of the great
Marne battle was already as good as won. Now their exploding missiles
were being hurled further on, so as to add to the perplexities of the
hurriedly retreating Germans, making for the next line of trenches,
which in turn would doubtless be just as stubbornly defended.

Josh it was now who used the glasses. As a rule Josh had always been
reckoned a generous fellow, sharing alike with his friends; but to-day a
spirit of greed possessed him. There was Hanky Panky, who really shrank
from such scenes as a battle--why bother paying any attention to him
when there was only a single pair of binoculars to go around?

Indeed, Hanky Panky made no further claim on the precious glasses;
evidently he had seen enough and more than enough as it was, to satisfy
his ambition. He was staring toward those figures dotting the new field,
and his lips kept moving as though he might be uttering words of
commiseration, though of course what he said could not be heard above
the universal clamor that continued with unabated vigor.

Gradually, though, the racket began to slacken, as though word had gone
forth that the pursuit of the retiring foe must be temporarily
abandoned. Victory had perched on the banner of the defenders of the
soil; the lilies of France had swept proudly over the trenches of the
foe; still further back from the imperiled capital had the host of Von
Kluck been pushed, but all gained at a terrible cost.

So the guns began to cease firing. New positions must now be taken up so
as to continue the good work. Everywhere the Germans would be pressed
back and back until possibly the ardent French believed they would be
forced to retreat to the Rhine.

And now new features began to appear upon the field that had so lately
been the scene of a fearful engagement. Batches of dejected looking
prisoners were being convoyed to the rear, stout-looking young fellows
as a rule; for in the early months of the great war the German army
consisted of the pick of the whole empire, every soldier being an almost
perfect specimen of physical manhood. Later on, when havoc had been made
in their ranks by continuous engagements, younger and older reserves
would begin to make their appearance to fill the gaps.

Then again did the French Red Cross attendants with their handy
stretchers begin to reap the harvest of the battle. Of Germans there
were none, for since their side had been compelled to retreat so hastily
most of their hospital corps had accompanied them, leaving to the
victors the double task of caring for the wounded of both armies.

When Rod, again with the glasses, saw how the French attendants did not
discriminate in favor of their own men, but took them just as they came,
a German even before a Frenchman, he realized the spirit of brotherly
love that really exists between the common people of all countries, even
though by force of circumstances they may be compelled to face each
other in deadly carnage for the faults of politicians or kings.

Well, it was all over now, but the binding up of wounds and the sad
burial of the many who had fallen. The invaders had been pushed still
further back, and their hopes of taking Paris received an apparently
fatal blow.

"Josh, you can never again say that you haven't seen a real battle,"
remarked Rod, as they made their way back toward the shelter where the
almost exhausted surgeon, aided by his assistants, would now have to
start in afresh with the incoming of another batch of cases needing
immediate attention.

"I'm satisfied," replied Josh in a suppressed manner; "and between us
both, Rod, I want to own up that I hope I'll never have another chance
to look on such a terrible sight; though remember, I wouldn't have
missed it for a whole lot."

CHAPTER XVI.

A SUDDEN SURPRISE.

Although the three lads had already performed an amount of labor that
would have considerably astonished their home folks, could they have
witnessed it, and filled them all with pride in the bargain, they were
not yet through, it seemed.

"Here's plenty more for us to do, fellows," suggested Rod, as they
reached the canvas shelter tent, where the procession of stretchers was
beginning to arrive, each with its sad burden.

"I'm willing to help all I can," said Hanky Panky, trying to look as
though he could stand anything after what he had passed through.

Indeed there was need of assistance. Two other field hospitals had
already been established not far away, since the subjects were many
times more numerous now that Germans as well as French were beginning to
be brought in for treatment. And a steady string of ambulances and motor
lorries would soon start to taking the wounded in the direction of
Paris, where they could be better attended to.

So for at least two hours the three brave-hearted American boys stood up
to the work to which none of them were accustomed. They certainly, in
that space of time, earned the everlasting gratitude of the nation whose
sons they assisted in their time of need.

Rod was interested in several Germans who had been taken prisoners,
slightly wounded. He entered into conversation with one of them, and
managed to learn more of the other side of the contention than he had
known before.

Finally even the willing Josh was heard to declare that he had about
reached the limit of his endurance, while Hanky Panky looked ready to
drop.

"We've got to get away from here, Rod," Josh was saying; "after all
we're only boys, and this is a terrible experience for us. Our chum is
nearly done up; and as for myself I admit that I'm getting shaky."

Rod himself had to confess that they ought to be making a move. The
worst of the bringing in of the wounded was over by now, and besides,
more attendants were on hand to look after things.

"That's all right, boys," he assured his chums, "we've done our level
best to be of some help to our friends, the French; and now it's only
fair we should start in looking after our own affairs again."

"I've noticed you talking with a number of men besides our surgeon
friend, Rod; have you picked up any sort of information that'd be of use
to us?" demanded the other shrewdly, guessing what their leader must
have had in mind.

"Something that may turn out to be worth while," came the reply.

"Meaning you've struck a clue about the regiment to which Andre
belongs--is that what it is?" continued Josh.

"Yes, and of course it'll be our object to run across the same as soon
as we can," he was told; "because it's beginning to strike me that we
ought to get away from this war-stricken country. We've seen things that
few boys ever could run across--things that'll haunt us for a long time,
I'm afraid."

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Rod," remarked Hanky Panky, white of
face after his recent experiences; indeed, it was mostly on account of
this comrade that Rod had made up his mind not to linger in that region
an hour after their mission had been accomplished.

"There's another thing I want to tell you, fellows, which is a bit more
cheerful, I'm glad to say," continued Rod. "Our supply of petrol is
nearly exhausted, you must know, and getting another lot at a time like
this might prove a pretty tough proposition."

"I was just thinking about that!" declared Josh, "and had it on the tip
of my tongue to ask you what we ought to do about it."

"Well, fortunately it's been made easy," Rod informed him; "our good
friend, the army surgeon, has given me a paper that will allow us to
replenish our tanks at the general supply station which I've already
located. He said it was little enough in recognition of the work we've
been doing."

Both the other boys declared that it was a splendid thing, and
congratulated Rod on his forethought in looking out for the necessary
supplies. Without liquid fuel with which to drive their speedy
motorcycles they would find themselves in a "serious pickle," as Josh
said; for every gallon in the whole country had undoubtedly been seized
by the military authorities--that is, what little the Germans had not
discovered and confiscated while passing through.

Accordingly their first labor was to proceed to the tank, present the
order given by the surgeon, who actually ruled the field hospital, and
the man in charge readily allowed them to refill their reservoirs with
the precious liquid.

It was with a thankful heart that Hanky Panky finally turned his back on
the field hospital. He had passed through so many painful experiences
since striking that place he felt as though his nerves had been badly
rattled.

After the late battle a strange calm seemed to have settled down again.
Doubtless both sides were replenishing their stock of ammunition and
getting in readiness for the next upheaval; for the French would never
cease to attack as long as they knew they had the enemy "on the run,"
and that it was French soil those detestable German boots were still
pressing.

Rod had figured things out as best he could. The wearied army surgeons
had also been able to give him a few pointers that might prove of value.

As they progressed they could no longer say that they had the road to
themselves. A score of different sights were before their eyes much of
the time, consisting for the most part of vehicles bearing the wounded
heroes far to the rear; other empty ones hurrying forward to secure
their loads; detachments of sullen prisoners being taken under guard to
a detention camp; squads of French soldiers bent upon some duty; here a
belated regiment hastening forward, eager to be in at the next furious
engagement; peasants standing in the doorways of their cottages watching
all that went on, and laughing with the passersby, because victory was
in the air for France, and it mattered little that they had lost all
their live stock when the German hosts trooped by, if only the "day"
they had long prayed for had indeed arrived.

So the Motorcycle Boys had to pick their way along now; it could no
longer be said of them that they fairly "flew" over the road. Besides
the numerous obstructions in the shape of vehicles coming and going,
there were many ragged holes to be encountered, where mighty shells had
fallen and exploded, forming craters that had to be carefully negotiated
lest the riders meet with a serious catastrophe.

Besides this, all along the way they discovered such cast-off material
as the retreating German army had discarded in order to hasten their
march--broken caissons and guns that had been rendered temporarily
useless by reason of some accident; stocks of provisions that could not
be carried; cooking outfits that were the most complete affairs the boys
had ever seen; and many other things which could not be safely carried
off by an army that was being hourly harassed by a fierce and
unrelenting foe.

The day had worn on while they were in the field hospital so that it was
now getting well along in the afternoon. Rod knew they would soon have
to be thinking of seeking some sort of shelter for the night. He was
more particular about this because clouds had come up, and there seemed
a chance that rain would follow, as often happens immediately after a
great battle has been fought in which there is much cannon firing and
consequent concussion of the atmosphere.

At noon they had shared the meagre lunch of the noble French army
surgeon, who had conceived such an ardent admiration for the trio of
young Americans. Josh was already heard saying that he felt as hungry as
a tramp who had been walking the railroad ties from early morning; and
hoping that they would be lucky enough to soon strike a house where a
meal might be secured.

This was what Rod had in mind when ahead of him he discovered signs of a
pretty little French village. His hopes mounted higher because from the
evidence before them it seemed plain that the retreating Germans had
somehow managed to pass around this small place, so that there was a
pretty good chance they would find a hospitable woman there, who, after
learning that they had been assisting in the field, would be only too
proud to cook them a meal, and it might be allow them to sleep in her
house.

"I'd be willing to occupy a shed, or even a dog-kennel so long as it
didn't have a French poodle occupant," Hanky Panky had solemnly said,
when they talked this over at the last crossroads, as they stopped a
short time to confer upon their plan of campaign.

Their coming created quite a little furore in the village, for being off
the main road to Paris the good people here had as yet not learned what
wonderful success General Joffre was meeting with in his attempt to
force the stubborn enemy back toward the Rhine country.

The boys were soon surrounded by a throng of women and children, with a
smattering of very old men. Apparently there was not a single
able-bodied man left in the place, every one having gone to join the
colors and defend the capital.

Rod was kept busy telling some of the grand things that had happened
miles away, where the roll of the great guns had been sounding so long,
bringing terror to the faithful hearts of the good people. How they
shouted and even embraced each other as they learned what measure of
success was coming to their army. One and all they were now positive
that their wonderful commander would never give up the pursuit until he
actually dictated terms of peace before the walls of Berlin itself.

When Rod modestly mentioned the fact that he and his two chums were
hungry they immediately received a dozen offers of accommodation and
supper. Every house in the village belonged to them, and they were at
liberty to ask for anything they wanted.

Rod, however, used a little discretion. He did not in the first place
want to be separated from his chums, and this meant they must choose
some house capable of entertaining them all.

In the end he selected for their hostess a middle-aged woman who looked
prosperous and capable of attending to their wants without robbing
herself. The three motorcycles were stacked in the yard close by, where
they continued to attract the attention of every boy, big or small, in
the village.

Rod was not in the least afraid to leave them. He knew full well that
there was not any chance of the machines being tampered with; for those
French boys seemed well behaved. He wondered what would happen over at
his home town of Garland, where such fellows as Oscar Griffin, Gid
Collins and their like loved to play all manner of tricks and practical
jokes, regardless of other people's feelings.

Comfortably seated inside the house Rod and his chums awaited the call
to supper. They could get tantalizing whiffs of the food that was being
prepared for their consumption as the odors crept in from the kitchen;
and Josh several times privately declared he did not see how he was
going to stand that sort of thing much longer, for it was making him
fairly frantic, he was so ravenous.

Rod was figuring on where the three motorcycles should be placed for the
night, and had already made up his mind to ask if they could be brought
into the house; because while the good people of the village might all
be as honest as the day, stragglers from the army were apt to come along
who might feel like helping themselves to a "good thing" when they found
it so convenient.

It was just at this moment, when they were expecting to be called into
the dining-room to sit down at the bountiful feast provided, that,
without the least warning, a bombshell seemed to drop among them. Shouts
were heard without, and as the three boys sprang to their feet they
looked at each other in sudden anxiety.

"What are they yelling about, Rod?" begged Hanky Panky.

"They say the Uhlans are coming down on us, and are already close to the
place!" was the startling declaration of the one who understood French.

CHAPTER XVII.

BEHIND THE BARRICADE.

"Such tough luck, and just when supper was going to be called, too!"
groaned Josh, though possibly he did not mean to be at all humorous, but
was only expressing the first natural feeling of bitter disappointment
that beset him.

Rod realized that it was a time for quick thinking, and rapid action as
well. No matter if the raiding Uhlans proved to be only a small
detachment bent on striking terror to the hearts of the French, while
their main army was still retreating toward the Aisne, they would be in
numbers sufficient to awe the village, where only women and boys and
aged men were to be found.

He also knew that the three fine motorcycles owned by himself and chums
would be either confiscated or destroyed by the German cavalrymen.
Uhlans have always been accredited with bold and reckless deeds whenever
engaged in warfare in the enemy's country. They would find incriminating
papers, too, upon the boys, and might even take it in their hands to
treat them as spies.

"Get busy, fellows; we must fetch our machines indoors and close shop to
keep the enemy out, if we can!" was what Rod called, as he hastened to
run from the room.

Just then a bell tinkled somewhere near by, apparently to summon them to
the supper table; but much to the deep regret of Josh they were hardly
in a condition to respond to the alluring call.

Each of them came staggering in, trundling a heavy machine. These they
stacked in a room, after which the outer door was shut and secured in
the best way possible, though not before a number of people had crowded
in with them.

Out on the village street the greatest excitement prevailed. Children
cried, women called to one another as they hurried their innocent
charges homeward; even the stray dogs started barking again, just as
they had done when Rod and his friends hit the place with their buzzing
motorcycles.

Above other sounds they could hear loud and heavy voices, as of men bent
on terrorizing the peaceful little community. Of course the words they
heard were German ones, showing that the speakers must indeed be the
dreaded Uhlans.

They were undoubtedly galloping hither and thither, ransacking houses in
search of food or anything else worth carrying off. It might be that
presently some of them would even be found putting the torch to any
building that failed to meet with their approval, after a hasty search.

Rod suddenly remembered something just then. It struck him forcibly, and
the more he considered it the stronger did it seem to appeal to him.

He recollected that they had come upon a regiment of French zouaves
making a temporary bivouac alongside the road about two miles back. If
only they could be communicated with and informed of the presence of the
hated Uhlans in the little French village, he felt positive they would
not let the grass grow under their feet in hastening to the rescue of
the small terrorized community.

But how could it be done? Rod would have given considerable for a chance
to use his speedy motorcycle in this work, but there was no use thinking
of such a thing, because it could never be carried out.

Perhaps from the roof of the house he might manage to attract the
attention of some sentry at the camp, and by means of the Signal Corps
code, which he knew very well, communicate their sad condition to the
commander of the troops, and thus procure help for the frightened
villagers.

"Stay here, and try to keep them out if they make an effort to break
in," he told Josh. "I'm going up to the roof and see if I can send a
signal for help to that zouave regiment we noticed camping by the
roadside. Here, take this, Josh, and remember that you're defending
women and children when you use it."

"Bully for you!" cried Josh, as his hand closed upon the revolver which
had been taken from the fraudulent Oscar William Tell.

Rod hurried away, and ran upon the woman of the house close by. She was
looking greatly alarmed at the sudden coming of the enemy, but for all
that Rod believed she would prove true grit.

"I want to get up on the roof if it's possible," was what he said to
her; "there is a regiment of French troops camped not two miles away on
the side of the hill, and if I could get in touch with them they'd come
to our help. Show me the way to the trapdoor, if there is one."

She must have grasped his idea without trouble, for she immediately
started up the stairs. The confusion outside was growing worse than
ever, and served to spur the boy on to renewed exertions.

The good woman of the house was soon pointing at the trap, and Rod
quickly had it open. As he clambered out on the roof he saw to his
satisfaction that it was situated on the side away from the village
street. In this fashion he believed he might be able to accomplish what
he had determined to attempt, at least without being interrupted by any
passing Uhlan lancers.

One look in the direction of the hillside gave him cause for further
delight, since he found that he could easily see the camp of the tired
zouaves, who had marched many miles since sun-up in hopes of
participating in the day's battle, only to arrive when the action was
all over.

Rod immediately began to wave his handkerchief wildly, though carrying
out a certain program, and hoping to thus attract the attention of some
sentry who may have been posted on that side of the camp.

Almost immediately he realized that this was just what had been
accomplished, for he saw men running, and then a signal flag was waved
in reply to his frantic appeals.

"What do you want to communicate?" was what he made out to be fashioned
through the regular wigwag work of the flag.

"Village at mercy of Uhlans--come and help us at once!"

That was the message which Rod sent waving back. How glad he was at that
minute he had picked up his knowledge of Signal Corps work, and could
both send and receive so accurately.

That the man in the zouave camp had grasped the meaning of his dispatch
Rod quickly understood, for almost immediately there was waved back an
answer calculated to reassure him:

"Hold on! Relief coming! O. K."

All this of course took a little time in transmission. Seconds had
passed into minutes, and about the time he was through Rod realized that
things were getting pretty warm close by. In fact some of the raiders
had discovered that the most pretentious house in the entire little
village was barred against them. They had leaned from their saddles and
pounded heavily on the door. When no one opened up they had given vent
to their anger and even threatened to smash their way in, doubtless
promising all sorts of terrible things for the inmates if forced to go
to this trouble.

Still there had been no response. Josh, who was in charge below, did not
mean to risk the loss of the precious motorcycles, as well as take
chances of being shot as a spy, just because those lordly Uhlan
cavalrymen demanded that he unbar the heavy door and let them enter.

The threatening voices, accompanied by louder blows, continued to sound
as Rod hastened downstairs again. He realized that they must do
everything possible to keep those rough raiders out until the French
zouaves had a chance to arrive on the field.

There were several old men among those who, in the first excitement, had
sought refuge in the house that temporarily sheltered the young
Americans whom the simple French peasants and villagers considered real
heroes. Although far from sturdy in build, and with trembling,
half-palsied hands, these old chaps had proceeded to arm themselves as
best they could.

One had found a big carving knife which he brandished as though it were
a sword, and he a captain leading a charge; a second was swinging a
cudgel, as though filled with a hope that it might yet be laid up
against a German head; while the last of the trio had taken down a gun
of the vintage of '71, which, together with its glistening sabre
bayonet, had hung on the wall in memory of the good man of the house,
who doubtless made the right kind of use of it in other days.

Altogether they presented quite a curious collection as they gathered
there by the door, and waited to see if the enemy would carry out those
loud threats to break in. Rod was reminded of accounts he had read about
the patchwork army gathered together by one Falstaff in early English
days, which consisted of the lame, the halt and the blind. All the same,
those old fellows had the right sort of spirit, and acted as though
quite willing to yield up their own lives in defense of the village.

Things were going from bad to worse outside. Smoke could easily be
detected now, as if to prove that those awful threats made by the Uhlans
were not idle ones; and that some cottage was already in flames.

Rod was almost counting the seconds. He found himself wondering whether
the oncoming zouaves could possibly reach there before the door was
broken from its hinges and the wolves without rush in to use their heavy
sabres against the defenders. How long could they hold the aggressors in
check? Those weak old men would be swept aside as though they were
pigmies; and what could he and his two chums do against half a dozen big
cavalrymen, bent on pillage?

The very first thing Rod did do was to possess himself once more of that
revolver. He believed he could make better and more judicious use of
such a dangerous weapon than Josh might--Josh was so rash and
headstrong, once he found himself up against a dangerous situation.

The door, being very heavy, was resisting the attack of the soldiers
successfully, though Rod did not plume himself on this account. He
feared there were many other ways by means of which the Uhlans could
accomplish their purpose and enter the house did they care to bother
about looking.

Just then there arose a new cause for alarm. The good woman came crying
from the other part of the building. Rod heard what she said and was
able to understand, although the other two were left in the dark.

"What's happened next, Rod?" demanded Josh, with the air of a veteran;
for Josh often affected to liken himself to those old worthies who, when
sorely beset, never asked about the number of their foes, but where they
could be found, so that they might attack them hip and thigh.

"She says they've set fire to the house, and that the whole rear of the
same is already blazing fiercely," Rod explained.

Hanky Panky's face was a study. Of course it was not really _fear_
that gripped him so fiercely; but nevertheless the boy had a peaked look
about the eyes, and watched Rod eagerly, as though hoping the other
would eventually find some way of extricating them from this new
predicament.

"Now here's a pretty kettle of fish," growled Josh; "house afire, and we
can't even rush out to throw water on the flames, just because there's a
lot of cowardly skunks waiting to spit us like we were fowls. Whee!
what're we going to do about it, Rod, tell me? I'll sally out and try to
create a diversion, if you say the word."

Perhaps Josh honestly meant it, but Rod only laughed at him.

"Don't be silly, Josh," was what the other said; "you'd have about as
much chance against those half-dozen Uhlans as a baby might. All we can
do is to hold tight, and hope the zouaves will get along before it's too
late. But if they do try to smash their way in we're going to fight;
hear that?"

"You just bet we are; every time," said Josh, who had found a heavy
poker and was swinging it around in a way that made poor Hanky Panky
duck every time it barely missed his devoted head.

He had hardly finished saying those few expressive words than there was
an awful crash, and the front door, struck by some sort of battering
ram, seemed to be partly knocked from its hinges. The Uhlans were
apparently determined to enter; and the more opposition they met the
greater their desire seemed to become.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE COMING OF THE ZOUAVES.

"Why don't you give them a shot, Rod?" Hanky Panky was heard calling
just then, for apparently things had reached a crisis, and he expected
seeing one of the raiders come pushing through the opening the next
thing.

Rod was only holding back so as to keep his fire to the last extremity.
The boy was pale, and his teeth were set, but there was a blaze in his
eyes that boded no good for the first Uhlan who ventured to try to
enter.

Although the Motorcycle Boys in the start decided not to take sides if
such a thing could be avoided, they had found it impossible to control
their feelings in the matter. The cause of the Allies seemed to be
closer to American ideals than the militarist methods of the Kaiser's
men; and by degrees Rod and his chums had come to sympathize with the
French and Belgians until finally ready to openly declare that they were
for them heart and soul.

Rod hated the thought of shedding blood, even though his own life, as
well as those of his chums, seemed in deadly danger. Only as a very last
resort was Rod willing to use that weapon which had come into his
possession so strangely; and in his mind he had already determined to
only wound, if such a choice seemed possible.

The Uhlans without were exultant over the success they had already
attained. To continue their work and presently smash the door completely
in, they drew back the ladder which they were using as a battering ram.

Rod saw his chance to look out through the vent. What he saw was not of
a reassuring nature. There were five stout men in the uniform of the
reckless rough riders belonging to the German army; and they were
swinging that heavy ladder in a way that showed what delight they
experienced in just such work of destruction.

Rod did not class them as different from the soldiers of any army
raiding through the enemy's country. In fact he was not bothering his
head just then making comparisons, for he had enough to do in figuring
how he might further delay the crisis so as to give the coming zouaves a
little more time in which to arrive.

"I guess it's got to be done!" the boy was muttering to himself as he
peeped through that narrow slit of an opening and saw that the pack had
about reached the end of their swing, so that the forward rush was about
to begin.

It was easy enough to pick out the man who seemed to be the head and
brains of the bunch. He was of course in the van, and by his actions as
well as by his loudly shouted exclamations exerted a most important
influence on the others. In fact he served as the pilot of the little
group; when he gave the word they surged forward with whoops, meaning
this time to finish smashing that objectionable door.

Why the Uhlans did not attempt to force an entrance through the rear of
the house, which was absolutely undefended, Rod never could tell.
Perhaps they were of the "one-idea" class of men, who, having made up
their minds to do a thing in a certain way, could not deviate from the
plan they had laid out.

Rod saw his chance to break up that next assault if only his aim were
true. He thrust his weapon forward, finding plenty of room for his
purpose. While he did not claim to be much of a shot with such a clumsy
weapon as he now held, at the same time the boy knew considerable about
firearms in general, and that counted for a whole lot.

Besides, the distance was ridiculously scant, and really Rod would have
been deeply mortified had he missed his aim under the circumstances.

He meant to wound the leader by shooting him in the leg, and with that
intention in view aimed low when pulling the trigger. The five Uhlans
had actually started on the run at the time, so that they might strike
the tottering door a tremendous blow, and complete matters with one fell
swoop, which would give them entrance to the house.

Josh, who was peeping over Rod's shoulder, gave a howl of delight when
through the little puff of smoke that followed the feeble crack of the
revolver he saw the big leader suddenly crumple up, and, falling in a
heap, bring every one of his companions down in a struggling mass.

"A great shot, Rod, a magnificent hit!" was the burden of his shout;
"pinked the whole five at a clip! Splendid work, let me tell you, Rod!
However did you manage to do it?"

Apparently, Josh had allowed his enthusiasm to run away with his better
judgment, for he imagined that in some mysterious manner the missile
from Rod's weapon had split in sections, and scattered like a load of
bird shot, bringing down victims by the wholesale.

However that might be, Josh speedily realized his error, for a number of
the soldiers were already struggling to their feet. Only one remained on
the ground, and he was hugging his left leg as though in sudden anguish,
a fact that sent a qualm of regret through Rod's heart.

He hoped they would draw off now, and give up the attempt for a little
time at least. True, there were five more charges in his gun, and only
four of the Uhlans, so that it seemed as though he might be equal to the
task of holding them in check, but one victim was enough to satisfy him.

"They're going to try it again, Rod!" cried Josh, shrilly.

He was trembling violently with the excitement, and his face had taken
on the look of one wrought up to the fighting pitch. To tell the truth,
Josh had but a single regret just then, which was that he did not
possess the mate of the weapon his chum gripped in his hand.

"And I'd never have bothered just peppering 'em in their legs, either,"
he afterwards affirmed, when talking matters over with Hanky Panky;
"they were meaning to get us, and if the shoe happened to be on the
other foot who would be to blame?"

When Rod saw that the four men once more picked up the heavy ladder and
started to swing it forward he realized that it was up to him to try
again. By gradually reducing the number of their foes he must in the end
check their drive.

So he coolly picked out the next victim. As before, it had to be one of
those in front, so as to bring confusion to the charge, as the rest were
bound to trip over him should he fall.

All this while there arose from different quarters loud outcries and
shouts of laughter from the spoilers, filled with the mad desire to
inflict a reign of terror and frightfulness upon the natives. Shots were
also heard at intervals, women screamed, children shrieked, dogs barked,
and taken in all it was a combination of sounds never to be forgotten by
those who happened to be in the little French village.

Well, Rod was just as successful with that second shot of his as he had
been on the former occasion. With the report of his weapon he could see
the man start, and give every evidence of being hard hit. He managed to
keep from falling, however, being sustained by his grip on the ladder,
as well as the impetus of his companions' advance.

It might have altered things somewhat had Rod been given an opportunity
to discharge a third shot, this time selecting the other fellow in the
van; but before he could really grasp the immensity of this idea it was
too late.

The heavy ladder struck the already weakened door, and such was the
force with which it was hurled forward that it tore the latter from its
hinges and sent it to the floor, the end of the ladder projecting
several feet into the room.

Rod, seeing what was about to happen, had swept his two comrades back so
that none of them chanced to be struck by the falling door. There was
now a wide gap, and the three uninjured Uhlans might easily rush through
this. They would find, however, that the resistance of the inmates did
not end with the breaking in of the door; for there was Rod holding
himself in readiness to shoot again, Josh with his upraised poker, Hanky
Panky also in line with a club, and the old man who had secured the
revered gun that had hung on the wall since '71, waiting for this day,
had its sword bayonet adjusted so as to pin the first German who dared
venture across that threshold.

Fortunately there was no necessity for further action on the part of the
valiant defenders of the village home, for just at that moment there
arose a series of the wildest shouts Rod had ever heard. They were
shouting in unison, those zouaves, as they spread through the village
looking for Uhlans to spit upon their hungry bayonets. Hanky Panky in
times past had more than once ventured to make fun of certain phrases
which he had heard spoken in French; but he was now ready to confess
that there was no language on the face of the earth to be compared with
the French as falling from the bearded lips of men who wore those baggy
red trousers of the famous zouaves.

"They've come, Rod, they've really got here!" he cried, in a paroxysm of
delight.

Josh too was equally satisfied, though he should always deeply regret
that it had not fallen to his lot to strike _one_ blow for the
cause, and that all the honors had gone to Rod.

Rod, seeing that none of the Uhlans seemed disposed to renew the attack,
managed to look out; and the others were speedily at his side.

The danger, in so far as it related to the inmates of the village
houses, was past; but evidently it had only begun for the Uhlans. They
had mounted their already tired horses in hot haste, that is, all those
capable of doing so, and were trying to get out of the village, turning
and firing back at the French with reckless abandon as they went
galloping away.

Rod saw one man trying to help another mount a prancing horse. He had
his arm about the wounded man and seemed to ignore his own danger in the
desire to fetch his comrade safely away.

"That's the fellow you pinked the first time!" cried Josh,
understandingly.

Rod had already guessed as much. He hoped deep down in his heart that
the Uhlan would manage to regain his saddle and ride to safety, for the
boy did not want to feel that through any act of his the raider might be
finally brought down.

Half a minute later and the two were galloping off. Once the injured man
sat in his saddle he seemed capable of taking care of himself, though
unless his wound were attended to shortly he must become too weak from
loss of blood to continue on his way, and would find it necessary to
allow himself to be taken prisoner by the French in order to save his
life.

All around the active zouaves were running madly, and shouting in their
wild excitement. The Uhlans had not attempted to make any sort of a
stand, for they realized they were vastly outnumbered, and that it was
"safety first" with them.

From the crackling of guns that continued for some time Rod felt assured
that all of the raiders who had so boldly entered the French village
could not have gone out of it again. Some there must be caught in a
trap, for it seemed that the first of the zouaves arriving had started
to encircle the place, with the idea of cutting off the retreat of the
pillagers when they took the alarm.

Josh first of all insisted in shaking hands with each of his chums, and
then with the three valiant old men who had shown such grit. Rod, more
practical, knew that there was other work to be done.

"Here, we must find buckets, and put out that fire before it gets too
big a headway!" he told both of his companions, upon which they
bestirred themselves; and some of the zouaves coming to their
assistance, they presently had the flames completely smothered.

Things began to assume a settled appearance in the village as the sun
sank low in the west, seen through the breaks in the clouds. There was
wailing in a few of the houses over the destruction that had been
wrought during the temporary occupation of the place by the enemy.
Luckily, however, no one of the inhabitants had been killed, or even
seriously injured. Two buildings were burned, several dogs shot because
they had dared bark at the invaders, a few slight wounds received; but
on the whole every one felt that they had good reason for congratulating
themselves on the fact that things were no worse. Other French villages
did not fare so well when overrun by the invaders.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE ROAD OF VON KLUCK'S RETREAT.

After all the boys were not sorry for the experience. They had witnessed
some sights that they would never forget. Rod too could plume himself on
having done the right thing when he used his weapon twice with telling
effect.

After the fire in the rear of the house had been effectually
extinguished the good woman appeared before them to announce that supper
was served; and she added her apologies because they might find some of
the dishes not quite so warm as they liked, "For," as she naïvely put
it, "we had too much heat in another quarter; and one never knows just
how to manage when those terrible Uhlans are around."

Certainly none of the three boys found anything to complain of. They
never remembered sitting down to a finer meal, when their appetites were
on edge, as just then happened to be the case.

Hanky Panky ate until Josh solemnly warned him that he would surely
founder unless he curbed that awful appetite of his. It might have been
noticed, however, that Josh was sitting there for some little time after
his comrades had left the table, and still "sampling" the good things
that tempted him.

It was settled that since the three motorcycles were already in the
house they might as well remain there. Rod managed to fix the smashed
door so that it would close again, though a carpenter's skill would be
required to place it in its former excellent condition.

When they got through eating it was beginning to grow dusk. Josh
remarked that he guessed he would saunter out to stretch his legs, and
at the same time see the extent of damage inflicted by the brief
occupation of the village by the raiders.

"They say those Uhlans can make a howling wilderness of a Paradise
quicker than any men on the face of the earth, once they set out to do
things," Josh explained as he picked up his hat, "and I'd like to find
out if there's any truth in the yarn."

Rod told him to "mind his eye," and not wander away, since with the
night coming on there could be no telling what danger might not hover
over his head.

"For all we know some of those Germans may still be hanging about,"
added Hanky Panky, "and I'd really feel better if Rod loaned you his
gun."

"Oh, come! there's no necessity of Josh going out at all if he has to
load himself down with deadly weapons like that," laughed Rod.

Josh had his little outing, and returned in good time. He acted as
though he did not regret his determination, and Hanky Panky, knowing
from the signs that the other must have seen something worth while,
immediately set to work "pumping" him, being filled with curiosity.

"You ran across something while you were out, Josh, and I'd thank you to
open up and tell us about it," he went on to say. "Did the French chaps
with the baggy red trousers and the big yell manage to bring down any of
the German raiders when they used up so much powder and ball?"

"I believe they did, for one woman who could talk some English managed
to tell me the zouaves took three prisoners back with them, and in
addition one fellow who would have to be buried, she said, because he
was dead."

Hanky Panky would have shivered at one time on hearing such gruesome
news, but after witnessing the terrible sights accompanying the battle
along the bank of the Marne he somehow seemed to think little of it.

"Was that _all_ you saw or heard, Josh?" he continued, bent on
making the other confess to the limit.

Josh grinned, showing that he had purposely acted so as to excite the
suspicion of this curious comrade. Having attained his end, he consented
to explain further.

"Well, no, not quite all, Hanky," he remarked calmly; "I'm most sure I
saw a man skulking around who showed a whole lot of concern when I
approached, and even hurried away. He wasn't an old man either, and let
me tell you, Rod, he hid his face from me in the bargain. Now, what do
you think of that?"

"Was it Jules, do you reckon?" asked Hanky Panky, as quick as a flash;
for somehow he could not imagine any other person wishing to avoid
meeting one of them.

"I got the notion in my head," admitted Josh, "that it must be either
him or else some party hitched up with Jules. He acted in a way that
made me sure of that."

"Huh!" Hanky Panky went on to say, with one of his odd chuckles, "I'm
only surprised, Josh, you didn't step right up to the fellow and ask him
if he answered to the name of Jules Baggott; also if he happened to know
a woman called Jeanne D'Aubrey. That'd be just like your way, Josh."

The other grinned affably as though he considered this one of the
highest compliments his chum could pay him.

"Oh, well, to tell you the truth, though I'm almost ashamed to admit
it," he remarked, "I did want to chase after him and say that very same
thing; but, hang the luck, he was too slippery for me. Besides, you see,
it was getting dark; anyhow he managed to leave me in the lurch. But it
was one of that bunch, believe me."

"Still after that paper, it seems, Rod," said Hanky Panky with a frown;
"mebbe we'll have a visitor again to-night, just like happened in that
inn over at Calais."

"If we do you can make up your mind he'll have all his trouble for his
pains," the other told him; "besides, we'll take precautions this time,
and no sneak-thief can get into the room when I'm on my guard without
our knowing it."

The boys sat around for some little time afterwards. Rod entered into a
conversation with the woman of the house, for while he could tell her
many things concerning the state of affairs at the front, at the same
time there was always a possibility of his picking up a little
information that might come in handy later on.

In good time they were shown to a room, where they proceeded to make
themselves comfortable. Rod, with some cord which he produced, set a
clever little trap. By this simple method of protection he fixed matters
so that should any one try to enter by way of the open windows they
would arouse the sleepers by pulling down three chairs which had been
piled up, and made fast to the cord.

Whatever the plan of the plotter may have been, evidently entering the
room of the three American boys did not form a part of it, because the
night passed without any further alarm.

"Guess he knew we had that gun we took from his man who played the part
of Oscar William Tell," observed Hanky Panky in the morning, when
awakened by the rising sun they lay there and talked matters over.

"Well," remarked Josh with a yawn, "by this time Jules is beginning to
understand that we don't mean to handle him with gloves if he runs afoul
of us. While he may keep on trying as hard as ever to get that paper in
his hands, it'll be through some sneaky way, and not in a stand-up
fight. Schemers like him seldom do feel like facing the men they aim to
beat. I'm keeping an eye out for Jules; and say, if ever I do get a
chance to give him my compliments you listen to what he says about it;
that's all."

The morning opened peacefully, though in the distance they could already
begin to hear the guns take up the same steady rhythm that would grow
louder and more insistent as the day grew older, until the fierce rush
of battle again held sway, and a million of Frenchmen hurled themselves
against an equal number of Germans in the endeavor to push them back
still further in their retreat from before Paris.

The boys started out soon afterwards. Rod believed he knew about where
the regiment could be found to which Jeanne's husband, Andre, belonged.
If fortune favored them, and they discovered the French reservist still
in the land of the living, doubtless it could soon be arranged as they
planned.

As on the previous afternoon, they soon found themselves on the road
along which the retreating German army had passed. Everywhere they could
see marks of this flight, for such it really was, despite the order with
which the retrograde movement had been conducted. In places the roadside
was glutted with cast-off articles, such as had better be disposed of if
haste and mobility were to be considered.

As a rule these had been rendered useless before being abandoned, in
order to prevent them from becoming valuable to the enemy. It was a
sight worth seeing; and no wonder such of the country people whom the
boys came upon, examining this "made in Germany" material, had broad
smiles on their faces, since it spoke eloquently of the near panic that
must have existed in the army of Von Kluck, before they would thus
abandon so much of their resources.

A score of interesting things engaged their attention as they slowly
made their way along. Obstacles were frequently met with, but cleverly
avoided by these expert riders. Many times Rod called a temporary halt
in order to speak with some peasant who chanced to look more than
ordinarily intelligent, and, he imagined, able to give him information.

They also came upon various detachments of the French army. Some were
engaged in caring for wounded comrades who could not be taken to the
rear as yet on account of the glut of injured and the lack of vehicles
of transportation; though many such were to be seen on their way to
Paris with loads of groaning humanity.

Then fresh artillery was to be found going to the front, the horses
snorting as though they already scented the battle smoke, the men
sitting there on gun carriage and caisson, grim and eager, though none
could say if he might be so fortunate as to see the sun set when that
dreadful day reached its close.

Other big vans there were carrying fresh ammunition to the guns that
were so noisily punctuating the morning atmosphere with their clamor.
French powder and shot had never been sent forth on a mission more in
keeping with the hearts of the people. A million hands would willingly
toil day by day making fresh supplies, if only it could win for them
another such fight as this glorious victory over the German invaders on
the banks of the Marne.

There came a time, however, when Rod was brought to a sudden stop
through other means than his own will. From either side of the road
arose men wearing the French uniform. Guns were brought to bear upon the
three riders, and a gruff voice ordered them to come to a halt and
surrender.

Laughing at what they deemed something akin to a joke, they hastened to
comply.

"We might as well go to their headquarters, as they are ordering us to,"
suggested Rod pleasantly; "it will serve to break the monotony of our
ride, and who knows what information we may be able to pick up there."

He touched his breast pocket as he said this, and the other boys knew
that Rod did not in the least doubt the ability of those papers to carry
them through any little difficulty that might arise.

Accordingly he turned to the grizzled French sergeant who seemed to be
in charge of the detail by which they had been taken prisoners, and told
him to lead the way to his commanding officer.

Passing up the road they turned into what seemed to be a little-used
path. Each of the boys trundled his machine along, preferring to do this
rather than risk handing them over to the soldiers.

Even Hanky Panky exhibited no sign of alarm. If in the beginning he felt
any such weakness it had been immediately set at rest by those cheery
words which Rod spoke. Of course they could quickly satisfy the French
commander of their standing; those magical documents would do the trick
and gain them new friends as well.

Shortly afterwards they found themselves in what seemed to be a
temporary camp. A regiment of troops had been stationed here for some
strategical purpose, which was never explained to the boys. Under a
shelter tent several officers were conferring while they sipped their
coffee. The older man with the white imperial Rod knew to be a colonel
from his uniform. All of them eyed the trio with frowns, and somehow
Hanky Panky began to feel a little chill.

Rod immediately courteously saluted the colonel and started to speak.

"Pardon me, Colonel, but may I ask why we have been waylaid and taken in
charge?"

"It is very simple," came the astounding answer in plain English; "in
times like this spies may be arrested, tried, and executed all inside of
an hour. And you three boys are accused of having been known to send
information to the enemy!"

CHAPTER XX.

THE ACCUSATION.

That startling accusation sobered even Josh, for the smile faded from
his face as he turned an anxious look upon Rod. To be taken for a spy
was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often
followed such a charge.

Rod did not lose his self-possession. At the same time a little frown
appeared on his usually placid face.

"That is a serious thing you charge us with, my Colonel," he remarked.
"We are three American boys who were caught in the whirl of war. We
finally found our way out of Belgium with much difficulty. Two of our
number started back home, having been recalled by a message of
importance."

"But Belgium is far away from Paris, and the banks of the Marne, young
M'sieu!" said the officer, with a touch of satire in his cold voice, and
a look toward a man dressed as a civilian, who, Rod noticed, was
intently watching them.

"That is true, Monsieur le Colonel," immediately replied the boy, "and
we can explain that easily. We met with a poor French woman in Antwerp
whose story enlisted our sympathies. She had just come by a paper from a
lawyer in Paris whereby her husband would inherit quite a snug little
fortune if he signed the same document within a stated time. But as he
had hastened to join his regiment when war was declared she feared the
opportunity would be forever lost. And, my Colonel, we three boys,
hoping also to see something of what was going on along the French
front, gave Jeanne D'Aubrey our promise that we would try to find her
Andre, so that the paper might be signed."

The colonel appeared to be interested, also the other officers, for they
were all French, and as such could appreciate anything bordering on
chivalry. Nevertheless the commander shook his head a little sadly.

"That sounds very fine, young M'sieu," he went on to say, "but, alas!
what are we to believe when this gentleman, who is a fully accredited
member of the French Secret Service, informs us that he certainly saw
you communicating with the enemy only last night, and that there can be
no doubt of your guilt?"

At hearing this Hanky Panky uttered a low cry of alarm, while Josh
glared defiantly at the man in question, who was nodding his head as if
confirming all the colonel said.

"Aha! I smell a rat," Josh muttered, "and its name is Jules, too! I can
see his fine hand back of all this raw deal."

Rod had to think fast. He, too, believed that the Secret Agent must be
in the employ of the schemer; but it might not be advisable to say so as
bluntly as Josh seemed capable of doing.

"Keep still, Josh," he said aside, "and let me do all the talking
necessary." And then, addressing the commandant again, he continued:
"There surely must be some mistake about this, Monsieur le Colonel. We
spent the whole of last night sleeping in a house in a small village
where a regiment of brave zouaves routed a force of Uhlans who had taken
possession. The building in which we found shelter was attacked, and we
had the honor of assisting in its defense. I myself shot two Uhlans in
the leg with this same weapon, as they were smashing in the front door,
after firing the back of the building. But the zouaves came up just in
time, and cleared the field of the enemy."

The colonel listened and looked hard at Rod. Evidently he had been
already favorably impressed with the frank face of the lad, and was
puzzled to know what to believe. He turned to the Secret Service agent
and exchanged several low sentences with him. The man seemed positive,
and apparently did his best to convince the officer that at least the
boys should be held, pending an examination.

Once more Rod faced the colonel. He meant to play his trump cards now,
and convince the other that the charge made against them was ridiculous,
to say the least.

Rapidly he started to recount some of the strange happenings that had
been their portion since crossing from German territory to that of
Belgium and taking up the race to reach Antwerp by dodging the invading
armies.

The officers listened, and apparently all of them could understand
English, for they showed the greatest interest. Now and then two might
be seen exchanging meaning looks, as though coming to a mutual
understanding to the effect that this boy must be a modern Baron
Munchausen, judging from the remarkable stories he had at the tip of his
tongue.

This was especially the case when Rod mentioned that they had actually
been invited into the presence of King Albert, who had thanked them
personally.

"It is all very interesting, young M'sieu," said the commandant, when
Rod paused for breath; "but naturally we would be better pleased if you
could show us some proof that these wonderful things have come your way.
So grave an accusation may not be brushed aside, you understand, with a
wave of the hand. And I am sure you will only too gladly oblige us in
this case."

He smiled when saying this; so too did the younger officers, for they
could not believe that the boy was carrying anything with him calculated
to substantiate his remarkable story.

Judge then of their amazement when Rod coolly produced certain documents
which he kept wrapped in oilskin, located in a deep pocket of his coat.

"Be kind enough, my Colonel," Rod said composedly, "to observe that not
only is this paper signed by the gallant king of the Belgians, but that
indeed he himself wrote every word it contains. And I have still other
proofs to show you in turn, if you would still be convinced that our
story is every word of it true."

There was a tense silence; several pairs of eyes were glued on that
document which Rod meant to have framed if ever he were lucky enough to
get it safely home with him. It would be a badge of honor to which he
and his chums might proudly point when speaking of their remarkable
adventures in the Land of the Great War.

The manner of the colonel had changed when finally he looked up.
Admiration spoke in the glance of his sparkling eyes. Here, then, were
brave American boys who had indeed done something worthy of commendation
by one whose name was already on the lips of every loyal Frenchman;
because the stubborn defense of his native soil by King Albert and his
little army had caused the delay in the plans of the German host that
really saved Paris from capture.

"It is only right that I should beg your pardon, young M'sieu," he
hastened to say, with deep feeling his voice; "there is no mistaking the
meaning of this recommendation, which rings true. You are the friends of
Belgium, and also of France. There is little that you could ask within
my power to grant that I would refuse you. And if you will do me the
honor to shake hands with me I shall be proud to press the palm that
King Albert has held."

Well, the thing had not been so hard to accomplish after all. Still Rod
realized that the Secret Agent of the French Government must have sold
himself to Jules for a price, knowing at the time he was going to put
the lives of innocent boys in peril; and Rod did not feel positively
safe yet.

The man, however, saw that, so far as he was concerned, he had put his
foot in a hole and had better beat a hasty retreat while there was yet
time.

Undoubtedly he himself had been impressed by the display of a document
of such great value, and realized that those who had the sincere
friendship of the ruler of the Belgians were not to be treated harshly
with impunity.

As Josh afterwards remarked, the man immediately commenced to "hedge";
that is, he hastened to "square himself" with the French colonel, who
was now glancing curiously, perhaps a bit suspiciously, toward him.

"Apparently I have been mistaken in supposing that it was these brave
young messieurs who were sending secret messages to the enemy," he went
on to say glibly, "and I hasten to offer them my most sincere apologies
and regrets that through me they have been put to such needless trouble.
I hereby withdraw my charge and trust that you will forget it has ever
been made, Monsieur le Colonel."

This was said in French, which Rod alone of the three boys could fully
understand, but Josh guessed the tenor of the remarks from the shrugs
accompanying them.

"He's eating his words, Hanky, don't you see?" he observed behind his
hand to his other chum. "Some people know enough to get in out of the
rain when the deluge comes. Jules has wasted some more hard cash, seems
like."

Now Rod understood that he could make it pretty hard for the Secret
Service man of the French Government if he chose to tell what he knew
about Jules, and the profit that would accrue to the schemer could he
prevent Andre from signing that paper on time. He did not think it good
policy, however, to mention the matter. It would only serve to anger the
man, and could not bring them any particular benefit.

Accordingly Rod only shot him a suggestive look that doubtless the other
could easily analyze. It meant that the boys were not disposed to be
vindictive--that in fact they were ready to take it for granted he did
not know the true condition of affairs when he entered into his
agreement with the crafty Jules; and hence they were going to let the
matter drop.

Perhaps the man might feel a spark of gratitude and appreciation for
this kindly and generous spirit; the future would show that, Rod
thought.

As the colonel had been so much interested in their story, Rod
considered it only fair that he relate a few more circumstances
connected with their past. He also gladly showed him the paper given him
by the surgeon at the field hospital, telling how the American boys had
worked like beavers in assisting him take care of the numerous cases he
had been compelled to handle with such inadequate facilities at his
command. Yes, there were still other documents which Rod allowed them to
glance over, after which he smilingly remarked:

"I suppose now, M. le Colonel, there will be no necessity for taking us
out before a file of your soldiers and blindfolding our eyes while they
perform their melancholy duty?"

The officer for answer threw his arms around Rod and gave him a
demonstration of excitable French admiration by kissing him on both
cheeks.

"If I had a son," he said fervently, "which, alas! Heaven has not
allowed me to retain in this world, I should be proud indeed were he
built in your image, my brave young American. And when you go back to
your splendid country tell them, will you not, wherever you go, that
France sees her duty by the world, and will not flinch, no matter what
the cost. When this war is over there will never be a despotic military
power again. The victory on the Marne has settled all that, though it
may take years for Germany to recognize the fiat."

The three boys parted from the worthy colonel with mutual expressions of
esteem. They would often recall his fine martial appearance, with his
strong face and its white imperial, trimmed after the style of the later
Napoleon.

Even Hanky Panky could laugh now, once they were on the road again.

"That agent of the Government saw he had put his foot in it, after you
flashed the King Albert message before them," he remarked as they rode
slowly along as near to forming a bunch as was safe for motorcyclists.

"Yes, and I reckon he felt pretty cheap when he had to own up about
making a mistake," added Josh. "You don't believe for a single minute,
do you, Rod, that he really saw anybody trying to send signals to the
enemy? It was all a set-up game, wasn't it?"

"No question about it," he was told by the other, Rod being in the van,
as usual, "but it was another experience for us, you know. And besides,
I managed to pick up a little information that helps out."

"Do you mean with regard to the regiment we're on the track of?"
questioned Hanky Panky eagerly, for to tell the honest truth he was
hoping that the end of the trail was near at hand, when they could
follow their other chums across the sea to their far-distant homes.

"Yes," said Rod over his shoulder, "it's ahead of us, and we ought to
reach it some time to-day; but the chances are we'll find it neck deep
in action, because it forms a part of that army thrown forward to do the
worrying of the German rearguard to-day. Let us hope if one man in that
regiment survives the battle it may be Andre."

CHAPTER XXI.

THE HAUNTED WELL.

The boys did not attempt to do much of this sort of talking as they
moved along the road. Many reasons united to make conversation a
weariness to the flesh when carried on under the prevailing conditions.

In the first place they had to keep a certain distance apart, which
would in itself necessitate shouting. Then the rumble of cannon was
growing steadily heavier the further they advanced, deadening most other
sounds pretty much all the time. Last of all there were those gaps in
the road, springing up most unexpectedly, where enemy shells had struck
in the endeavor to destroy as many of the pursuing French troops as
possible.

Both armies had traversed the region through which Rod and his friends
were making their tedious way. It can well be understood that the marks
of their late progress abounded on all sides.

Even where no particular action had occurred a thousand reminders of the
human flood of men that had so lately passed through were to be
discovered on every side. Often Hanky Panky's heart seemed to feel a
chill hand rest upon it as he marked the inevitable evidences of "man's
inhumanity to man." Cottages were burned or ruined in some way or other;
once beautiful gardens trampled out of all recognition; outbuildings
torn down to make campfires for the marching hosts--in fact the land
looked as though a hurricane might have recently swept across it,
leaving scars that it would take a long time indeed to heal.

Here, there, and everywhere they could see groups of the forlorn
inhabitants wandering about. Some stood and stared at the ruins of their
recent homes; others guarded the little they had saved; while still more
were on the roadside looking toward the region of the north, from whence
came all those portentous rumblings and angry roarings.

Hanky Panky, however, was astonished to discover very few solemn faces
among the peasants of the Marne country. At first this amazed him, but
presently he figured out what it meant.

They had in many cases lost the accumulated savings of years, even their
humble homes; but in spite of this they could take off their caps and
shout in almost savage glee as the three Motorcycle Boys rode past.

Why, to be sure, the Great Day had come, of which they had some of them
dreamed full forty years and more; when the German legions, like a
plague of locusts, had once more descended upon devoted Paris, only to
be brought to a standstill by the glorious army of the republic. And
even now those furious guns told how Von Kluck, who had made such
wonderful boasts of what he meant to do, was in full retreat bordering
on a panic.

That was why temporary sufferings were all forgotten. For France these
honest sons and daughters would make much greater sacrifices, and think
little of it. So Hanky Panky felt ready to take off his hat to every one
of them who gave the three riders a cheer or a salute in passing by.

Few animals save dogs and cats could be seen. Evidently the Germans had
tried to make a clean sweep of the forty miles and more they covered
like a vast fan, in falling back to the prepared positions along the
Aisne. Those horses or cows that had been saved from the general
slaughter or seizure must have been artfully secreted somewhere, so that
they escaped the keen search. As for chickens, not a solitary rooster's
crow had the boys heard since early dawn; for fowls of every description
are first looked after by the soldier marching through a hostile
country.

Long caravans of supplies were crawling over other roads, all heading
for the front and coming from the direction of Paris. No wonder that
every thoroughfare must be crowded with vehicles of transportation, when
a million Frenchmen in arms had to be fed daily, not to mention the
enormous quantities of ammunition that must be expended between the
rising and the setting of every sun.

The more Rod saw of this the greater grew his admiration for the genius
of the men whose brains had to command all these thousands of details
looking to the provisioning of such a vast host. It was an experience
the educational value of which could never be fully estimated; and often
would the boy ponder over the problems that must have confronted those
who were responsible for the solution of them.

They had numerous little adventures by the way, though as a rule these
were in the line of narrow escapes from nasty spills, on account of ruts
in the road. Rod frequently gave warning when he reached an especially
bad stretch of ground, for he was well aware of the failings of his two
chums--Josh with his impetuous ways, and Hanky Panky rather apt to be
careless as well as clumsy.

One thing in particular Rod noticed, and this was that as they proceeded
the sounds ahead of them kept on growing louder. Evidently then they
were coming up on that part of the Marne country where the last
rearguard action was being fiercely contested.

Von Kluck and his proud army must be continually finding themselves
pushed further and further away from the beautiful city in which they
had fully expected to be encamped ere this; though they grimly contested
every mile they gave up, bound to sacrifice as few of their heavy guns
as possible.

Another thing staggered the boys when they came to think of it. During
the Civil War in their own country some of the greatest battles then
known to history were fought, and the numbers on both sides did not
really amount to more than two hundred thousand men. Here there were
more than as many million grappling in deadly earnest, supplied with the
most wonderful of modern death-dealing weapons, with engineers highly
educated along the lines of utilizing these engines of wholesale
destruction.

No wonder then the dead and wounded were as the leaves of the forest
when the wind of late October tears them from their hold upon the
branches and scatters them in windrows behind the logs and stumps and in
fence corners.

Rod had some reason to believe that if they were allowed to proceed
forward on this particular day they would presently reach the regiment
in which Andre, sought so earnestly in the interest of his family, had
an humble part. He was determined that should fortune favor them and the
object of their search be accomplished he would listen no longer to the
pleadings of Josh, but strike for Paris, so as to get away from this
war-blasted country as quickly as possible.

It was beginning to pall upon Rod. After all he was only a boy, and had
never been accustomed to such terrible sights as of late were being
continually thrust before him. Nature has its limits, and Rod believed
he was now very close to the end of his endurance.

"As it is, what we've run across will haunt us the rest of our lives,"
he was telling himself as he led the way along the difficult road; "and
for one I'm longing to wake up again, and find myself wandering by the
peaceful waters of the river bordering Garland in the far-distant
States. And here's hoping that this may turn out to be our very last day
in the track of the battling armies."

The dust was thick in places, partly on account of the season of the
year, and then again because of the unwonted use to which that
particular thoroughfare had been put of late. When several hundred
thousand feet have tramped along in almost endless procession, and then
innumerable vehicles of every known description, not to mention heavy
artillery, some of it drawn by traction engines, some by horses, passing
back and forth, it can easily be understood that the best of roads must
be well nigh wrecked.

Hanky Panky had coughed a number of times, as though his throat was
beginning to clog up with all this dust, and he found himself in danger
of choking. When no attention was paid at first to these plain symptoms
he coughed louder than ever, and with such evident distress that Rod
guessed what he wanted.

"All right, Hanky," he shouted back, "wait till we come to a well, or a
spring of some sort, and we'll drop off to wash it down."

After that Hanky Panky quieted considerably, his main object having been
accomplished. As he rode along the boy kept watching ahead, hoping that
it would not be long before they sighted some oasis in the desert where
a sparkling rill ran, or the thrice welcome sweep of an old-fashioned
well told of water to be had for the trouble of raising the same.

"I see one, Rod!" he presently called at the top of his voice, which was
quite husky from the accumulation of dust; "there's a well in that place
we're coming to, and I hope you keep your word, because I'm nearly
perishing for a drink."

"Same here," said Josh, thinking to relieve the other's mind, because
that would make two in favor of a stop, and majority always ruled with
the Motorcycle Boys.

It happened just then that the road was next to deserted, though again
just the reverse might be the case. The well sweep could no longer be
seen, but Hanky Panky had marked the spot in his mind, and was not to be
cheated because a knoll hid the well from the road, so it was only
visible in that one quarter.

Rod drew up. A gate stood before him that was now in ruins, showing that
the invaders had been there. They pushed their heavy machines past, and
followed the lane leading over the knoll, to find a cottage in ruins,
having been burned to the very ground.

It was a sad sight, and filled the boys with distress; but by this time
they were naturally becoming a little hardened to such spectacles of
warfare, and could view them without the same sensation of anger and
disgust toward the aggressors that had filled their hearts at an earlier
date.

For some reason or other the Germans had chosen to apply the torch to
this isolated cottage. Perhaps some party had been keenly disappointed
at finding it totally deserted, with not even a stray chicken left to
satisfy their longing for a supper.

Rod gave one hasty glance around. Then he heaved a satisfied sigh, for
he had been a little afraid lest he discover some evidence of foul work
there. Such did not happen to be the case; the owner of the cottage
instead of staying and arousing the passions of the invaders by firing
at them in secret, had wisely departed to unknown regions before their
coming, taking warning in time.

So the trio of boys hastened to the well as soon as they could dispose
of their wheels. It would do them no harm to idle away ten minutes here,
and drink their fill of the sparkling liquid which doubtless lay in
those shadowy depths.

Hanky Panky reached it first of all, Josh not appearing to be in a humor
to force himself to the van. In fact Josh seemed to be amused at
something, for he had one of those smirks on his face which marked it
whenever he watched Hanky Panky's evidence of greed.

"I don't seem to be able to quite see down _all_ the way, Rod," the
other was saying when his comrades joined him; "but I dropped a pebble
in, and could plainly hear a good splash; so there's plenty of the stuff
down there."

"I only hope it's all right," remarked Josh, shortly afterwards, when
they had managed to draw up a dripping bucket of cold water.

That caused Hanky Panky to hesitate, for he had a gourd in his hand, and
was about to dip in.

"Now what in the wide world do you mean by saying that, I'd like to
know, Josh; you're always trying to drop a fly in the ointment, seems to
me. What could there be wrong with this water?" he demanded, filling the
gourd as he spoke.

"Oh! I don't know," drawled the other, wickedly, "but if it happened
that some of those ugly-tempered Germans chose to drop a little poison
in the well it'd be a tough thing for the French who drank later, and
mebbe make 'em sick in the bargain."

Hanky Panky turned pale, and allowed the gourd to spill; whereupon Josh
coolly took it out of his hand, dipped into the bucket, and commenced
drinking.

"If it doesn't kill _me_, why then it's safe, you see. I'm always
willing to be the tester for the crowd, you know. Tastes all right,
though, and as cold as anything. Whew! Rod, you have a dip, since Hanky
feels nervous about it, won't you?"

Rod thereupon laughed, accepted the rude drinking cup from the joker,
filled it from the dripping bucket, and offered it to the third member
of the group.

"Don't mind what he says, Hanky; you know Josh loves to have his little
joke; and I believe he still feels that he owes you one on account of
the trick you played on him this morning."

"Then you really don't believe they did poison it, Rod?" asked the
other.

"That isn't the German way of doing things, as far as I know," Rod told
him; at which assurance Hanky Panky swallowed his fears, and drained the
gourd.

"Might as well be hung for a whole sheep as a lamb!" he declared, once
more dipping into the bucket; "but no matter if it's my last drink or
not, I'm going to say this is as fine water as any I ever drank over in
our own dear country. So here goes."

Rod in turn took a drink, and was ready to pronounce it excellent.
Indeed, after their dusty ride of the morning nothing could have been
one-half so refreshing as that draught of ice-cold water from the well
with the old-fashioned sweep.

"If we're meaning to rest up a little bit," remarked Hanky Panky,
shrewdly, "we might as well stay right here. Then just before we start
off again it'll be another swig all around. I'd like to carry a canteen
of that same water along with me, so I could wet my whistle as I rode."

"That would be your undoing, I'm afraid," laughed Rod, picturing the
other uptilting the said canteen every few minutes, in spite of the
wretched condition of the road and the necessity for cautious riding.

"I wonder whatever became of the people who lived here?" remarked Josh,
presently, as he shifted his position for some reason or other, and sat
with his face close to the curb of the well.

"Oh! they must have lit out long before the Germans arrived," Hanky
said, confidently; "I hope now you don't believe they were actually
killed, and buried somewhere around here, do you, Josh? You are the
worst hand to imagine terrible things I ever knew."

"I didn't say anything like that, did I?" demanded Josh; "but it must
have been on your mind. Listen! what was that?"

"I didn't hear anything," said Hanky Panky, looking worried all the
same; "what did it sound like, Josh?"

Instead of answering, Josh held his hand up to indicate that if the
other stopped talking he too might catch the sound. And as they listened
what seemed to be a long-drawn groan came up from the depths of the well
from which they had just been drinking!

CHAPTER XXII.

AT THE FORD OF THE RIVER MARNE.

"Oh! did you hear that?" exclaimed Hanky Panky, all excitement; "it was
a sure-enough moan. Rod, Josh, there's been some poor fellow down there
all this while; and we never dreamed of it when we pulled that bucket of
water up!"

Saying this Hanky Panky leaned far over the edge of the well curb, and
attempted to see into the murky depths. Rod cast a quick look in the
direction of Josh, who gave him a sly wink, but kept a straight face.

"I can't see anything, for a fact," complained Hanky Panky in great
distress; "but it was a groan, I'm sure--there it goes again, and worse
than before. Oh! Rod, do you believe some poor chap tried to hide in the
well when he saw all those awful Germans coming, and hasn't been strong
enough to climb up again since?"

"Why, that might be possible, of course," replied Rod, "though just how
he could stay down there this long is more than I can understand."

"What do you say, Josh?" demanded the sympathetic one.

"Oh! me?" remarked Josh, with a shrug of his shoulders, and not even
offering to change his position; "if you asked me straight off the
handle now I'd say that it might be only the wind sighing through the
trees, or something like that. Don't stand to reason that anybody could
be down there in that well."

When Hanky Panky met with opposition he always became more positive;
possibly the sly Josh knew this full well, and allowed the fact to
govern his actions.

"But we all heard the groans, didn't we?" demanded Hanky Panky; "and I
guess I know one when it hits my ears. There certainly is some one down
there. Listen to that, will you; isn't it just fierce the way he keeps
going on, though?"

Indeed, the sounds had once more commenced to well up from the dark
depths, and in a most agonizing fashion too. Even Rod felt a thrill,
although he could give a pretty good guess concerning the nature of the
poor unfortunate who was the contributing cause for those dismal groans.

"No use talking, fellows!" declared Hanky Panky presently, after they
had listened again to the suggestive sounds that seemed to spell human
misery; "I just can't stand this any longer. Something's got to be done,
that's what. I've a good notion to slip down the rope myself, and find
out what it means."

"But that'd be going a whole lot, just to satisfy your curiosity,
wouldn't it?" asked Josh, cunningly, for he knew that he was taking just
the course to further aggravate the other's intention to act.

"Well, you don't seem to care much what happens to a poor chap who's
made a fool of himself, and got caught down in a well; but I do,"
asserted Hanky Panky, proudly. "I don't think I could ever sleep decent
again if I had the nerve to ride away from here, and never even try to
get him out."

He deliberately started to remove his coat, showing that his mind was
made up. Rod looked at Josh, but received in turn a pleading glance, as
though the other begged to be let alone, and turn his trick. The chance
to "get one" on Hanky Panky was too good to be lost, Josh evidently
believed.

So those amazing groans continued to well up out of the depths,
increasing in pathos if anything as they proceeded.

"Take care not to slip, Hanky," advised Rod, "or we'll have the job of
drying a chum out before we can go on our way."

"And say, that well water's awful cold in the bargain," remarked Josh,
carelessly; "keep a tight hold on the rope. We'll look after this end,
and when you say the word pull you out."

Accordingly the determined one started to lower himself into the haunted
well, showing a most commendable spirit, Rod thought. It was really too
bad to allow the joking Josh to play this trick on so gallant a fellow;
but possibly there would be no harm done in the end, and at least it
served to break the terrible monotony of seeing sad sights on the road
through the devastated country.

Presently the shaking of the rope ceased, and the voice of the explorer
came up from the depths.

"This is certainly a queer deal I'm getting," he said, complainingly.

"What's the matter now?" asked Josh, tantalizingly.

"Why, I tell you there's nothing down here," replied Hanky Panky. "My
eyes have got used to the dark, and I can see perfectly well. All around
me is the stone of the well, the water is just under my feet, but high
or low I can't see a single sign of anybody."

"Didn't I tell you so?" asked Josh, laughing harshly; "the old well must
be a haunted one, I reckon. If that was really a groan we heard it was
given by a ghost, or a goblin, and not a living being."

"Hey! that's enough, Josh! Get me up out of here quick, I tell you!"
called Hanky Panky, shaking the rope vigorously; "you promised you
would, remember!"

Josh was chuckling at a great rate; nevertheless when Rod signalled to
him he condescended to lend a hand, and between the two of them they
speedily had Hanky Panky up safely, none the worse for his experiment,
but looking deeply puzzled.

"That's the queerest thing I've run across for many a day," he was
saying; "but you notice that it doesn't come any more now, since I went
down. Oh! thunder! I spoke too soon, didn't I?"

The sounds had indeed started in again with even more vigor than before.
Hanky Panky, catching what seemed like a chuckle, suddenly turned on
Josh.

"I've tumbled to your silly game at last, Josh," he said, pointing a
finger at the other in a stern fashion; "somehow I clean forgot how you
used to be such a smarty at throwing your voice, and aimed some day to
be a regular ventriloquist on the stage. Well, you _did_ fool me
all right, I own up; and I had my climb down into the old well for
nothing. Hope you're satisfied now. Let's take another drink all around,
and then get along."

Hanky Panky was one of those good-natured fellows who could laugh at a
clever joke even when himself the victim; so that he did not bear any
grudge for the way in which Josh had deluded him.

"But I'm glad anyhow that I didn't lose my grip, and drop into the
water," he went on to say; "because it was terribly cold down there."

"All's well that ends well!" croaked Josh, with a happy grin, for he
believed he had once more cleared the slate in the account with his
fun-loving comrade.

Soon afterwards they left the ruined place and once more started along
the road. Again they came upon scenes of desolation, with clusters of
natives standing by the ruins of their late possessions, to wave an
encouraging hand as the three boys sped past. Doubtless many of them
believed Rod and his mates must belong to some section of the brave
French army, for their khaki uniforms seemed to proclaim this. And every
little helped when the gigantic task of turning the invaders out of
France was considered, even the assistance of a trio of half-grown lads.

If things kept up as they were now going Rod confidently believed they
would be close to the battle line again inside of two hours. The roar of
the guns announced that severe fighting was going on not many miles
distant.

They were making only slow progress at this time, so many obstacles
impeded their way. Numerous stops were also made so that Rod could
exchange a few sentences with some of the people they came upon, so as
to pick up information that might prove of advantage to strangers in a
section of country new to them.

There was no time when right and left they could not see a myriad of
interesting things. Most of them pertained to warfare--marching troops;
strings of prisoners being led to the rear; broken caissons and
abandoned guns; wrecked bicycles, and even motorcycles cast aside when
of no further service to the retreating Germans; cooking outfits that
had been wonderful contrivances before being utterly smashed on their
late owners finding they could not be taken along; and other things too
numerous to mention.

Rod himself was of the opinion that the enterprising peasants might
manage to partly indemnify themselves for their losses by taking
possession of some of the various things abandoned, and renewing their
usefulness.

It was now getting well on toward noon. Hanky Panky had even been heard
to call out that he felt hungry, though Rod could see little hope of
appeasing their appetites in that country, so thoroughly cleaned out by
the enemy.

Suddenly there came an outburst of heavy firing close at hand. It was so
furious that the three boys involuntarily stopped short, and huddled
together to compare notes, so that they might decide upon the safest
course for them to pursue.

Smoke began to climb upwards above the trees not more than a mile away,
where Rod had reason to believe the Marne River ran.

"That's where the fight is going on, Rod, you can see!" shouted Josh,
eagerly, pointing as he spoke; "look at the French batteries wheeling
into position, would you? They mean to give the Germans a lot of
pounding, looks like. I wonder what it all means; can you give a guess,
Rod?"

Rod could, and lost no time in advancing his opinion.

"From what I heard when I talked with that last bunch of natives," he
called out, for the racket was growing more deafening with every
minute's passage, "there's a ford to the river right about that place.
Now like as not the Germans have determined to dispute the passage of
the crossing, and left a big force there to hold Joffre's men in check.
The battle for that ford is now starting up, and it will be a pretty
stiff fight unless all signs fail."

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE THUNDER OF OPPOSING BATTERIES.

Standing there they used their eyes to the best advantage, though none
of them felt fully satisfied with their position. Josh looked enviously
at a spot only a short distance away. It was something of a small
elevation, and he felt positive that if only they could manage to reach
it their chances of seeing all that went on would be immeasurably
enhanced.

"Yes," Rod was saying, loud enough for the others to hear him, "I'm
afraid, too, his regiment is going to be in the thick of that desperate
battle for the possession of the ford across the Marne."

"Do you mean Andre?" demanded Hanky Panky, instantly.

"Just who I meant," came the reply.

The others knew that as Rod spoke French, and had talked with a number
of people as well as soldiers on the road, he must be primed with
information such as had not fallen to their lot. Hence it never occurred
to either of them to question the accuracy of anything he might say.

"That would be too bad for all of us," remarked Josh, "if anything
happened to Andre, just when we got within stone's-throw of him. But
Rod, do we have to stay right here, and do our looking?"

"What makes you ask that, Josh?"

"Well, you see, there's a whole lot better place over yonder, if only we
could reach it; but I'm afraid lugging our machines over the rough
ground would be too big a job."

At that Rod took a glance, and of course saw the advantages to be
attained by a shift in their position.

"It might be done," he told the anxious Josh, "if we cared to try and
conceal our wheels somewhere near by, and walked or ran over to the
rise."

"Would that be safe?" asked Hanky Panky, fearful lest they after all
lose their mounts, and be compelled to walk, or depend on getting an
occasional lift from some vehicle going in the direction of Paris.

"Reasonably so, I think," admitted the leader.

Encouraged by his tone Josh began to cast about in the hope of
discovering a hiding place that would stand the test. This he speedily
succeeded in doing, for Josh had sharp eyes, and could see things in a
flash that it would take another a long time in finding out.

So they made haste to hide the trio of motorcycles in the shrubbery,
hoping no one might by accident force a way through just at that
particular point, and discover what had been left there.

"Now let's whoop it up for the rise!" suggested the eager Josh, for the
sound of the battle had grown so insistent that he was fairly wild to
see everything going on.

They all ran in a bunch, for Rod held Josh in, so that Hanky Panky might
not be left too far behind. When they arrived at the place picked out
for their station they found that, just as Josh had guessed, it was
admirably fitted for their purpose.

Brief though the time had been taken up with this strategic maneuver the
fight had evidently progressed beyond the preliminary artillery duel.
True, the guns on either side of the Marne were thundering fearfully,
and every time a battery sent out its winged messengers of death the
very earth seemed to tremble under the boyish trio, who crouched there,
and gazed with their hearts fluttering in their breasts like those of
frightened birds when held in the hand.

The Germans had left quite a strong detachment of their forces behind to
defend that particular ford, which evidently assumed an important
position in the eyes of the commander. The Marne could not be crossed
with heavy artillery in all that section without the building of a
bridge to replace those destroyed by the retreating Teutons, which would
take a certain measure of time to execute.

But it was possible to get the guns across here at the ford, for that
was what the Germans themselves had done. And a crossing here in force
would mean that the pursuing columns of the French must creep that much
closer to the precious big guns which the Germans were doing everything
in their power to save from capture.

A thousand men might be sacrificed in this endeavor, but what of that?
Human material could be replaced readily enough, but it took months to
build up one of those magnificent forty-two centimetre mortars with
which they meant to batter down the defences of Paris, and win the war.

At the moment the three boys reached their point of observation things
were rapidly drawing near a crisis. The French troops were undoubtedly
getting wild to be let loose upon the waiting enemy; only their
commander knew that the chances were as two to one they would not be
able to get across the river so long as that one battery in particular
commanded the ford. Its shells were able to sweep over every yard of the
crossing, and could cut down those who were wading desperately through
the waist-deep water, as though they were helpless flies.

"What are they waiting for, do you think, Rod?" asked Josh, between the
roars of the opposing guns.

"The French leader hates to sacrifice so many of his brave men while
that battery is in a position to sweep the ford," replied the other,
without hesitation, showing that he had grasped the situation even in
that brief time.

"Well, tell me how he expects to get rid of the same?" continued Josh,
though he had to place his lips close to Rod's ear, and fairly bellow
his words in order to make himself heard, such was the increasing din
close by.

"Perhaps he keeps hoping that some of his own guns will be able to
locate the German battery among the bushes there, and disable it," said
Rod.

Hanky Panky pulled at his sleeve. When Rod turned his head he found the
other pointing excitedly upwards, and upon casting his own eyes in that
quarter Rod instantly knew what his chum meant.

"Two French aeroplanes going up, sure enough!" he exclaimed.

"Mebbe they mean to try and drop bombs on the battery, so's to destroy
it!" suggested Josh, whose attention had also been drawn to the new
feature in the lively drama taking place before them.

Rod nodded his head to signify that the idea struck him as worth while.
Even had he attempted to speak just then his effort would have been
pretty much wasted, for the din had become something terrible. A
thousand French soldiers were cheering, even while being held in check
by their officers; they made Rod think of hounds restrained by the
leash, and loudly bewailing their inability to jump forward. He could
easily imagine with what frantic zeal those men would leap ahead and
into the waters of the Marne when the time came.

Up higher and higher soared the twin aeroplanes, climbing in eccentric
spirals.

Evidently the daring birdmen intended to attain a certain height where
they might feel reasonably safe from the shrapnel sent after them from
antiaircraft guns manned by the Germans; when they would try their luck
in dropping the bombs they undoubtedly carried with them, in hopes of
making a lucky shot.

"It's going to come soon, I guess!" ventured Josh, when a brief lull in
all the firing allowed him a chance to get in a few words.

"Yep," added Hanky Panky, who was getting a stiff neck with looking up
so long; "right now you can see that they're sailing around like they
might be looking for a good place to hover. But they'd better take care,
because that shrapnel is bursting just below them, and some time a shell
might hit home."

A loud whoop from Josh instantly followed these words.

"There, one let go a bomb, as sure as you live!" he shouted; "look and
see where it hits!"

Quickly following came a report, and the boys could see the earth fly in
showers.

"Not by a jugful!" whooped Hanky Panky, also carried away with the
excitement of the moment; "they'll have to aim better than that if they
expect to knock the German battery out of business."

The second airman tried his hand, and while possibly he managed to do a
little better than the first the result was also disappointing.
Evidently they were at too great a height to be able to strike a small
mark like the hidden battery. At that early stage in the war which had
been sprung so suddenly on France, her aviators had not as yet become
proficient in this sort of shooting; later on when they had been given
much practice, the result was bound to be quite different.

When the birdmen had exhausted all their bombs and made no impression on
the dangerous battery they were compelled to desist and circle around.
Evidently it was the intention of the air scouts while aloft to learn
all they could connected with the disposition of the German forces. This
information would prove valuable to the French commander, whether able
to win the coveted ford or not.

"Will they give up trying to cross over now?" asked Hanky Panky, after
it was seen that the efforts of the circling birdmen, much more than
half a mile aloft, had not met with any sort of success.

"That isn't the usual French way of fighting, if all I've heard and seen
of them cuts any figure in the game!" Josh exclaimed.

Rod, too, seemed to be of the same opinion.

"I think they must be getting ready to make a mad effort to rush the
ford," he went on to say; "you notice that their guns are silent just
now; but that's done so they can burst out with a more terrible
bombardment than ever, under cover of which the attack will be started."

"But why all this row over just one contemptible little ford?" asked
Hanky Panky innocently.

Josh snorted at hearing this.

"Why, can't you see what it means to both sides to control a crossing
where the artillery can get over without building a bridge?" he
demanded. "To hold up the French here the Germans would be willing to
sacrifice thousands of their best men, because it would save their big
guns now on the way north. There, it's coming, I do believe."

None of them heard the last words spoken by Josh, and for a very good
reason. Every gun the French had within a mile of the ford began to
bellow in concert, and the ground shook under the concussion. Across on
the other side they could see the shells bursting everywhere. It seemed
as though they sought out each place where they suspected hostile
batteries or columns of troops might lie in hiding, thus fairly raking
the entire vicinity.

This was "preparing the ground for the seed," as army men would put it.
When this fierce "spraying" was well under way no doubt the order that
had been awaited so long and impatiently by the concealed French
soldiers was to be given; when they would start toward the bank of the
river and strike into the shallow water, breasting their way across if
possible.

The three boys fairly held their breath with awe, knowing what was
coming next. Hanky Panky crouched there shivering like one who had the
"shakes," yet wholly unable to drag his horrified eyes away from the
grim spectacle of war that was passing before him. Josh, on the other
hand, had arisen to his feet, knowing that there was little or no chance
of his being noticed and fired at, unless indeed some German gunner
conceived the idea that they were a group of French officers observing
the progress of the battle from an eminence.

This dreadful "spraying" with fire had gone on for some little time now
when Rod saw signs that told him the expected event was coming. He could
not have made his chums hear, no matter how he shouted, and so he
contented himself with clutching each of them, Hanky Panky by the arm
and Josh by the calf of his leg. They knew what he meant by this action,
too, even though not a word was uttered.

The violent gunfire was being kept up, but from several points there
suddenly burst into view living streams of French soldiers racing madly
for the ford, and every man apparently wild to be the first to attempt
the deadly crossing.

CHAPTER XXIV.

A FRENCH HERO.

"Can they ever do it?"

Undoubtedly this was what was filling the heart and brain of each of
those boys as they watched the living stream of French rapidly draw
nearer the river ford commanded by that destructive German battery, and
which thus far they had not been able to reach and silence with their
own guns and aeroplane attacks.

The time between the uprising of these troops and their reaching the
shallow water of the ford was of very brief duration. Undoubtedly the
French had crept up just as close as the nature of the ground would
permit them to go unseen.

Still to those anxious hearts on the little rise it must have seemed
dreadfully long, owing to the strain they were laboring under. As yet