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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0928887 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #69037 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69037) diff --git a/old/69037-0.txt b/old/69037-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 18d6285..0000000 --- a/old/69037-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7670 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Don Hale Over There, by W. Sheppard - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Don Hale Over There - -Author: W. Sheppard - -Release Date: September 24, 2022 [eBook #69037] - -Language: English - -Produced by: David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was - produced from images made available by the HathiTrust - Digital Library.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE OVER THERE *** - - - - - - DON HALE - OVER THERE - - By W. CRISPIN SHEPPARD - - _Author of_ - - "DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE" - "THE RAMBLER CLUB SERIES," ETC. - - Illustrated by H. A. BODINE - - THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY - PHILADELPHIA - 1918 - - COPYRIGHT - 1918 BY - THE PENN - PUBLISHING - COMPANY - - Don Hale Over There - - - - - Introduction - - -"Don Hale in the War Zone" recounts the many adventures of Don on a -dangerous trip across the ocean, as well as in war-torn France, while -seeking his father, an aviator in the service of the Allies. His chum, -George Glenn, too, was an active participant in numerous exciting -events. - -The present volume, the second of the series, tells about the thrilling -experiences that fell to the lot of Don, who, in common with numbers of -other young Americans, volunteered his services as an ambulance driver -in that great organization, the Red Cross, which has done so much for -the cause of humanity during the world war. - -Don views the operations at close range, and, naturally, amid such -perilous surroundings, often finds himself in extremely serious -situations. - -His life in the war zone, however, is not all danger, and besides his -work with the Red Cross he and some of his friends have an interesting -experience in connection with a mystery which hovers over the ancient -Château de Morancourt. - - W. CRISPIN SHEPPARD. - - - - - Contents - - - I. THE NEW ARRIVAL - - II. A MYSTERY - - III. ON DUTY - - IV. UNDERGROUND - - V. UNDER FIRE - - VI. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL - - VII. THE CHÂTEAU - - VIII. A MAN-HUNT - - IX. THE LIGHT IN THE WINDOW - - X. THE BIG GUN - - XI. THE OBSERVATION POST - - XII. THE ATTACK - - XIII. THE STORM - - XIV. THE CHEMIN DE MORT - - XV. A BLOCK ON THE ROAD - - XVI. A FOOTSTEP ON THE STAIR - - XVII. BARRAGE FIRE - - XVIII. "DESERTER!" - - XIX. THE RED CROSS - - XX. IN THE TOWER - - XXI. A DISCOVERY - - XXII. THE TREASURE - - XXIII. THE COUNT - - - - - Illustrations - - - "FIRE!" COMMANDED THE CORPORAL - - "ONE CAN'T EXPECT TOO MUCH" - - "TAKE A LOOK AT IT" - - A HEARTY CHORUS RANG THROUGH THE ROOM - - A RED CROSS CAR WAS COMING - - - - - Don Hale Over There - - - - - CHAPTER I - - THE NEW ARRIVAL - - -"Yes, sir, it's been rather quiet along this sector for a week or two -past, Chase, but believe an old veteran in the ambulance service when -he says that it isn't going to remain so very long. An attack by one -side or the other is bound to happen; and then--whizz!--bang! You'll -hear more shells popping than you ever could have dreamed existed in -the world. This is no children's party--eh, fellows?" - -A volley of assents came from nine hearty voices. - -The "old veteran," who had spoken with a great deal of earnestness, -fixed his gaze quite searchingly, even sternly, upon Chase, a big, -husky chap sitting close by, who had made no answer. - -"Say, mon ami, what made you join the Red Cross, anyway?" he asked. - -Chase, disregarding his question, rose to his feet, stretched himself -and yawned. He wore the air of one who is entirely out of harmony with -his surroundings. Whereas all the rest, in spite of the hazardous -nature of their calling, appeared to be full of life and spirits, he -looked sullen and discontented. - -"I declare, these nights are about the limit!" he exclaimed, in a -growling tone--"nothing to do but loaf around and----" - -"One kicker in a crowd is one too many," remarked the "old veteran," -or, rather, Dunstan Farrington, with a laugh which softened the -bluntness of his observation. - -"Too bad he didn't remain in the states," added Hugh Wendell. - -The observations of the two had only the effect of causing Chase to -shrug his shoulders and lapse into a silence which no one seemed -inclined to disturb. - -On the table in the middle of a large, bare room occupied by the boys -stood an oil lamp which cast a yellowish glimmer over the surroundings -and threw upon the walls and floor huge, grotesquely-shaped shadows. -In the far corners the feeble light could not cope successfully with -the darkness, and there somber gloom and mystery lurked. - -To a casual observer the gathering might have appeared to be a -social affair--a mere coming together of young chaps who had no very -serious object in view; in reality, however, it was something far -different--they belonged to a unit of Red Cross ambulance drivers, -stationed for the time being in an abandoned hotel at a little -shell-torn village not far from the now famous city of Verdun. The -eleven were within a zone of death and destruction--a zone where peril -was never absent for a single hour. - -From the roadway outside came a ceaseless rumble. Motor lorries, huge -supply trucks, ammunition wagons, in fact practically every kind of -vehicle belonging to the transportation service of an army in the field -was making its way under cover of darkness toward the front. And in the -opposite direction a continuous line of "empties" flowed steadily past. - -The constant growling and grumbling of the French batteries, from -their masked positions in the hills to the east and northeast, were -growing louder. The German artillery, too, located to the north and -northwest, kept booming away. - -After a while Dunstan Farrington brought out a sketch book, and with -swift, sure strokes began to record some impressions he had received -during the day. Dunstan was not a collegian, but a former student of -the Ecole des Beaux Arts at Paris. During the early part of the great -war, like numerous other young men, he had felt the call to action and -had volunteered under the Red Cross. - -More than once while under fire the boyish-looking young chap had -performed some valiant deed in conveying the wounded soldiers from the -battle-field, and had incidentally narrowly escaped death or serious -injury. Dunstan, with several other equally brave Americans, also -ambulance drivers, had received the Croix de Guerre, or War Cross, -which the Médicin Divisionnaire had himself pinned to their breasts. - -During the last few years the art student had roughed it as few young -men of his culture and education are called upon to do. But no amount -of hard knocks could have taken away from Dunstan a certain air of -refinement and a suavity of speech and manner which stamped him as -an aristocrat. It was not, however, that form of aristocracy which -sometimes instinctively arouses a feeling of antagonism or dislike. - -The ambulance unit was installed in the abandoned Hotel de la Palette, -a one-time favorite rendezvous for artists, situated several kilometers -behind the lines. - -During various bombardments of the village so much damage had been -caused that it was now scarcely more than a mass of débris--an -inhospitable waste, with but few of its inhabitants remaining, and the -hotel had also suffered considerably. The ambulanciers, however, set to -work, and by a judicious use of materials succeeded in making it fairly -water-tight and comfortable. Formerly they had slept on straw spread -around the sides of a big barn; now real beds and real rooms were -reminders of the comforts which each had left behind him. - -The appearance of the Hotel de la Palette was quite suggestive of -some old print, such as might be found hanging in the window of a -second-hand book shop. It seemed to be something wholly apart from this -modern era; an air of a century past hovered over its discolored walls -and the dingy cobbled courtyard which they enclosed. Very tranquil and -peaceful indeed it looked--just the sort of a place where one might -expect to see a farmer's cart or a hay wagon drawn up before the door -and peasants occasionally wandering in and out. - -A wide, arching porte-cochère, battered and grimy, led into the -courtyard, where some of the Red Cross cars were parked. And so the -neighing of horses and the stamping of their iron-shod hoofs, as well -as the shouts of hostlers, had long since ceased to be, and now the -enclosure resounded and echoed to the blasts of the motorist's horn or -to the fresh, clear voices of youthful Americans. - -The cars which the courtyard could not accommodate stood in -inconspicuous positions in side lanes or behind the houses. The section -was composed of thirty men and twenty-two ambulances. Lieutenant -Fourneaux, a French officer, had entire charge, but the actual -commanders were two college men from the United States--Hugh Wendell, -Chef, and Gideon Watts, Sous Chef. French army cooks supplied the -meals, and the section also included several French mechanics, though -of course all the drivers were fully competent to overhaul and repair -their cars. - -From four to ten men and a number of ambulances were always on duty -near the dressing stations, a few thousand yards from the front-line -trenches--a dangerous post indeed, where the men were very often -obliged to make a precipitous rush for their dugouts in order to escape -the rain of devastating shells. - -Yes, there was plenty of action, plenty of thrill and excitement in the -life. - -Chase, who had arrived but a short time before, during a lull in -the fighting on that part of the western front, had as yet seen no -dangerous service. The young chap was not very popular--persons of a -sullen or taciturn disposition seldom are--and though he must have -realized this he made no effort to turn the tide in his favor. - -Bodkins, the musical member of the unit, had just brought forth his -banjo, ready to indulge in his favorite pastime, when a noise at the -door stopped him. - -"Hello! Somebody's coming in," he exclaimed, looking up. - -At that moment the door opened, and a dim, very vague form was seen -standing at the threshold about to enter. - -"Hello, fellows! Bon soir, Messieurs!" cried a cheery, youthful voice. - -Whereupon every one in the room except Chase gave utterance to a hearty -shout of welcome, Dunstan Farrington's voice rising high above the -others. - -"Hello yourself, Don Hale!" he shouted. "Back from your ten days' -furlough, eh? You're a sight for sore eyes! Well, well, we're mighty -glad to see you!" - - - - - CHAPTER II - - A MYSTERY - - -"Say, what kind of a time did you have in Paris, boy?" exclaimed Gideon -Watts. "Give us the latest news from civilization. What's in that -bundle? Newspapers, by Jove! Hooray!" - -It seemed as if every one in the room were intent upon shaking the -newcomer's hand at the same identical moment. - -"Had a perfectly dandy trip," returned the smiling Don Hale. "Maybe I -didn't enjoy every minute of it, too. What do you think?--I actually -saw an air raid on Paris. But the anti-aircraft guns soon sent the -Kaiser's bomb-droppers flying to the cover of the nearest clouds. -Hello!--a new member?" - -"Ah, Monsieur, nous avons oublié quelquechose. Pardon our lack of -politeness," laughed Bodkins--"also, I might say, my use of French. -Honestly, fellows, it's like second nature to me now to let it roll off -the tip of my tongue, and----" - -"I've seen some Frenchmen almost roll over with mirth when they heard -it," broke in Watts, cruelly. - -"Jealousy!--there's another mean fling thee has to thy credit," sighed -Bodkins. "Really, somebody ought to take a correspondence school course -in manners. But here's what I intended to say: Mr. Chase Manning and -Mr. Don Hale--let me introduce you to each other." - -The newest member of the section and the youngest driver thereupon -shook hands. - -Then, after each had spoken the pleasant words appropriate to such an -occasion, Chase drawled, slowly: - -"'Pon my word, Mr. Hale, I never expected to see a youngster like you -holding down such a responsible position! Why in the world did you come -to France?" - -Don gave a merry, infectious laugh, though he flushed a trifle at the -reference to his boyish appearance; for he, in common with many lads of -his age, liked to be considered as approaching man's estate. - -"I'll tell you, Mr. Manning," he said. - -"Call me Chase, if you please." - -"Very well, sir, I will." - -Don drew up a stool, stayed a hurricane of questions which the -ambulanciers shot toward him from every quarter of the room with -a cheery, "All right, fellows--just a minute," and, desirous of -satisfying the curiosity of the taciturn young man, began his -explanations. - -In terse sentences he related how he and his chum, George Glenn, had -left Chicago with the intention of joining Mr. Hale, who belonged to -the aviation corps, in Paris. On reaching New York, however, they found -that a letter and remittance which the two expected had not arrived. -Don took passage on a munition ship and had a thrilling adventure at -sea. Afterward he met George Glenn and they journeyed to the war zone -together. A series of surprising incidents followed, and did not end -until they encountered Mr. Hale in a little French village. - -"By George! 'Pon my word!--quite a story," commented Chase at its -conclusion. His face actually lighted up with a smile. "And then, not -satisfied with all that excitement, you had to join the Red Cross in -order to get a bit more, eh?" - -"No; it wasn't for the sake of the thrills, though they come pretty -often in the day's work," laughed Don. - -"What's become of your friend?" - -"George? Why, he's preparing to enter the aviation service." - -"Then he's sure to rise above you very quickly," drawled Chase. - -"Ha, ha!" giggled Bodkins. "Did you hear that, boys? Chase Manning's -first joke. Remember the day and date." - -Don joined in the general laugh which followed, then remarked: - -"And now, Chase----" - -"Nothing doing, son. My history wouldn't interest even a cat," broke in -Chase, quickly. His voice and manner underwent a sudden change; once -again he appeared the same surly, discontented chap as before. "You -may have this much information, however: I'm from that 'somewhere in -America' known as Maine." - -By this time many of the ambulanciers were eagerly examining the Paris -newspapers--the first they had seen for some time--while others fairly -peppered the aviator's son with questions concerning his trip. A -journey to the French capital, after the hard grind of work and the -dangers to which they were daily exposed, really marked an epoch in the -lives of the drivers, and the next best thing to enjoying the pleasure -themselves, according to the majority, was to listen to an account of -the experiences of some one who had. - -And, very naturally, Don Hale, bubbling over with buoyant spirits, had -much to say. - -While engaged in conversation they heard the sound of an explosion, -startlingly loud, rising above the clatter of passing traffic and dull -booming of artillery. - -"Hello! There's a shell that landed almost near enough to say, 'How do -you do?'" cried the chef. - -Chase hastily sprang from his seat, with his mouth half open. - -"Great Scott!" he blurted out, with a perceptible tremor in his voice. -"I never heard one of these confounded things burst so close to the old -shack before." - -"I know of a certain village which the Boches didn't present with a -single shell for months and months," put in Dunstan, dryly, "and just -when everybody began to consider it a lovely and peaceful place--a -haven of refuge in time of danger--the German batteries, early one -morning, suddenly started working overtime. No, Messieurs, it probably -will never be rebuilt." - -"That's liable to happen here, too," remarked Bodkins, not very -reassuringly. "We're only a few kilometers from the front. But what do -we care, boys! Isn't there a dandy underground shelter right back of -the quarters for us to drop into when things get a bit too squally! -Why, it's got a roof of sand-bags and dirt about eight feet thick. Only -a shell landing very close could do any harm; so let's cheer up." - -A momentary silence ensued, and Dunstan Farrington thereupon began -tapping in a very nonchalant fashion upon the table. - -Any keen observer might have noticed that of all those present but one -paid attention to his action. A curious, eager light instantly sprang -into Don Hale's eyes; a smile curved his lips. For Dunstan, using the -Morse code, was sending a message to Don, who, being a former wireless -operator, of course understood. - -Rather laboriously the art student spelled the words which form this -sentence: - -"Chase, our new member, is an odd sort of a chap. Some of the fellows -think he has a yellow streak. We're curious to see what he'll do when -under fire." - -Humming softly, and with a twinkle in his eye, Don sauntered over to -the table, and, in a considerably more expert manner than his fellow -driver, made a series of taps upon its surface. - -Dunstan had no difficulty in translating the following: - -"Don't judge too soon. Give him a chance. I'll bet he'll make good." - -Dunstan replied: - -"A grouch of the first class, Don." - -Again: "Don't judge too soon." - -"What's the matter--do you chaps think you're woodpeckers?" broke -in Bodkins. "Come, boys, let's entertain ourselves. How's this for -improvising?" - -And the musician, twanging his banjo, began to sing and play in a -decidedly lusty manner. - -"Pardon--I thought you wanted us to entertain ourselves," snickered -"Peewee" Burns, a very fat, round-faced driver. "Fellows, Bodkins' -improvisations have about the same effect on me as Boche shells falling -uncomfortably close. I can't beat it too fast." - -"Humph!--there's another arrow from jealousy's quiver that slipped -harmlessly past," grunted Bodkins. "Why, you poor, ignorant chump, you -couldn't tell the difference between music and the blare of a Klaxon." - -Then, quite satisfied with this crushing retort, Bodkins began once -more. Loudly, and with a most extraordinary accent, he sang some of the -latest songs of the poilus,[1] and the others helped him manfully in -the chorus. - -[Footnote 1: Literally "hairy ones." The affectionate slang term that -all France applies to its private soldiers.] - -Thus, for fully fifteen minutes there was so much jollification and -noise in the room that the sounds from without were effectually denied -an entrance. - -At length John Weymouth raised his hand. - -"Hold on, boys," he cried. "Enough of this kind of music is too much. -What's the next number on the program?" - -"Let's all take turns jumping on Bodkins' banjo," suggested "Peewee," -pleasantly. "I've got a pair of extra-heavy boots." - -"There's enough danger about without inviting any more," laughed -Wendell. "Somebody tell a story. Now's your chance, Chase." - -The latter shook his head. - -"Sorry I can't oblige," he said. "But my gift of gab is less than is -usually given to mortals." - -"Dunstan, then?" - -"He's sure to ring in something about painting or artists," declared -"Peewee." "It's a most oddly odd thing what a grip art and music get on -some people." - -"Commonplace individuals of course can't be expected to understand it," -remarked the musician, loftily. "Your bleatings, 'Peewee,' are----" - -"Order, order!" interrupted the Sous Chef. "Dunstan has the platform." - -"What shall it be--fact or fiction?" asked the art student. - -"Give us a little true fiction," remarked Wendell, with a laugh. - -Dunstan took a quick turn or two across the room, looked up at the -ceiling, then down at the bare planks beneath his feet. Finally he -raised his head so as to survey the crowd. - -"By George, fellows, that effect of light and shade on your faces and -figures is simply corking!" he cried, with enthusiasm. "Rembrandt -himself----" - -"I told you!" snickered "Peewee." - -"The story first and Rembrandt afterward," commented Watts. - -"All right, boys." Dunstan, with a sigh of resignation, seated himself -on the edge of the table and began swinging his legs to and fro. "I'll -relate a little bit of truth that may sound like fiction. Hello!" - -Bang! Bang! - -Two other concussions, though not quite so loud as the one previously -heard, crashed in upon his sentence. - -Chase squirmed uneasily in his seat. It required no skilled observer to -detect the fact that his nerves were shaking. - -"Confound it!" he muttered. - -"Oh, that's nothing," Weymouth assured him. "When they hit the house -next door it'll be time enough to worry." - -"As I wasn't saying," resumed Dunstan, after a moment or two had -passed, "my story concerns a French château--one of those typical old -châteaus dating from the feudal ages, and within the massive walls of -which----" - -"He's getting off to a good, flowery start, all right," chirruped -"Peewee." - -"The nobles and landed gentry dwelt." Then, with a cheery laugh, -Dunstan continued, in a more matter-of-fact way: "Just the other day -a couple of poilus gave me the tale I'm now passing along to you. In -this ancient château, which the Germans shelled and partly wrecked, -there lived a direct descendent of one of those old-time seigneurs. The -soldiers declared he resided in the great château alone, with a retinue -of servants, and that he had the reputation of being an eccentric old -chap with one great hobby." - -"And what was that?" queried Wendell. - -"The collection of paintings and objects of art." - -"There it comes, boys!--the art stuff again!" exclaimed "Peewee," -yawning. "Say, this is a fairy tale, eh, Dunstan?" - -His words were couched in a tone of accusation. - -"No, mon ami, not a bit of it," declared the art student, earnestly. -"A long article concerning the Morancourt case appeared in a Paris -newspaper." - -"Morancourt? Why, that's the old place right near us here--up toward -the front!" - -"That's the very place, my son." - -"Hah! The plot thickens. What is the 'case' you spoke of?" - -"The Count de Morancourt had in his gallery some of the most valuable -of all old masters--a Correggio, a Titian and a Botticelli, besides -several examples of the Dutch school, such as Rembrandt and Franz Hals, -for instance." - -"Well, suppose he had--what of it?" demanded "Peewee," a trifle -impatiently. "He isn't the first old gent that's been a bug on -collecting pictures. Where does your story begin to become a story?" - -"The French government made many efforts to acquire some of Count de -Morancourt's treasures for the Louvre," answered Dunstan, "but he -always refused to dispose of them." - -"No story yet," growled "Peewee." - -"Wait." - -"That's what we're doing." - -"Not long after the beginning of the war the count left the Château de -Morancourt and also the land of his birth and set sail for America. Now -comes the curious part of the story. With the government and the most -famous art dealers of Europe on the qui vive to get hold of his old -masters it would have been practically impossible for the count to sell -them without the fact becoming immediately known." - -"Quite true," assented Wendell. - -"It has been proven, too, beyond all doubt, that no part of his -collection accompanied the grand seigneur to America." - -"What is all this leading to?" inquired Watts. - -"Only this: that all the valuable paintings and bric-à-brac, without -exception, have disappeared--vanished--gone!" - -"Vanished!" echoed Don, his face lighting with interest. "A jolly -nice mystery, I call it. There's where the story becomes a story, eh, -'Peewee'?" - -"It sounds like one of those 'to-be-continued' yarns," grumbled -"Peewee." He winked impressively at Bodkins. "Anyhow, what's the use -of ado and chatter about a few old paintings? I'm on call to-night, -boys--which means that I must be ready to take out my car at an -instant's notice. Guess I'll hit the pillow." - -He stretched himself and yawned. - -"Why don't they get the old count to explain the matter?" inquired -Weymouth. - -"I understand he can't be found," answered Dunstan. - -"Perhaps the stuff is all in Berlin." - -"The Château de Morancourt was never in the hands of the Germans." - -"It might have been stolen by some of that great retinue of servants -you spoke about," suggested "Peewee." - -"Not at all likely. They were sent away some time before the count -himself left." - -"Well, if official investigators can't solve the mystery I'm sure it's -no use for us to puzzle our heads about it," put in Watts. "I always -like a story which has some sort of an end, Dunstan. Your affair of the -Château de Morancourt wouldn't be so bad but for that." - -"I say, let's visit the place the very first chance we get," cried Don. -"Those old castles always interested me immensely, and in this case -that mystery'll add to the charm." - -"Sure we will, Don." - -"I reckon I'll go along, too," declared the taciturn Chase, somewhat to -the surprise of the others--"that is, if we don't happen to get blown -into bits beforehand." - -"We'll be glad to have you," said Dunstan, cordially. The art student -smiled. "Of course I don't mean blown into bits." He looked around. -"Any one else?" - -No enthusiastic response came to his ears, whereupon he broke into a -hearty peal of laughter. - -"I see my story has fallen rather flat," he chuckled. "But never mind, -boys. Perhaps our visit to the Château de Morancourt may be the means -of our being supplied with an interesting chapter or two on the history -of that ancient structure." - -"At least it will be a pleasant change," grunted Chase. - -"I know how it'll all end, Dunstan," giggled "Peewee." "You'll bring -back a pencil drawing, all shaded by hand and labeled with the title -and the date of the date." - -"All shaded by hand!--the date of the date!" scoffed Bodkins. "Take my -advice, 'Peewee'--never speak unless you're spoken to; then the extent -of your dreadful ignorance won't be so noticeable." - -Dunstan joined in the merry laughter at the expense of the grinning -"Peewee" which followed, then, seizing Don by the arm, he exclaimed: - -"Come, boy, you look quite serious--upon what, may I ask, are your -thoughts fixed so intently?" - -"Upon the Château de Morancourt," laughed Don. "That's quite a story, -Dunstan." - - - - - CHAPTER III - - ON DUTY - - -Early on the following morning, while the light of the coming day was -slowly spreading throughout the heavens and by degrees bringing into -view the landscape which for long hours the deep shades of night had -gathered to themselves, Don Hale and Dunstan Farrington clambered into -ambulance number eight and took their places on the driver's seat. - -"Another forty-eight hours of duty at the outpost ahead of us!" -exclaimed Don. - -"Yes; and I hope there won't be too much excitement!" said Dunstan. "I -reckon Chase Manning would agree to that sentiment." - -"There's a chap whose acquaintance I am certainly going to cultivate," -laughed the aviator's son. - -The boy waved his hand to a couple of mechanicians tinkering over an -ambulance near by, threw in the clutch, and number eight, the center -of a very strong smell of gasoline, slowly trundled over the cobbled -paving, passed beneath the arching gateway and entered the street. - -Even at that early hour soldiers billeted in the village were to be -seen on every hand, and as the Red Cross car swung along in an easterly -direction over the wide highway an occasional "Vive l'Amerique!" rose -clearly above the hum of smoothly-working pistons and rumble of wheels. - -Traveling at a rapid rate of speed, the ambulance soon reached a bend, -and just beyond the road passed under the arch of an ancient porte, -or gateway, which marked the limits of the town. Very picturesque -and typical of other centuries it looked, looming up against the -slowly-lightening sky. - -Beyond the porte the ambulance passed a succession of hills and -meadows. Everywhere the earth had been pitted, scarred and plowed up -by high-explosive shells, and at frequent intervals there were huge -yawning craters, meters in depth and width, some showing the earth -freshly disturbed, others where it was hard and dry. - -The guns still boomed away, and spurting columns of smoke rising here -and there told where the shells from the German batteries were falling. - -"I hope the Boche won't be tossing any of their property along the -Chemin de Mort as we pass," exclaimed Dunstan. - -"Wouldn't surprise me a bit if they did," declared Don. - -Dunstan glanced at his young companion curiously. - -"By George, Don, your nerves are like your helmet--made of steel," he -said, admiringly. "Don't you ever get the quiver, the shiver and the -shakes like the rest of us?" - -"You bet I do," laughed Don. "Hello!--Hear that!--seemed to be right in -the direction for which we're bound." - -"Yes," said Dunstan, slowly--"not only seemed to be, but was." - -Very shortly afterward the Red Cross car sped swiftly around a bend in -the road and into one of the most dangerous stretches of the entire -journey. This was the Chemin de Mort, or Road of Death, so named -because of the fact that for a distance of over a kilometer it lay -in full view of the German trenches and artillery and within easy -range of shell-fire. Eleven ambulances belonging to the section had -been almost put out of service along that kilometer of deadly danger -by bursting shrapnel shells, and at certain times it required all the -courage and nerve a driver possessed to stick to his car. Number eight, -one of the eleven damaged cars, still showed the marks made by the -leaden hail. - -Probably no member of the unit ever arrived at the Chemin de Mort -or raced across its sinister length without experiencing decidedly -peculiar and uncomfortable sensations--sensations in which dread and -awe formed a prominent part. - -"Let 'er rip, Don!" cried Dunstan, anxiously. - -"First speed it is," said Don. - -Number eight bowled swiftly ahead, sometimes jolting and bumping over -inequalities in the road, while the two on the front seat kept their -eyes fixed on a bend beyond. Only a few moments were required to reach -it, and when the car shot around into a safer zone both Don and Dunstan -gave a little sigh of relief. - -"I always find myself wondering if something tragic isn't going to -happen along here one of these days," murmured Dunstan. - -"It hasn't yet," said Don. - -"I know; but----" - -The art student paused and shrugged his shoulders. - -"Hello! Here comes one of our cars!" cried Don. - -His sharp eyes had just caught sight of a small object enveloped in a -cloud of dust swinging into view in the distance. - -On and on it raced at terrific speed; larger and larger became the -vehicle and its accompanying cloud of flying particles. A shaft of the -early morning sunlight, shooting across the landscape, tinted it with a -rosy glow; sharp lights gleamed and flashed on the polished surfaces. -Then, with a rush--a clatter--a whirl of wheels--it bore down a gentle -incline immediately in front of them. Now the red cross, the emblem of -mercy, on the ambulance's side could be clearly discerned, and Don and -Dunstan had a confused and momentary impression of a grim-faced driver, -tense and alert, bending over the steering wheel and a companion by -his side. Then the road ahead was clear. - -"An urgent case!" murmured Don. - -"I thought some of those shells were landing near the post," said -Dunstan. - -Number eight now turned another bend and began ascending a hill, with -woods on either side of the road. The highway at this point became -rather narrow and winding, and was in the midst of a neighborhood -almost as much dreaded as the Chemin de Mort. At night, with the road -shrouded in deep black shadows and barely room for vehicles to pass and -the likelihood that careless driving might at almost any moment cause a -car to topple into a shell-hole, the combination was one calculated to -test the skill of the most expert drivers. - -The forest was filled with guns of many calibers. And before the war it -must have been a very beautiful forest; for pines, cedars, hemlocks, -oaks and horse chestnuts, ages old, were growing in great profusion. -But the German batteries on the opposite hills had sent veritable -hurricanes of screaming shells into its midst. The withering blasts -had stripped countless trees of their foliage--so shattered and -blasted others that forlorn, ugly-looking stumps alone remained. - -Yet the French batteries had withstood the bombardment, and many a time -the ambulanciers driving along that narrow road in the forest had been -almost deafened by the terrific concussions of the guns. - -And as cannon must have ammunition numerous supply posts were situated -near the winding road. Cleverly hidden from the eyes of German airmen -stretched row after row of shells suitable for every gun, and enormous -quantities of boxes containing cartridges and hand-grenades. - -As the Red Cross car climbed the hills and descended into the valleys, -with the sun's rays ever strengthening and sending slender shafts of -pearly light between the trees and spotting their boughs and branches, -the two Americans caught occasional glimpses of figures in the depth of -the forest--artillerymen, ready for the day's work. - -Shells were bursting not far away; detonations came one after another. -But the French batteries now remained silent. - -"Hit it up again, Don," advised Dunstan, as the car approached a high -hill. "If there is any one spot the Boche seem to have the exact range -of it's right along here." - -"Gideon Watts knows all about that," rejoined the youthful driver, -grimly. "Narrow shake he had, eh?--car almost put out of commission and -Gideon sent shooting into the road!" - -"That day's work was responsible for Gideon getting the Croix de -Guerre," said Dunstan. "He stuck to his post with 'arrivés' dropping -all about him like hail. I can't imagine Chase Manning doing that, Don." - -Farrington began to chuckle softly, though a strained look appeared in -his eyes as he glanced up at the sky. - -"Don't know enough about him yet to offer any opinion," returned Don. - -Then a silence between the two ensued--a silence which continued while -the ambulance was chug-chugging its way up the steep incline. Very soon -the summit was reached and the dangerous hill and a crossroad near the -top left behind. - -Don remarked, reflectively: - -"I've been thinking about that trip to the Château de Morancourt, -Dunstan." - -"I haven't," said the other, very frankly. "My mind, just now, was on -high-explosive shells." - -Don laughed. - -"The same here up to a minute or so ago," he confessed. "But honestly, -Dunny, somehow, my curiosity has been excited a whole lot by your story -about the château." - -"I'm glad to hear it," chuckled the art student. - -The road in places was deeply rutted and worn by the passage of -countless vehicles, but the driver, skilled in the art of avoiding the -bad portions, took his car down a gentle slope at quite a lively pace. -At length number eight once more began making an ascent, and it was not -very long before the summit of the hill was reached. Turning sharply -off on a little spur lying at right angles to the main road, the -ambulanciers suddenly came in sight of two cars parked close together. - -"Here we are at the outpost!" cried Dunstan, quite gaily. "Hello, -fellows! What's been going on?" - -The door of an abri, or underground shelter near the cars opened, -revealing a glare of electric light inside. Four young Americans -hastily emerged, and there was a lively series of salutations. Right -behind the boys came three French army surgeons dressed in white. - -"Ferd Blane and Jim Roland had a couple of blessés,"[2] called one of -the Red Cross drivers. "Meet them?" - -[Footnote 2: Blessé: a wounded man.] - -"You bet--tooting it along at the dickens of a pace, too." - -"What happened?" - -"A marmite[3] dropped into the door of a dugout in the first-line -trenches." - -[Footnote 3: Marmite: a large shell.] - -"Hard luck for some poor poilus!" murmured Don. - -With a bit of clever maneuvering he brought his car alongside of the -other two, then both he and Dunstan sprang to the ground. - -"The Boches have been presenting us with some pretty heavy salutes this -morning." The same young chap as before, speaking very cheerfully, -imparted the information. "And if you don't believe it"--he smiled--"I -can make you acquainted with the sight of several new and jolly big -shell-holes." - -"I told Don that something was happening in this direction, -Ravenstock," replied Dunstan. "The worst for a long time, eh?" - -"Well, rather. Enough, too, to make the abri look pretty good to -us--n'est-ce pas, Messieurs Rice, Batten and Vincent?" - -The Americans appealed to agreed, though all seemed to regard the -matter as of little importance. Constant association with danger and -thrills had long before accustomed them to the strain. - -In another moment Don and Dunstan were following the others into the -shelter. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - UNDERGROUND - - -The abri was quite a pretentious-looking little place. Over the -arching entrance was layer upon layer of sand-bags, and on top -of these the earth had been packed into a hard, solid mass, thus -affording a good protection from the enemy's fire. The shelter, which -was situated only a few hundred yards from the front, also served as -a poste de secours,[4] three French army surgeons always being in -attendance. Still nearer to No Man's Land, in fact almost directly on -the battle-line, and, of course, shielded as well as possible, was a -"Refuge des blessés," or dressing station, where the brancardiers, or -stretcher bearers, conveyed the wounded for first aid treatment. - -[Footnote 4: Poste de secours: surgical first aid station.] - -The duties of the brancardiers were of the most perilous nature. -Frequently the men were obliged to crawl out of the trenches after -the fallen soldiers, and then, once burdened with the victims of the -great war, their movements were so restricted that it became all the -more difficult for them to protect themselves. The soldier may have his -reward in fame and glory and wear the hero's crown; the brancardier has -little but that which comes from his own conscience. - -The wounded were brought in from the first-line trenches through -connecting trenches, called in French boyaux, to the poste de secours -and the waiting Red Cross cars. The brancards--stretchers--are all of -the same size, so that they may be used in any ambulance or railway -car. It sometimes happens that a "couchée," which means a lying-down -case, generally one of a serious nature, reaches a base hospital on -the same stretcher on which he was placed after being picked up on the -battle-field. - -During the early part of the war the wounded were often obliged to -wait a long time before being removed, and it was generally in a -slowly-moving horse-drawn vehicle. The advent of the Red Cross and the -American Field Ambulance was the means of bringing about a wonderful -change. The light cars of the sections could travel fast, and whenever -haste was the chief and perhaps deciding factor between life and -death the patients could be taken to the field hospitals in from ten -to twenty minutes. These hospitals were situated about six or seven -kilometers from the front. Usually the base hospitals were placed much -further away. - -During the fierce fighting which had occurred a short time before, -the ambulance section to which Don Hale belonged had carried over two -thousand wounded inside of a week. - -Over the brow of the hill, about a hundred paces from the poste de -secours, the main road began to descend, leading in a rather zigzag -fashion to a little one-street village which we shall designate as -Montaurennes. Montaurennes, with its air of quiet, rustic beauty, -well set off by age-mellowed stuccoed walls enclosing gardens, had, -at one time, when viewed between the trees from the hilltop, made a -charming picture. Not so now, however. Scarcely a whole house was left -standing--the majority had been reduced to disordered heaps of bricks -and stones, and of the little spired church which once graced its -center only a few pieces of jagged walls remained. - -Three times the little village had changed hands, and its streets and -lanes had witnessed some of the most terrible hand-to-hand conflicts, -when steel met steel, and bayonets--not guns--became the deciding -factor. - -The Germans, however, were finally dislodged, and now the French -trenches cut squarely across the eastern end of the highway. Beyond, -though not so very far beyond, running in an irregular fashion -across the ridges of the opposite hills, stretched another line of -trenches--those held by the Germans. - -So the eight who had just entered the abri were very close indeed to -the scene of actual warfare. - -The underground shelter, the air of which was faintly impregnated with -the odor of antiseptics, in the glare of the electric light became -revealed as a roomy and comfortable retreat. The principal object which -struck the eye on entering was an operating table in the center. There -were also several stools, a couple of benches ranged alongside the -walls and cots for the surgeons. - -The ambulanciers who, during their forty-eight hours of duty at the -outpost, always remained fully dressed, were content to get what rest -they could on the stretchers. Pictures clipped from newspapers and -magazines adorned the walls, and Dunstan had also contributed his -talent toward making the place pleasant and cheerful by hanging several -of his paintings in conspicuous positions. - -The drivers stationed at the outpost questioned Don Hale as eagerly -concerning his experiences in Paris as the boys at the Hotel de la -Palette had done. Any news was welcome to the ambulanciers, who were -compelled to pass so much of their time away from the general haunts of -men. - -"Why in thunder didn't you bring us a stack of prints?" demanded -Ravenstock. - -"Look in the car," laughed Don. - -"Good old scout!" cried the driver, making a rush outside. - -In a moment or two, returning with a bundle of Parisian dailies, he was -immediately besieged by the others and left in possession of a single -copy. Thereupon all, including the three French surgeons, Docteurs -Benoist, Savoye and Vianey, deciding that it would be more pleasant -outside, left the shelter and made themselves comfortable by the -entrance. - -The sun, rising higher in the heavens, sent shafts of light over the -ground and spotted the boughs and tree trunks with its radiance. Birds -flitting among the branches kept up a constant and noisy chattering. - -Dunstan, true to his artistic impulses, began making a sketch -of Docteur Benoist, and after more than a half hour of studious -application, paused long enough to hold it up for inspection. - -"Capital--capital!" exclaimed Docteur Vianey, who possessed some -knowledge of English. "What certainty of touch!--worthy of Sargent -himself, Monsieur Farrington." - -"Sargent! Who's Sargent?" demanded Vincent. - -"Great Cæsar, man! Do you mean to stand there and tell me you've never -heard of Sargent?" cried Dunstan. - -"I'm not standing; I'm sitting," corrected Vincent, with a chuckle. - -"Oh, well!" The art student shrugged his shoulders resignedly. "One -can't expect too much from the man in the street." - -[Illustration: "ONE CAN'T EXPECT TOO MUCH."] - -"Wrong again," laughed the other. "I'm not in the street." - -A short time later Ferd Blane and Jim Roland returned from their trip -to the field hospital, and they too gave Don Hale a hearty greeting. In -answer to his inquiry concerning the blessés Roland spoke up in a tone -of conscious pride: - -"The medicine chef said that our quick run may have been the means -of saving a life. That's the kind of thing which makes a chap feel -satisfied to stick to the job no matter how fast the shells are -falling." - -"You bet!" agreed Don, heartily. - -As they talked the sullen, angry roar of the guns came over the -air, and every little while, rising sharply above it, the éclat, or -explosion, of a shell landing somewhere among the trees. - -At length the surgeons and ambulanciers sought shady spots close to the -abri, for the day was growing hot, and only an occasional breath of air -stirred the leaves and grasses. - -Between twelve and two a curious lull came in the cannonading, an -almost daily occurrence, which every one attributed to the fact that -even the grim business of war must wait on appetite. The batteries -of both sides started up briskly again, but the long hours of the -afternoon wore on and drew to a close without the brancardiers bringing -in any blessés. - -A beautiful sunset sky tinged the tree tops with an echo of its -brilliant colors, and as the daylight gradually faded, the moon in the -east, shining resplendently, gained in strength until at length the -forest became a fairylike place--a place of ghostly, silvery lights and -grayish shadows. - -Owing to the clearness of the night no traffic was moving close to the -front; so the German batteries threw but few shells in the direction of -the road. - -"I guess I'll get a little rest," declared Rice, as midnight approached. - -"So shall I," said Jim Roland. "I'm going to take mine in the car." - -"Have a care, mon ami," advised Docteur Vianey. - -"That's the trouble; we have too many already," chuckled the -ambulancier. - -Don and Dunstan, electing to follow Roland's example, a short time -later climbed into number eight and made themselves comfortable on the -brancards, or stretchers, using a rolled up blanket as a pillow. And -while they lay there waiting--still waiting for the call of duty, the -whistle of the "arrivés," as the shells which came from the German -guns were called, and the "departs"--those hurled by the French -batteries--frequently sounded over the air. - -But the night passed without any especial incident. - -The next day was almost a repetition of the first, and when Don and -Dunstan, at the expiration of their forty-eight hour stretch, returned -to headquarters they had made only one trip to the field hospital. Each -knew, however, that it was only a question of time when the nature of -their occupation would necessarily carry them into a great deal more -excitement and danger than they cared about. - - - - - CHAPTER V - - UNDER FIRE - - -It frequently happened that the ambulanciers had been obliged to take -their meals in the midst of shell-pitted fields, or perhaps in some -little village street. On such occasions planks thrown across a couple -of saw-horses served as a table. - -At the Hotel de la Palette, however, things were very different. There, -in the dining-room of the hostelry, they sat in comfort at the same -tables before which, in former times, peasants and care-free patrons -had once enjoyed repasts. The room, too, was very attractive, for the -visiting artists had recorded with paint and brush their impressions -of the charming scenery around. One of these pictures, executed on the -panel of a door, was signed by an English landscape artist who later -became a celebrated Royal Academician. - -The rolling field kitchen, in charge of a French army cook, stood in -one corner of the courtyard, and the members of the section took turns -in acting as "chow," as the waiter was humorously called. - -Don and Dunstan found that during their absence Chase Manning had been -doing evacuation work--that is, conveying the wounded from the field -hospital to a base hospital further away from the front. They learned, -too, that he would be en repos[5] for the day. - -[Footnote 5: En repos: off duty--"at rest."] - -"That's fine!" cried Don, as all sat around the breakfast table. "Why -not let's pay the Château de Morancourt a visit this afternoon?" - -"I'm with you," replied Chase. - -"So am I," agreed Dunstan, heartily. - -One of the drivers, "Tiny" Mason, began to laugh heartily. He had -gained the appellation of "Tiny," so Bodkins explained to the -uninformed, because his stature displaced only five feet three inches -of atmosphere. - -"I suppose you chaps are going to find out all about that missing -stuff, eh?" he chuckled. - -"If we do I'll let you know," laughed the art student. - -Producing a pocket map, he showed his companions the location of the -structure. - -"Hello! It isn't very far from the Chemin de Mort," exclaimed Don, in -surprise. - -"Quite correct, my boy," said Dunstan. - -"I'd much rather it were in some other direction," muttered Chase. - -"Come on, Dunstan, let's get through our work," cried Don, rising from -his seat and making a break for the courtyard door. "Old number eight -has to be freshened up a bit and overhauled." - -This task kept the boys busily occupied until lunch time, but -immediately after the meal, accompanied by Chase, they left the hotel -and headed toward the east. - -The dusty village street was full of reservists; poilus were eating, -poilus were lounging about or strolling here and there, all ready at -any moment, however, to march to the first-line trenches and face the -invisible foe and death. - -Now and then, in the midst of all this environment of war, peasants -trudged along, sometimes accompanied by children, several so young that -they could have known nothing else during their brief existence on -earth but the horror, the noise and turmoil of war. - -Presently a military car having two stars painted on the right hand -corner of the windshield, the insignia of a general, shot past the -Americans, and closely following, in the wake of dust which trailed -behind, came a motor cyclist with a large wicker basket strapped to -his shoulders. Through openings in the receptacle the boys caught a -fleeting glimpse of a number of birds. - -"A despatch bearer carrying pigeons to the front," declared Dunstan. -"I understand they have performed most valuable service in delivering -messages, and are seldom killed. Thus does man make use of even the -birds of the air to further his ends." - -"He'd make use of cats if he could," growled Chase. - -Passing the ancient porte, where a sentry gravely saluted them, Don, -Dunstan and Chase branched off into a road leading in a northeasterly -direction toward the rolling hills and battle-front beyond. - -The village fell further and further behind, and finally a rise in -the ground hid it from view. At length the three stopped on a hilltop -to take a survey of a broad and impressive view of the surrounding -country. The surface of the earth in innumerable places presented a -most singular appearance. It was as if some giant plow had been driven -again and again across it, so turning up the rich brown soil that -nature's covering of green was almost entirely obliterated. - -"The marmites have made a pretty thorough job of it," remarked Don. - -"Why are the big shells called marmites?" inquired Chase. - -"Because they gouge a big round hole in the ground somewhat like the -shape of a saucepan, in French a marmite," explained the aviator's son. - -"Thanks. Ruin--ruin, as far as the vision carries; ruin--ruin beyond, -and still further beyond!" - -"Yes; but there is something which seems to typify the unconquerable -spirit of the nation," exclaimed Dunstan. - -With a sweep of his hand he called attention to several peasant women -and old men, in sabots or wooden shoes, guiding plows and harrows -across a field. - -"Farming in this part of France just now certainly has its drawbacks," -said Don. "I've heard it said that to one shell which lands in the -trenches a hundred drop behind the lines." - -Resuming the march, the ambulanciers went down the gentle slopes of the -hill. Soldiers had scarcely ever been out of their sight, and now more -of them became in evidence. Groups of bearded, sun-tanned men, whose -uniforms showed the effects of weather and contact with the earth, were -taking things easy in the shade of the trees or along the road. - -"But if a bombardment should suddenly start up the timber would seem -almost to swallow them," declared the art student. "There must be -dugouts and bomb-proof shelters all through these woods." - -"Votre laissez passer, messieurs, s'il vous plait!"[6] - -[Footnote 6: "Show your passes, gentlemen, please."] - -A sentry's challenge rang out sharply. - -One glance at their papers, and he waved them on. - -Up and down hill they tramped. The day was superb, and legions of -light, fleecy clouds sent legions of delicate shadows skimming across -the landscape. But though peace was in nature the ambulanciers were -always forcibly reminded of the fact that the great war was going on -all about them. - -Over the brow of another ridge a sign conspicuously nailed to a tree -brought them to a pause. - -"No vehicles further than this by daylight," they read. - -"I am a sufficient believer in signs to pay attention to that warning," -remarked Chase, with an uneasy look on his face. - -"It certainly wouldn't be wise to venture where vehicles may not go," -laughed Don. - -"Scarcely!" put in Dunstan, dryly. - -Retracing their steps, the three soon reached a rather narrow crossroad -running in an easterly and westerly direction over a series of hills. -After following the much-traveled thoroughfare for a considerable -distance, the boys discovering, by the aid of Dunstan's map, that they -were being taken out of their way, decided to leave it. The ascent up -a steep slope, plentifully bestrewn with vegetation, was so hard and -toilsome that all were delighted, on arriving at the top, to discover -a broad, almost level field stretching over to a tree-crowned ridge -about two hundred and fifty yards away. - -"Thank goodness!" panted Chase. - -"Let's take a breathing spell," suggested Don. - -"Most cheerfully, mes cher amis," said Dunstan. - -Seating themselves on the edge of an old shell-crater, the three -rested until the effects of their strenuous exertions had entirely -disappeared. When they started once more they had gone more than -half-way across the field when a figure popped into view over the crest -of the opposite ridge with almost the suddenness of a Jack-in-the-Box. -It was a poilu--evidently a sentry; for they could see him, stationed -by the edge of the trees, making energetic motions, as if he wished to -hurry them on. - -"I suppose we must be breaking some military regulation and are liable -to arrest," said Chase, half jokingly. - -To his surprise, Don and Dunstan, looking considerably startled, -began to cast apprehensive glances toward the east, at the same time -increasing their pace. And then, just as the young chap from Maine was -about to put into words a query that had flashed into his mind a most -alarming thing occurred. - -It was the sharp crack of a rifle and the zip of a bullet, as it struck -the ground but a few yards distant and plowed up and scattered a bit of -earth. - -A terrifying fact was revealed to all--they were in full view of the -German "snipers."[7] That broad, peaceful-looking field was in reality -a miniature "No Man's Land," where none might tarry for a single -instant and expect to live. - -[Footnote 7: Snipers: sharpshooters.] - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL - - -From relative security to the most appalling peril, and all in a moment -of time, was the unhappy position into which the three ambulanciers had -fallen. It was enough to drive the color from their faces, and send -cold chills sweeping one after another through their frames. - -The startled cries were still on their lips, when, almost as if a -powerful spring had set them into motion, they began a race--a wild and -furious race toward their goal--the tree-crowned ridge where the sentry -stood. And each of the three ran as only people can run when the stake -is the greatest in all the world--life itself. - -Zip! Zip! Zip! - -A regular fusillade of bullets was wickedly singing and humming past -their heads and thudding dully into the turf close about them. - -Like professional sprinters on the cinder path trying for a record the -ambulanciers exerted themselves to the utmost, sometimes one in the -lead, sometimes another. Now and then an obstruction made them swerve -aside or inequalities in the ground slacken their pace, but never for -a single instant did either of the trio cease his almost superhuman -efforts. - -Zip! Zip! - -Still the bullets came flying through the air, first to one side of -them, then to the other, now landing just behind, now just ahead. - -Neck and neck, panting, perspiring, the three with their faces -exhibiting all the terror and strain which such a situation would -naturally create, kept doggedly on. - -Neither Don, Dunstan nor Chase actually believed there was one chance -in a thousand of winning that race against the snipers' lead. All were -in the grasp of fear and despair. Yet, if the boys found their mental -faculties tending to yield to the terror of the moment they did not -allow that fact to interfere with their physical efforts. - -It seemed as if that tree-crowned ridge were as far away as ever. - -Crack! Crack! Crack! - -No! It never could be reached in safety! - -A sharp, startling snap sounded almost at the feet of the aviator's -son--a stone had been splintered--shattered, and the fragments narrowly -missed him. - -Don Hale was puffing harder and harder with the strenuous exertion; -his heart seemed to beat with alarming force; a painful dryness had -come into his throat. The boy could see Dunstan on his left; Chase -on his right; both, like himself, striving with all the energy and -determination they possessed to get out of the danger zone. - -Crack! Crack! - -Suddenly Chase tripped and went sprawling--down he was on his knees, -his arms outstretched before him. - -Don Hale groaned. To his excited, overwrought imagination, one of them -at least had ended his part in the game of life and death. - -Notwithstanding an almost irresistible impulse to keep on running, a -desperate, flying leap sent him to the other side. - -"Chase--Chase!" he gasped, hoarsely. "Chase!" - -The other was beginning to scramble up. - -"Are you hit, old man?" To Don's relief the other shook his head. - -He seized Manning's arm, and, with that strength and vigor often given -to those who find themselves in terrible danger, dragged him to his -feet. The tension created by that momentary stoppage brought beads of -cold, clammy perspiration to the faces of each. - -Dunstan had halted and was yelling frantically for them to come on. A -stream of bullets hummed past; a single shot struck the ground ahead. - -The race was on once more. - -It seemed almost miraculous that none of the runners was brought down -during the fusillade that immediately followed. Don Hale could scarcely -believe it possible. Renewed hope sprang into his heart; renewed -strength came into his body. - -A dozen yards only--ten--five. - -Breathless, almost exhausted, the aviator's son fairly flung himself -across the top of the ridge and down on the other side, and as he did -so: - -Zip! Zip! Crack! - -A branch of a sapling, cut cleanly off by a bullet, came tumbling at -his feet. - -That final effort sent the boy in a heap. But he was -happy--extraordinarily happy--filled, indeed, with a gratitude -to providence so great that he could have found no words with -which to give it expression. He was safe. Dunstan and Chase were -safe--wonderful!--almost unbelievable! - -It took the three some moments to recover their breath sufficiently to -speak, then Dunstan, with a very faint smile, addressed the poilu, or, -rather, the poilus, for quite an interested crowd had gathered about -them. - -"Kindly pardon our haste in dropping over to see you," he exclaimed. -"But the Germans were urging us to hurry." - -"You should have kept to the road, mes Americaines," declared an -artillery lieutenant who stood by the sentry's side. "Had you done so -this would never have happened." - -"Ah?" - -"Yes; there is a notice posted at the top of the hill which reads: -'Danger! Keep to the left!' In future beware of all short cuts. They -are apt to be short cuts to death!" - -"Very true," acquiesced Don, grimly. - -"The experience has been hard on your friend." - -Chase Manning was clearly suffering from shock; a pallor had overspread -his face; his mouth and eyes were twitching; his strength seemed to -have deserted his trembling form. He leaned heavily against a tree -trunk for support. - -"Not here very long, I suppose?" continued the lieutenant, in a lower -tone. "Otherwise----" He made an expressive gesture. "But he'll become -habituated in time; one always does." - -In a few moments Don and Dunstan were kept busy answering various -questions, then the sentry spoke up, saying: - -"The time was when the Boches didn't bother to fire at any one crossing -that field, but lately they have become quite mechant."[8] - -[Footnote 8: Mechant: wicked.] - -"The truth of the old saying 'All's well that ends well' has been -demonstrated to our satisfaction," declared Don, his features relaxing -into a faint smile. "Feeling all right now, Chase?" - -"No! Who could?" counter-questioned the other, in a tremulous voice. -"It was frightful." - -And after voicing this opinion young Manning became silent again. - -The side of the hill facing the German trenches was absolutely -deserted, but the opposite slope the ambulanciers found densely crowded -with poilus. And these soldiers of the twentieth century had virtually -become modern cave men; for, imitating the example of their primitive -ancestors, they had burrowed into the earth and made for themselves -habitations. There were hundreds and hundreds of dugouts in the -immediate vicinity, all so skilfully concealed or disguised by various -devices that a German airman flying directly overhead would in all -probability not have discovered their presence. - -A long time passed before Chase felt in any mood to join in the -conversation, and then, thoroughly disgusted at having allowed his -feelings to be so plainly seen, he became more than usually sullen. - -Suddenly the ambulanciers discovered that there were other sounds in -the air besides the distant booming of cannon and the occasional -explosion of a shell. - -"Music, as I live!" cried Don Hale. "Where in the world is that coming -from?" - -He addressed the artillery lieutenant. - -"The theatrical performance has just started," answered the officer, -with a smile. "Perhaps Messieurs would like to witness the comedy? -Plenty of bomb-proof shelters close by," he added, pleasantly. - -"Should we like to see it? Yes, indeed," cried the aviator's son, -enthusiastically. - -"And thus the scene shifts from near-tragedy to comedy!" laughed -Dunstan. "Coming, Chase?" - -The latter had been showing no inclination to budge from his position, -but in answer to the question he gave a gruff assent, then slowly rose -to his feet, and Don, standing near by, heard him mutter: - -"Awful, awful! I can scarcely believe I'm alive." - -As the three Americans followed their soldier-guide along the -foot-path, which wound its way in a serpentine direction through the -forest, they were greeted everywhere with cordial salutations. The way -led past an amazing number of subterranean retreats, representing such -a vast amount of time and labor that Dunstan could not help remarking -thoughtfully: - -"Too bad that so much energy had to be put into work of such a -character!" - -"I guess that thought was in the mind of every one who helped to dig," -growled Chase. - -The artillery lieutenant smiled. - -"This war has certainly proved as nothing else ever did the wonderful -ability of mankind to adapt itself to every sort of condition, no -matter how difficult or unusual. It has given tremendous impetus to -inventive genius all over the world, particularly in connection with -the science of aeronautics. The conquest of the air is almost complete." - -"My father is an aviator in the American army," declared Don, proudly. -"Formerly he served with a French squadron. Some day I hope to be an -airman myself." - -"Ah, indeed!" exclaimed the lieutenant, evidently very much pleased. -"But ma foi! You are very young." - -"Yes. I've no objection to that, however," laughed Don. "I suppose, -Monsieur le Lieutenant, there are plenty of guns around here?" - -"Do you see any?" - -"No; and I don't expect to unless I should happen to find a muzzle -sticking right in my face." - -"Ah! The art of camouflage is another thing I might have mentioned. -But, to change the subject, the Americans have proved themselves very -great friends of the French, and to show that I am among those who -are appreciative of it I am going to invite you all to pay a visit, -whenever it is convenient, to the battery to which I am attached. You -accept, n'est-ce pas?" - -"I should say so!--eh, mes camarades?" exclaimed Don, enthusiastically. - -He turned toward his companions. - -The art student assented heartily, though Chase, who still looked pale -and haggard, merely muttered his thanks and shrugged his shoulders -non-committally. - -As the Americans proceeded they became more and more surprised at the -immense number of men and dugouts to be seen on every side--indeed -they were passing over the top of a veritable underground village, with -little lanes running in all directions, so as to afford access to the -various quarters. - -"Naturally, there isn't always so much life and activity on this hill," -said the lieutenant, when Don mentioned the subject. He pointed to -the surrounding forest. Many of the trees had been snapped in twain -by high-explosive shells, while others lay prostrate on the ground; -indeed, but very few had escaped being scarred, gashed or broken by the -various bombardments. "Sometimes it is just as dangerous as you found -it back yonder." - -At this reminder of their thrilling experience Chase Manning -perceptibly shivered. - -"That's the kind of an experience which will stick in a fellow's memory -forever," he said, almost as if speaking to himself. The grim look -suddenly flashed away from his face. "Don, you're a brave kid." - -"Oh, it wasn't anything!" broke in the aviator's son, lightly. "You -would have done the same." - -The sound of music had been growing steadily louder, and now the -melodious strains of a song chanted by hundreds of voices were wafted -through the forest. It was very charming--very idyllic, and in strange -contrast to the sounds of warfare coming from the distance. - -A rather sharp turn, and they arrived almost abruptly at a clearing. To -one side, at the very edge of the trees, the ambulanciers caught sight -of a little stage, where the soldier-actors were going through their -parts with considerable fervor. And they were playing before a large -and enthusiastic audience, to whom, apparently, thoughts of war were -the very last in their minds. - -"The comedy is the work of one of our officers," explained the -lieutenant. "It is entitled 'The Poilu's Ten Days in Paris.' I hope, -mes Americaines, you will find it worth more than the price of -admission." - -"No doubt about that," laughed Don. - -"The last performance was abruptly terminated by a shell falling only a -short distance from the stage. We must trust that to-day the boys will -have better luck." - -"You can just bet we do," mumbled Chase. - -The artillery officer conducted them as close as he could to the -little improvised theater, then, after a brief conversation, during -which he reminded them of their promise to pay the battery a visit, and -stated that his name was Lieutenant D'Arraing, he bowed politely and -was speedily lost to view. - -The ambulanciers found themselves quite the center of attraction, -and so much good humor and jollity around them went very far toward -effacing from the minds of all the remembrance of their recent peril. - -Dunstan very aptly described the play presented by the amateur actors -as "rip-roaring farce." A great many most extraordinary things occurred -during the "Poilu's Ten Days in Paris," and the pleasure of witnessing -all these laughable episodes was considerably enhanced, at least -according to the ideas of the boys, by the choruses, in which the -audience generally joined. An orchestra of five did valiant service. - -Altogether the Americans enjoyed the performance hugely, though several -times the explosions of shells sounded with unpleasant distinctness. - -After it was all over Don, Dunstan and Chase met so many poilus -who were eager to converse with them, especially on the subject of -America's entrance into the great war, that their departure was -long delayed--so long delayed indeed that an idea came into the art -student's head. - -"Fellows," he said, "there's a great deal in first impressions." - -"What's the sequel to that remark?" asked Chase. - -"It just occurred to me that we might tarry around here even longer, so -that we might get our first view of the famous Château de Morancourt by -the mystic light of the moon." - -"'Peewee' should have heard that!" chuckled Don. - -"If your artistic spirit craves that shadows and gloom should hover -over the old pile of stones and make it suggest a picture-postal, so be -it," grinned Chase. - -"Very good!" said Dunstan. - -Standing by the side of a tree, he began tapping on the bark. - -The smiling Don translated the following message: - -"Perhaps the castle by moonlight may be too much for our friend's -nerves." - -The aviator's son replied: - -"I wonder if he'll have an irresistible impulse to run." - -"He wasn't cut out for this sort of life." - -"No; an easy chair in an office for him." - -"Bodkins' woodpeckers again!" broke in Chase, with a yawn. "A funny -kind of a habit, I call it." - -"Maybe so," grinned Don. - -The three began to stroll leisurely here and there, quite often -accompanied by one or more of the poilus. Down by a little creek they -came across a number lined up alongside the bank engaged in the prosaic -occupation of washing clothes and hanging them out to dry on convenient -saplings and branches. - -"Another illustration of man's adaptability," laughed Don. - -In the midst of congenial company, with much to interest them, time -passed rapidly, and finally the ambulanciers, who had brought supper -with them, took seats on a bit of turf and began their meal. - -And though at times the mosquitoes and gnats made things decidedly -uncomfortable, there they remained until the sun had long since -disappeared beneath the horizon and the moonbeams were gaining -sufficient strength to reveal their presence upon the face of nature. - -Then Dunstan jumped to his feet, exclaiming: - -"It's time for us to be on the move." - -"Hooray! Now for the last stretch!" cried Don. - -"And the Château de Morancourt by moonlight!" added Chase. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - THE CHÂTEAU - - -About a quarter of an hour later the three Americans were standing -before a high and ornamental gateway which led into the great park -belonging to the château. Only a small portion of the De Morancourt -coat of arms which once adorned it remained in place, and the ancient -bricks showed in many places the destructive effects of German shells. - -"This must be one of those real, bona-fide, genuine châteaus we read -about," commented Chase. - -"Yes; according to what I have been told it dates back to the time of -Louis the Fourteenth," said the art student. - -"I do wonder what could have become of all those pictures and art -treasures!" mused Don. - -"A lot of other people have been wondering, too; and whether they will -ever get beyond the wondering stage or not is problematical." - -"Suppose we get into the wandering stage." - -"I don't see any stage." - -"At any rate, let us hope there won't be anything unlucky about this -stage of our journey," put in Chase, dryly. - -Entering the grounds, the three found themselves on a wide carriage -road, bordered on each side with stately trees. The moonlight flooded -the scene with unusual brilliancy, and some of the ancient oaks, which -had escaped the destroying shells, made a grimly-impressive picture, as -their boughs and branches were silhouetted against the steely bluish -tones of the sky. Here and there the roadway was deeply shadowed; in -other places, it gleamed with a ghostly paleness amid the surrounding -gloom. - -At one time the park had evidently been anything but a haven of refuge; -for the same sort of havoc which existed elsewhere was to be found on -all sides--fallen trees, mutilated trunks and the earth torn up by -projectiles. And Chase Manning observed, with considerable uneasiness, -that some of the shells must have very recently fallen. - -"I declare, this makes me think of some of those old-time romantic -novels!" declared Dunstan, with enthusiasm. "What an air of charm -and mystery there is all about us! And look, mes amis, what do I -see?--Actually a marble group which has probably weathered the storm of -centuries past and strangely enough even escaped the present danger!" - -In a glade to their left the ambulanciers saw what had once been a -fountain. The center of the spacious marble basin was occupied by -a gigantic figure of Neptune surrounded by a number of rearing and -plunging horses. In the full glare of the moonlight, portions of the -ancient marble forms were clearly revealed in broad masses of greenish -white, against the background of trees beyond; the rest disappeared in -the shadows. - -Even Chase--Chase who rarely took heed of the pleasing or the -picturesque--gave an exclamation expressive of admiration. - -"By George!--just to see that is worth all the trouble we have taken!" -cried Don, as they walked up to obtain a view at closer range. - -"At some future time it means another sketch for my portfolio," -declared Dunstan. "How very still these fiery-looking horses simulating -rapid action are," he continued, reflectively, "but how vivid the -impression of life and activity each conveys to the mind! And how very -silent they are! Yet one gifted with a little imagination can almost -hear them snorting, in their haste and excitement." - -"Pretty good, boy! Keep it up," said Chase. - -"And Neptune, gaunt and threatening, with his arm upraised, appears to -be urging them on, as though unmindful of the fact that he and they are -forever destined to remain immovable!" - -"Bravo!" - -Standing before the time-worn group, in the lonely and deserted park, -with the vegetation all about them rustling in the faint breeze, Don -Hale felt a peculiar sensation of awe stealing over him. - -"Dunstan was right--it makes a chap almost feel as if he were living in -another age," he thought. And then, aloud, the aviator's son exclaimed: -"How curious it is to think that perhaps two or three hundred years -ago people may have looked upon this very same group!" - -"Yes; in all probability kings and courtiers, grand seigneurs and noble -dames once cast their eyes upon it," remarked Dunstan. "Ah, if I could -only invoke the muse, what a grand poem I could compose!" - -"And by so doing either provoke or amuse us," chuckled Chase, with the -first laugh he had been heard to utter during the day. - -"Good!--Chase's second joke!" cried Don, approvingly. - -"Allons, mes amis--let's go!" - -The trio, skirting around the fountain, reached the road again and -continued to tramp steadily on. The way led up a slight ascent, and -occasionally, through openings in the trees, they caught glimpses -of charming bits of scenery, with shadowy, mysterious-looking hills -looming up beyond. Then they observed what had once been very wonderful -lawns, but which were now mere fields overrun with weeds and tall -grasses and deeply pitted here and there with shell-holes. - -They were approaching a bend, and the moment the turn was reached -Dunstan stopped short, and, with a wave of his hand, exclaimed -dramatically: - - "'Behold yon tower; - Mark well those crumbling walls-- - Those silent chroniclers of years gone by, - Of tyranny and tears!'" - -"The Château de Morancourt is before our eyes!" cried Don. "Hooray!" - -"The park seems to equal the château and the château to equal the -park," commented Chase. - -Not far ahead, situated on the crest of a hill, the grim-looking -mediæval structure, with its wings and gables and partly demolished -tower, presented a singularly impressive appearance. From where they -stood the soft, mysterious light of the moon mercifully concealed from -view the great damage wrought by the missiles. - -"En avant!--Forward march!" cried Dunstan. "Isn't it curious to think, -fellows, that not so very long ago the Germans learned about the tower -being used as an observation post, and the result was----" - -"That there are no longer any observers, I suppose?" broke in Don. - -"Exactly!" - -"A nice place you have led us to!" growled Chase. - -He gave a perceptible start, for at that very instant a star shell -soared majestically up from the German lines, and then, having reached -a great altitude, burst into flames, casting all around it a brilliant -whitish glare. - -The nearer the ambulanciers approached the Château de Morancourt the -grander and more awesome the massive structure appeared. Over the -air from afar came the faint rumble of the convoys, but a strange, -melancholy silence, which accorded well with the solemn aspect of the -building and its surroundings, hovered over the park. - -"How suggestive of dark deeds and mystery!" murmured Dunstan. Then he -added, meditatively: "I wonder if we couldn't manage to get a look -inside!" - -"By all means let's try," cried Don. - -The three walked under a magnificent porte-cochère, supported by -graceful pillars, and came to a halt before the entrance. It was very -dark and somber in the shadow--so dark and somber indeed that the -massive door which surmounted a broad flight of stone steps leading up -on either side could be scarcely seen. - -Don, Dunstan and Chase could make out the dim outlines of a marble -lion supporting a shield which stood on a pedestal at the bottom of -the escalier, or steps. Without stopping to admire its savage and -formidable appearance, they began to mount, feeling their way by means -of the massive marble balustrade. Arriving at the top, Dunstan gave -the big door a vigorous push. So did Don and Chase. Once, twice--three -times they tried it, but their efforts were of no avail. - -"Nothing doing!" growled Chase. "It would take a German shell to open -that ton of door." - -"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," laughed Don. - -By this time, their eyes having become more accustomed to the darkness, -they were able to discern some of the details on the great entrance and -on the magnificent lamps which flanked it to the right and left. - -"Splendid," exclaimed Dunstan. "It makes me all the more determined to -gain an entrance." - -And so speaking, he skipped lightly down the opposite flight of steps. -His companions clattered after him. - -Then the three began walking along by the side of the building, and -though it was all very much obscured it was not so dark as to prevent -them from detecting the presence of scars and holes and cracks which -everywhere disfigured the walls. Passing around several wings into the -full glare of the moonlight, the ambulanciers kept steadily on until -the imposing façade of the château was reached. Great bay windows -and projecting portions relieved the structure from any appearance -of monotony, and here and there thick masses of vines climbing over -the weather-stained walls helped to soften their grim and threatening -aspect. The lower windows were within easy reach of the ground, and as -Don Hale's eyes lighted on the third from the end he gave a loud cry of -exultation. - -"Look, fellows--how's that for luck! There's one almost entirely -demolished." - -"Unkind fate for the château is kind fate for us," exclaimed Dunstan. - -"I hope we shall not find ourselves in a waking nightmare," declared -Chase. "I'm not so keen about going inside." - -"Oh, pshaw!" broke in the aviator's son, impatiently. - -He sprinted over to the window, and, reaching up, gripped hold of the -sill. Strong and muscular, it was an easy task for the boy to draw -himself up and climb astride it. Leaning forward, he peered eagerly -inside the room. The window, like every other along that side of the -building, admitted a shaft of moonlight, which, for a short distance, -streaked weirdly across the floor. Don found himself staring at his own -shadow, singularly clear-cut in the midst of the pale greenish-blue -patch before him; then his glances wandered beyond. But all was -shrouded in deep obscurity. - -Without hesitation the boy eased himself down into the room, which he -could tell was of immense and imposing dimensions. - -"Come on, fellows," he called, "so in case I fall into the cellar you -can pick me up." - -Bringing forth a small flash-light from an inside pocket, Don turned -on the brilliant rays just as the figure of Dunstan loomed up in the -window. - -"This is an adventure that appeals to my imagination," remarked the art -student, cheerfully, as he clambered down and joined his companion. - -A moment later Chase stood beside them. - -Don Hale sent the beam of light flashing all around them, and as its -rays revealed the richness of the interior all three ambulanciers gave -voice to emphatic expressions of admiration. - -"Great, splendid--superb!" cried Dunstan. "I've just discovered what's -been the matter with me all along--this is the sort of place I should -have lived in." - -"Quite naturally; artists as a rule inhabit castles," remarked Chase, -dryly, "though sometimes they are airy, like the stuff of which dreams -are made. By George, fellows, what a spooky-looking place!" - -"It is, indeed," asserted Dunstan, meditatively. "Strange that the -Count de Morancourt should have left without putting his goods in -storage!" - -"Nothing strange about it," said Don. "I reckon the furniture vans -wouldn't have lasted very long--see!" The light fell across several -huge apertures in the opposite wall which told of the accuracy of the -German artillery. "Must have been pretty hot around here, eh?" - -"Quite so," responded Dunstan laconically. - -The three walked around a massive oak table in the center of the -room and then up to a huge fireplace at one end, where they halted. -The ribbon of light quivered and flashed on an ancient suit of armor -hanging just above and from there traveled to a great shield with the -coat of arms of the De Morancourts emblazoned upon it. Higher up the -head of a stag suddenly popped forth from the darkness, its glassy eyes -seeming to stare down upon them with a look of wonder. - -"Perhaps, in the age of the bow and arrow, some old ancestor of the -count's brought him low," commented Chase. - -Led by Don Hale, the ambulanciers continued their tour of inspection. -Now the flash-light brought into view old tapestries of mellow and -harmonious tones, or rows of ancestral portraits, many probably dating -from the dim and distant past. The earliest of these, very somber in -tone and much cracked, represented the De Morancourts as stern-visaged -and august-looking personages who had a penchant for wearing armor and -clasping heavy swords. - -"I shouldn't like to have any old chaps of their type challenging me to -fight a duel," laughed Dunstan. "Suppose we see what the rest of the -château has to offer us." - -Both footsteps and voices echoed in a most uncanny fashion, and Chase -found that somehow the darkness and mystery of the great interior -were producing rather creepy sensations within him. Often, to his -imagination, the room became peopled with an assemblage of the great -personages of the past. And then, though he knew it was quite absurd, -an unpleasant, vaguely-defined fear assailed him that at any moment -some one might step out of the shadows and demand the reason for their -presence in those ancestral halls. - -The next apartment the visitors entered was almost as large and even -more gorgeous than the preceding. A magnificent oval painting adorned -the ceiling. The walls were wainscoted with oak, and a richly-carved -mantelpiece of the same wood particularly attracted the ambulanciers' -attention. - -"Now I can better understand the value of the things which -disappeared," declared Chase. "No wonder such a howl went up." - -"I hate mysteries which are never solved," cried Don. "I wish to -goodness that before the section moves on some one would get busy and -give us an answer to this riddle." - -"No danger," grunted Chase. - -In a deep bay window the light disclosed fine stained glass, evidently -of rich colors and graceful designs. - -So interested was the young chap from Maine in examining the various -furnishings that he did not notice a chair lying in his path until he -brought up against it with considerable violence. - -Uttering an exclamation of impatience, he gave the offending piece of -furniture a vigorous shove, which sent it flying directly into the -curtained doorway leading to the dining-room. - -"Hurt yourself?" asked Dunstan, pleasantly. - -"Not enough for it to get any mention in the Parisian papers," growled -the other. - -The Red Cross men thought that the dining-room, with its heavily-beamed -ceiling, carved sideboards and china closets, in spite of a certain air -of heaviness and austerity, must have been a very pleasant place in -which to eat. - -"The château seems more like a museum than a place of residence," -declared Don. "But, fellows, we'd better hustle a bit faster. You know -a German marmite may be flying in this direction at any minute." - -"A sensible suggestion," said the art student; "for nothing is more -certain than that we are in the midst of the greatest of uncertainties." - -Reaching the entrance hall they discovered a very elegant staircase, -with ornate newel posts and balustrades, ascending to a balcony. - -"Just a moment--let's finish our inspection of the first floor before -venturing into the unknown regions above," exclaimed Chase. - -Cautiously following the pathway of light, which ever streamed far in -advance, the trio presently entered a long apartment which brought -forth involuntary exclamations of admiration from all. - -"The ballroom!" cried Dunstan. - -"And the show-place of the whole château," exclaimed Don. - -"It certainly is a show, all right," commented Chase. "What staggering -sums of money it must have taken to run such an establishment!" - -"I don't think I could have managed it on my income," laughed Don. - -On one side of the ballroom stretched gilded mirrors and magnificent -decorations, while on the other a long row of high, arched windows -faced the park. In whichever direction the light traveled some new -and unexpected beauty flashed into view. The beams sparkled and shone -on candelabra, on paintings and tapestries, and sometimes reaching up -to the ceiling disclosed a bluish vault, in imitation of the heavens, -studded with golden stars. - -"Enough of this!" cried Chase, suddenly. "We don't want to stay here -all night." - -And turning abruptly on his heel, the new member of the Red Cross -hurried away. - -A few moments later the three uninvited visitors were ascending the -stairway. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - A MAN-HUNT - - -Some time previously a certain projectile had left a certain gun -situated a certain distance to the rear of the German trenches, and -this shell, no doubt owing to the correct calculations of a certain -artillery officer, had exploded so near the Château de Morancourt as to -destroy the upper portion of the tower. Perhaps it was this very same -shell which had caused the French to decide that the château could no -longer be used as an observation post. - -"Let Americans not rush in where French officers fear to tread!" -chuckled the aviator's son, as they entered the doorway leading to the -tower. - -Yet, notwithstanding his levity, the boy felt a certain sense of -awe--of solemnity. There they were, in a place which only recently the -Germans had made a target for their shells, and he fully realized that -should suspicion be aroused, even in the slightest degree, it would -mean another bombardment. - -Had the builders of the ancient tower designed it for the purpose of -giving the beholder a vivid impression of a prison they had succeeded -well. The solid masonry and the long, narrow windows, heavily barred, -through which the light feebly sought admittance, were all calculated -to produce that effect. - -As a matter of precaution, Don shut off the light, then headed the -advance up the circular flight of stone steps. - -"Remember--eternal vigilance is the price of life," exclaimed Dunstan. - -"Oh, cut out such theatrical stuff," broke in Chase, impatiently. - -The ambulanciers ascended higher and higher until they reached the -summit, which was broken and jagged. - -"Thus far shalt thou go, and no further," chanted Chase, in sepulchral -tones. - -With the utmost caution, Don Hale peered over the wall. - -How high up it seemed!--higher by far than he had ever imagined. From -his lofty position he could look over the roof of the main building -and wings and see the moonlight gleaming here and there. Then his eyes -took in a portion of the rear walls, deep in shadow, their base and the -porte-cochère, so far below, losing themselves in the darkness. - -"Magnificent!" he exclaimed. - -The far-reaching view embraced the ranges of rolling hills to the -east. Between the Red Cross men and that wide sweep of ridges, patched -with soft, indefinite masses of lights and shadows, wherein charm and -mystery rested in equal degrees, lay that stretch of territory known as -"No Man's Land"--the most dangerous spot on the globe. On one hand it -was bounded by the French trenches; on the other by the German. - -"And all along its tortuous course of hundreds of miles through Belgium -and France there is but ruin and desolation!" exclaimed Dunstan -Farrington, in thoughtful tones. "Farms, villages, towns and forests -have paid the penalty for being in its sinister path. Sometimes it -sweeps forward, then moves back again, as surprise assaults and -counter-attacks are made by one side or the other. Every day, perhaps -every hour, its position is responsible for some new horror and -tragedy." - -"Yes," said Don, slowly. - -"Then, just think of all the devices for causing destruction and -sudden death which lie concealed everywhere on its narrow width," put -in Chase. His morose manner returned in full force. "Nothing that the -ingenuity of man can conceive of has been neglected." - -"But even that isn't enough to prevent patrols of French and German -infantrymen from crawling beyond their own wire entanglements during -the night on reconnoitering expeditions," interjected Don. "Whew!" he -shivered slightly. "What courage--what sang-froid it must require!" - -"Excuse me from trying it," said Chase. - -The guns had never ceased rumbling, and occasionally the sharp cracking -of rifles or the staccato reports of machine guns, astonishingly clear, -jarred over the air. - -"Dunstan--your field-glass, if you please!" - -It was the aviator's son who spoke. - -Silently Dunstan drew the instrument from its case and passed it to his -companion. - -The boy immediately raised the glass to his eyes and gave a little gasp -of pleasure. - -Beyond the park, in fact, far beyond the point where its limitations -were marked by a row of tall poplars, which, like grim and forbidding -sentinels stood by the boundary walls, he could see a field of wheat, -waving and rippling in the breeze. - -Why did a sort of thrill run through him? - -Because the aviator's son felt reasonably sure that he looked upon a -portion of that famous area between the lines. The proof was this: -On the slopes of the hill which hemmed it in the powerful glass -brought into view a faint, irregular row of whitish objects, a wall of -sand-bags crowning the German trenches. - -In rapt silence, Don gazed upon the distant landscape. How strangely -serene and beautiful it appeared in the silvery light of the moon! And -just as he was about to utter some of the thoughts which the poetic -scene evoked in his mind, he gave a slight start, lowered the glass and -faced Dunstan Farrington. - -"What was that?" Don exclaimed. - -"What was what?" demanded the other. - -"Didn't you hear a noise?" - -"No." - -"Where?" asked Chase, interestedly. - -"Down below--in the château itself." - -"In the château itself!" repeated Manning. A suspicious note crept into -his voice. "You're joking, son!" - -"No sir, I'm not," asserted Don, emphatically. "It was very faint, but -distinct, and sounded exactly like something falling." - -"It's a case of nerves," declared Chase, a little disagreeably. "Forget -it." - -Don Hale, however, couldn't be convinced that he was mistaken, though -perceiving how skeptical the others were he wisely made no attempt to -argue about the matter. - -Chase took an observation through the field-glass, so did Dunstan, and -each was as interested as Don Hale in seeing "No Man's Land" seemingly -brought so close to their eyes. - -"Now I'm through with the Château de Morancourt," declared Chase, -finally. "What's the use of tempting fate any longer? There wouldn't -be very much glory in letting a marmite get us while we're engaged in -sightseeing, eh?" - -"I've decided objections to it," chuckled Don. - -"There has been a wonderful change in the splendor of warfare," said -Dunstan, who appeared not to have heard these observations. "No longer -the dashing cavalry charges led by officers with waving swords; no -longer troops, victorious and triumphant, surging in irresistible -masses across the smoke-filled battle-field in hot pursuit of their -routed enemy, but foes invisible to one another plugging away, using -scientific calculations to attain their ends!" - -"But the picturesque is now more extraordinary than ever, mon ami," put -in Chase. "Think of the firework displays! See!--there is a trifling -manifestation of their possibilities before us!" - -A red signal rocket had suddenly shot up, illuminating the surroundings -with a strange, lurid glow. Then a white and a blue flare followed it -into the sky. - -"You are quite right, Chase," assented the art student. "Ah, how -that transforms the appearance of the landscape! Now it suggests a -wonderfully imaginative picture. Hello!--going?" - -Chase was already on the way. His two companions followed him, and as -the three descended the stone steps every sound of voice or movement -was weirdly increased in volume by the confining walls. - -Don Hale's thoughts were still on the noise which had reached his ears. -It vaguely conveyed to his mind an impression that others besides -themselves were in the ancient château--an unpleasant reflection, -conjuring up visions of unseen eyes watching them from the gloomy -shadows. - -By this time the somberness and depressing air which everywhere lurked -within the walls of the Château de Morancourt had affected all three -alike--each was longing to get out in the open air. - -Therefore, after stepping from the tower, the Red Cross men made only a -brief inspection of the rooms on the upper floor, and these they found -comported well with the general elegance of the rest of the structure. - -At length the three started down the grand stairway, with Don Hale's -flash-light guiding the way. Reaching the foot they crossed the hall -and pushed aside the heavy curtains hanging at the entrance to the next -apartment. - -And at the very instant Don Hale passed the portal he gave utterance to -a loud exclamation of surprise. - -"Look, look!" he cried. - -The others at once grasped the significance of his words. The rays of -light were streaming over the chair with which Chase had collided, but -the piece of furniture was not in the place they had seen it last. - -"Great Julius Cæsar!" blurted out Chase. - -"Strange--strange!" murmured Dunstan. - -"Now maybe you won't think I was right!" exclaimed the aviator's son. -"Somebody must have bumped into that chair, Monsieur Manning, and -knocked it over." - -"What other explanation could there be?" agreed Dunstan. - -"Which means to say that we haven't been the only prowlers in the De -Morancourt palace to-night," muttered Chase, his voice betraying a most -uncomfortable state of mind. - -"No." - -The proof was conclusive--there could be no question about it: some -person or persons had been in that very room while the ambulanciers -were up in the tower. Now there was, indeed, something quite startling -in this thought. Who could the other, or others, have been? What was -their object in entering? And did they still linger in the château? - -For a perceptible interval of time the boys stood in silence. The -weirdness and loneliness of the situation, with only a narrow band -of light between them and the deepest gloom, intensified a curious -tingling sensation which the discovery had produced in the nerves of -each. - -"What can it mean?" exclaimed Dunstan. - -Don's light was swiftly flashing and criss-crossing in every direction, -and not a single portion of the great apartment had escaped its glare -when he declared: - -"Fellows, there's certainly no one besides ourselves in this room." - -"Can there be no hiding places?" - -"It seems not." - -"If there is any one within the sound of my voice let him step -forward!" exclaimed Chase. - -His voice, raised so as to penetrate far beyond, rang out with -startling distinctness. - -A moment of great expectancy followed. - -No answer was received. - -"Come on, fellows! Let's get busy," burst out Don, impatiently. - -This proposition did not at all appeal to Chase Manning, but he made no -protest, his fear of ridicule being greater than his fear of the unseen -and the unknown. - -So, instead of leaving the Château de Morancourt at once, as they had -intended, the three ambulanciers began a tramp from one great hall to -another, searching--searching. And though the "man-hunt," as Don Hale -dubbed it, proved both interesting and exciting it brought forth no -result. - -After the lapse of three-quarters of an hour they were back in -the apartment which they had first entered, and Dunstan thereupon -straightened himself up, exclaiming: - -"No use, boys--the other visitors have probably gone." - -"I'm not so certain about that," declared Don. - -"The only thing I'm certain about is that I intend to go," cried -Chase, "and any one who tries to prevent it will have the privilege of -bringing an assault and battery charge against me." - -"The Château de Morancourt has been the center of too many stormy times -for us to start another," chuckled the aviator's son. - -Dunstan, standing by the big oak table, tapped upon its surface. - -"Chase has stood it better than I thought," he rapped in the Morse code. - -The answer he received was this: - -"Yes, after a while he may surprise us all with his courage." - -"You chaps are incorrigible," jerked out Chase. "I never knew before -that woodpeckers kept at it both day and night." - -So speaking, he made a break for the window. - -Don and Dunstan trailed after him, and all lost no time in climbing -outside. - -"A jolly interesting experience, I call it!" exclaimed Don. - -"Altogether too much so," grunted Chase, laconically. - -"Suppose we return by a different route," said the art student. - -They started along a wide carriage road which led between broad, level -lawns dotted here and there with groups of statuary. - -Before descending the slope on the opposite side of the hill, the -three, with a common impulse, halted to take a last look at the -ancestral home of the De Morancourts looming up against the moonlit sky. - -"Maybe I wouldn't give a whole lot to know who was the second bumper -into that chair!" declared Don. - -"Not any more than the rest of us," said Dunstan dryly. "But there's no -earthly chance of our ever knowing." - -"Of course not," snapped Chase. "Just add it to the list of things one -might as well forget." - -It was very delightful out there in the midst of the big park, with -the moon and stars shining so brightly overhead and beautiful vistas -here and there opening out before their eyes, and even the desultory -reports of the guns and the occasional sight of star-shells rising -heavenward contributed a peculiar sort of charm to the situation. The -ambulanciers, busily conversing, lingered longer than they had intended. - -Suddenly, Don Hale, breaking off in the middle of a sentence, blurted -out loudly: - -"I say, fellows, I say--just gaze at that!" - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - THE LIGHT IN THE WINDOW - - -Dunstan and Chase, startled, faced him. - -"Well, what's the latest sensation?" cried Chase. - -"Didn't you see it?" - -"See what?" queried Dunstan, excitedly. - -"A light--a light flashing in one of the windows of the château." - -"A light flashing in one of the windows!" - -"Yes, yes; as sure as I'm standing here I saw a streak of light." - -Although neither Dunstan nor Chase had observed it they were by no -means incredulous. If some one had been in the château before, why not -now? - -There was something very strange--very mysterious in the whole affair. -To the minds of the Red Cross men it became quite clear that the -person, or persons, had known of their presence in the building and -purposely kept out of their way, though for what reason, of course, -none could conjecture. - -"And so the adventure continues!" exclaimed Chase, rather slowly. - -"Curious--curious indeed!" murmured Dunstan. - -Don Hale's eyes were dilated with excitement and interest. - -"Yes, sir, I just happened to catch it!" he cried. "A bright spot -appeared for a single instant--then was gone. Shall we go back and -investigate?" - -"I certainly haven't the slightest intention of doing so," responded -Chase, most emphatically. "Besides, what good would it do? Whoever is -there would probably keep out of sight the same as they did before." - -Don thereupon appealed to Dunstan. - -The latter, however, shook his head. - -"I reckon Chase is right," he replied. - -Full of the ardor of youth and possessing in addition an adventurous -spirit, the aviator's son, considerably disappointed, argued, pleaded -and protested, and it is very probable that but for Chase Manning -Dunstan would have willingly acceded to his wishes. - -At length the youngest ambulancier, philosophically resigning himself -to defeat, declared: - -"Boys, I won't rest until I find out what it all means." - -"Then I think you'll have to go without rest for a mighty long time," -quoth Chase. - -Long and earnestly the three stared toward the château, expecting and -hoping to see a repetition of the light. - -All the windows, however, remained but blank, gloomy patches of dark. - -"Too little of this sort of thing is more than enough," declared Chase, -presently. "It may take a German marmite or two to drive you chaps -away, but not yours truly. En avant! Allons! Skip!" - -"All right, mon generale," laughed Don. "Good-bye, old château!" He -bowed and waved his hand toward the building. "When shall we four meet -again?" - -"I wonder!" said Dunstan, meditatively. - -Down the gentle slope they went, soon discovering that the road, -deeply shadowed in places by the thick woods on either hand, swung -sharply around in a westerly direction. And not once during their -journey through the great park could another glimpse of the Château de -Morancourt be obtained. - -The high ornamental wrought iron gate at the end of the carriage road -was securely locked, but the ambulanciers, being both nimble and -athletic, very easily climbed over the high stuccoed wall and lowered -themselves into a rather narrow and dusty highway. - -Dunstan promptly consulted his map, and having determined what route to -follow, led the way. - -To a stranger in the war zone that walk through the French countryside -would undoubtedly have been a memorable one; for every now and again -the booming of the artillery increased in violence, the sky flared with -strange lights and more than once the ears of the ambulanciers caught -the sinister scream of a shell; but familiarity with such things had -served to dull the boys' sense of danger. - -A battery to the north suddenly started into action, fired a number of -rounds with tremendous rapidity, then relapsed into silence. - -"We are living in a great age," declared Dunstan. - -"It is certainly a little grating to some," said Chase. - -A half hour's journey through a devastated country brought the Red -Cross men to a little one-street village. - -During their sojourn in northern France both Don and Dunstan had seen -many ruined towns and villages, but in none was the destruction so -complete as here. The pale moonlight streaming over this once peaceful -little hamlet revealed indescribable havoc. Some buildings had been -blown to pieces; of others but a few bits of jagged wall remained; -almost everywhere piles of débris littered the ground and enormous -shell-holes lined the disused road. This village was indeed a forlorn -and melancholy-looking place. Not a sign of life! Not a sound to -indicate the presence of other human beings. And yet, as the steady -footfalls of the three Americans rang out on the cobbled pave, an -animal scurrying into view from behind a wall dashed across their path. -They had an instantaneous view of a pair of gleaming yellow eyes -turned inquiringly toward them. Then the animal continued its wild -course along the road, to disappear presently around the bend. - -"Poor cat! What an eventful existence it must have had!" commented -Dunstan. "Just think of the sensations the creature probably -experienced when its intellectual superiors were pelting this place -with shells!" - -"From the looks of things one might suppose that nothing else escaped -alive," remarked Don, walking across the street in order to gaze upon a -conspicuous sign placed on the front of a tottering wall. - - "_Cave de Refuge_" - -"An echo of something that has passed!" said Dunstan. "No doubt at -one time the cave, as the French call a cellar, served a very useful -purpose. Allons--allons!" - -Turning the bend, the three unexpectedly came upon a huge camion[9] -resting on its side, the bluish-gray shadow of its massive form -streaking fantastically across the road. - -[Footnote 9: Camion: truck.] - -"Another symbol of the twentieth century!" growled Chase. - -There could be no question as to what had happened: three wheels and -a part of the rear of the vehicle had been destroyed, and the days of -that particular camion were over forever. - -The Red Cross men gathered around the battered object, once so -powerful, now so inert and powerless, and speculated as to the -consequences which had followed its destruction. What had happened to -the drivers? Was that camion a temporary monument marking the spot -where some obscure heroes had fallen? - -"That's another thing we'll never know," said Dunstan, thoughtfully, -after Don had given expression to such reflections. - -Even to the aviator's son and the art student, who had had many unusual -experiences in the war zone, there was something very strange and -unique in going through a village so absolutely devoid of life. The -utter silence, the wreck and ruin about them, the ghostly lights and -bluish shadows half revealing, half concealing the details, all seemed -to impart an air of curious unreality to the scene. - -Continuing on, the ambulanciers were often compelled to climb over -piles of wreckage which stretched across the entire width of the -street, and their feet occasionally kicked up fragments of shells. -Toward the center of the village the destruction was even more -complete, and yet, strangely enough, not far beyond a roofless, -spireless little church stood a gray, stuccoed building almost intact. -Across the façade was painted in bold, black letters: - - "_Au Cheval Noir - Café and Restaurant_" - -"By George! What a kind fate has hovered over that place!" cried Don. - -"Don't worry. Old Mars will get it yet," rejoined Chase. - -"From the sublime to the ridiculous--the Château de Morancourt and the -Cheval Noir!" put in Dunstan. "Let us visit the place." - -"Of course," laughed Don. - -The boys had not the slightest difficulty in following out the plan, -as there was no door to bar their progress. Don led the way inside; and -the three had only advanced a few feet into the shadowy interior when -they heard an animal scurrying rapidly about, and the next instant a -dark form, but dimly seen in the gloom, dashed frantically across the -floor, whisked out into the roadway and was gone. - -"Hello!--that cat again!" exclaimed Dunstan. "We seem to be seriously -disturbing the poor creature's peace of mind. Turn on the light, Don." - -A click sounded; then the flash-light, cutting a passage through the -darkness, fell across a number of chairs and tables. - -"Remarkable!" exclaimed Dunstan. "Apparently not a thing disturbed!" - -"Yes, sir, it looks just exactly as if the Cheval Noir was open and -ready for business," declared Don. - -"Too bad it isn't!" sighed Chase. "I'm just in the mood for a jolly big -meal." - -"Oh, garçon, a bifteck aux pommes! Des haricots blancs! Une tasse de -café noir!" sang out Don. - -"If you order any more beefsteak and potatoes, beans and coffee there's -going to be a right lively disturbance in the Cheval Noir," chuckled -the art student. "I didn't realize before how hungry I was. Be seated, -Messieurs. The treat is on me." - -Thereupon the ambulanciers dropped into chairs which were ranged -alongside a marble-topped table. - -The interior of the Cheval Noir was decidedly typical of French inns. -Facing the door stood a long counter, and its metal portions gleamed, -sparkled and shone as Don's light played across their surfaces. Even -the big clock which had once solemnly ticked off the passage of time -hung in its place on the wall behind the counter. - -"Another unusual experience!" drawled Dunstan. "How odd it is to -be sitting here, monarchs of all we survey, and yet with nothing -but a cozy inviting appearance to give us cheer. Say what you will, -fellows, an air of comfort pervades these places that our up-to-date -establishments in the new world sometimes seem to lack." - -"And by way of compensation they also lack the cobwebs and the -dirt," said Chase, dryly. "I can just imagine this inn in the heyday -of its existence. Around these tables were probably seated a noisy, -gesticulating lot of peasants, and chickens, enjoying the rights of -democracy, wandered in and out. Oh, yes--'twas the simple life, all -right, with the emphasis on the simple." - -"Ecoutez--ecoutez!" broke in Don suddenly. - -"But why should we listen, mon ami?" demanded Dunstan. - -"Another sensation, I suppose!" cried Chase. - -"I heard footsteps just outside." - -"By all that's wonderful--footsteps in a deserted village!" cried -Dunstan. - -"Yes--yes." The aviator's son raised his voice. "Hello--hello! Qui est -la?" - -"Entrez--entrez, Monsieur, or Messieurs!" exclaimed Dunstan. - -The Red Cross men did not wait to see whether their invitation would be -accepted or not but, rising, made a concerted and rather precipitous -rush for the door. - -Before they had reached it, however, a tall dark form suddenly loomed -up in the opening, and the rays of Don's light fell full on the face of -a poilu. - -Rather startled at being received in such an unceremonious fashion, the -soldier abruptly halted, then, recovering himself, exclaimed in a deep, -musical voice: - -"Bon soir, Messieurs! From your accent I should judge that I have the -honor of addressing Americans." - -"Yes," laughed Don. "We belong to the Red Cross." - -The man was attired in the uniform of a private, but it forcibly -struck the aviator's son that not since he had come to France had he -encountered a private of such distinguished mien and bearing. The -Frenchman, tall and dark, wore a pointed Van Dyke beard. His features -were aquiline; his eyes sharp and piercing. It could be readily seen at -a glance that he was not one to be treated in an offhand and jocular -fashion. - -"We have been taking possession of the Cheval Noir," exclaimed Dunstan. -"Will you not enter and keep us company for a while?" - -"Quite willingly," assented the poilu, stepping inside. - -The three reseated themselves at the table, while the soldier, pulling -out a chair at the end, made himself comfortable. - -"I suppose you are off duty, and, as a relaxation from your dangerous -work, have been taking a stroll about the country?" he said, politely. - -"Quite correct, Monsieur," replied Don. - -Then the newcomer, in a suave and polished manner, began to make many -inquiries concerning their particular section of the Red Cross, as well -as about their personal experiences at the front. Finally Don, in his -turn, put a question to the poilu. - -"Monsieur," he asked, "have you ever seen the Château de Morancourt?" - -"Who in this locality has not?" responded the other, laconically. - -"We had a very curious experience there to-night," pursued Don. - -"Indeed! May I inquire the nature of it?" - -"Bien sure, Monsieur." - -Thereupon Don began a spirited description of the puzzling event, to -all of which the Frenchman, though by no means exhibiting the interest -which the boy had expected, listened with respectful attention. At his -conclusion the soldier laughed dryly and commented: - -"As you say, quite a curious experience--the kind which would have a -tendency to jar one's nerves. But what is strange and weird in the -darkness and mystery of the night becomes by day the ordinary and the -commonplace. How is it, mes Americaines, that you came to visit the -château?" - -"Because of the mystery," replied Don. - -"The mystery?" - -"Yes. Haven't you heard that a very valuable collection of paintings -and other things completely disappeared from the place, and that so far -no one has been able to discover the slightest trace of them?" - -"And did you think you might help to solve such a perplexing problem?" -exclaimed the soldier, half banteringly. "Ah, les Americaines are -quite wonderful! And I might remark, en passant, that you ran a very -great risk--a very great risk indeed. It is undoubtedly true that the -Germans are keeping a watchful eye on the Château de Morancourt. But -you probably will not venture to go there again?" - -"Of course we shall," laughed Don. - -"And the reason?" - -"Possibly we might be able to find some clue after all." - -"You weigh curiosity against danger and decide on the former, although -knowing that the château may be destroyed at any moment?" - -"Yes, Monsieur," said Don. - -All the while the aviator's son had been wondering to what regiment -this very distinguished-looking soldier of France might belong, but -just as he was about to make some diplomatic inquiries the poilu rose -to his feet, saying: - -"I am glad to have had the opportunity of meeting you. Now I must say -good-bye. Perhaps the hazards of war may bring us together again, -but if not, allow me to take this occasion of wishing you continued -immunity from shot and shell, as well as a safe return to your native -country." - -And then, after shaking hands with each in turn, he quickly walked -outside. - -"Quite an odd character!" pronounced Dunstan. - -"And a very gentlemanly one," said Don. - -"A little too high-toned for me," declared Chase. - -The ambulanciers rose in a body, and presently, upon reaching the road, -saw the poilu headed in the direction of the château, and, strangely -enough, the cat was close at his heels. - -"Ha, ha!" laughed Dunstan. "Not very complimentary to us, eh? We -terrified the poor cat, while it follows the Frenchman like a creditor. -I'd like to know where he's bound." - -"To the Château de Morancourt, of course," drawled Chase. - -"What makes you think so?" - -"Take it from me, that, while he didn't say very much, Don's tale -impressed him a whole lot--enough, I'll wager, to make him 'weigh -curiosity against danger and decide on the former.'" - -"That may be a pretty good guess," agreed Don. - -The three idly watched the Frenchman until he had disappeared, and -then, refreshed by their rest, began walking at a lively pace along the -road. - -The outskirts of the ruined village were soon reached and passed. - -From the summit of a rather high hill they stopped to gaze upon an -extensive panorama of the surrounding country. The object which excited -their greatest interest was the upper portion of the wrecked tower of -the ancient château, which rose, a somber, grim patch, just above an -irregular line of shadowy and mysterious-looking trees. - -"How fine it is!" exclaimed Don, enthusiastically. - -"The only thing it lacks is a few spectral lights," declared Chase. - -"And I have no doubt if we waited here long enough they'd appear," -returned Dunstan. - -The Americans turned away from the view, which even the growling of the -distant guns and the war rockets could not rob of a peaceful grandeur, -and continued their march. - -Very soon a singularly picturesque and interesting scene appeared -before their eyes. On the slopes of the opposite ridges was an immense -encampment of soldiers--a little tented city, as it were. Row after -row of tents stood out pale and ghost-like in the moonlight, and from -innumerable camp-fires hazy columns of smoke floated upward, to lose -themselves against the steely-blue tones of the sky. Here and there -tethered horses, no doubt belonging to the artillery, could be seen, -though but few of the poilus were visible. - -"Charming!" exclaimed Dunstan. "Perhaps that is the very place to which -our soldier visitor belongs." - -"Perhaps," agreed Chase. "But I'm not going to do any more wondering -to-night." - -"At any rate we have a story to tell that will set all the fellows at -the section to wondering," laughed the aviator's son. - -Down the incline they went, branching off about a quarter of an hour -later into a military highway, though, owing to the clearness of the -night, there was little traffic moving in either direction. Now and -again, however, they heard the steady, rhythmic tramp of marching feet -and encountered small bodies of troops passing along. The moonlight -glistened on rifles and accouterments, and its rays were strong enough -to disclose dogged, grave expressions on the faces of these poilus, -some of whom, perhaps before very long, would take their places on the -firing line. - -A railway ran by the side of the road, and occasionally miniature -locomotives and trains journeyed past, the puffing of the engines -blending with numerous other sounds which came over the air. - -The ambulanciers did not hurry, and as every sentry stationed along the -road brought them to a halt by a demand to see their passes, the hour -was quite late when they finally saw the picturesque outlines of the -Hotel de la Palette looming up in the distance. - -"We've had quite a day of it," quoth Don. - -"We've had quite a night of it," said Chase. - -"We've had some experiences we shall not forget in a hurry," declared -the art student. - -Arriving at the section headquarters the three found that during their -absence a high-explosive shell had torn a big hole in the eastern wall -of the structure, whereupon Dunstan remarked, reflectively: - -"Well, there's certainly nothing dull about life in the war zone!" - - - - - CHAPTER X - - THE BIG GUN - - -Several days passed, during which Don, Dunstan and Chase saw duty -at the outpost. For the most part of the time the sector remained -comparatively calm, though occasionally the big guns on both sides -pounded away in a fashion that suggested the beginning of a real -curtain of fire. - -Don and the young chap from Maine were now working together on number -eight, Dunstan and "Tiny" Mason having been assigned by Chief Wendell -to take charge of ambulance number three. - -All of the Red Cross drivers mentioned made several trips to the -field hospital, but on none of their runs did they encounter any very -thrilling adventures. - -Don Hale had not forgotten the artillery officer's invitation to visit -the battery; so when the day on which he was to be en repos rolled -around he declared his intention of putting the plan into immediate -execution. - -"Not for me," drawled Chase. "I'm going to read all day and forget -there is such a thing as war." - -Dunstan, on the other hand, was decidedly enthusiastic. - -"Sure, I'm going," he declared. - -"Bully for you!" cried Don. "Hooray! We'll have a dandy time." - -Immediately after breakfast the two left the Hotel de la Palette, and -in due course reached that section of the country where the battery was -located. By the aid of information which a sentry kindly gave them the -boys discovered Lieutenant D'Arraing conversing with the crew of one of -the big guns located behind a group of trees. His eyes brightened at -their approach. - -"Ah, bon jour, mes Americaines!" he cried, in cordial accents. "Your -visit is very well timed indeed--unless you have already run into so -much danger that you do not care to risk any more." - -"Try us, and see," said Don, smilingly. - -"I will take you at your word. One of our airplane observers brought -in a report to the effect that he has very strong suspicions that the -Germans have erected a wireless station on a certain building behind -their trenches." - -"Aha!" exclaimed Dunstan, interestedly. - -"Of course we cannot permit any such liberty; so the captain and I -shall shortly be off to an observation post, in order to spot the -bursts of smoke from the shells when the work of putting that wireless -plant out of commission is begun." - -Don Hale's eyes sparkled. Hopefully and with much anticipation he -awaited the lieutenant's next words, and they were exactly what he -wanted to hear. - -"I should be pleased to have you come along." - -"Well, we'll be mighty glad to do so," cried the boy, delightedly. - -"No mistake about that," chimed in Dunstan. - -"Good! But I must warn you in advance that there is a very grave -element of risk." - -"That doesn't scare us a bit," laughed Don. - -"It is settled, then. Here, let me show you." Lieutenant D'Arraing -unrolled a military map and spread it out on the top of a row of -bushes. Then calling the boys' attention to a numbered pencil mark on -its surface, he added: "This is where our observer locates the wireless -station of the Boches." - -Don and Dunstan studied the map with great interest. - -"How extraordinarily detailed it is!" cried the former. - -"Yes; the position of every clump of trees and even of single ones is -indicated--in fact such small things as hedges have not been omitted. -Our game is very exacting, you know." - -To the ordinary eye the map was quite confusing, for besides the -multiplicity of typographical details there were numerous red and blue -lines branching off from various points. - -"What do they mean?" queried Don. - -"The location of certain batteries and their range," explained the -artillery officer. "Now, kindly step this way." - -About fifty feet further on the three came to a halt before a rounded -elevation, on a mound of earth. - -"Entrez, Messieurs," said Lieutenant D'Arraing, with a smile--he -pointed to a dark, gloomy-looking opening at the base,--"and I'll -introduce you to one of our special favorites--'Le Grand Pere.' -Presently it will be paying some attention to the wireless over yonder." - -"Goodness gracious!--there's concealment for you!" cried Don. - -Cautiously the boy stepped down into the entrance, in a moment or two -finding himself face to face with the breech of a big gun. The weapon, -its muzzle projecting through another opening at the opposite end of -the mound, was well protected by a heavily-timbered roof covered with -earth. Even in the underground retreat the polished surfaces of the -steel monster caught and reflected every stray beam of light. - -"'Le Grand Pere' has done his full share of service," declared the -French officer, when all were standing inside. - -Then, to show how easily the piece of mechanism could be operated, he -raised, lowered and moved the muzzle from side to side by means of -little wheels. - -"It seems almost like perfection," commented the aviator's son, as he -carefully examined the "elements," as the figures on the gun's-sighting -apparatus are called. "And yet I suppose experts are continually trying -to make improvements." - -"Yes; science is insatiable in its efforts to advance," said Lieutenant -D'Arraing. "Here--look through this!" - -He swung back the big breech-block, and Don, sighting through the long -tube, saw a circular spot of brilliant daylight at the other end. - -"You will notice that the inside is rifled," continued the lieutenant. -"On the driving band of the projectiles are spiral grooves, which of -course exactly coincide with those in the gun, and that is what gives -the shell its rotation. Scientific calculations of the density of the -atmosphere and pressure of the wind, and the use of trigonometry to -find the range all combine to enable the gunners to fire with marvelous -accuracy." - -"What is your chief work--trying to put the opposing batteries out of -commission?" queried Dunstan. - -"By no means; though we should not miss an opportunity to do so. The -main objective of the artillery, however, is to support the troops, -to prepare the way for infantry charges and to prevent the enemy from -bringing up supplies and reserves--in fact, to harass them in every way -possible." - -"This seems to be really a war of big guns," commented Don. - -"Quite so!" assented the military man. He laughed. "Now, this is a -two-story house. Below, and to one side, is our rest and recreation -room. You may take a look if you wish." - -The ambulanciers did wish, and a few moments later had clambered down -a ladder to a subterranean room many feet underground. Straw was -plentifully strewn about the floor, and several of the gun crew were -lounging about at their ease. - -"A chap doesn't have to bother much about shells in here," said Don. - -"No," replied the lieutenant. "As a foundation the roof has iron -girders and cement beams. Over these is about a foot of closely-packed -earth. Next in order come a number of heavy logs, then earth again. -And as a finishing touch there is a second series of logs and a layer -of cement, topped off with another generous supply of good old terra -firma." - -"My, how safe I feel!" chirped Don. - -"The life of an artilleryman is not so dangerous," admitted the -officer; "for the moment things begin to get a bit too hot they can -desert the gun pits, and in so doing are not obliged to cross any -open spaces. One dive into the tunnel, and the cannoneers are safe! -Passageways connect the various underground chambers, and telephones -are installed wherever necessary." - -Just as the concluding words fell from the officer's lips a terrific -booming report made both of the ambulanciers give a perceptible start, -though the gun crew about them gave no indication of even having beard -it. - -"A few high-explosives being dispatched without our compliments!" -remarked the lieutenant. "Come, mes Americaines, and you can see one of -the big guns in action." - -One after another the three climbed nimbly up the ladder, and on -emerging into the open saw a cloud of smoke hovering in the still air -some twenty-five yards away. - -"No wonder it made such an awful crack!" cried Don. - -"Better stuff some of this in your ears," counseled Lieutenant -D'Arraing. He presented to each a wad of raw cotton. "The concussions -are pretty severe on ear-drums." - -The Red Cross men thanked him and promptly followed his advice. In a -moment they came to a hedge, behind which a gun crew, with remarkable -precision and swiftness, was loading an enormous howitzer mounted on -tractor-wheels. - -"It takes seven cannoneers and a corporal to fire this gun," explained -Lieutenant D'Arraing. "Each has a particular duty to perform, and -when the projectile is ready for its long journey, the corporal gives -the signal to fire, the lanyard is pulled, and what happens you will -presently witness with your own eyes. Give her all the room you can, -boys." - -Don and Dunstan, highly interested, stepped back. It was a very -wonderful thing, the ambulanciers thought, to be actual eye-witnesses -of such a proceeding--indeed it made Don Hale almost feel as if he -himself was an actual participant in the greatest war history has ever -known. How many times had he heard the terrifying screech and scream of -approaching shells and the frightful concussion which brought them to -an end! And here was a projectile about to be launched off into space -toward some point which none of them could see, but where, undoubtedly, -were human beings who might be destroyed by its withering blast. - -These reflections were abruptly terminated; for the corporal was -speaking at the 'phone. - -"Yes; ready to fire," he said. - -Then came an instant's pause. - -"Now!" thought Don, instinctively placing his hands to his ears. - -"Fire!" commanded the corporal. - -[Illustration: "FIRE!" COMMANDED THE CORPORAL.] - -The lanyard was pulled. - -Instantly there followed a spurt of gleaming flame and a nerve-racking -report which made the earth tremble; and as the great gun recoiled from -the shock a thick cloud of smoke rolled upward and spread out among the -trees. - -Although prepared for the concussion, Don Hale felt almost as though -his ear-drums had been burst by its terrific force. - -But he almost forgot that an instant later, in his eagerness to watch -the crew at work, for the breech of the gun was open ready for another -projectile. - -About sixteen seconds after the first shot had been fired another -left the muzzle, and then came a series, the terrific crashes and -reverberations following one another so fast that Don Hale found the -strain almost too severe to stand. He gave a sigh of relief when, after -fourteen high-explosive shells had been hurled into the enemy's line, -the red bursts of flame and clouds of smoke abruptly ceased, and the -destroying monster, after its last recoil, sank back motionless into -place. - -"That means the demolition of a portion of a German front-line trench," -exclaimed Lieutenant D'Arraing. "Ah! another weapon is taking up the -refrain." - -Somewhere in the forest, not so very far away, the boom of a second big -gun was heard; and this kept steadily firing until fifteen more shells -had been sent toward the east, then a third went into action. - -"Whew! It would take some time for a chap to get used to all that awful -racket," gasped Don. - -"Will my head ever stop aching!" murmured Dunstan. - -"Pretty hard, I know, when one is not accustomed to it," put in -Lieutenant D'Arraing, with a smile. "Now we shall have to look. When a -man hits another he is apt to get a blow in return." - -"Well, we are in a good place," said Don, his eye on the mouth of an -opening leading to an abri. - -The ambulanciers waited expectantly, and, sure enough, but a few -moments had elapsed when shells were crashing both to the right and -left of the battery, but fortunately far enough away to make a dash -into the cave unnecessary. - -When the flurry was over the lieutenant remarked: - -"Come along. I'll introduce you to Captain Langlois." - -As the three followed a narrow lane through the woods the reports of -various guns of the battery echoed and reëchoed among the hills, the -staccato rattle and bang of the lighter field-pieces blending in with -the deep and solemn booming of the bigger guns. - -They soon reached a battery of the former type, also so well concealed -from view by various devices that they might easily have passed by -without noting its presence. - -"The eighteen pounders!" shouted Lieutenant D'Arraing in Don's ear. -"Each shell contains three hundred bullets. They can be fired with very -great rapidity." - -The ambulancier did not need to be told this--the evidence was right -before him. Terrific crash after terrific crash, following a lurid -sheet of flame and a spurt of smoke, was coming from each field-piece; -and after every shot the empty shells were discharged and fresh -projectiles slipped into place. - -"Did you ever see such wicked and vindictive-looking little chaps!" -exclaimed Don, yelling with all his might, so as to make himself heard -above the din. "They seem to be lashing out in perfect fury. Somewhere -somebody is being deluged with a hail of lead." - -"And every crash we hear may mean a tragedy some miles off," shouted -Dunstan, gravely. - -"The horse artillery is very useful," put in the lieutenant, using his -hands as a megaphone. "When the poilus 'go over the top' they are the -guns which thunder along the roads and fields, to give them support and -encouragement. They also help to prepare the way for infantry charges -by smashing to pieces the barbed-wire entanglements in front of the -trenches." - -Conversation under the circumstances was a very difficult matter; so -the party hurried away, though wherever they went it seemed impossible -to get beyond the roar of the batteries. - -In a large spacious dugout they found Captain Langlois, with a couple -of other officers, poring over a large map of the sector. He was a -middle-aged man whose black hair was plentifully sprinkled with gray. -He greeted the Americans pleasantly, though he appeared a little -dubious as to the advisability of allowing them to run the risk of -a journey to the observation post. A few diplomatic words from -Lieutenant D'Arraing, however, soon straightened out matters, and he -gave his consent. - -"Kindly take seats, Messieurs," he said. "I shall be ready in a few -moments." - -The dugout, besides being furnished with several chairs and a table, -had a number of bunks ranged around the walls. Then, of course, -military maps of various kinds and sizes were prominently in evidence -on all sides. - -While they were waiting for the Captain, Don began to tell Lieutenant -D'Arraing about their interesting experience at the Château de -Morancourt. The artillery lieutenant listened attentively, from time to -time shaking his head in a puzzled fashion. - -"Very mystifying, to say the least!" he exclaimed. "However, I've heard -some of the boys speak of the soldier you met. I believe he is on an -extended leave of absence and for some reason or other which no one -seems to understand makes his home at the café and restaurant, with a -cat as his sole companion." - -"What!--actually living at the Cheval Noir!" cried Don. "And he never -said a word about it. How is that for something queer, Dunstan -Farrington?" - -"It certainly is," admitted the art student. "He was so polite, too. I -wonder why he didn't give us an introduction to the cat." - -"The poilus around here regard him as an odd sort of a chap," -volunteered the artillery officer. - -"By George, I'm beginning to scent another mystery!" declared Don. "And -I won't be satisfied until----" - -"Messieurs, I am ready." - -The voice of the captain, breaking in upon Don's words, caused them all -to rise to their feet. - -Trooping behind the erect form of the veteran military man into the -bright glare of out-of-doors, Don Hale reflected, with a little chuckle -of delight, that it is not given to many to accompany artillery -officers on such an expedition. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - THE OBSERVATION POST - - -A little later the members of the party, preceded by a telephone man, -were making their way with the utmost caution through a field of wheat. -With a soft blue sky filled with fleecy clouds overhead, the waving -grain close about them, and the pleasant scent which growing vegetation -exhales, their situation suggested anything but warfare. Undismayed by -the grumblings of the great guns and the whistling of the shells which -soared overhead, larks flew unconcernedly about, and frequently their -chatter or song was wafted over the balmy air. - -Here and there ugly shell-holes were encountered, and very often the -operator, fearing that the wires which led to the observation post -might have been damaged, stopped to examine them. The situation was -decidedly thrilling, and the aviator's son did not mind admitting, to -himself at least, that his nerves were at a very keen tension. - -To the east, hazy in the distance, a German observation balloon -hovered in the air, swinging lazily in the gentle currents. It wasn't -altogether pleasant to think that the observers in the basket might -have their powerful glasses leveled on that particular spot in the -wheat field across which they were now passing. And very likely, too, -there were men posted at various observation stations who were keeping -a watchful eye open for just the sort of thing they were now engaged -upon. - -It was quite natural, therefore, that whenever the boy heard the -awesome scream of a shell a little louder than usual his heart beat -faster. - -Going this way and that and concealing their movements in every -possible manner, the five reached a deep trench, which zig-zagged -across a field absolutely bare of vegetation. One by one they leaped -into it, and, in single file, continued steadily along. - -"Don't forget to keep your heads down," cautioned Lieutenant D'Arraing. - -"Never fear!" said Don. "We won't do anything to bring about an -inglorious end to the expedition." - -Presently the trench led upward over the slope of a hill, and when the -top was reached turned sharply to the left. A few yards further on, -around a bend, the boys discovered the observation post, roofed over -with corrugated iron. Right beside it was a dugout. - -"Here we are," spoke up Lieutenant D'Arraing. "And if I am not mistaken -our being here won't be a very good thing for the Boches." - -Not far away, close to the parapet of the trench, stood a row of -bushes. With a wave of his hand, indicating these, the captain -exclaimed: - -"I think it will be safe for you, boys, to take a look from there." - -While the operator by the entrance to the dugout was adjusting -the telephone to the wire Don and Dunstan, both provided with -field-glasses, cautiously moved forward, with the lieutenant by their -side. - -"Now we are ready for the fireworks!" muttered Don Hale, grimly. - -He carefully pushed aside the bushes and saw stretching before him -a steep slope, with a wide valley at the bottom and ranges of hills -beyond, the summits cutting clearly against masses of white clouds. -The wooded hills and bluish distance seen here and there between -breaks made a very charming picture in the bright, clear sunlight; -but it was not upon these features that the eyes of the aviator's son -were intently fixed, for even with the unaided eye he could make out -the lines of trenches, both French and German, running in a curiously -irregular fashion across the near and far slopes. To the south a few -faint grayish spots scattered here and there, inside the French lines, -indicated what remained of a little hamlet. In the entire valley Don -could not discover a single tree which had escaped the ravages of -warfare. - -"Do you see a spur on the hillside directly opposite?" asked Lieutenant -D'Arraing, who, standing by the side of Don, was peering through a pair -of field-glasses. - -"Yes--yes," said Don eagerly. - -"Take a look at it through your binocular." - -[Illustration: "TAKE A LOOK AT IT."] - -The aviator's son placed the instrument to his eyes. The spur which the -artillery officer had indicated instantly became strong and clear. - -"Now swing your glass to the left," commanded the lieutenant, "and stop -when you come to a little whitish patch almost hidden by trees." - -"I have it," exclaimed Don. - -"I think you will find in a few moments that our battery has it, -too," commented the other, dryly. "You might not suspect it, but that -insignificant little light spot is a part of the side of a building, -and on that building has been erected----" - -"The wireless plant," supplemented Don, eagerly. - -By this time the telephone operator, with the receivers attached to his -ears, was ready to transmit the captain's orders to the battery, while -the senior officer in the observation post had his glasses leveled on -the distance. - -"How strange it is," reflected Don Hale, "that people some three miles -away are moving unconcernedly about a certain building, totally unaware -of the fact that within a moment or two they will be exposed to the -most terrible danger!" - -He lowered his binocular, for the captain was speaking. - -"First piece," he commanded. - -"First piece," echoed the telephone operator, speaking into the -transmitter. - -"Direction: wireless station; range five thousand yards." - -The message was flashed over the wire, and a few moments later word -came that the battery was in readiness. - -"Fire!" commanded the captain. - -That was an extraordinarily interesting moment to Don Hale. - -The operator had scarcely ceased speaking when, from the hill to the -rear, came the report of one of the howitzers, and as the projectile, -describing a parabola, passed overhead, making the same screeching, -screaming sound with which he had become so familiar, Don once more -directed the glasses upon the wireless station. - -Breathlessly, he waited. - -"Ah-h-h-h!" - -A long-drawn-out exclamation came from his lips. - -A cloud of black smoke suddenly shot up in the distance, completely -shutting from view the object upon which he had his eyes so intently -fixed. A few seconds later came a faint, dull boom. - -What had happened? - -Don could not tell. But, with fascinated attention, the boy watched -the swirling black mass rolling along the surface of the ground and -spreading slowly upward and outward, until it suggested the rounded -form of a huge tree. - -"Confound it!--wasted!" growled the captain. - -"Too short!" murmured the lieutenant. - -"Plus fifty yards; augment by thirty minutes," called out the captain. - -As the man at the telephone transmitted the order the lieutenant -explained to the interested ambulanciers just what the captain's words -meant. - -"Plus means to increase the range and less to shorten it," he said; -"augment tells the cannoneer that he must aim further to the right and -'diminish' means further to the left. The sighting apparatus of the gun -is, of course, accurately graduated." - -Another roar, and a second projectile was on its way. - -Again an inky column, with lashing, tossing edges, spurted above the -tree tops. And the aviator's son could instantly see that another shell -had been wasted; for the bit of wall now gleamed brightly against a -background of smoke. - -The captain, lowering his glass, gave voluble expression to his -annoyance and disgust; then, swinging around toward the telephonist, he -commanded: - -"The same elements, less thirty. Fire!" - -"Same elements, less thirty," repeated the operator. "Fire!" - -Boom! - -The confining hills flung the thunderous echoes in all directions. The -same whirr and scream overhead again--and for a third time Don Hale saw -where the projectile had landed. - -Still the wireless station had evidently not been touched. - -"H'm--h'm!" murmured Captain Langlois. "Pas mal--pas mal; not bad--not -bad! Same elements, less fifteen. Fire!" - -And a few moments later the light spot flashed from view, completely -obliterated by another enormous and sinister-looking cloud of smoke. - -For a second time the intensely interested Don Hale was in doubt as to -the result, yet in another moment he realized that the artillerymen -had been successful; for the captain, with a grunt indicative of -satisfaction, faced Lieutenant D'Arraing, declaring: - -"Enfin, Monsieur le Lieutenant, c'est fait!" - -"At last it is done!" murmured Don, translating the captain's words. - -"And I guess he's about right," exclaimed Dunstan. - -Sure enough--when the slowly-disappearing smoke had lifted the -ambulanciers saw that the portion of the building they had looked upon -before was no longer in sight, and both could very readily imagine that -where it had stood there was nothing but unsightly piles of wreckage -and a huge shell-hole. - -"As I expected!" remarked Captain Langlois. "If that really was a -wireless plant it won't be sending out any more electric waves." - -"I should say not," said Don, a little soberly. - -"Inscribe the elements," commanded the captain. - -"Inscribe the elements," repeated the operator, speaking to the man at -the battery end of the wire. - -Don could not help reflecting upon the methodical and businesslike -manner of the whole proceeding. There was nothing to indicate that -either of the officers held any feeling of hate or vindictiveness -toward the foe; their attitude was rather that of men who having had -important work to do are glad of its successful accomplishment. - -"Do you know what 'inscribe the elements' means?" asked the lieutenant, -breaking in upon the boy's thoughts. - -"I think I do, Monsieur le Lieutenant," replied Don. "The officer in -command of the battery is to write on a chart the exact elements in -order that they may have the information in case they should ever be -required to fire at the same point again." - -"Precisely so," said the other, with a smile. - -The ambulanciers still kept their eyes upon the German trenches, as -shells were now occasionally exploding here and there. After a short -time, due to the steady increase in the bombardment, dark and light -puffs of smoke, according to the character of the shell, were rising -continually into view. Vaguely suggestive of the surf, ever tumbling in -fleecy foam upon the beach, were these appearing and disappearing smoke -clouds softened by atmosphere distance. - -"The first part of our work is completed; now for the second!" remarked -Lieutenant D'Arraing. "Far to the right, where you see that little -leafless tree sticking up, we intend to get the range of the Boche -trenches." - -"But the French and German lines look mighty close right there," -declared Don. "Isn't there danger of a shell falling short and perhaps -striking too near our front?" - -"Yes; but we don't expect such a thing to happen," put in the captain, -smilingly. - -"I'm mighty glad I don't have to give directions for the firing," said -Dunstan. - -"I think the French can be mighty glad of that, too," came from Don. - -He chuckled faintly. - -The captain was now giving the range to the telephone operator, who, in -his turn, transmitted the order. - -"Fire!" commanded the artillery officer. - -Just as interestedly as before the ambulanciers waited to see the -result of the shot. - -The whistle of the projectile had been lost to the ear when a geyser of -smoke rose considerably beyond and to the left of the tree. - -"That won't do at all," grumbled Captain Langlois. - -He and the lieutenant held a consultation, studying the map, and having -come to a decision the gunners to the rear were presently informed of -the necessary readjustments in the range. - -A second shot went astray; so did a third. But each was just a little -nearer the mark. The fourth struck to the right, but so close that the -smoke floated in front of the solitary tree and partially obscured its -form. - -"As you see, mes Americaines, it is only a question of time when we get -what we wish," commented Lieutenant D'Arraing. - -"I reckon the Germans learned that long ago," said Don. - -The fifth shot proved the artillery officer's confidence to be based -upon good reasons; for when the smoke of the shell-burst began to clear -away the powerful field-glasses revealed the fact that a considerable -portion of a snake-like line of sand-bags running across the slope had -completely disappeared. - -"Which means, of course, a very disastrous occurrence--from their point -of view!" exclaimed Dunstan, with a long breath. - -"I don't like to think about it," declared Don. - -The ambulanciers, not wishing to trespass too much upon the kindness -and courtesy of the French officers, soon decided that it was time -for them to leave. Accordingly, they expressed their warm thanks and -appreciation of the opportunity which had been afforded them. - -Very politely, both the captain and lieutenant declared that it had -given them pleasure to extend the privilege. - -"Now, cher amis, what are you going to do?" asked the lieutenant. - -"I wonder if we couldn't visit the front-line trenches?" cried Don, -with a sudden idea. - -"I see no reason why you cannot. Red Cross men as a rule are accorded -far more privileges than newspaper correspondents." Taking out a small -pad from his pocket, Lieutenant D'Arraing scribbled a few lines, then, -handing the sheet of paper to the aviator's son, added: "If you should -happen to be stopped en route this will probably smooth the way." - -Bidding good-bye to the obliging artillerymen, Don and Dunstan set out, -headed toward a distant point where scarcely any firing was taking -place. They very soon reached a boyau, or communication trench, which, -curving and twisting in all manner of ways, led toward the firing-line, -and into this they turned. Soldiers were going and coming, and many -times the Americans received a pleasant word of greeting. Along that -section of the front, as well as elsewhere, an astonishing number of -transverse ditches had been dug, starting from about a mile behind -the lines--indeed a veritable maze of passageways, so intricate and -bewildering as to make it sometimes difficult to find one's way, cut -across the earth, never running for many meters in the same direction. -They were constructed in this manner so that the fragments of a shell -exploding in the trench could travel only a very short distance, thus -giving security to the poilus who occupied the adjoining sections. - -Constant work, especially during rainy weather, was necessary in order -to keep the ditches in repair. Supporting timbers often had to be -added. Then, every now and again, enemy shells partially wrecked or -destroyed considerable portions; and for the work of reconstruction or -digging new trenches the services of soldiers housed in dugouts along -the second or third lines were often called into requisition. - -At many places all the labor was done under cover of darkness. Here -the trenches were within easy view of the German observers, and had -they discovered any signs of activity it would, of course, have meant a -deluge of shells. - -As the ambulanciers continued, very often hearing the ominous hum of -bullets ripping past close overhead, they felt profoundly thankful for -the protection the two feet of wall above their heads afforded. - -At length, when Don and Dunstan arrived at the second line, or support -trenches, an officer stepped from one of the crowded passageways, to -command them peremptorily to halt. It is very likely, too, that he -would just as peremptorily have ordered the two back but for Lieutenant -D'Arraing's note. - -"All right, mes Americaines," he said, after glancing over it. "You may -proceed. The firing-line is only about one hundred yards from here. I -presume you have never been so near the enemy before. Let me hope it is -not your intention to pay them a visit." - -"We couldn't be persuaded to," replied Don, with a smile. - -"About how far apart are the trenches?" asked Dunstan, casually. - -"In some places right along here only about twenty meters," was the -startling answer. - -"Great Cæsar! Only about sixty-five feet!" murmured Don. - -The thought of being in such close proximity to the Germans thrilled -and awed the aviator's son. - -As the boys, after nodding a good-bye to the officer, tramped along -the "duck walk," or slatted wooden flooring of the trench, they rather -marveled at the seeming indifference of the silent soldiers whom they -here and there encountered lounging idly about. None of them seemed -to be paying the slightest attention to the projectiles. Turning into -one of the front-line trenches, they found the blue-uniformed soldiers -of France on the alert. Many of them were standing on a narrow little -platform about a foot from the bottom of the excavation known as the -"firing step." Some gazed earnestly through trench periscopes; others -had their rifles resting across sand-bags or through openings in the -breastworks. Still others held hand-grenades, ready to throw on the -instant, while laid out within easy reach were rows of these deadly -weapons. - -The ambulanciers, slowly following the ramifications of the trench, -discovered dugouts all along the rear wall, or parados, as it is -called. These excavations were, of course, located to one side of the -trenches and immediately below. - -After traveling for some distance Don and Dunstan came upon another -roofed-over observation post in which a young soldier was stationed. -Beside him stood a mitrailleuse, its polished muzzle pointing straight -ahead. - -A curious uncanny silence hovered over the trench; no one was speaking; -no one seemed to be paying any attention to the appearance of the -Americans in their midst--all were playing the game of waiting with the -utmost alertness. For that was the line which was guarding France from -the invader; and probably graven in the heart of every soldier were the -words made famous at Verdun: - -"Ils ne passeront pas"--"They shall not pass." - -"Sixty-five feet--sixty-five feet!" murmured Don, over and over again. - -It scarcely seemed possible that only such a short distance beyond the -parapet of the trench there were other grimly silent men standing side -by side and perhaps having as their battle cry the slogan: - -"On to Paris!" - -"Isn't it wonderful to think, Dunstan, that we are really on the firing -line!" said Don. "My, wouldn't I give a lot to look through one of -these periscopes!" - -Although the words were spoken almost in a whisper a soldier using one -of the instruments overheard him. - -"You may, mon garçon," he said, in an equally cautious tone. - -"Merci, merci!--thank you!--thank you!" said Don. - -Eagerly he placed his eye to the periscope. - -What a thrill shot through the boy as the secrets of "No Man's Land" -were revealed to him! Right in front of the trench stretched a maze of -barbed wire entanglements, but every growing thing had been blasted, -withered and shot to pieces. The trees that remained standing were -gaunt, bare poles, and the ground all about looked as if some terrible -convulsion of nature had upheaved and overturned it. Scarcely any of -the forms bore a semblance to their original shape. Only a few yards -away he could see the rim of a huge shell-crater, into the yawning -depths of which a portion of the barbed wire had disappeared. Less than -a hundred feet beyond stretched a yellow, muddy line of sand-bags, and -right in front of these, extending out for some distance, were stakes -driven into the ground and strung with innumerable wires. - -"And not a sign of life!" murmured Don. "It just looks as if nothing -ever did exist or could exist along this awful stretch of 'No Man's -Land.'" - -Dunstan now took his turn at the periscope, and presently having -satisfied their curiosity the two thanked the obliging soldier and -moved on. - -During all this time the sharp cracking of rifles was continuous. -Sometimes single bullets snapped over the top of the trench--sometimes -a regular fusillade; then, at longer intervals, came the rapid-fire, -vicious reports of a machine gun in action. Now and again a poilu sent -a shot across the barren stretch of ground and a thin wisp of bluish -smoke from the muzzle of his rifle floated lazily upward. - -"They can't let Fritz do all the work," commented Don. - -"Bonjour, Messieurs! On a tour of inspection, I suppose?" broke in a -low voice. - -An officer standing by the entrance to a dugout was regarding them -smilingly. - -"Yes," said Don, with an answering smile. - -"Want to take a look inside?" - -The officer pointed to the entrance. - -"Very much indeed," declared Dunstan. - -"All right. You're welcome. I'll go first; otherwise you might take a -tumble." - -He lowered himself into the opening and presently disappeared into the -cavernous depths, and by the time Don had his feet on the rungs of the -ladder an electric light, flashing up, dispelled the gloom. - -The ambulanciers found that this particular dugout was about six feet -square and scarcely high enough for a man to stand erect in. - -"Perhaps you have been in finer apartments," said the officer, "but I -must confess that this place has an irresistible attraction for me at -times." - -"I don't doubt it," laughed Dunstan. "How many men can sleep here?" - -"Three or four, and the accommodations are not so bad except in rainy -weather; then it's the most confounded place imaginable." - -"It must be," said Don. - -"Many a time I've seen the water in the trenches above a man's knees, -and we have to work mighty hard pumping it out. We live in mud, eat in -mud, sleep in mud, and look as if we were made of mud." - -"Must be uncomfortable, sure enough!" commented Don. - -"Uncomfortable isn't the word that hits it, mon garçon; it's perfect -and unadulterated misery. However, there seems to be nothing which -hasn't some good in it." - -"Yes?" said Don questioningly. - -"The floods put an end to the prowling of the trench rats for a time." - -"Do you have many of them?" - -"Well, I should say so! Nothing is safe from these thieving rascals. -It's a positive wonder they don't try to get away with our steel -helmets." - -After a few moments' conversation the three clambered up the ladder and -emerged into the open air. With the officer accompanying them, Don and -Dunstan presently walked around a bend, and came upon a trench that -started out at right angles to the firing-line and wound in a most -irregular fashion across "No Man's Land." - -"Hello!" exclaimed Don, in surprise. "Where does that go?" - -"To the listening post," answered the military man. - -"The listening post?" - -"Yes, mon ami. And the end of it is so close to the enemy's trenches -that the sentry who is stationed there--and one always is--can easily -overhear the voices of the Boches. The sentry's duty is to listen and -observe, and, as you can very well imagine, it is a pretty dangerous -assignment." - -"I'll wager it is," said Don. "I'd rather keep to the main street." - -"Very naturally. A man in such an isolated position stands a good -chance of being cut off from all help. Should the sentry discover -a German patrol or anything else that looks at all suspicious he'd -communicate the facts at once. Then, as a discourager to any German -tricks, six hundred cartridges a minute could be sent crashing across -'No Man's Land.'" - -"Is there an abri out there for the sentry?" asked Don. - -"Well, rather!" - -The aviator's son glanced toward the listening post with fascinated -attention. The trench appeared so perfectly safe, with the walls rising -on either side--and yet what peril lurked in every meter of the way! - -"By the looks of things one might judge that the Germans could rush -this trench and capture it," he remarked, reflectively. - -"Yes; but the very instant they started the wires would flash the news -back to the support trenches," said the officer, "and the reserves -would come pouring out and stem it in short order. Surprise attacks do -not cut much figure in this war." - -"Crack--crack--crack!"--three rifle shots in quick succession. - -A dull thud followed, as one of the bullets struck a sand-bag. - -The soldier smiled. - -"No occasion to worry, mes garçons," he continued. - -"We're not doing any," grinned Don. - -Not very long afterward the ambulanciers resumed their journey. - -On and on they went, at a leisurely pace, always seeing the same sights -and hearing the same sounds. Occasionally the twitter of birds came to -their ears. They alone could dare to show themselves above the surface. - -"This isn't like any war that was ever fought before," declared -Dunstan, at length, in meditative tones. - -And then, as the aviator's son was about to reply, a most frightful--a -most deafening detonation burst upon their ears. - -Almost instantly a second explosion followed. The earth seemed to reel -and shake--the whole air to be filled with an awful vibration. The -terrified ambulanciers, gasping--staggering--were almost thrown to the -ground. - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - THE ATTACK - - -All about them soldiers were fairly hurling themselves into the -dugouts, and the boys would have done the same had they not for the -instant been too dazed,--too bewildered to make a move. - -And as they stood there, open-mouthed, with staring eyes, gazing -straight ahead, they saw a tremendous column of smoke rising -menacingly; and mingling with it were tons and tons of earth, rocks and -branches--a fear-inspiring, terrible, yet grand and majestic spectacle. - -Higher and higher rose the mass; wider and wider it kept spreading -out at the base, until a great space of the blue sky became entirely -blotted from view. And branching out from the rounded form of the great -column of smoke were spurts and jets furiously lashing, twisting and -darting about in every conceivable direction. - -The terror which held Don and Dunstan fast in their tracks was but -momentary, and very fortunate indeed it was for them that this proved -to be the case; for they had scarcely dived into a dugout close by -before the surroundings were deluged by an avalanche of descending -missiles, which fell with terrifying, smashing force, filling the air -with the sounds of vicious thuds, crashes and bangs. - -Huddled in the darkness, the inmates of the dugout, their frames -trembling from the shock, and half expecting to be blown to pieces, -awaited the outcome in silence. A limb of a tree clattered down near -the entrance; clods of earth shot beside it. And then the faint light -which had been coming in through the opening suddenly disappeared, and -dense, impenetrable blackness followed--a flood of earth and rocks -could be heard pouring into the interior. - -The ambulanciers and the soldiers were entombed. And scarcely had this -startling fact been impressed upon their minds than a tremendous shower -of smaller particles, making a din like the heaviest kind of hail, -began to descend. And although the noise was very great they could -faintly hear the reports of more rifles than they had ever before heard -at any one time in their lives. A tremendous fusillade was going on. - -"The Boches have mined the trench, and are attacking!" - -These words were yelled from somewhere in the darkness--a poilu had -spoken. - -"Mined the trench and are attacking!" echoed Don, huskily. - -After all, their visit had not been so very well timed, he thought. - -Both ambulanciers possessed their full share of courage, but, -nevertheless, they were very much alarmed. Visions of the many dreadful -things that might happen filled their brains. Their situation was one -of the gravest peril; even should they escape injury or death it might -mean that their careers as Red Cross drivers were over and that they -would be obliged to await the great war's termination in some prison -camp. - -The poilus, three of them, were now making a determined effort to -remove the obstruction at the entrance to the dugout. It was hard -work. As fast as they dislodged the yielding soil, the opening filled -up again. But finally the hot, excited Frenchmen succeeded, and, with -yells expressive of satisfaction and defiance, first one and then -another clambered up the ladder and crawled into the trench. - -Only a moment or two had elapsed when the sharp cracking of rifles -apprised Don and Dunstan of the fact that these soldiers of the -Republic were doing their part in helping to check the enemy. - -The first impulse of the ambulanciers was to get out of the dismal -darkness, but the loud explosion of a hand grenade, which landed almost -outside, made them hastily reconsider. - -"Something doing up there!" shouted Dunstan, his face close to Don's. - -"Awful!" cried the aviator's son. He shuddered. "Here we -are--caught--almost as helpless as rats in a trap. The trench is so far -in advance of the support lines that the Germans may succeed in cutting -us off. Whew! Just listen!" - -The cracking of rifles--of machine guns--was simply terrific. But -occasionally the keen ears of the boys caught other sounds even more -terrible, more sinister than these ceaseless reports--the human voice -raised as if in uncontrollable fury--as if in the greatest desperation -and pain. The Red Cross men, listening, with every nerve at the keenest -tension, knew what was going on--the hostile forces had come together -and in a desperate hand-to-hand conflict were fighting with all the -savagery and ferocity of wild animals of the jungle. - -At last the howls and shouts and yells abruptly ended. - -Had the French lines broken before the attack? Were the Germans in the -trench? - -Unable to bear the suspense, Don Hale sprang for the ladder. -Cautiously, he began to mount; anxiously, he poked his head above the -opening. - -Then he drew a long thankful breath. The blue line had held. - -French soldiers were still on the firing-step, sending volley after -volley toward the east. Ahead a great portion of the trench had been -utterly demolished; there was no longer any parapet or parados, but -a mass of earth jumbled and piled together in the most extraordinary -confusion. Nearer at hand débris choked up the passageway. - -Don Hale allowed his gaze to rest on this evidence of destruction for -only a moment. Something else had attracted the boy's attention and -drawn an exclamation from his lips. Thick, impenetrable clouds of smoke -were rolling slowly across the narrow strip of "No Man's Land," and he -realized at once the reason for it--the Germans had created a curtain -by means of smoke bombs in order to conceal their movements. Perhaps at -that very instant they were ready to launch another attack. - -Never at any time since his entrance into the war zone had the -aviator's son felt peril to be so imminent. Should he and Dunstan -venture forth they would expose themselves to the chance of being -hit by some of the flying bullets; should they remain there was the -possibility of capture. - -A prey to the keenest apprehension and fears, he dropped back into the -gloom and shadow of the dugout. - -"This is worse than the 'Chemin de Mort,'" he cried. - -"Very much so, Don, old chap," shouted Dunstan in reply. - -Crouching against the wall, the ambulanciers vainly tried to gain some -indication of the trend of events. - -Sometimes, mingling in with the firing, they heard the voices again, -and though fainter than before distance could not rob the sounds of -their forbidding nature. - -An hour passed--an hour such as neither had ever before experienced. -It was filled with every sort of alarm. Veritable streams of shot and -shell were crashing over the trench, and at times it seemed to the -boys as if the crucial moment had at last arrived and that the host of -gray-uniformed invaders must be sweeping down upon them through the -smoke clouds. - -And then, when both least expected it, there came a second cessation in -the violence of the battle; the mitrailleuses and other machine guns -stopped their fire altogether, while the sharp, vicious snapping of the -rifles was heard only at intervals. - -"Great Cæsar! can it be possible that the attack has been repulsed?" -cried Don, inexpressible relief and hope in his voice. - -"Let's take a look! Let's take a look!" shouted Dunstan. - -Without an instant's hesitation Don Hale ran up the ladder; without an -instant's hesitation he climbed outside the dugout. - -Yes, there could be no doubt about it--the blue line still held. And -the smoke cloud over "No Man's Land" had vanished. - -A wave of joy surged through the aviator's son. - -"Ils ne passeront pas!" he exclaimed in a fervent voice to Dunstan, who -was now standing beside him. - -"No--'ils ne passeront pas!'" - -The air they breathed was impregnated with the odor of burning -gunpowder; smoke drifted through the trench, and everywhere they looked -a bluish haze filled the atmosphere. - -Joyous as the ambulanciers were at their deliverance, they could -not help but feel saddened at the thought of the many casualties -which certainly must have occurred, not only through the great mine -explosion itself but on account of the desperate nature of the assault -which followed. Though both were intensely anxious to know just what -had happened they realized that it was not a time to seek information -from the stern-faced soldiers on the firing-step. On looking about, -however, they discovered a poilu not much older than themselves leaning -heavily against the rear wall. - -Don, walking forward, ventured to address him. - -"Did the Germans get anywhere near the trench?" he queried, eagerly. - -The young soldier nodded. - -"I think so," he replied. "Some were almost on top of us before we -stopped them. But now that it's all over I can scarcely recall anything -clearly. My head's in a whirl. But they tell me that wave after wave of -the Boches rolled up, and then thinner waves rolled back again. It was -terrible--awful!" - -A perceptible shudder shook the young soldier's frame. - -"Come on, Dunstan!" shouted Don, suddenly. - -The art student instantly discovered what had attracted his companion's -attention. Stretcher bearers were making their way over the heaps of -débris ahead in search of the wounded. Don was already hurrying toward -them, and Dunstan sprang to join him. - -The nerves of the ambulanciers had on many occasions been put to pretty -severe tests, so they were now rapidly recovering from the effects of -their thrilling experience; but they were still in a situation of the -gravest danger, for shells were every now and again screeching overhead. - -Quickly reaching the brancardiers, the two were face to face with a -scene which but for their experiences as Red Cross drivers would have -perhaps made them falter and turn pale. The attack had exacted its full -toll of dead and wounded. Many of both lay about, and the stretcher -bearers were busily engaged in carrying the wounded to the dressing -station just behind the lines. - -Two, close at hand, were feverishly trying to release a wounded, -half-unconscious poilu pinned down by a supporting timber of the -trench. - -The Red Cross men at once leaped to their assistance, though each had -the uncomfortable realization that there was no shelter to protect them -from the enemy's fire. - -No words were exchanged by any of the four. The brancardiers used their -spades while Don and Dunstan laid hold of the timber. By their united -efforts it was at last raised and dragged aside. The two Red Cross -drivers helped to place the soldier on the stretcher, and as they did -so he opened his eyes and exclaimed, weakly: - -"Well, I thought the Boches had got me that time--but they didn't." - -"You are mighty fortunate," commented Don. - -With a grave face, the boy looked over the ghastly battle-field and -at the bodies of the blue-clad soldiers who had faced the Germans for -the last time and died for their country. Harrowing as the scene was, -however, he realized that at such a time emotions must be held in -check; the duty of all was to the living. - -Accordingly, he was glancing around, in order to see where he might be -of help, when an officer approached. In sharp, authoritative tones, -he commanded them to get away from that immediate vicinity with all -possible speed. - -"You are lucky not to have been killed," he declared. - -"That's just how we feel about it," remarked the aviator's son, grimly. - -"We have plenty of men here to do the work," continued the officer. -"There's no use of your taking any chances. The Red Cross needs you." - -The two, obeying his mandate, climbed down into the trench and started -back the way they had come. - -A little further along a communication trench opened out before them, -and, swinging into this, they kept up a lively pace--or at least as -lively as they could with so many soldiers constantly moving about in -both directions. - -No stops were made, however, for every now and then the cannonading -started up afresh. The reports of rifle-firing in the trenches, too, -carried over the air with unpleasant distinctness. - -"I reckon when Chase hears our story he'll be mighty glad he didn't -come along," declared Don. - -"I reckon you're right about that," chuckled Dunstan. "By the way, old -chap, it's becoming kind of sultry. To my mind, a storm is brewing." - -"I wish I thought you were mistaken, but I don't." - -"And both of us are on call to-night." - -"Yes; and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if they'd need us at the -outpost." - -Following the devious wanderings of the boyau, the two finally emerged -upon a recently-constructed military road which led up over the slope -of a hill. From that time on they made rapid progress, and both were -well pleased indeed when, hot, dusty and perspiring, they reached the -headquarters of the Ambulance unit. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - - THE STORM - - -Naturally the story Don and Dunstan had to relate proved very -interesting to the members of the section. But it did not create a -sensation; in fact it would have required something very wonderful -indeed to create a sensation among those young but seasoned drivers -of the Red Cross. At any rate, however, it furnished a good topic of -conversation for the rest of the day. - -"If you will pull chestnuts out of the fire you must expect to get -burnt," declared Chase on one occasion, as Don and Dunstan were busily -at work in the courtyard overhauling and cleaning Number Eight. - -"I suppose so," said the aviator's son, smilingly. - -After supper the crowd gathered outside the old hotel, and while -they were taking things easy on the roadside the rapid firing of -anti-aircraft guns came to their ears. Following this they heard the -whirring, musical sound of airplane propellers, and presently a fleet -of German planes on a reconnoitering expedition was seen approaching. - -Pale and gossamer-like, and flying in groups of three, they presented a -very beautiful appearance. As the shells burst uncomfortably close the -machines began to separate, some veering directly toward the road on -which the Red Cross men had gathered. - -Burst after burst of whitish smoke kept pace with them, and the boys -could not help admiring the courage of the airmen, as they maneuvered -their machines this way and that in order to escape the explosives. - -"The planes are perfectly delightful to see," said "Peewee." "I'd -almost like to be an airman myself." - -"It's too high a calling for you," grinned Chase. - -Suddenly the anti-aircraft guns to the east ceased firing and others to -the west began to send forth reports. - -And while the drivers stood there, craning their necks and regarding -the spectacle with the utmost interest, a curious sort of whistling -and pattering began to sound close at hand. "Peewee" was the first to -realize what it meant. - -With a loud yell of alarm he made a dash for the hotel. - -And the others immediately left that particular spot with the same -ludicrous haste. - -The distance of a dozen yards or so to the entrance was covered just -in time. The spent anti-aircraft projectiles were dropping from the -sky; and the way they thudded and banged on the roof of the Hotel de la -Palette and upon the roadway just outside made the crowd feel devoutly -thankful that they were under shelter. - -"A pretty narrow escape, I should say!" chirped "Peewee," pleasantly, -when the flurry had subsided. - -"You bet! But for our record-breaking sprint we might have been -caught," said Chase. - -"Ha, ha!" laughed "Peewee." "Oh, my! Oh, my! Won't things be dull when -we get away from here! It will seem so awfully odd not to have to -shake in one's shoes and tremble every little while." - -"I'd like to see a motion picture of ourselves crossing the road," -chuckled John Weymouth. - -"I wouldn't," giggled "Peewee." - -Having satisfied themselves that the danger was all over, the crowd -made a sortie. They saw the German airplanes sweeping around, -preparatory to returning to their own lines. And as several of the -machines reached a certain position in the sky the rays of the sun, now -low in the west, streaming through an opening in the clouds, caught -the wings, and for one brief instant they flashed and sparkled with a -golden reflection. - -Now flying at a much higher altitude, shells failed to reach their -level, and very soon the airplanes became but faint purplish specks in -the distance. - -"I guess the war-birds are skimming back home fast so as not to get -caught in the rain," laughed "Tiny" Mason. - -Great masses of cumulus clouds were piling up in the west and the air -which blew in their faces came in hot, fitful gusts. As time went on -the whole aspect of the sky became more ominous and threatening, and at -last lightning glimmered faintly just above the horizon. - -"It's going to be Heaven's artillery pitted against man's to-night," -remarked the art student, thoughtfully. - -"Which impels me to say that I hope to thunder we won't have to go -out," declared Chase. - -The village street now presented quite a lively appearance; for little -groups of reserves here and there surrounded field kitchens, while -others were sitting about eating their evening meal. Occasionally a -military car, enveloped in a cloud of dust, whizzed by, and as the -twilight slowly deepened a couple of camions, one close behind the -other, appearing huge and impressive in the gloom, rumbled ponderously -over the cobbled road, the first of a long line which, under the -protection of darkness, would soon be going toward the front. - -Slowly, the shades of night crept over the landscape; the distance -became blurred; only the objects that rose against the sky could be -seen with any distinctness, and these, too, finally became lost to view -in the gathering gloom. - -There was nothing very inviting about out-of-doors, so the ambulanciers -at length gathered in the dining-room of the hotel, where Dunstan began -to amuse himself, as well as the others, by making sketches. Then came -the inevitable story-telling and the discussion of various topics, -prominent among the last being the mystery of the Château de Morancourt -and the strange incident which had occurred during Don, Dunstan and -Chase's visit. - -"Still an unfinished story!" sighed "Peewee." "When will finis be -tacked on to the end, I wonder!" - -"Let me ease your misery," grinned Bodkins, taking out his banjo. "I'll -play a variation on Shubert's unfinished symphony." - -"A variation!" jeered "Peewee." "That's a good name for an -unrecognizable collection of tinkles and scraping sounds. Boys, what -do you say to tacking the finis sign on that old banjo--instrument of -torture, I should say--to-night? All in favor of----" - -"Aye, aye, aye!" - -A hearty chorus rang through the room. - -[Illustration: A HEARTY CHORUS RANG THROUGH THE ROOM.] - -"The ayes have it," chortled "Peewee." "An axe! An axe! My kingdom for -an axe!" - -"And while the execution is taking place I'll seize the opportunity to -take an observation on the weather," laughed the aviator's son. - -Then, as a good-natured scuffling began for the possession of Bodkins' -much discussed banjo, he left the cheerfully-lighted room and climbed -up a dark stairway to the second floor. - -Very soon he was groping his way toward the room formerly occupied by -the "patron," or proprietor of the hotel. The window faced to the west, -and the boy, presently reaching it, threw up the sash and looked out. -Everything was intensely black; his eyes searched in vain for any of -the familiar details, but not even the faintest silhouette of a roof or -the outlines of a tree could be distinguished. - -He had been at his post only a moment or two when there came a bluish -flash of lightning which cast a weird glare over the landscape. -For the briefest interval of time he had a view of the road and a -procession of slowly-moving vehicles. The sweeping outlines of the -hills, too, stood out grimly against the sky. Then came the blackness -and gloom again, only to be broken by other vivid flashes, one quickly -following another. - -"It's going to be a wild night, all right," reflected the aviator's -son, as he heard the booming of thunder mingling in with the roar of -the distant cannon. - -He was at an impressionable age, and these successive glares, which -revealed the rounded, piled-up masses of storm-clouds and continually -brought into view vistas of the surrounding country, impressed him -strangely. Occasionally the peals of thunder grew louder, but they -were not yet loud enough to drown the never-ending grind and rumble -of wheels, the faint rattle of harness and clinking of chains, or -the voices of drivers yelling commands to their skittish horses. He -wondered if he and Dunstan would be called out at such a time. Don did -not shrink from any task which he might be called upon to perform, but -nevertheless he could not help heartily wishing that the night might -pass without a summons. - -"It will be a positive wonder, though, if there isn't something doing," -he muttered. "The firing is growing heavier and heavier, and guns of -all calibers seem to be at it." - -He heard the sound of a step and a cheery voice calling: - -"Hello, Don! Where are you?" - -"At the observation post," returned the aviator's son. - -"And I'll be there in another moment." - -Dunstan, after colliding with several pieces of furniture, at length -reached the window. - -"Humph!--pitch black!" he exclaimed. - -"Yes--except when it isn't," exclaimed Don, with a faint chuckle. - -"Quite correct!" agreed the art student. "By George! How weird and -solemn it all seems! And what curious impressions and thoughts it -brings to one's mind!" - -"And creepy sensations, too," said Don. - -"Very true! To my mind, it is only the very stolid or the unemotional -who fail to be impressed by such manifestations of nature." - -For a long time the ambulanciers remained at the window and watched -the lightning growing steadily brighter. The thunder rolled and -reverberated, sounding more and more ominous and menacing. - -At length the noise made by several of the boys tramping up to their -rooms made them realize that the hour was growing rather late. Making -their way to the stairway, they descended to the first floor, and were -glad to get back to a region of light and good cheer. - -"Ah, how beautiful nature must have looked!" piped "Peewee." "I -suppose, mon cher Dunstan, you could see a whole lot of wonderful -colors and tones denied to us poor, ordinary mortals?" - -"I hope so," laughed Dunstan. - -"And I can hear a wonderful lot of beauty in my banjo playing, even if -no one else does," giggled Bodkins, who still had the instrument in his -possession. "Just let me illustrate what I mean." - -"If you do any illustrating by means of sound I will give a very good -illustration of the fact that there are limits to even the most amiable -of dispositions," said "Peewee." "I hope if the Germans ever capture -this town they'll capture that banjo with it." - -"Tut, tut, my boy!--another feeble attempt!" chirped the musician. -"Let me tell you, gently but firmly, that clever remarks and bright, -scintillating touches of wit and humor which lift conversation from the -dull and commonplace are not in your line." - -"I'll bet you wrote that out and committed it to memory," jeered -"Peewee," "and----" - -At this instant "Tiny," leaning over the table, blew out the lamp, -while John Weymouth, taking Mason's action as his cue, extinguished the -other; and with the sudden and unexpected advent of total darkness the -colloquy between the two came to an abrupt termination. - -"The fact has now been satisfactorily demonstrated that there is a -limit even to the most amiable disposition of all," laughed Mason. - -Then, with much chuckling and good-natured pushing and jostling, the -ambulanciers made a break for the door, and in another moment or two -emerged into the "Bureau."[10] There they found the sous chef, Gideon -Watts, seated behind the long counter where, in the days long past, the -former patron of La Palette had been accustomed to extend a greeting to -his guests. - -[Footnote 10: Bureau; office.] - -"Sounds like the sortie of a kindergarten," grinned the sous chef. -"Nothing doing as yet, mes camarades." - -"I guess you do well to emphasize the 'as yet,'" commented Chase, -seating himself on a bench. - -"We might as well hit the planks, fellows," put in Dunstan. "I -declare--whenever I'm on call I feel more sleepy than at any other -time." - -"The same with me," confessed Weymouth. "But by the sound of things a -fellow wouldn't be able to get much sleep no matter how hard he tried. -Whew! That real, bona-fide thunder is going to be a winner over the -imitation kind." - -A deep, booming reverberation, winding up with a succession of crashes, -was the occasion of Weymouth's remark. - -Of course the drivers who were on call always remained fully dressed, -and in order that there might not be an instant's delay in starting, -as a rule they got what rest they could on the benches with which the -bureau was supplied. - -Perceiving that Watts was hard at work on a report, and no doubt being -unconsciously affected by the solemnity and grandeur of the warring -sounds of nature, the spirit of levity soon left the boys, and, one -after another, they spread their blankets and lay down. - -Conversation, carried on in subdued tones for some time, at length -ceased altogether, though no one had yielded to the inclination to -sleep. There seemed to be a curious feeling of unrest, of tense -anticipation, which affected all of the Red Cross men and prevented -their eyes from closing for more than a few moments at a time. - -Don Hale found himself mechanically studying the scene about him. The -glow of light from the lamp which stood by the side of the sous chef -spread far enough out to reveal the businesslike appearance of the -bureau. Numerous bulletins hung on the walls. Some included a list -of the members of the section, the squads to which they belonged and -the order of the driver's turns. Then, giving a certain military -atmosphere to the place, rules and regulations to be observed by "La -Section Sanitaire Automobile Americaine" were posted up, as well as -documents from the "Médicin divisionnaire" and other officers. But, -somehow, the wandering glances of the aviator's son nearly always -returned to the bent-over figure of Watts and the telephone close -beside him. A spot of light on the instrument that gleamed and sparkled -like a star of the first magnitude seemed to have a peculiar, almost -annoying fascination for him. Whichever way he moved his head its -assertive sparkle caught him in the eye. - -"I was almost sure we'd get a call before this," he exclaimed at length. - -"Oh, I don't know," returned Watts. "Wendell anticipated that there -might be some big doings to-night, and he has six cars stationed at -Montaurennes. I hope they will be able to handle all the work." - -Chase seemed to give a sigh of relief. - -"The storm will soon be here," he declared. "The thunder is steadily -growing louder." - -"And the artillery, as though to rival its efforts, is pounding away -more vigorously than ever," came from a partly-recumbent and shadowy -figure in a far corner of the room. - -The voice belonged to Dunstan. - -"Well, we can't help it," grunted Weymouth. - -He eased himself off the bench and after yawning several times began -pacing forth and back. The others, weary, with blinking eyes, yet -unable to sleep, evidently coming to the conclusion that any sort of -action was preferable to remaining still, got up and joined him. - -Now the booming of the thunder was giving them an idea of the fury of -the storm. When midnight came the almost continuous roar was jarring -and shaking the old Hotel de la Palette to its foundation. Window panes -and doors rattled noisily, and the ambulanciers, about as wide awake as -they had ever been in their lives, listened with feelings of awe as the -rushing wind howled and whistled past and drenching torrents of rain -beat and splashed against the ancient structure. - -"Some poor chaps are getting a mighty good soaking to-night," remarked -Don. - -"I should think both sides would call off the war while the storm -lasts," declared "Tiny." "Now is the time I suppose we ought to hear -that 'phone bell ringing." - -"Don't mention such a thing," said Dunstan. - -Then, as the tumult of the raging storm made conversation difficult, -the ambulanciers relapsed into silence. Some again lolled on the -benches, while others continued to exercise their limbs. - -The crashing of the thunder soon became almost deafening, and through -every crack of the windows and door the bluish flashes of lightning -gleamed brilliantly. And for hour after hour, with scarcely a lull, the -storm kept up its violence. - -Glad indeed were the Red Cross men when at length the force of the -downpour began to lessen, the wind to quiet down and the lightning to -come at longer intervals. - -About two A. M. the last volley of nature's artillery boomed -majestically overhead, the last heavy patter of rain-drops was heard, -and the tempest, passing on, left the village serene and peaceful, -except for the sound of the distant guns. - -"Ah, mes amis, I breathe freely again," cried Dunstan. He laughed. "To -tell the truth, I had dreadful visions of taking Number Three along -that water-soaked road. It shows the folly of borrowing trouble. Be a -philosopher. Being a philosopher prevents wrinkles from creasing the -brow. It holds the gray hair at bay. It----" - -Ting-a-ling! Ting! - -With startling clearness, with startling suddenness, the 'phone bell -began to ring. - -No one uttered an exclamation; no one spoke. But every head was turned -on the instant toward Gideon Watts, whose loud "Hello!" sounded -simultaneously with the ending of the ringing of the bell. - -Every one stepped nearer the counter; every one waited with the utmost -eagerness--the utmost interest--to hear the words which would presently -fall from the sous chef's lips. - -And only an instant elapsed before they came. - -"All right, Monsieur le Médecin," he cried. "We'll attend to it right -away." Then facing the aviator's son, he added: "A hurry call from -Montaurennes, Don--'tres pressé,' too, says the Médecin Savoye. Sorry, -old chap. I guess you'll find it isn't any joke, either, getting to the -post." - -But Don Hale did not wait even to make a reply. Rushing to the bench, -he picked up his gas mask and steel helmet, suspended one over his -shoulders and slapped the other upon his head. - -"Quick, Chase!" he called. "So-long, fellows!" - -Then the boy dashed out of the room and in another moment reached the -courtyard. - -By the aid of his pocket flash-light he cranked the car. The explosive -roar and hum of the motor suddenly started up, and, as it began to -subside into a series of soft rhythmic notes, Don sprang to his seat. -He heard the sound of a door slamming shut and the patter of rapid -footsteps--Chase was hurrying over. - -Without a word the young chap from Maine climbed up beside him. - -"We're off!" exclaimed Don, in a low voice, as he threw in the clutch. - -A loud warning blast of the horn went over the air, and ambulance -Number Eight began to move slowly forward. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - - THE CHEMIN DE MORT - - -As the Red Cross car rolled under the archway the driver supplemented -the work of the horn with a lusty yell. - -Even to join the line of moving convoys was a mighty difficult task, -and would have been almost impossible but for the fact that ambulances -had practically the right of way. - -Don Hale, alert, watchful, with a firm hand on the steering wheel, -guided Number Eight slowly out into the roadway. The darkness was so -intense that he could not see even the wagons passing directly in -front--everything, indeed, was swallowed up in a void of blackness, but -he knew by the sounds and the shouts of the drivers that an effort was -being made to find a place in the line for the Red Cross car. - -And then, just at that instant, there came a vivid flash of lightning. -Another storm was approaching. And that particular glare served a good -purpose. It enabled the boy to discover an opening, and without the -slightest hesitation he increased the speed of the car. It swung past -the foremost camion, the wheels grazing the front as it passed. Then -an abrupt turn, and Ambulance Number Eight, splashing streams of water -and mud in every direction, was in the middle of the road, hemmed in by -vehicles. - -It was risky, nerve-racking work. Now and again wagons lurched -unpleasantly close, and horses, rendered skittish and hard to manage by -the storm, swung directly in the path of the machine. Then, the young -driver was ever mindful of the fact that cars coming from the poste de -secours might be encountered at any minute hastening with all speed -between the moving walls of vehicles. Don had the prime requisite of -a good driver--a cool head and steady nerves--but these were only an -aid, and by no means a passport to safety; for in the human element -all about him were tired, overworked drivers, and men who sometimes -combined recklessness with a lack of skill. - -The lightning was again darting from cloud to cloud, or, in forked -tongues, crashing earthward; and with each flash the surroundings were -revealed with almost startling clearness--the long line of vehicles -of every description, the muddy, water-soaked road, full of rivulets, -splashing and rushing from pool to pool and reflecting the vivid, -blinding illumination, and, on both sides, wrecked, forlorn-looking -houses and trees. - -"This is the worst ever!" groaned Chase. "It's bad enough here--what -will it be when we get to climbing the hill! Don, I don't believe we'll -ever make it." - -The aviator's son did not reply, because the slightest incautious move -might have brought disaster. Occasionally there was barely enough room -between the huge, towering camions in which to guide Number Eight in -safety. - -Now and then the vehicle floundered and jolted from side to side, as -one wheel or another slipped into the ruts. Just as they turned a bend -in the road and the ancient ports suddenly rose to view--a black, grim -pile against an instantaneous glare of bluish light--the rain again -started to descend, first in a flurry of big drops splattering noisily -against the canvas covering of the ambulance, then in a vicious, -lashing downpour which pelted the two in the driver's seat with -stinging force. And accompanying the deluge came sweeping blasts of -wind that almost took their breath away. - -"Awful--awful!" muttered Chase, holding tightly to his seat, while -the vehicle, rocking like a boat in a storm, plunged heavily across a -torn-up section of the road. - -The noise of the wind and rain almost drowned the loud, rough voices -of drivers yelling to their horses. Sometimes a heavily-loaded camion -became stalled in the mud--then the entire convoy behind it was brought -to a standstill, and perhaps held up for minutes at a time. - -Don Hale during his service with the Red Cross had been out on many a -stormy night, but never on such a wild night as this, and the dangers -and difficulties which beset them promised to become far greater. -Notwithstanding the weather conditions, both the French and German -bombardments steadily grew in intensity. Marmites were continually -landing in the fields, both to the right and left of the highway, and -the young ambulance driver could not help reflecting on the dangers -which awaited them along the Chemin de Mort and at the crossroads. - -"Well, we haven't got to take any more chances than the rest," he -muttered. - -Though his face and eyes were smarting from the wind and rain and he -was obliged to bend far over the steering wheel to protect himself from -the blasts, Don made a determined effort to drive Number Eight rapidly -ahead, but the pace seemed exasperatingly, fearfully slow. The vehicle, -exposed to the full force of the elements, shook, staggered and wobbled -and sometimes slipped and slid on the mud until it certainly appeared -as if Chase's prediction must be fulfilled and the journey come to a -disastrous end. - -Zigzag streaks of lightning tore the gloom asunder; the peals of -thunder crashed and roared with appalling force, following one -another so closely as to fill the air with a continuous series of -reverberations. And mixed in with all this commotion of nature's forces -was the heavy booming of the big guns and the éclats of the dreaded -marmites--all forming an awesome combination which would have created -a tension in the nerves of the bravest. Struggling hard to keep his -wits and faculties about him, Don wondered what the thoughts of his -companion might be. - -"Poor chap! It's pretty hard on him," he reflected. - -Every glare from the heavens disclosed the dripping Chase huddled up -in his seat, with a curious, strained expression resting on his face. -His appearance suggested that of a person who, finding himself in a -terrible situation, has lost every particle of hope. - -Don Hale's reflections concerning Manning, however, abruptly ceased. - -A bright gleaming flash of light close to the ground, instantly -followed by a terrific concussion, made his heart fairly leap. A -high-explosive shell had fallen not a hundred yards away. It was only -what might have been expected, yet, nevertheless, it both startled and -frightened him. - -But the aftermath proved even more startling; the lead horses of a -six-horse team attached to a returning "empty" began to rear, buck and -plunge, in spite of the most strenuous efforts of the postilion driver -to control them. - -Even above the noises of the storm the ambulanciers could hear the -animals' quick, terrified snorts and their iron-shod hoofs crashing -down in the mud and water. Instinctively, Don Hale realized that they -were turning across the road. - -The Red Cross car came to a halt with a jerk. Quick action alone had -prevented a collision. - -Across the inky heavens darted another forked tongue of electric flame; -another and another followed, and in the sustained, blinding glare the -boys saw the horses pawing the air in dangerous proximity to the front -of the machine. Momentarily Don Hale expected a crash. - -"I told you! I told you!" shouted Chase. - -A few instants of anxiety--of keen suspense--then came the opportunity -for which the boy was looking--the fractious steeds swerved to one -side. Ambulance Number Eight shot forward on the second, violently -grazed the body of the nearest horse and continued, while the shouts -of the postilion driver became quickly drowned in the roar of the rain. - -"Adventure number one!" muttered Don, with a great sigh of relief. - -In the narrow and rugged passageway he dared not put on many bursts -of speed, though at times he shot past several vehicles in quick -succession. Presently, however, he was forced to pause--there was not -sufficient room to pass between the teams. A series of loud yells, a -few vigorous, aggressive blasts of the horn, and the transports on -either side began hugging the edge of the road. But still it continued -to be slow work. "Tres pressé," the doctor had said, and Don Hale felt -that upon his shoulders lay a tremendous responsibility. - -"At any rate, we're getting nearer, old chap!" he yelled to Chase. - -The crouched-up figure made no reply. - -During moments in which the storm lessened the terrific din of the -French batteries became more apparent. In every direction, both near -and far, they seemed to be pouring forth streams of missiles, and the -Germans on the hills beyond were returning a furious fire. Shells -passed overhead in both directions, and even the roar of storm and -cannon could not drown their sinister whistle--their awe-inspiring -shriek. Every now and again they burst startlingly near, the resounding -blasts echoing over the air, and as Ambulance Number Eight neared the -Chemin de Mort the tension on Don Hale's nerves became so acute that -sometimes an involuntary tremor shook his frame. - -Now, by means of the lightning, he caught sight of the bend in the -road. One of the most critical stages in their whole journey had been -reached. For the first time Chase Manning aroused himself, and, sitting -erect, kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. - -Cautiously, Don Hale took the ambulance around the curve. He heard his -companion exclaim: - -"The Chemin de Mort!" - -"Yes!" cried Don,--"the Chemin de Mort!" He wondered how it happened -that the convoys had not yet been halted along that shell-swept road. - -"Once we get by I'll feel a bit easier in my mind," he muttered, "or, -at least, I shall until old Number Eight draws up to the crossroads." - -Would the Chemin de Mort justify its name? - -Any speed would have seemed too slow to the youthful driver of the Red -Cross ambulance, but the pace at which he was obliged to move tried him -to the utmost. He took chances he would scarcely have dared before, -and frequently the car was violently jolted and shaken as the hubs of -wheels ground against one another in passing. - -Don Hale fairly counted the yards; and doubtless every other driver -along that section experienced sensations of just such an unpleasant -nature as those which affected him. - -Possibly it could only be a question of time when some of the -projectiles were going to land squarely on the road, as they had often -done before. Still, he reflected, a kind fate might protect them. The -aviator's son realized, too, that dread and fear meant a lessening of -his capacity to act with coolness and judgment, so he strove hard to -cast both aside. - -Very often the Chemin de Mort and the surrounding hills shot out from -the dense obscurity, to become, for the instant, almost as clearly -defined as in the broad light of day. They formed a weird--a most -impressive spectacle; but each flash brought into view something else -that was even more impressive--huge, low-hanging clouds of black smoke -which told of the explosions of the marmites. - -At length half the distance was covered, and still nothing had -happened. Don Hale's spirits took an upward trend. - -"So far we're getting along famously, old chap!" he cried to Chase. - -"Number Eight has a long way to go yet," responded the young chap from -Maine, in a strained voice. - -Don sadly missed the companionship of Dunstan--Dunstan, the care-free, -the courageous and the hopeful, who by his strength of character helped -to impart strength to those around him. And yet he could not blame -Chase. His nature was cast in a different mould. - -As the ambulance rolled and bumped steadily along, the boy, in spite of -all the dangers that surrounded them, could not help but be impressed -by the grandeur--the sublimity of the situation. Now the wind was -soft and low, now it rose to heights of almost tumultuous fury, and -intermingling with its cadences were the sounds of booming guns--of -thunder--of pelting rain and exploding shells, all combining to form in -his mind a strange, weird symphony--a symphony expressive of terror and -tragedy. - -Three-quarters of the greatly feared Chemin de Mort were passed in -safety. Don Hale's spirits rose still higher. The rain was finally -beginning to slacken, for which he felt profoundly thankful. The water -was running off his khaki uniform in streams; but discomfort held no -place in his mind; all his thoughts were on that bend ahead which would -take them into a safer zone. - -And, suddenly, he almost jumped from his seat. Again a terrible blast -had sounded--not ahead but to the rear. - -Where had that shell landed? Was it on the road? - -Chase was sitting bolt upright. - -"By George! That's the time we nearly caught it!" he shouted. - -Don nodded. - -"A few moments, more or less, play a great part in this kind of game," -he exclaimed, grimly. - -But now the bend in the road was right before them, and presently -Don gave an exclamation expressive of the keenest satisfaction. The -ambulanciers need have no further concern, for the present at least, -about the Chemin de Mort--at last, it lay behind them. - -The young driver was becoming so much easier in his mind that he began -to think of a letter he intended to write to his chum, George Glenn. -And wouldn't a description of this wild ride in the stormy night make -good reading! The boy thought so--he even chuckled softly to himself, -as his mind continued to dwell on the subject. - -And then, just as he was about to mention the matter to Chase, there -came another appalling roar--a roar and crash so terrific, so frightful -in its intensity that the two ambulanciers were almost hurled from -their seats. - -A perfect deluge of flying mud and stones struck the car. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - - A BLOCK ON THE ROAD - - -Ambulance Number Eight came to an abrupt halt. Although almost -stunned--almost overwhelmed by the shock--Don Hale had managed to -prevent it from crashing into a camion close ahead. He knew what had -happened--a shell had landed on an ammunition wagon and fairly blown -it to atoms. The lightning showed a huge, towering column of smoke -spreading across the road; it also revealed horses lying prostrate in -the mud, struggling desperately to rise, and other horses, wild and -panic-stricken, kicking, plunging and endeavoring to break away from -their restraining traces. - -It took some moments before Don Hale could recover the use of his -faculties sufficiently to stir from his inaction. His head was aching; -his pulse throbbed and jumped; he felt as if he had been almost -deafened by the explosion. A frightened horse which had managed to -tear itself loose from the wreckage came running madly--furiously -along, dragging a part of the traces and barely missing the ambulance -as it clattered by. - -"Come on, Chase!" yelled Don, springing to the ground. - -The road was blocked, and drivers of all the vehicles in the immediate -vicinity were hurrying as fast as they could through the mud and water -toward the wreck ahead. - -Without waiting to see whether Chase intended to join him or not, the -boy started off. But he had only gone a dozen yards or so when another -tremendous concussion caused him to stagger toward the nearest wagon. -And in the grip of a fear he had never known before--a fear that robbed -him of his strength--he leaned heavily against it. Half stunned and -gasping, Don felt as though the end of all earthly things had come. - -And now additional shells began bursting close to the road. Don had a -vague, confused impression of seeing men dashing this way and that, -but he himself, his faculties for the moment almost paralyzed, was -held fast to the spot. And while he stood there in that helpless -condition, his form shaking violently, the whole air seemed filled -with pandemonium--a hideous whirring, screeching, screaming series of -sounds, mingling in with terrific, thunderous blasts that sent violent -tremors through the earth and made the huge camions rock and lurch as -though they were about to topple into the roadway. Flashing jets of -flame from the exploding shells cast a weird, unnatural light over the -surroundings, and as if some mighty convulsion of nature was upheaving -them, giant geysers of earth, mud and débris shot high in the air, -while streams of iron and steel created havoc and destruction on every -hand. - -The terrified Don Hale heard the thud of bullets and fragments of -shells all about him. He seemed to be no longer living in the world but -in the midst of some awful inferno from which there was no possibility -of escape. But though it was unbelievably, fearfully appalling, -he managed to keep his wits about him. Faint, weak, every instant -expecting utter annihilation, the boy made an effort to walk forward -and just then there came a bright, wicked-looking flash, accompanied by -a detonation that seemed fairly to crack his ear-drums. The concussion -was great enough to hurl him backward; and while his senses were still -reeling from the shock, a veritable stream of earth, thrown up as if -from the crater of a volcano in eruption, descended upon him and in a -moment he was almost buried beneath a mass of mud. - -For a time he remained in a state that was neither consciousness -nor yet a lack of consciousness--a state wherein the terror of the -situation seemed to be softened to such a degree as to make it easy -to bear. When the dull, dazed sensations did finally depart, however, -leaving him with a clear understanding of the realities, he gave a gasp -of wonderment--of almost stupefaction. - -A strange calmness had come into the world--of course only a relative -calmness, for the batteries had not ceased to fire; yet the contrast -between the present and the immediate past was so remarkable as to make -it appear as though such a thing could not be. Was it possible that the -bombardment was over? Was it possible that he had gone through such -peril and remained unscathed? - -With a cry expressive of gladness--of the thankfulness he felt, Don -Hale endeavored to regain his feet. But a heavy weight was pinning him -down to the earth. He kicked and struggled to free himself from the -soft, though tenacious grip of the mud. Now, after a valiant effort, -he sat up and jerked one leg out of the mire. It was hard work in his -weakened condition. The mud was in his eyes--in his hair. The boy -happened to recall the officer's description of life in the trenches -during rainy weather, and for the first time since leaving headquarters -Don smiled, though the smile was grim and set. At any rate, it served -to still further relieve his pent-up, overwrought feelings. - -Again he exerted all the strength he possessed and presently the other -leg slipped out of the mud. And as he struggled up, unstable on his -feet, a great throbbing was in his temple. Like a man on the point of -swooning, he clutched the nearest object for support. - -Then Don suddenly thought of Chase. A terrible fear that his companion -had not been so fortunate as himself took possession of him. - -A thick pall of smoke hung over the road; and when the lightning came -again he caught a faint, shadowy image, a mere silhouette, of Number -Eight standing in the middle of the narrow passageway, but he could see -no signs of Chase Manning, indeed, no human beings were in view. The -road was deserted--he was alone. - -What was to be done? Should he, too, seek some abri by the roadside? - -"No--no!" he muttered--"no!" - -Though almost choking with the smoke and fumes, he nevertheless raised -his voice in a loud cry of: - -"Chase--Chase!" - -No answer. - -Again and again he shouted, and then, as still no response came to his -keenly-attuned ears, the boy was filled with dreadful forebodings, and -in his anxiety he seemed to momentarily forget all else. - -Shells were coming that way again. At any instant the road might be -swept by another deadly stream. But Don Hale, whose mental faculties -and strength began to return, paying not the slightest heed, started -toward the ambulance, often splashing through great pools and puddles. -The thunder still rolled and boomed overhead. There were longer -intervals, however, between the flashes of lightning and it was not -until he arrived quite abreast of the car that the landscape once more -sprang into view. - -Chase Manning was not in the driver's seat nor was he anywhere to be -seen. - -"Hello, Chase! Hello!" yelled Don. - -Many times he repeated the cry, and if Chase had been uninjured and -anywhere near he must have heard the strained, anxious voice of his -comrade. - -Had a tragedy occurred? - -As Don Hale stood there in the middle of the road, with the wind and -rain still sweeping against him, he shivered at the thought and at -the recollection of the awful moments through which he had passed. It -seemed to him a most marvelous thing that any one in that vicinity -could have escaped alive. - -Putting all the force of his lungs in a final effort, he shouted: - -"Chase!--Chase!" - -And then, hearing nothing, seeing nothing, he made a despairing -gesture and hurried away--not in search of an abri, however, but -toward the scene of destruction ahead. He felt shocked, depressed and -disheartened. - -But, all at once, he recalled the words of Doctor Savoye--"Tres -pressé." His paramount duty was to take the car to the outpost, if such -a thing was possible. He must get there. He would get there. And with -this thought, which for the time being drove all doubts, perplexities -and worries from his mind, he broke into a run. - -Then, very soon, he began hearing voices and footsteps--the drivers of -the convoys were returning. - -Presently the aviator's son almost stumbled over the prostrate form of -a horse. Its body quivered; its iron-shod hoofs flew in all directions. -Recovering his balance, the boy, with a startled gasp, leaped aside -and continued on, in another moment finding himself close upon a scene -of extraordinary confusion. A flash of lightning revealed wagons -wrecked and débris strewn along the road. A number of horses were lying -about, those which still remained alive, as a result of their furious -struggles, having become completely entangled in the harness. Several -on their feet immediately started to rear and plunge anew as the men -arrived among them. - -"Great Julius Cæsar! This is another dangerous game," murmured the -aviator's son. - -The wild and fear-stricken animals had to be set free, and unless -extraordinary care and precautions were used they might stampede along -that narrow passageway and perhaps cause either serious injury or death. - -The adventurous Don Hale had no intention of standing idly by. He -watched his chance, and, taking advantage of a succession of brilliant -flashes of lightning, groped his way cautiously past several of the -prostrate horses--a very dangerous proceeding. Hoofs were continually -on the move and every now and again one or another of the animals -managed to struggle to its knees, remain in that awkward position for -an instant or two, and then fall back with a dull and heavy thud. - -It was a strange, awe-inspiring situation for a boy to be placed -in--close to the battle-front, with the storm-clouds overhead, in the -midst of wreckage and frantic horses, and facing the possibility of -a tragic end. Yet, though all these things were vaguely impressed on -Don Hale's mind, his thoughts were not upon them. The words "Tres -pressé--tres pressé" continually sounded in his ears. - -He advanced boldly, right into the midst of the prancing, pawing -animals. Hoofs were thudding down hard all about him; streams of liquid -mud often splashed against his figure. The movements of the ponderous -bodies made Don forcibly realize that one false step, one moment's -lack of thought, might cause the most disastrous results. Again the -lightning proved a friendly aid. A horse stood directly in front of -him. Its mate lay stretched in the mud. Originally the team had been -one of eight horses, but how many were still on their feet Don could -not tell. He did know, however, that the drivers, in the darkness, -in the slippery road, were having a mighty hard time to control the -fractious beasts. - -A man brushed roughly past him and seized the bridle of the fallen -horse. - -"Quick!--if you've got a knife, comrade, cut the traces!" he yelled. -"Fast now! We've got to get them out of this. And watch yourself, or -it's good-night!" - -"I know it," muttered Don. - -He took out his knife. A sharp, quick slash, and one of the leather -traces was cut in two. Then the keen-bladed instrument ripped its way -through another. And from that moment the aviator's son was constantly -in the midst of the greatest excitement and danger. - -Now he was cutting the traces; now helping to urge the horses to one -side; now tugging hard at a bridle, jerked this way and that, or lifted -bodily off his feet, perhaps to get a fleeting glimpse by means of a -bluish glare of lightning of a great head with foaming mouth, distended -nostrils and glaring eyes rearing high above him and to feel the hot -breath of the animal upon his cheek. More than once he was violently -bumped and almost sent to his knees. - -The constant shuffling of feet, the pounding of hoofs, the loud rough -voices of men raised in harsh yells and commands and the accompaniment -of rolling, booming thunder and bursting shells seemed in Don Hale's -mind to form a part of some strange, wild fantasy rather than of actual -reality. - -At last, however, the war in the roadway was at an end; one by one the -horses capitulated to superior intelligence and skill and were led -aside. Only those which lay helpless where they had fallen remained to -be attended to. - -The aviator's son, quite exhausted, his head still throbbing violently, -felt compelled to rest. Every joint and muscle in his body seemed to be -aching. A dull pain caused by the repeated concussions was in his ears. -And then: - -"Tres pressé! Tres pressé!" - -The words, shaping themselves in his mind again, fell from his lips. - -Their appeal could not be disregarded. With an energy born of an -earnest desire to fulfil his duties to the uttermost, he resolutely -cast aside every thought of physical discomfort or of fatigue and once -more lent his efforts to the work of clearing the road. - -Never had he toiled harder than he did during the next three-quarters -of an hour, and by that time the last uninjured horse was up and the -wreckage and débris sufficiently cleared away to permit the passage of -Ambulance Number Eight. - -It was a joyful moment to the weary Don Hale when he climbed aboard -the car, yet, withal, a very sad one. Where was Chase? How lonely--how -depressing it seemed without him! - -"Hello, Chase--hello!" he called. - -He heaved a great sigh, as no answering hail was received, and, -murmuring, "Well, such is war!" put the vehicle into motion. There was -no help for it--he must continue on to the outpost alone. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - - A FOOTSTEP ON THE STAIR - - -For a few seconds after Don Hale had jumped down from his seat on -Number Eight Chase Manning sat motionless. His brain was in a tumult -and all power over his muscles seemed to have vanished. There was no -escape--there could be no escape, he thought, from such a horrible -situation; and when after a few moments had passed and he found himself -still alive it came as a matter of great surprise. Then, suddenly, -a reaction set in; the benumbing sensations which had robbed him of -strength and courage disappeared, and in their stead came a wild, a -feverish desire to run--to run in any direction so long as it led away -from the vicinity of that terrible road. - -He heard Don Hale call, and by a flash of lightning discovered him -hastening away. To his mind his fellow ambulancier was seeking safety -in flight, and to act in any other way he thought would have been -sheer madness--almost like offering oneself up as a sacrifice to the -God of War. - -He sprang to the ground, and, in a state of the utmost panic and -excitement, lunged heavily through the mud, seeking for a passageway -between the vehicles. - -Those were terrible moments to Chase Manning. He felt cold shivers -coursing through him; his heart was throbbing painfully. - -Shells began bursting with fearful force close about him and his -overstrained nerves threatened to give way completely. - -Men were dashing past, running with all that mad haste which -characterizes the actions of those fleeing for their lives. - -"It's all up! It's all up!" - -The words fell stutteringly from Chase Manning's lips. - -The flashing fire of the exploding projectiles, the thunderous -concussions and the fumes which were wafted in his face appalled him. -He began to experience a feeling of rage--of bitter rage against those -who were responsible for the engines of destruction on the opposite -hills. - -He soon found a narrow passageway between the transports and then, -with lowered head, began running across a muddy, uneven field--a -field that one moment was swallowed up in pitchy blackness and the -next illuminated with a dazzling glare of lightning. In his panic and -confusion of mind, he entirely forgot the shelters that might have been -found along the road. - -As he plunged and staggered ahead his feet often sank deeply into the -soft, yielding soil, which held on to them with a sucking, tenacious -grip that was hard to break. Although dazed--almost unable to think -coherently--he never ceased to put forth his utmost exertions. The -bursting projectiles were dropping to the right and left of him, ahead -and behind, each with a gleam of flame, a stunning detonation and -an enormous rounded pile of smoke, and now and then shrapnel shells -exploding in the air sprayed the earth with bullets. - -Despite the pains and aches which the strenuous exertion brought into -his frame, Chase kept struggling on, in the midst of Heaven's storm -and the far deadlier storm created by man. Many a time he had narrow -escapes from falling headlong into the shell-craters that pitted the -field; many a time he crawled around a rim to safety. - -At length, after having been on the move for about five minutes, he -began climbing the slope of a low ridge, and on arriving at the top, -his forces being practically exhausted, he was obliged to come to an -unwilling halt. - -He had withdrawn, as it were, to the edge of the zone of falling -marmites; and with this knowledge the turbulence of his emotions slowly -subsided and he was better able to grasp the sense of things. - -"Poor Don Hale!" he panted. "I'll bet he's 'gone West'![11] How -terrible!" - -[Footnote 11: "Gone West": been killed.] - -Making no effort to protect himself from either the wind or rain, -the young chap from Maine turned, and, with eyes that twitched with -excitement, gazed in the direction from whence he had come. A portion -of the road lay in full view, and as each flash gleamed in the sky, -he could see the motionless transports vaguely defined against the -background. Column after column of ugly-looking smoke was being swept -along with the wind, sometimes clearly in front of the camions, -sometimes clearly on the other side. Vaguely, he thought that the -Chemin de Mort never could have received a worse baptism of fire. - -What was he to do? Where should he go? - -Able to reason clearly for the first time since the explosion, these -questions presented themselves to his mind. And to neither could he -find a satisfactory answer. Of one thing he was quite certain--it would -have been beyond reason for him to return to the road. - -And yet, in spite of his gratitude to Providence for having spared -him, he felt a curious and ill-defined feeling of dissatisfaction with -himself. Had he been guilty of deserting his post? - -He could answer the question firmly with a "No!" - -Had he acted with any degree of bravery? - -He could also answer that question with a "No!" - -Wet and miserable, Chase Manning passed through some very distressing -moments. - -And then something occurred which once more caused him to start with -alarm. It was the familiar whistle of an "arrivé," a sound which never -failed to send a series of tremors through him. He had time to wonder -where it was going to land and whether he should throw himself flat on -the ground when the explosion occurred. And it was so close at hand -that for a few terrible moments Chase felt that he must certainly be -struck by some of the flying fragments. - -"By George, that was another narrow shave!" he exclaimed, in a -hollow voice. "If I don't get away from here in a hurry one of those -confounded things will get me yet." - -For a second time Chase Manning began a flight, not so precipitous as -the first, though none the less determined. - -But for the lightning he would scarcely have been able to make any -progress at all; for he was now in the midst of a patch of timber. -The tall straight trees, mostly denuded of their branches and boughs, -seemed more suggestive of a collection of gaunt telegraph poles than -of monarchs of the forest. He did not succeed in getting through this -woods, however, without receiving many painful jabs and bumps from -various objects which impeded his progress. - -A little farther along Chase stumbled upon a road at the crest of a -hill, and after his weary march over the water-soaked, torn-up earth to -be actually on a highway once more came as a most welcome relief. - -"Well, only a little while ago I certainly never would have expected -that I'd be standing here safe and sound!" he panted. "Now, what am I -going to do? The bombardment along the road seems to be about over." - -With the change in the situation the tension seemed to be lifted in a -measure from the young Red Cross driver's mind. He had gone through the -most frightful peril without anything more serious happening to him -than a few minor bruises and scratches. And now that it was all over -it scarcely seemed as if it ever could have happened. And what was the -sequel to be? - -To this self-propounded query the answer came at once: - -"Return to the road and Ambulance Number Eight, or, at least, to the -place where you left it." - -But where was the ambulance? He had paid no attention to direction in -his flight and hadn't the least idea now where the road lay. Thoroughly -perplexed, Chase leaned against a tree trunk. - -The storm had lessened, but of all the dreary and dismal situations -it was possible to imagine this seemed about the worst. Here he -was--alone, in utter blackness, with a few pattering drops of rain -occasionally falling and little gusts of wind toying with the -vegetation and making a weird symphony of sounds. - -"The people who started this confounded war haven't my best regards," -he growled. "It's----Oh--oh--hello! Who would have believed it!" - -A flash of lightning had enabled him to make an interesting and -surprising discovery. It was the tower of the Château de Morancourt, -faintly visible in the distance. - -"Great Julius Cæsar!" exclaimed Chase. "I said no more night visits to -lonely châteaus for me, but, by Jove, I'm privileged to change my mind. -After what I've gone through another visit would seem like a joyful -picnic. Yes sir--why not? The château at present seems to be perfectly -safe from German guns. So I'll just wait in the ancient stronghold of -the De Morancourts for daylight to come." - -Having decided upon something definite, Chase immediately felt very -much better. He easily managed to persuade himself that it was the -wisest course to pursue, though at times unpleasant doubts persisted in -coming into his mind. - -"Confound it! Nobody could be expected to take a chance of throwing his -life away," he growled almost savagely. "Anyway--here goes!" - -Traveling along the road, the young chap made rapid progress, even -though the gloom was so intense that he often found himself plunging -off into muddy fields at the side. Thoroughly drenched, he waded -regardlessly through the pools and puddles, his sole thought being to -reach the château, and, in quiet and safety, give his nerves and body -the rest they required. - -Arriving at the base of the hill, he found the entrance to the park -of the Château de Morancourt right before him. How it brought -back recollections of his previous visit! He thought of Don Hale, -the youngest ambulance driver in the service, and his anxiety and -forebodings concerning him increased, especially now that his thoughts -were not upon his own immediate safety. - -"Poor chap--poor chap!" he murmured many times. "How great a suspense I -must endure! Ah!--war--war! What a terrible thing it is! Oh, but hang -it all, I mustn't think too much!" - -Chase, groping his way past the gate-posts, entered the grounds. -Everywhere the surroundings were black and forbidding, for only an -occasional gleam of lightning from the now rapidly-departing storm -faintly illuminated the sky. - -"Anyway, I'm in no danger of losing my way," he thought, a little -grimly. "Be as black as you please, old nature; I am in a position to -defy your efforts!" - -Walking steadily along between trees which he could scarcely see and -by the side of lawns equally invisible, he soon found himself in -front of the ancient château. The lightning flashed, and the ruined -tower, austere and threatening-looking, stood for an instant a black -silhouette against the glare, and then melted away into obscurity. - -On a former occasion the loneliness and mystery of the night -had strangely impressed Chase Manning; now such things appeared -trivial--not worthy of a moment's thought. He was no longer affected -by idle fancies or tricks of the imagination--actualities alone -concerned him. Even the thought of the mysterious sound and the -equally mysterious flashing light were totally disregarded as, slowly -and cautiously, he passed under the great porte-cochère and circled -entirely around the structure, not stopping until he came to the broken -window. - -What he would not have dreamed of doing before had he been alone -he now proceeded to do without a tremor, and that was to grasp the -window-sill, pull himself up and enter the building. - -"Whew! I thought that nothing could be blacker than it is outside," he -reflected, "but I was mistaken. It's a mighty good thing I brought this -along." - -In another instant a pocket flash-light was sending a dancing beam of -light across the floor. - -"That chair which disturbed our equanimity the other night ought to -serve as a mighty nice and comfortable resting-place to a weary, -mud-bespattered fugitive from the horrors of war," muttered Chase. "Ah, -but this has been a night to be remembered!" - -Quickly crossing the great apartment, he entered the next, and, well -remembering the position of the chair, directed his light upon the -spot. But instead of its rays streaming over the piece of furniture, as -he had fully expected, they simply made a patch on the floor and wall. - -And at the discovery of the fact that it had actually been moved again -Chase Manning gave a start. - -"By George, that's queer!" he jerked out. "Is this really a deserted -château, or isn't it? Am I alone, or are there others around?" - -He paused irresolutely, fighting an impulse to turn upon his heel and -make a precipitous exit from the place over which so much mystery -seemed to hover. - -"No, sir! I came here to stay until daylight--and stay I will!" he -muttered determinedly. "Hello!" - -The flash-light which he was idly directing about had suddenly lifted -the form of the chair out of the darkness. It stood in an inconspicuous -position, partly concealed by a handsome screen. - -"Now, I'd give quite a lot to know just how it got there," he mused. -"Did the same person who moved it before repeat the operation, or was -it some one else? Ah, that's a question which would certainly interest -Don Hale!" - -Then, as his thoughts reverted to his fellow ambulancier, Chase felt -such a troubled feeling coming over him that for a moment he quite -cast aside his reflections concerning the peculiar travels of the -innocent-looking chair. Don, he feared, was hasty and impulsive, with -the rash bravery which sometimes belongs to youth. What a terrible -thing it would be if anything should have happened to him! - -Chase was thoroughly weary. His endurance had been tried to a greater -extent than ever before in his life, and with every movement pains -shot through him. Without wasting any time in cogitation or surmises, -he walked over to the chair, pulled it away from the screen, and then, -giving expression to a feeling of contentment, sat down. - -"This has certainly been a night of contrast," he sighed. "From being -in the midst of storm and battle to a luxurious seat in a fine old -château is a wonderful change." - -Stretching his legs out before him, Chase closed his eyes and prepared -to get as much comfort as possible, though, of course, in his wet -uniform and with shoes heavily caked with mud, there was not much to -be had. It seemed very solemn. From outside came the rumble of the big -guns; but the soft soughing of the tree tops in the breeze, a soothing, -lulling sound, aided the boy in his effort to compose himself. - -Soon Chase was only vaguely conscious of his surroundings. He seemed -to be again going through the terrifying ordeal of the night, in the -midst of a most extraordinary confusion, neither real, nor yet unreal. -At length, however, as though his brain had become too weary to longer -allow these thoughts to hold such a mastery over him, he fell into a -peaceful doze and from that drifted into a state of profound slumber. - -Though in reality considerable time had passed, it seemed but a moment -later that his eyes suddenly opened. - -Chase realized that something had startled him, but what he could not -tell. A peculiar tingling sensation ran through him. He looked hastily -about. What did he see? - -Nothing, save that the windows instead of being indistinguishable from -the rest of the room showed as faintly-gray patches of light--the dawn -was breaking. - -Mentally deciding that imagination had played with him, Chase was about -to rise from his seat when he heard the sound of a footfall caused by -some one descending the grand stairway. - -Quite electrified, he stifled a gasp. It was a most unpleasant -experience, conjuring up in his mind all sorts of strange, wild -fancies. Should he make his presence known? - -For the life of him he could not repress a series of cold shivers; his -nerves were on the keenest edge. And as he sat there motionless the -tread of feet sounded louder; yes, some one was approaching. - -Now Chase stood up. And then, as his eyes were turned toward the -doorway leading to the dining-room, a flashing light suddenly shot -across the threshold--and behind it he perceived the dark, shadowy form -of a man. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - - BARRAGE FIRE - - -Don Hale certainly had a very unpleasant prospect before him. -Responsibility shared is that much lessened; but, bravely holding his -feelings in check, he guided Number Eight with a firm hand. - -"I hope to goodness no more adventures are in store for me to-night," -he thought, grimly. - -Reaching the scene of the catastrophe, the car bumped and floundered -heavily over places where the explosion had torn up the road-bed. - -The "empties" were still stalled, but the transports in advance had -gone on their way; and for this Don felt very thankful, as it enabled -him to make better speed. - -Around another bend--then Number Eight began mounting the rather narrow -road which led over the hill just beyond. The roar of the big guns -hidden in the forest was now almost incessant, and between the trees -in the distance, through the clearing atmosphere, the ambulancier -caught glimpses of flares and signal bombs rising above the German -trenches. - -Along this portion of the way he again encountered "arrivés," which -were coming in pretty fast and still further devastating the forest, -but so long as none of them landed within a few hundred yards or so the -young Red Cross driver's mind was easy. - -Finally the ambulance climbed over the summit and presently went -slipping and sliding down the opposite slope. The lightning now cast -only an occasional glimmer among the trees and the task of piloting the -car down that wet and treacherous incline required all the skill Don -Hale possessed. Not the faintest glimpse of horses, wagons or trucks -could he see. It was taking chances with a vengeance. Nevertheless the -young ambulancier, ever mindful of the serious nature of his mission, -kept steadily on, while the forest all about him rang and reverberated -with the thunderous reports of the big guns. A succession of rolling -hills was passed in safety, and now the dreaded crossroad was being -approached. - -"The Germans are peppering it, all right!" exclaimed Don, aloud. - -A marmite had just dropped on the heights above. - -There are some things to which the nerves can never become accustomed. -Don Hale felt his heart throbbing faster; he clutched the steering -wheel with a stronger grip, and anxiously peered upward. - -Bang! - -Another shell, he felt sure, had come close to its objective point. -Still Number Eight kept plugging steadily along, and while the boy's -thoughts were fixed intently on the crossroad a series of bright -flashes accompanied by crashing reports from the top of a high bank -almost overhead nearly startled the life out of him. - -A battery of soixante-quinze, or seventy-fives, had suddenly gone into -action. The force of the concussions was so frightful as to cause the -ambulance to shake and tremble in the most violent fashion. The young -ambulancier's head seemed to be fairly bursting. - -Guns on the other side of the road now began blazing away, and to the -rolling, volleying, crashing reports was joined the echoes hurled back -by the surrounding hills. - -A tir de barrage[12] was on. - -[Footnote 12: Tir de barrage: a barrage fire, or bombardment by which -shells are placed close together along a certain line, so as to form -there a barrier against advancing troops.] - -Fearful that his ear-drums might be permanently injured, Don strove to -get away with all possible speed, but the road was slippery, the hill -rather steep, and under the circumstances Number Eight could only crawl -along. - -He found the strain almost unendurable. - -The roar gradually became louder, at last culminating in one mighty, -reverberating crescendo, like the rolling and booming of continuous -thunder, which jarred the earth with its appalling intensity. - -As the car neared the top of a slope Don Hale, scarcely able to control -his jumping nerves, became a witness to one of the most marvelous and -stupendous spectacles which man has ever given to the world. - -From the heights both to the north and south as far as his vision -could reach, guns of many calibers were belching forth their messengers -of death so fast that in places the spurts of livid fire piercing the -blackness appeared almost to join together and form a flickering line -of flame. All the elements of the sublime, the terrible and the unreal -were there; and so awestruck and thrilled was the boy that, actually -forgetting the danger which threatened him, he brought the ambulance to -a halt and gazed with wonderment on the scene. - -Streaming high into the sky was a great pyrotechnic display. Balls -of brilliant white fire sent a ghastly light over the surrounding -landscape; red and green signal rockets were continually ascending, -while powerful searchlights flashed this way and that, until the night -was fairly driven away and a strange, almost supernatural illumination -held sway. - -Breathless, almost spellbound, Don Hale sat in the seat of the -ambulance. Then, suddenly, recalled to his senses by the words "tres -pressé" flashing through his mind, he put the car in motion again. -Truth to tell, the boy had never been more frightened--more unnerved in -his life. While such a fearful commotion was under way it seemed as if -nowhere could any safety possibly exist. All things impressive at other -times now dwindled into insignificance. - -Occasionally the vari-colored lights in the sky shone faintly on the -now moving line of "empties." Amid the immensity of the conflict even -the great camions appeared like mere atoms. However, it gave Don Hale a -sense of vast relief to know that he was not alone. - -The ambulance descended a slope and mounted a hill beyond. - -The danger point was right before him. The vehicle lurched heavily. -The rear wheels had narrowly missed sliding into a shell-hole. Yes, -there had been some work going on at the crossroads that night. Now the -driver increased his speed, and Number Eight presently shot over the -brow of the hill. - -And from the heights Don caught a glimpse of another extraordinary -scene--the bright flashes of the French shells, a literal stream of -fire, bursting over the German lines--withering, scorching blasts, -which must have been fairly annihilating to the enemy's trenches. And -in the heavens above was another magnificent display of star-shells and -signal rockets. But this time Don did not halt a second. - -The thunder of the guns showed no signs of abating, and as blow invites -blow, so the artillery on the eastern hills was stirred into frenzied -action, and the terrible din of the French batteries was answered -by the terrible din of the foe's. Countless projectiles whistled -and screamed overhead in both directions. Every instant terrific -detonations came from shell-bursts in the forest, and frequently the -frightened driver of the Red Cross ambulance caught glimpses of their -lurid gleams. - -"It seems almost like the end of the world!" he reflected, with a -shiver. - -About this time the boy began to vaguely wonder if dawn was not -breaking. At first quite uncertain, he soon realized that the blackness -actually was being dispelled. - -"Ah, what a relief!" he cried. - -Imperceptibly but steadily, the light spread throughout the sky, and -finally a cold, cheerless glimmer was descending into the valleys, -bringing the surroundings very plainly into view. Once more the -serpent-like line of camions had come to a halt. Not a driver could -be seen, all evidently having sought safety in the abris along the -roadside. Don Hale felt an almost irresistible impulse to do the same, -but, manfully setting such thoughts aside, he stuck to his post. - -At last the car was chugging its way up the slope of the final hill. -Now the tops of the gaunt, scarred trees above stood out clearly -against the rapidly-lightening sky. Gleams of somber gray were -penetrating into the forest and formless shadows began to assume -definite shapes. All nature appeared in its most sad and melancholy -aspect. The dripping, water-soaked vegetation reflected the dull -leaden gray of the clouds overhead; rivulets were still trickling down -the hill and huge puddles and pools lay on all sides, as reminders -of the recent storm. There is always a certain solemnity about the -awakening of day, and this particular dawn seemed to be one of the most -impressive the young ambulancier had ever known. He could not help -picturing in his mind the awful scenes which must be taking place along -the battle-front, yet, wrought up as were his nerves, thoughts of Chase -Manning almost constantly came to his mind. Had anything happened to -him? Where was he? What wouldn't he have given to know! - -The last stretch was probably the most terrible of all. Shells were -actually landing all about the road. Like avalanches, the upheaved -earth and stones and trees came crashing downward, though, amid the -terrible roar, no sounds of their falling could be heard. - -Now that the light was stronger, Don Hale, his face bathed in -perspiration, drove recklessly; and Number Eight, like a marathon -sprinter on the final lap, wobbled, staggered and shook as it bowled -over the last few yards of the main road and turned into the spur which -led to the abri. - -"Great Julius Cæsar! I am actually here!" cried Don. - -The car stopped with a jerk, and in another second he was on the -ground, running with all speed toward the shelter. - -With every ounce of his strength he pounded on the door. - -It was almost immediately opened, and Don Hale, the youngest -ambulancier in the Red Cross service, almost fell inside. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - "DESERTER!" - - -Chase Manning, in the great apartment of the Château de Morancourt, was -most unpleasantly startled--even alarmed. Who was this man? What was -he doing there? Where had he been while Chase slept peacefully in the -chair? - -The mind under stress works rapidly, and all sorts of conjectures -flashed through his brain. Presently the man entered the room, the rays -from a flash-light in his hand sending streaks of light jumping here -and there in the most erratic fashion. - -And still Chase Manning stood immovable. He was wrestling with his -nerves, and obtaining control over them by slow degrees. Perhaps the -stranger would pass through the room without discovering his presence. - -And just as he was devoutly hoping that such might be the case the -little stream of light switched abruptly from its course and darted -straight toward him. - -Chase Manning, with a gasp of dismay, found the rays of the instrument -directly in his eyes. - -The man recoiled, uttering at the same time a curious, half-stifled -cry. He had evidently been terribly startled. The flash-light quivered -and shook, and the illumination, swinging off from Chase, struck the -wall behind him. - -But in an instant it was again turned in his direction, and the man, -with a loud, angry exclamation, stepped hastily forward. - -"Who are you?" he cried, in a voice which, though it showed the effects -of his scare, rang throughout the room. - -His menacing attitude, his aggressive action and the tone in which -he spoke made Chase Manning fall warily back. Face to face with an -actuality, however, his nervousness departed. He felt, too, a touch of -anger beginning to surge within him. Instead of immediately replying, -therefore, he jerked out his own flash-light, and instantly a whitish -glare fell squarely upon his interrogator's face. - -Thus, had any one else been present, he would have witnessed a most -singular spectacle--two people each directing a stream of light upon -the other, each grimly silent, each with a most eager look upon his -face. - -And breaking the tense, strained silence there came a simultaneous cry -of surprise--of amazement--from both. - -"You--you!" stammered Chase. - -Yes, he had seen that man before. He was the poilu whom they had -encountered at the Hotel Cheval Noir. But his attitude, his expression -and his manner were in such striking contrast to that of the suave, -polished and distinguished-looking Frenchman that it scarcely seemed -possible that he could be the same. - -"So it is you, eh?" exclaimed the French soldier, in a voice choked -with anger. "What do you mean? By what right, I ask, are you invading -the Château de Morancourt at this early hour?" - -And, advancing, he shook his finger threateningly in the other's face. - -Though astounded--nonplussed--Chase Manning stood his ground. - -"And may I ask by what right you are here?" he demanded. "What do you -mean by invading the château at this early morning hour?" - -"And that, I may say, concerns me alone. But I demand an answer to -my question. A person does not enter a place like this without some -definite object. Explain--or I may be compelled to place the matter -before the proper authorities!" - -Chase Manning's command of French was rather limited, but he found no -difficulty in speaking the foreign tongue sufficiently well. - -"As you please, Monsieur," he exclaimed. "And in that case you may have -some explaining to do yourself. When you heard our story the other -night you never said a word about coming to the château, and yet I'll -wager you're the very man who moved this chair--who carried the light -that my friend saw at the window. I dare you to deny it." - -The vehemence of the American's manner, the high pitch of his voice, -the light which gleamed in his eye seemed to rouse the other to a -greater degree of wrath. - -"Who are you, that you should interrogate me?" he demanded harshly. -"Why are you not at your post? The road, I believe, was shelled this -morning. Every car and the services of every man belonging to the -ambulance corps must be imperatively required in such an emergency; and -yet you are here--why? I have strong suspicions, indeed, that you are -a----" - -"Say it!" blurted out Chase, savagely. "Just say it!" - -Perhaps there had never been a more dramatic moment in the history -of the Château de Morancourt. Standing only a few feet apart, the -two faced each other as if ready to begin a most desperate battle. -The soldier's insinuation had touched Chase Manning to the quick. -It was insupportable--something that he could not and would not -stand. Though the word was never uttered it seemed to ring in his -ears--"deserter!--deserter!" - -"Take that back and apologize!" shouted Chase, "or--or----" - -He got no further. - -A quick movement on the part of the poilu--a sudden raising of an -arm--then Chase discovered the muzzle of a revolver on the level of his -eyes. - -With a cry of alarm, he stepped back. Never before had he so forcibly -realized how ugly and dangerous a revolver can look. As though -fascinated, he stood staring at the muzzle, which gleamed and sparkled -in the rays of his flash-light. - -"I take nothing back," answered the other, firmly. "And, furthermore, -Monsieur, I order you to leave at once. Delays are dangerous. Go--go, I -say!" - -He stepped forward, pushing the revolver almost into the American's -face. - -Chase had never been so furious--so disgusted in the whole course -of his life, and at the same time he felt greatly alarmed. The -poilu seemed fairly bristling with rage--on the point, indeed, of -uncontrollable fury. - -Chase, helpless, was almost afraid to trust himself to speak. - -"Perhaps another time you will first learn to whom you are talking!" -continued the Frenchman. "Allez--allez!" - -As the soldier advanced step by step, never letting the revolver -waver from in front of the American's head, another strange scene -was enacted within the walls of the Château de Morancourt. Chase -Manning retreated; and in this singular fashion they crossed the great -apartment and entered the next, heading for the demolished window. - -And it was not until they reached it that any further words were -spoken. Then Chase, who could scarcely control his pent-up emotions, -burst out explosively: - -"Americans, Monsieur, do not need revolvers to bolster up their -courage. We have met twice; perhaps our third encounter will be the -most interesting of the three." - -"Go!" said the Frenchman, sternly. "One--two--three!" - -But by the time he had uttered the "three" Chase Manning was safely -outside. - -He did not tarry, either. Facing an angry man armed with a revolver he -considered too dangerous a proposition. - -It was fully ten minutes before he had recovered sufficiently to -think with any degree of calmness. The fresh air, however, the -slowly-awakening day, and the sound of birds singing in the trees all -combined to soothe his overwrought nerves. - -"Well, that was certainly a peach of a row!" he muttered, at length. -He began to laugh softly. "Another illustration of the strangeness of -human nature! I suppose if either of us had only remained cool a few -words of explanation might have prevented such a miniature war. Now, I -wonder who in the world that poilu can be! Strange--incomprehensible! -'First learn to whom you are talking!' Well, if there is one certain -thing in the world, I will learn to whom I was talking. Ah! Deserter, -eh?" - -He clenched his fists. The hot blood mounted to his face. He came to a -halt and looked back. - -The old château appeared very dim and shadowy; for the cold, -cheerless light in the eastern sky was just beginning to steal over -the mist-covered landscape. Everything was reeking with moisture; -vegetation faintly glimmered; every gust of wind seemed to bring down -pattering drops of water from the leaves. Presently, he stood in a -streamer of mist, and between him and the distance were others. The -world that surrounded him was gray and melancholy-looking. Boughs -and branches bestrewed the carriage road, and in whatever direction -he turned there seemed to be nothing but dampness, desolation and -cheerlessness. - -Chase had been so concerned with his own personal affairs as to -be almost unmindful of everything else; now he realized that the -guns of both armies were pounding away at a fearful rate. The -perplexing question of what he should do came back to him. To steer -in the direction of the road seemed like madness; and yet the word -"deserter--deserter!" could not be banished from his mind. The thought -made him clench his fists again. Ah! he would show them--he would show -anybody whether such a word could truthfully be applied to him! He was -in a mood to welcome danger--to defy it. A new spirit seemed to have -been awakened within him. Notwithstanding the roar of the artillery, -he started off at a rapid rate. Not long afterward the great park lay -to the rear and he was traveling upon the road along which he had come -during the night. - -Slowly the light of day crept across the landscape, though the mists, -which continued to hang low over the earth, occasionally prevented him -from seeing very far. - -"Whew! What a night!" muttered Chase. "Shall I ever forget it? And how -singular a wind-up!" - -The boy indulged in a train of reflections concerning the Château de -Morancourt and the mysterious poilu until he approached a zone in which -lay the gravest dangers. - -The barrage, rising to tremendous heights, was making a din that -rivaled thunder in its intensity. - -At last he was brought to a halt. To continue any further toward that -raging tornado of shot and shell would have been both foolhardy and -useless. Seating himself on a rock by the roadside he listened and -marveled at the fury of the bombardment. Though terrible and tragic, -there seemed to be in it something of the magnificent and sublime. And -the raging conflict had the effect of making him forget himself and his -worries. - -The sun rose above the horizon, and what little mist remained was -soon dispelled. In place of somberness and cold, gray tones a trace -of warm, mellow color spread over the landscape, and presently beams -of sunlight were shooting between breaks in the clouds. The hills and -distance came into view. - -Wonderful indeed was the spectacle before Chase Manning's eyes. For -miles along the German front the shells from hundreds and hundreds -of French guns of all calibers were exploding, and the multiplicity -of flames gleaming through the smoke produced a marvelous, almost -terrifying sight. The upper portions of the rolling columns were tinged -with rosy hues. - -Spellbound, forgetful of almost everything else, Chase Manning -continued to gaze on the battle, which had now reached its greatest -height. Birds were singing close about him; some alighted on the road -not far away, but he scarcely saw them; his whole mind was centered, -with feelings of the deepest awe, upon that titanic conflict between -the great nations of the world. He thought of the countless sacrifices, -of the horror and the tragedy; and he wondered how, in this great age, -the folly of mankind could have reached such stupendous proportions. - -Very often he saw projectiles bursting in the fields or on the slopes -of the hills and sending high in the air huge geysers of smoke and -earth. - -An hour passed, and the rolling, booming and volleying of the guns had -begun to lessen; it was as if their fury had been spent--their strength -exhausted by the tremendous effort. - -"What I have witnessed would seem to be enough to shake the world," -commented Chase, "and yet perhaps it may mean only a gain for the -French of a few hundred yards or the capture of a trench or two. -Now, boy--en route--en route! As the mysterious poilu said, 'every -car--every man must be needed;' and, by George, I'll do my share of -work to-day, unless the Boches should happen to catch me before I have -a chance." - -The old sullen look which had so often marred his features had -vanished, and in spite of the ordeal of the night he appeared -keen--alert--earnest. Though he fully realized the great risk he ran, -he resumed his journey. - -The way led over a series of hills--barren, desolate-looking hills; -for all the trees and vegetation had been scorched and blasted by the -enemy's shells. Every once in a while concussions sounded that brought -back some of the old tingling sensations, while shells continually -whistled over his head from French batteries on the hills at the rear. -To Chase's great satisfaction, the road led in the right direction; -then, to further encourage him and revive his spirits, the canopy of -clouds overhead was beginning to break away, and nature, refreshed and -revivified by the rain, appeared in its most charming aspect. - -As Chase finally neared the road which led to the outpost he saw -many evidences of the destruction wrought by the bombardment--huge -shell-craters, trees uprooted or broken and splintered, and, in many -places, great quantities of loose earth and rocks scattered over the -ground. - -"I don't think anybody can blame me for getting away in such a hurry," -he murmured, with a wry smile. "By George! I can't say I exactly relish -the idea of going to the outpost on foot, but it's got to be done." - -Within a very few minutes he turned into the main highway, soon -discovering that he had reached a point close to the place where the -explosion had occurred. Of course the train of ammunition and supply -wagons was no longer there, in fact the road appeared absolutely -deserted, but Chase had scarcely tramped more than a hundred yards or -so when he caught sight of a motor car in the distance swinging rapidly -toward him. - -"One of our ambulances, I'll wager!" he cried. - -The surmise proved to be correct - -"And, by George, wouldn't I give a lot if it were Number Eight!" - -With the utmost eagerness and hope, he kept his eyes fixed upon the -vehicle. In a few moments he would be able to tell. - -"No!" - -He sighed with disappointment. Neither of the figures on the front seat -was the aviator's son. - -He heard a shout as the car sped swiftly by and saw a hand raised as if -in salutation, and, murmuring, "It's Number Five!" continued on his way. - -Scarcely had the car disappeared around a bend when another came into -view and behind it a third. They, too, were traveling at a rate of -speed which showed their mission to be of a most urgent nature. - -"Yes siree, the section's busy, all right!" murmured Chase. "Now maybe -Don is among these chaps." - -But once more he had to suffer the pangs of disappointment. - -Just as soon as the cars had passed he broke into a run, not so much -on account of the danger from the falling marmites, the explosions -of which every now and again jarred over the air, but because of his -intense anxiety to fulfil his duties and to learn if anything had -befallen Don Hale. - -When Chase, panting from his exertions, reached the scene of the -disaster he was not surprised to find a great amount of wreckage -bordering the road on either hand. Several camions, battered and -smashed beyond repair, were before his eyes, as well as poles, harness -and chains, remnants of cases which had once contained goods, and, here -and there, the bodies of horses, the whole forming a truly melancholy -spectacle,--all the meanness and sordidness of warfare with nothing of -its grandeur. - -Chase, thankful indeed that he could not discover anything among the -débris belonging to Number Eight, nevertheless shuddered as vivid -recollections of the bombardment crowded into his mind. - -Passing around the curve in the road, he began toiling up the hill. -In his impatience to reach the post the way seemed to drag out -interminably. - -The guns in the forest were roaring at intervals--much too short -intervals to suit him; for many had their muzzles almost pointed over -the road, and the early morning air was filled with a purplish haze -of smoke. Now and then the German gunners, searching to put these -batteries out of commission, sent shells hurtling among the trees, to -create still further havoc. That walk of Chase Manning's to the outpost -was certainly the most eventful he had ever taken. - -"It is like flirting with death!" he grunted, after recovering from the -effects of a blast which had made him jump with alarm. - -And it was not the last time either that he experienced such -sensations while traveling over the hilltops and down in the valleys. -At times he almost gave up hope of ever reaching his destination, as -the guns blazing furiously away suggested that the tir de barrage -was about to start again. In spite of all his efforts, just at that -particular time, Chase could not altogether master a feeling of dull -despair. And while in the midst of one of these moods he happened to -stop abruptly and look behind him. - -A cry--a joyous cry escaped his lips. A Red Cross car was coming down -the hill at a rate which fairly astonished him. Now and then it jolted -and bounced or took a wide, swinging curve around some bad place in the -road, but it was not reckless or careless driving. The young chap at -the steering wheel seemed to be handling the car with all the skill, -all the courage displayed by the drivers in an automobile race. - -[Illustration: A RED CROSS CAR WAS COMING.] - -The sight of that oncoming car served to remove a tremendous load from -Chase Manning's mind. But what he discovered, as the whirr of wheels -grew louder and he was able to see clearly the bent-over figure of the -driver, made him feel like giving expression to his joy in a series of -wild, exuberant shouts. - -"Don Hale!" he gasped. "Sure as I live, it's Don Hale!" He raised his -voice in a loud yell of "Hello, Don; hello!" - -And on the instant the racing car slackened speed, and, rolling up to -within a few yards of the Red Cross driver, came to an abrupt halt. - -"Great Cæsar! I thought it was you, Chase," shouted Don Hale, his face -shining with happiness. "Honestly, I was never more glad of anything in -my life. But quick--jump in. There isn't a moment to lose. My, this is -certainly fine!" - -"The finest thing that ever happened!" agreed Chase, exultingly. He -sprang nimbly up to his old seat beside the driver, adding: "This is -better luck than I ever dreamed of, Don." - -In the great happiness and pleasure which the reunion gave them the -ambulanciers almost forgot the peril that constantly surrounded them; -indeed it was a wonderful moment to both, and though each felt deeply -anxious and curious to learn about the adventures of the other, they -realized that it was a time when personal affairs should have little -place in their thoughts. - -Chase settled himself comfortably on the seat and Number Eight was on -the way again. The young chap from Maine fairly bubbled over with glee, -and he looked so unlike the usually grim, taciturn Chase--the Chase -with whom the Red Cross men had become so familiar--that Don was quite -astonished. - -Owing to the condition of the road, the necessity of reaching the -outpost in the shortest possible time and the booming of the big guns, -the ambulanciers had scarcely exchanged a word when the car, turning -off the main highway, entered the spur and a moment later stopped -before the abri. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - - THE RED CROSS - - -In view of the immensity of the conflict and the number of guns -employed, it is not surprising that the surgeons at the outpost -and this particular Red Cross section had all the work they could -possibly attend to. Even as Don and Chase arrived the brancardiers -were bringing in the wounded from the firing-line on both stretchers -and little two-wheeled carts; so that all that Chase could learn about -his companion's movements was that he had passed through some very -thrilling times, and after reaching the outpost in safety had remained -there until the firing lessened sufficiently for the Red Cross men to -begin taking wounded to the hospital. He had already made several trips. - -"Well, well!--of all things!" exclaimed Docteur Vianey, addressing -Chase. "I cannot myself believe it possible that you have come." - -Swiftly and silently, four stretchers on which unfortunate poilus had -been laid after being picked up on the battle-front were slipped into -the ambulance. Don Hale and Chase Manning sprang to their seats, and -the car was on the way again. - -Down the hill it went at as fast a pace as Don could take it. It was -always the old question of saving minutes and perhaps thereby saving -lives. Very soon a string of three cars passed them returning to the -post. - -With never a stop, the ambulance kept plunging over the hills and -across the valleys, and once on the broad military road, with a clear -track ahead, Don increased its speed until objects by the wayside -seemed to be fairly hurling themselves toward the car and flying past -with bewildering rapidity. - -Now they were on the Chemin de Mort, and a few minutes later had gone -far beyond. A Red Cross car again flashed past; then, after a short -interval, another. The outlying houses of the village shot into view; -the ancient porte, in full sunlight, loomed up against the sky, and -the ambulance, without slackening speed, presently rolled under its -shadowed arch. The blurred outlines of the Hotel de la Palette soon -sprang into the range of vision. The car fairly leaped across the -intervening space, Don and Chase had an instantaneous view of the old -hostelry at close range, and then it too was sent spinning to the rear. -Almost like a flash, the rest of the village passed in review and the -Red Cross car was bowling along in the midst of an open country, past -encampments of soldiers and through little one-street hamlets crowded -with all the evidences of warfare, the toot, toot of its horn, the roar -and rumble of its wheels never failing to result in its being given the -right of way. - -At length, after speeding for about six kilometers, Number Eight swept -around a curve and rolled down a rather steep slope at the base of -which they could see a cluster of red-roofed houses between the trees. -A typical little French village it was--full of charm--full of poetry; -and enveloped in the soft haze of the morning it suggested a place of -quietude and charm. - -At the bottom of the hill there came an abrupt turn in the road. -The car rumbled across a little one-arch stone bridge, and almost -immediately they were in the midst of the low, stuccoed dwellings. -The tall poplars here and there sent a network of delicate shadows -across the road. Beyond, a church spire stood out clearly against the -glistening white of a mass of fleecy clouds, while the weather-vane, -reflecting the sun, gleamed like a spot of flame. Lazily floating near -the top of the steeple was that flag before which even the God of War -himself must pause--the flag which belongs to no country, to no race, -and yet belongs to all--the Red Cross flag; for this little village -church was no longer a place of worship but a field hospital where the -wounded received treatment before being sent further away from the -scene of hostilities. The vestry bad been turned into an operating -room, and over the floor of the main body of the church was laid a -thick carpet of straw upon which the injured soldiers lay in rows. - -There were many poilus about this little village, and also a number -of blue-bloused peasants, who, in spite of the terrible conflict, -persisted in tilling their fields and pursuing as orderly an existence -as events would allow. - -Only once was Number Eight obliged to halt before it reached its -destination, and that was when a farmer's cart drawn by a pair of -clumsy oxen rolled across its path. - -Another turn, and the ambulance drew up before the church, which faced -a little square. - -Scarcely had the car halted when brancardiers, followed by a surgeon -in white, put in an appearance, and with the same promptness that had -characterized the entire proceeding the wounded were lifted out and -carried into the hospital. - -"A wonderfully quick trip, mes amis Americaines," declared the surgeon; -"and I fear that you will have many more to make." - -"There's not much doubt about that, Monsieur le Médecin," exclaimed -Don. "Au revoir!" - -The young driver took the Red Cross ambulance along the road on the -return trip as fast as he could possibly pilot it in safety. A very -brief stop was made at the Hotel de la Palette, where the car was given -an overhauling and the supply of gasoline replenished. The French cook, -too, ever solicitous about the welfare of the men of the section, -handed each a substantial lunch, reminding them that care for their -own requirements would enable them to better serve the requirements of -others. - -"We'll certainly have to take it on the fly to-day," said Don, with a -grin, as he resumed his post. - -Number Eight had not traveled very far beyond the ancient gate when it -passed a pathetic procession of wounded poilus. Nearly all were swathed -in bandages, and, as though their terrifying experiences on the firing -line had dulled their senses, they seemed to be marching along in a -weary, listless manner, seeing nothing, hearing nothing and paying not -the slightest attention to their surroundings. On the faces of many -still rested traces of the horror--of the awful fear which must have -been theirs. The strong were assisting the weak; those who could see -guided the steps of those who could not; and the speed of the whole -straggling group was regulated by the halting, limping gait of men -scarcely able to drag themselves along. A strange, melancholy sight -indeed were these silent, mud-covered soldiers of France, who had -fought and suffered and given all but their lives to their country and -who were now almost physical wrecks. - -"It's terrible--terrible!" reflected Don Hale. "But c'est la guerre--it -is war." - -Some distance further on another peculiar procession was encountered, -though of an entirely different character. This was a long line of -captured Germans, guarded by officers on horseback. Strong, sturdy -specimens most of them appeared to be, and only a very few wore -bandages of any sort. Their attitude was that of men who felt immensely -relieved, and scarcely a downcast or sullen face could be seen among -the lot. Fritz, although a reliable fighter while engaged in the -business of fighting, is evidently a very philosophical and docile -prisoner. - -The ambulance reached the outpost without any further incident to -mark the journey. And as soon as the wounded could be placed on board -another trip to the hospital began. - -And thus for the whole day the work continued without intermission. -During the greater part of the time both the French and German -artillery kept up a heavy cannonade, and on several of their trips Don -and Chase ran into sufficient excitement and danger to show that the -latter had bravely pulled himself together. - -In all, the section carried about three hundred and seventy-five -wounded to the hospital, and it was not until after seven o'clock that -the car, splashed all over with mud, rolled into the cobbled courtyard -of the Hotel de la Palette and the two weary ambulanciers jumped out. - -"It's been a wonderful seventeen hours," commented Don. - -"I should say it has," agreed Chase. "It seems like an age. But it's me -for a nice wash, some supper, and then----" - -"A whole lot of conversation," laughed Don. "Just think, during all -this time we haven't had a single chance to listen to one another's -stories." - -At the supper table that evening every one heartily agreed that the -aviator's son deserved the Croix de Guerre. Every one heartily agreed, -too, that Chase had proved himself a man. - -"Honestly, Chase, I never could have believed it of you!" exclaimed -Wendell. "You know we--we--that is----" - -And here the chef paused. - -"Don't get confused, old chap," laughed the other. "To tell the truth, -fellows, the horror and tragedy of the war affected my nerves to a much -greater extent than I ever expected. I knew every one here thought I -had a yellow streak, and I even began to suspect you were right. The -whole thing made me feel mighty grouchy and uncomfortable. Sometimes -it requires a great crisis to bring a chap to his senses. I didn't -think much of myself for running away from the road, and something else -occurred which also helped to bring about a wonderful change in my -state of mind." - -"Pipe us about the something else," exclaimed "Peewee." - -Thereupon Chase gave an account of his experience at the Château de -Morancourt and his meeting with the soldier. - -"The intimation that I was a deserter--actually a deserter--aroused -me as nothing else in my life ever did," he continued emphatically. -"And the hardest part of it all was the fact that I realized that I -actually had been considerably at fault. You can just bet I determined -to wipe out the stain--if there was any." Chase's eyes began to -sparkle. "In fact I got into such a mood that I actually felt like -courting danger instead of avoiding it," he cried. "So I hope no one -will ever again be able to justly accuse me of having a yellow streak!" - -"Bravo--bravo!" cried Bodkins. - -Warm expressions of approval came from all the others. - -Following this a general discussion in regard to the poilu started. - -"It's really too bad that duelling has gone out of fashion," declared -"Peewee," reflectively. "Really, a nice little set-to with either -swords or pistols would come as a pleasant change." - -"Thinking it over," remarked Bodkins, "I shouldn't mind a bit acting as -a second. I'm pining for some excitement. Couldn't the old custom be -revived?" - -"At any rate, joking aside, I intend to get satisfaction," grinned -Chase. "And I shan't be satisfied until I do." - -"Let's catch that mysterious poilu and make him listen to some of -Bodkins' music," suggested "Peewee." - -"No inhuman revenge for me!" laughed Chase. "At the very first -opportunity I'll run over to the Cheval Noir and have that third -meeting. Boys, I think you'd better chip in and hire a man with a -motion picture outfit to film the interview." - -"It ought to be a scream," grinned Ravenstock. - -"The whole affair is really quite extraordinary," put in Dunstan, -thoughtfully. - -"It's still much--too much--like one of those confounded -'to-be-continued' yarns," complained "Peewee." "Only, they come to an -end some time and this one never will." - -"''Tis true, 'tis pity; and pity 'tis 'tis true,'" quoted Bodkins, with -his usual giggle. - -Dunstan nodded, while Don exclaimed, shrugging his shoulder: - -"But, after all, who can tell?" - - - - - CHAPTER XX - - IN THE TOWER - - -Just two days later Don, Dunstan and Chase journeyed to the ruined -and deserted village, in the hope of finding the "mysterious poilu," -as they called him, at the Cheval Noir. Their quest, however, proved -unsuccessful, the only sign of life they saw being the cat, which, from -a considerable distance, eyed them with evident suspicion. - -"It's too bad," grumbled Chase. "I certainly would have given a lot to -see him." - -"Well, if he isn't here he must be somewhere else," remarked Don, -philosophically; "and that somewhere else could very well be the -Château de Morancourt--so, suppose we pay the old place another visit." - -"By all means!" laughed Dunstan. - -"I, too, am heartily in favor of it," declared Chase. - -It was still quite early, the heat of the day had not yet begun to be -felt and a pleasant, refreshing breeze swept across the country. - -They felt no inclination to linger in the once delightful little -hamlet, for in the strong, clear sunlight it presented such a picture -of indescribable ruin as to sadden them. - -Following the road they had taken before, the ambulanciers strolled -leisurely ahead. Of course they were always hearing the booming of the -guns, some comparatively near, others far in the distance. - -They arrived at the great park of the château, however, without running -into any adventures, and climbed over the wall. - -"Having a definite object in view always adds to the zest of a -promenade," remarked Dunstan. "How I hope our curiosity may be appeased -as a result of this visit!" - -"I'm afraid it isn't at all likely," said Chase, with a dubious shake -of his head. - -"Anyway, we're getting lots of fun out of it," put in Don, leading the -advance along the carriage road. "My, how different this place looks -from the way it did the other night!" - -"Yes; the shadows and mystery have gone, but not the charm," remarked -Dunstan. "Our imaginations are no longer acted on by the mystic spell -of the night. Ah, how beautiful nature is! As Bryant says: 'For our -gayer hours she has a voice of gladness and a smile.'" - -"True enough!" said Chase. - -It took quite a while for the three to reach the point from which Don -had seen the strange light in the window, for Dunstan was forever -stopping to call his companions' attention to some interesting view. -But none proved so interesting as the sight of the grand old château -itself, with its massive, picturesque walls looming up in sunlight and -shadow. - -While they stood there admiring it an airplane was suddenly discovered -soaring majestically in the eastern sky. - -"Hello! I wish I'd noticed that bird before," exclaimed Dunstan. -"Quick, fellows--get to cover!" - -He sprang toward a near-by clump of trees. - -His companions immediately followed. - -"Confound it! Who knows but what powerful field-glasses may not be -leveled on the château at this very moment!" cried Don. "We must be -doubly c-a-r-e-f-u-l." - -"A bit of profound wisdom!" laughed Chase. He peered cautiously between -the leaves and branches. "It's a good thing that machine is pretty far -away." - -"But it's not far enough away to suit me, however," murmured Dunstan. - -Without exposing themselves in the slightest degree, the three keenly -watched the machine. Although receiving the attention of the French -gunners--for little puffs of white smoke were breaking all about -it--the plane continued to approach. - -"Lie low--don't budge!" cautioned the art student. - -"Catch me trying it!" said Don. "Just to think that before very long -I'll be floating around in the air myself!" - -"And I certainly won't," declared Chase, emphatically. - -After a few minutes had passed the airplane, making a wide, sweeping -circle, flew directly toward the German lines, soon disappearing behind -the trees in the park. - -"Now's our chance!" cried Don. - -"Yes. Let's cast aside worries and test the laws of chance," laughed -the art student. - -"In other words, beat it before another plane comes into view," cried -Chase. - -Leaving their place of concealment, the boys broke into a run, and, -covering the distance to the château in short order, mounted the broad -flight of steps at the entrance. - -Presently Don Hale was using the big bronze knocker in a lusty fashion. - -All three were very curious--very expectant--very hopeful indeed -that in another moment the great door might swing wide open and the -distinguished-looking Frenchman greet them. - -But nothing of the kind occurred. - -"It doesn't seem as if there was going to be an instalment to this part -of the story," pronounced Dunstan, in a tone of disappointment. - -"He may be in there, however, and won't come out," exclaimed Don. - -"Then, if the poilu won't come to us we must go to the poilu," declared -Chase, very firmly. - -The trio hurried down the steps, walked around the building and -presently reached the open window. - -Forthwith, Don Hale climbed inside. - -The aviator's son half expected to hear a challenge hurled at him, but -a dreary, mournful silence pervaded the great apartment, which one -swift glance showed him to be entirely empty. - -"Well, it may be another game of hide-and-seek," he murmured. "But, -with daylight in our favor, it ought to be a bit easier than it was the -other night." - -One after another, Dunstan and Chase followed Don into the château. - -"I'm back here again, old chap, to find out to whom I was talking," -shouted Chase. "Come--don't be bashful! And kindly leave your revolver -behind." - -His words rang out startlingly clear, but the footsteps which the -ambulanciers thought they might possibly hear in response did not sound. - -"Never mind. It doesn't prove anything," said Chase. "To work, boys!" - -In view of Chase Manning's strange experience, Don Hale found quite an -enjoyable thrill to the situation. - -With the daylight streaming through the high windows the magnificence -of the apartment became fully revealed, but the ambulanciers, intent -upon the task before them, did not linger. In the adjoining room they -stopped for a few moments to admire the flood of lovely color in the -stained glass windows and then passed on. A thorough examination of the -first floor was quickly made. - -"It's as certain as anything can be that the 'mysterious poilu' is not -down here," declared Chase, at length. "To tell the truth, boys, I've -about given up hope of seeing him to-day." - -"You can't find a bird if it has flown," laughed Dunstan. - -"Adventure, as a rule, comes only when you are not looking for it," -commented Don. "Fellows, I will now give an illustration of how the -count's guests didn't act when they entered the château." - -And, with a laugh, Don bounded up the grand stairway two steps at a -time. - -A race speedily developed, and no doubt had the stern and dignified -Count de Morancourt been present he would have viewed the spectacle -with considerable astonishment and indignation. But there were no -haughty personages to cast a damper upon the spirits of the Americans, -because it very soon developed, "beyond the peradventure of a doubt," -as Dunstan expressed it, that there was no one besides themselves -within the château. "Unless," he added, "he should have taken refuge in -the tower." - -"Nothing easier than to find out!" chuckled Don. "Though"--he spoke -rather thoughtfully--"it wouldn't be a very pleasant place in which to -meet a revolver face to face." - -As usual, he took the lead, and presently, in single file, they were -ascending the circular staircase which led to the top of the tower. And -as no other sounds but the echoes of their own footfalls and voices -were heard within the gloomy walls they quite resigned themselves to -the thought that their mission had been a failure. - -"Very well! But the meeting is only postponed," declared Chase, with a -snap of his jaw. - -"We must demonstrate, to 'Peewee's' satisfaction at least, that that -part of the story will come to an end," laughed Don. - -At each of the narrow, iron-barred windows the three paused a moment -to make an observation. Arriving at the top, they looked carefully over -the edge of the broken wall. The view, very charming and beautiful by -the light of the moon, was equally so enveloped in the hazy sunlight. -Patches of timber and hills and valleys were spread out before their -eyes. It was vast and impressive, with the far distant slopes scarcely -seen against the brilliant sky. Here and there little clusters of -ruined buildings marked the sites of former villages. Faint whitish -lines, glimpses of roads, ran in this direction and that. They could -make out, too, both the French and German trenches and hear the -occasional cracking of rifles, which showed that the countryside was -not so deserted as it seemed. But once again the famous "No Man's -Land" aroused their greatest interest. Through Dunstan's binocular the -field of ripening grain which flourished upon its sinister surface was -plainly visible, still waving and rippling in the capricious breeze. - -"Magnificent!" exclaimed the art student. "There's only one thing that -prevents me from making a sketch." - -"What's that?" asked Chase. - -"The danger of being discovered by the Germans," chuckled Dunstan. - -"My, what a jolly fine park this is!" broke in Don. "There's the -fountain we saw the other night." He turned the field-glass upon it. -"Crickets! Through this it seems just as if I were standing right -beside it. Say, fellows, the guns are still pounding away in a pretty -lively fashion." - -"When aren't they?" demanded Chase. - -"And look--look!--A shell-burst! My, my! What a whopper!" - -"That's not a very unusual sight," commented the art student dryly. - -"No; it's almost impossible to glance in any direction without seeing -a cloud of smoke just above the ground," declared Chase. "And though -it seems like peace itself up here in the tower, amidst this balmy -sunshine, in reality it is a terribly dangerous position. Better not -test the laws of chance too far." - -"Quite correct!" assented Dunstan. "Hello!--a German observation -balloon!" - -Hazy and indistinct in the distance, it rose by slow degrees against -the sky, and then, gently swaying from side to side, remained in a -stationary position. - -"That's mighty interesting!" cried Don. "We'll each take a look and -then skip." - -Never forgetting the absolute necessity for using the greatest -caution, Don turned his glass on the balloon. He gave a little gasp -of astonishment. By the aid of the powerful binocular he could even -see the observers in the basket suspended beneath the great, unwieldy -monster, and in his eyes those faint and tiny specks assumed a -most tremendous interest and importance. It was not very often, he -reflected, that Germans were seen as foemen, at liberty and engaged in -their work. - -And while he was studying them intently there came an interruption--a -most startling interruption, and one which brought a cry of the -greatest astonishment and alarm from the lips of every one. It was a -bright spurt of flame in the midst of a patch of trees close to the -château and a frightful, deafening detonation which jarred and shook -the tower in the most violent fashion. - -The trees instantly vanished, and where they had been rose a huge and -cyclonic mass of black smoke mixed with earth, branches and stones--a -terrifying spectacle indeed. - -Like a flash, the ambulanciers realized the awful truth--the Château de -Morancourt was once more being shelled. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI - - A DISCOVERY - - -Almost stunned by the suddenness of the event, the three nevertheless -realized that they had probably brought it upon themselves. Their -movements must have been observed by the German airmen, who, perhaps -thinking that the ancient château was again going to be used as an -observation post, had reported the fact. - -"We'd better get out of here the fastest ever," yelled Don. - -Then a wild dash for safety was on. Down the winding stairway they -clattered, sometimes taking two or three steps at a time. If fear lent -wings to their feet, their very disregard of the fear of tumbling -served to prevent such a catastrophe. - -In these thrilling instants Don Hale could not help recalling -their experiences with the French artillery officer; he remembered -the deadly accuracy of the fire, and how the wireless station had -disappeared in a cloud of smoke and dust. He could hear the captain -saying, "Inscribe the elements." No doubt some German officer would be -giving exactly the same command in a few minutes, when the range of the -château had been found. - -In a panic of fear, the ambulanciers rushed out of the tower, and, like -hares fleeing before the hunter, continued down the grand stairway. -And scarcely had the three reached the foot when they heard another -frightful roar. The building gave a sudden lurch, the violence of -which sent them staggering, tumbling in all directions. Then the -resounding din of smashing glass--of falling débris filled the air. -Momentarily they expected the walls to come crashing down upon them. -Each experienced a feeling of awful helplessness, as, with half stifled -cries, they picked themselves up and made a concerted dash through the -various apartments toward the window. - -One after another, they fairly hurled themselves over the sill and -landed in a heap on the ground. - -Up they were in a second and off again, running -wildly--desperately--trying to get out of the line of fire. Feelings of -hope and hopelessness coursed through them, as, panting and breathless -from their exertions, they plunged ahead almost abreast. - -But before a distance of seventy-five feet had been covered there came -a third detonation--a horrible, crashing, stupendous roar, so terrible -in its character that it could only have been made by a very much -larger projectile than the others. - -The ambulanciers were lifted off their feet and hurled violently to the -ground. - -Don Hale's pale, fear-stricken face was turned toward the château, -and, although partially dazed by the shock, his faculties remained -sufficiently clear for him to see what was taking place. Above an -enormous, swirling cloud of inky smoke rose the tower of the ancient -château. It was beginning to lean. It was shaking. - -Unable to regain sufficient control over his trembling nerves to rise, -Don Hale, quite breathless, almost spellbound, kept his gaze fixed upon -it. - -Grandly--majestically, as though even at the end of its existence it -must be worthy of the noble building to which it belonged, the tower -slowly began to topple, and the boy presently saw it go crashing -downward with a thunderous and muffled roar. - -Then, as the wreckage piled over the ground, a vast, whirling column of -dust mingled with the smoke, and through it all jagged and broken walls -could be faintly discerned. - -Don Hale again tried to regain his feet, but his limbs refused to -support him. - -Dunstan and Chase were lying almost flat on the ground, their faces -ashen and drawn, and they too had been witnesses of the catastrophe. -Don gained sufficient command over himself to struggle up, and was -about to resume his flight when a fourth mighty, echoing blast -resounded. - -Shaken and jarred off his feet, he again fell back to the earth with a -half articulate cry, gasping for breath. He looked toward the château. -The massive walls were tumbling and crashing inward and outward. The -dull roars, as débris piled upon débris, were terrific, and before -they had ceased Don Hale saw the black smoke swirling in front of the -building and completely hiding it from view. - -And a few seconds later the mass hurled aloft by the explosion began -descending all about the ambulanciers. Pieces of stone landed only a -few yards from Don and sent the turf flying in his face. A few terrible -instants passed before he quite realized that the danger from the -deadly rain of missiles was over. Once more they had actually escaped a -peril from which it had seemed that there could be no escape. - -A great body of low-hanging smoke and dust rolling slowly over the -ground soon shut from his eyes every vestige of the surroundings. -Coughing and gasping from the fumes, he scrambled to his feet, and, -though weak and shaky, managed to stagger away. No obscurity of fog -could ever have been so dense as that in which he found himself. Like -a blind man groping his way, the boy sought to get beyond its choking -reach, and by the sound of footsteps close at hand he knew that Dunstan -and Chase were making the same desperate efforts as himself. - -Suddenly the faint light struggling to pierce the obscurity brightened. -A few yards more, and, almost overcome, Don Hale emerged into the -glorious sunshine. - -His first thought was for his companions. Yes, they too were all right. -But he had not yet recovered sufficiently from the suffocating effects -of the smoke to speak. His brain was still whirling with a jumble of -confused thoughts and impressions, and uppermost among them was the -unpleasant reflection that perhaps they might have been responsible for -the destruction of the grand old Château de Morancourt. Ah, indeed, -Dunstan had been mistaken--there was something interesting in this part -of the story. - -The boys staggered along with all the strength they could command, but -no other shells landed in the vicinity. - -It was Chase Manning who finally broke the silence. - -"I say, fellows," he called, in a voice which trembled, "I thought I -heard a noise somewhere. Did you?" - -"Where? What did it sound like?" asked Don, faintly. - -"Not a hundred miles away; and it seemed to fill the whole world. I -say, Dunstan, how are you feeling?" - -"Kind of mixed," grinned Dunstan; "but very thankful to be still here -on earth--a most unexpected privilege, I can assure you. Boys, I don't -think we need continue our flight. Look!" He waved his hand toward the -building. "The Germans have made a mighty good job of it." - -"Yes; and having done so I don't believe they'll send any more marmites -in this direction," declared Don. "What a thriller that was!" - -"No words in any language could ever begin to describe it," said Chase -shudderingly. "What a sight!" - -It was indeed a melancholy-looking spectacle upon which the three -grave-faced ambulanciers were gazing. Of the once great and stately -structure there remained but a few bits of scarred, unsightly walls, -and the surrounding ground was covered with a vast collection of -wreckage, all showing the fearful force of the explosions. The -impenetrable black smoke had thinned out, though a haze still hovered -over the ruins, to soften their ugly and forbidding aspect. - -Though feeling quite sure that no immediate danger existed, the boys, -to be on the safe side, withdrew to a point some distance away. They -were troubled in mind. Had the airplane observer seen them? Had they -not visited the château it might still have been standing. - -"What is to be done?" asked Chase. - -"Make a report of the matter, of course," declared the aviator's son. - -"We have perhaps merely hastened its end," remarked Dunstan. "Just -think of all that magnificence gone--swept away in a few moments of -time! I wonder what the Count de Morancourt would think!" - -"I am mighty glad he isn't here to express an opinion," put in Chase, -dryly. - -"And the 'mysterious poilu' might have a few observations to make," -suggested Don, in a reflective tone. - -"I can't say that I'm so very anxious now to have that third meeting," -admitted Chase. - -"We'll have to accept the situation philosophically and hope that -others may do the same," declared the art student, his brow wrinkled -with disturbing thoughts. "It's not the first time that good intentions -have brought about disastrous results." - -"No," said Don, thoughtfully. - -Somehow or other the ambulanciers felt disinclined to leave the spot. -The sight of the ruins held a strange and peculiar fascination for -their eyes. It was very hard for them to realize that they would never -again see the grand old Château de Morancourt or tread its great -apartments. The variety of emotions which had assailed all three left -them in a depressed and uncomfortable frame of mind. They could not -help wondering, too, what the authorities might have to say. - -"Fellows, suppose we get a look at a little closer range," suggested -Don Hale, finally. - -"You'll not find me afraid to follow your lead," declared Dunstan, with -a faint smile. - -"Lightning isn't apt to strike twice in the same place," said Chase. - -Carefully scanning the sky to see that no airplanes were in the -immediate vicinity, the three began to retrace their steps. - -Very soon they were climbing over great heaps of débris. The wreck and -ruin were almost complete. Now they came across pieces of ornaments -which had once contributed to the beauty of the interior. From a torn -canvas a head of one of the ancient and noble De Morancourts seemed to -stare at them with a stern and reproachful glance. - -With mingled feelings of sadness and regret, they pursued their -investigations. Here and there the three came across bits of marble and -stained glass or portions of shattered doors and furniture. Sometimes -they peered over the edge of a jagged wall, to look into an interior -wherein traces of chaos and magnificence lay side by side. - -The ambulanciers conversed but little; they felt in too solemn and -serious a mood. Suddenly, however, Don made a discovery which brought -about a change in their demeanor. Close outside the wall an immense -opening in the ground had been torn. Of course there was nothing in -that to be wondered at; but what Don Hale saw was something more than -a huge crater. A tunnel-like passageway had been uncovered, the bottom -lying perhaps twenty feet below the surface. - -"Hello! What in the dickens is that!" he cried. - -"We must find out," said Chase, viewing the opening with considerable -astonishment. - -"It may be some secret passageway," put in Dunstan, excitedly. "Upon my -word, this is a mighty interesting development!" - -"I should say it is," exclaimed Don Hale, and having uttered these -words with much conviction, he began hastily climbing over the -wreckage. The broken, uneven surfaces leading downward afforded a good -foothold, and thus he was able to make his way to the bottom without -much trouble. - -"Yes sir, it's a subterranean passageway," he called to the others, who -were sliding and slipping down the incline. "Now we'll see what's ahead -of us." - -With Chase and Dunstan at his heels, he plunged boldly through a wide -and spacious passageway which led directly away from the building. - -"I'll bet I was right, fellows!" cried Dunstan. "This is probably a -secret passageway connected with the basement. I suppose in the old -feudal times, when law and order weren't so much in fashion as they -are to-day, such places were often mighty convenient." - -"You bet!" agreed Don. - -He brought out his flash-light, for the passageway ahead was becoming -dim and somber. A click of the instrument, and the white rays streaked -the walls and floor with a series of fantastic flashes. - -Their interest and curiosity highly aroused, the three ambulanciers -pushed slowly ahead, and after covering a distance of many yards -discovered an open doorway. - -"Aha!" cried Dunstan, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction. -"Lead on, Monsieur le torch-bearer." - -"Nobody could stop me," grinned Don. - -"Be a little careful now," cautioned Chase, as the aviator's son stood -at the threshold. "There may be some deep pit in there. You don't want -to take a tumble." - -But as Don thrust the light inside he saw nothing to warrant any -such fear. Before his eyes was a great square apartment, the ceiling -supported by massive pillars. Its appearance did not suggest a dungeon, -however, but rather a well-built room. It was furnished, too, with a -table and several chairs, while against the walls were piled numerous -handsome picture frames and ornaments of many different kinds. - -"Well, what do you think of this!" cried Don, in astonishment. "Who -could have ever suspected that such a place existed?" - -"A whole lot of people never did, I suppose," said Dunstan. - -"To me it suggests a retreat where plotters, in comfort and seclusion, -could plan dark deeds," commented Chase, and as he spoke in a loud tone -his voice echoed and reëchoed in a most startlingly weird fashion. - -The boys thought there was something very strange and unique in the -situation. Here they were, exploring a mysterious underground room, and -while Don Hale's light flashed and crisscrossed through the intense -blackness and objects momentarily tumbled into view and out again, they -speculated as to who had been the last person to visit it. - -"Let's make a hasty exploration of the whole place before spending any -time in here," suggested Dunstan. - -"A good idea," agreed Don. "I say, if we were to all yell together -wouldn't it sound just like an exploding marmite?" - -"Please don't remind me of 'em," pleaded Chase. - -Preceded by the "torch-bearer," they filed out into the "subway," -as Don termed the passageway, and walking a short distance came -across another room, situated, however, on the opposite side. But the -ambulanciers, desirous of finding out where the corridor led, did not -enter. - -Their curiosity was quickly gratified. At the end they discovered a -third room--the largest of all, and though bare of furnishing, the -light immediately disclosed the fact that it was by no means empty. -Neatly piled against the four walls were great numbers of boxes and -cases of all sixes. - -"Hello, what's in those, I wonder!" cried Don. - -"I can't offer any explanation," replied Chase, dryly. - -"A little investigation, however, wouldn't come amiss," declared -Dunstan. "It strikes me, fellows, that these things are here because -somebody had particular reasons for wishing to keep them out of sight." - -"Well, he certainly succeeded, all right," declared young Manning. - -"Then, of course, they are probably of some value," cried Don. "I -say, Dunstan"--a sudden idea had flashed into his mind--"I wonder--I -wonder----" - -"What?" demanded the art student. - -"If--if----" Don, pausing again, began to laugh. "No--no--that's -absurd!" - -Walking forward, he began to examine several of the boxes, while -Dunstan and Chase peered earnestly over his shoulder. - -"Aha! If they don't contain pictures I'm pretty badly mistaken!" -cried the art student, suddenly. Excitement was in his tone. "By -George, Don, having guessed your meaning, I'm beginning to wonder -myself if----Hello!--by all that's wonderful, just look at that -name!" Dunstan's voice almost rose into a shout. "Great Julius Cæsar! -Astounding--astounding! Just think of it--Giovanni Bellini!" - -Now the name of Giovanni Bellini, which the art student pronounced with -a degree of earnestness that almost suggested a feeling of awe, meant -very little to either Don or Chase, neither of whom were especially -interested in artistic matters, but nevertheless the excitement -displayed by the art student at once communicated itself to them. - -"Do you really think it's possible that the mystery of the Château de -Morancourt is solved at last?" cried Don, his voice quivering with -suppressed eagerness, his eyes open to their widest extent, while -Chase, staring with considerable curiosity at the name of Giovanni -Bellini, murmured: - -"What a marvelous thing it would be!" - -"I'll give you my opinion in a few minutes," burst out Dunstan, who -was acting in a manner totally unlike his usually calm self. "Quick, -Don--your light! Let me see the name on this case--quick, I say!" - -And as the illumination played across the one he indicated the art -student rose to his feet and waved his hand in the air, at the -same time uttering a loud hurrah, which made wild echoes ring and -reverberate throughout the room. - -"Fellows, in my opinion the mystery is solved!" he exclaimed. "The -name I have just seen is Andrea Mantegna, a most celebrated artist born -in Padua, Italy, in fourteen thirty-one. His works are priceless. By -Jove, fellows, I honestly believe the tale we have to tell is going to -create even more excitement than we dreamed. Ha, ha! I can almost see -our pictures in the papers. Monsieur le torch-bearer, I believe your -light has been the means of lighting our way to fame." - -"I--I can scarcely believe all this is real!" cried Don. - -Almost feverishly, the three examined case after case, and these names, -one by one, fell from Dunstan Farrington's lips: - -"Hobbema, Hans Holbein, Franz Hals, Velasquez, Ribera." - -And with each word the art student's voice became louder--his -excitement greater. - -"A most remarkable and unexpected sequel to the great event!" he cried. -"Boys, there is a finis to the story, after all--and what a grand, -dramatic one! I wonder--I wonder what 'Peewee' will have to say!" - -Seating themselves on convenient boxes, the ambulanciers, full of -strange, pent-up emotions, continued to converse in eager, animated -tones. A remarkable change had come over the feelings of every one. -Now, instead of being disturbed and distressed, they were happy--almost -exultant. - -Suddenly Don Hale leaped to his feet and exclaimed: - -"Listen--listen! There's somebody coming." - -The others ceased speaking, and a strange, oppressive silence seemed to -hover over the chamber. - -Then, almost instantly, there came sounds which indicated that several -people were approaching along the passageway. - -"We are discovered!" exclaimed Dunstan, grim humor in his tone. "Ah, -fellows, our sensational exploit must be revealed to a gaping world -sooner than we expected!" - -Simultaneously, the three sprang to their feet and made for the doorway. - -Beyond the beams of Don Hale's flash-light the passageway was -illuminated by the yellow glow of a lantern carried by the leader of a -dim and shadowy group. - -Anxiously--expectantly--the ambulanciers waited, while the sound -of voices, steadily growing louder, echoed through the subterranean -retreat. - -And one of them made Chase Manning give a loud gasp of surprise. - -"Well, well, can you beat that!" he exclaimed, clutching Don Hale -tightly by the arm. - -"Who is it?" asked Don. But the question needed no answer from Chase. -For at that moment the lantern, swung high, illuminated the face of the -man who carried it, and the boys recognized the "mysterious poilu." - - - - - CHAPTER XXII - - THE TREASURE - - -But the astonishment of the boys was not nearly so great as that of -the poilu, who held the lantern aloft so as to permit its yellow glare -to fall full upon the Red Cross men; it was a moment or two, indeed, -before he found his voice. - -And, while the two groups stared intently toward one another, he broke -the profound silence by exclaiming harshly: - -"You here again! Didn't I expressly order you to keep away!" Advancing, -he peered menacingly into Chase Manning's face. "Your persistency in -coming here is quite remarkable. Now, perhaps you will answer a few -questions." - -"Go ahead," exclaimed Chase, defiantly. - -A number of soldiers crowded about the four. Upon their faces -picturesque flashes of light stood out against deep, somber shadows, -which lost themselves in the background like a painting of some old -Dutch master. - -"Where were you when the Germans started to bombard the château?" - -"In the tower," replied Chase, shortly. - -This answer created a sensation. A murmur of loud and excited voices -was immediately heard, while the interrogator, giving a perceptible -start, almost shouted: - -"In the tower, you say? Why--this is most extraordinary!" His fists -were clenched. His eyes gleamed. "And do you know if your presence was -suspected by the Germans?" - -This question, couched in the harshest tones, added to the feelings of -wrath which Chase, as well as his fellow ambulanciers, was beginning to -experience. As though a challenge had been hurled at him and accepted, -Chase replied: - -"Yes, Monsieur, I believe it must have been." - -This frank answer, received with gasps of astonishment, had a most -extraordinary effect upon the "mysterious poilu." - -He appeared about to hurl himself bodily upon the ambulanciers. It was -a thrilling and dramatic moment. - -Then, amid a chorus of noisily resounding voices, Don Hale spoke up. - -"I fear the truth is that we were discovered in the grounds by a German -airman," he said. - -"You saw the machine, then?" - -"Yes, Monsieur." - -"And it never occurred to you, I suppose, that if the Germans detected -any signs of life about the château they would certainly bombard it?" - -"My answer to your question, Monsieur, is that we got out of sight the -instant we saw the plane." - -"But by that time you had probably already been observed." - -"I should say it is quite certain that they were," broke in a French -lieutenant. - -Like a lawyer conducting an examination, he began asking questions, -and after becoming acquainted with all the details, like a lawyer -summing up, he showed as conclusively as it could be shown under the -circumstances that the boys were responsible for the destruction of -the château. - -Just before he finished speaking the poilu raised his arm, and, with a -gesture that embraced all three Americans, cried in a terrible voice: - -"And, as a De Morancourt--the nephew of the count--I order your arrest. -Lieutenant, take these young men in charge! They shall be made to pay -the penalty for their conduct." - -"The nephew of the Count de Morancourt!" repeated Don, quite aghast. - -The revelation of the man's identity came as a stunning surprise. - -The Frenchman's dramatic outburst appeared to relieve his pent-up -wrath. The lantern which he held in his hand sent splotches and dashes -of yellowish light flitting weirdly from place to place, and presently, -noticing the boxes and cases, he uttered a loud exclamation, brushed -past them and entered the room. - -And the moment he discovered the names of the artists his whole manner -abruptly changed. - -"Get me a screw-driver! Ma foi!" he cried out hoarsely. "Can it be -possible that my hopes, aroused to the highest pitch by the finding of -this underground passageway, are to be realized!" - -And in response to his peremptory command one of the poilus left the -room almost on a run. - -The atmosphere seemed surcharged with tense excitement. Every one was -speaking at the same time, but the noise--the confusion--was so great -that probably none understood what the others were saying. - -Like a man almost overcome by his feelings, the nephew of the count -sent the light flashing over the other boxes and cases, and exactly as -the art student had been affected so was he. Every inscription he saw -appeared still further to increase his emotion. - -"If it should only be so!" he cried, in a strained voice, at length. -"But we shall soon know. Will that man never come back, I wonder! Ah!" - -The footsteps of the poilu in the passageway rapidly grew louder, and -presently he walked into the room, exclaiming: - -"Here it is, Monsieur de Morancourt; here it is!" - -The nephew of the count seized the tool extended toward him, and, -surrounded by an intensely eager and interested group, set to work -unscrewing the cover of one of the boxes. A sudden hush settled over -the room. - -With a hand that trembled, the young man presently completed his task, -and there was exposed to view a wonderful picture, centuries old--a -picture, mellow and golden in tone, representing the Madonna and Child, -and signed by the famous Italian artist Giovanni Bellini. - -Monsieur de Morancourt was the first to speak. - -"I feel confident all of the missing treasures are here," he declared. -Once more his deportment was that of the calm, rather austere and -elegant soldier whom Don, Dunstan and Chase had met in the Cheval Noir. -"The whole aspect of the situation is now changed. This discovery -has proved a wonderful solace to my disturbed feelings. Monsieur le -Lieutenant, I countermand my order. Perhaps, after all, the château -would sooner or later have been destroyed." - -"I don't think there can be any doubt about that," said the lieutenant, -who seemed vastly relieved. - -Monsieur de Morancourt, extending his hand toward Chase, remarked, with -a smile: - -"Shall peace be declared between us, Monsieur l'Americaine?" - -"By all means," acquiesced Chase, heartily. - -"Strange how old Mars first of all got us in an awful pile of trouble -and then helped us out again!" cried the delighted Don, as he and -Dunstan, each in turn, shook hands with the now smiling Frenchman. - -Good fellowship having been restored, the whole party, after a few -moments' conversation, continued their exploration and investigation of -the underground apartments and within a half hour it was demonstrated -to the satisfaction of all that the mystery of the Château de -Morancourt was certainly a thing of the past, for in the room which the -boys had not entered the various objects of art were found, carefully -packed. - -At length they emerged into the open, and the boys immediately -discovered a large military car standing on the road near by. - -"It's the vehicle that brought us here," explained Monsieur de -Morancourt. "I had been out and was returning to the Cheval Noir when -the bombardment of the château began. Somehow suspecting the truth, -I made an immediate investigation, and when my fears were verified, -ran to the nearest encampment, where I was given authority to use the -motor car, which is supplied with all sorts of tools for use in cases -of emergency. And now, mes amis, I must hurry away to make arrangements -for the removal of the valuables. Of course, during my absence, some of -the soldiers will remain on guard. When shall I see you again?" - -"We'd be delighted if you could visit us at the Hotel de la Palette," -exclaimed Don Hale. He smiled. "Of course we too would be mighty glad -to learn something about the Count de Morancourt and your connection -with the affair." - -"I am more than pleased to accept your invitation," said Monsieur de -Morancourt, cordially. "You may count upon seeing me this evening. Au -revoir, mes amis." - -He waved his hand, and joined the lieutenant and the poilus. - -"And so what promised to be a most unfortunate and unpleasant situation -for us has turned out to be quite the reverse," commented Dunstan. -"Boys, I reckon we'll never forget the Château de Morancourt, eh?" - -And his companions heartily agreed that they never would. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII - - THE COUNT - - -That evening at the Hotel de la Palette, with the nephew of the -Count de Morancourt as a guest of the ambulance section, was quite a -memorable one. This time the story which Don, Dunstan and Chase related -really did create a sensation. - -"Honest to goodness, fellows, I always had a sort of hazy idea that -there was going to be a sensational development," confessed "Peewee," -"and----" - -"It was certainly hazy enough, I'll wager," chortled Bodkins. - -And he might have added a great deal more but for the fact that -Monsieur de Morancourt was speaking. - -"Before I begin my own explanations I should be glad to know all about -your own experiences at the château," he declared, politely. - -Thereupon Don Hale, ably assisted by Dunstan and Chase, gave a brief -but graphic account of all that had taken place. - -"It seems quite extraordinary," commented Monsieur de Morancourt, -reflectively, when his curiosity was finally satisfied, "that but for -your interest in regard to the mystery of the Château de Morancourt the -objects so long sought for might have remained hidden for years." - -Then, in a conversational tone, he began his story. - -"Some time after the outbreak of the war I visited my uncle, the Count -de Morancourt, at the château, and saw his great collection. He said -nothing of his intention of leaving; indeed, it was long afterward that -I learned of his departure for America. It seems that as the scene of -war drew near to the château the count decided that it wouldn't be -safe to remain any longer. Accordingly he dismissed all his servants -but one, the latter his valet, and then, after attending to various -matters, embarked for America. The military authorities had already -begun to use the tower as an observation post. - -"It came as a great surprise to me when I learned that no one knew what -had become of his priceless collection of paintings. The fact naturally -disturbed me very much indeed. I wrote several letters to my uncle, but -whether they reached him or not I do not know; at any rate, no replies -were ever received. - -"At last I decided to do a little investigating on my own account, -and, obtaining leave of absence, came on to this part of the country. -Discovering the Cheval Noir, which was in a habitable condition, -I concluded to make my headquarters there, but not wishing to be -interfered with or bothered in any way did not choose to disclose my -identity. - -"I held this theory--there might be secret apartments under the old -château, in which the count, with the assistance of his valet, had -stored the valuables." - -"And you certainly made a mighty good guess," declared Don. - -"Yes; so it seems," replied Monsieur de Morancourt, with a smile. -"I spent a great part of my time in the château searching for an -entrance to the subterranean passageway. On the occasion of your first -appearance I must have entered the building very soon after you. It was -I who stumbled over the chair, and, naturally, I realized at once that -it had been moved. Surmising the presence of some one, I merely waited -until I heard you coming down-stairs and then walked outside. - -"After your departure, I reëntered, and, wishing to see if anything had -been disturbed, made a hasty examination--that explains the flashing -light at the window." - -"How very simple mysteries sometimes appear after one has learned all -about them," laughed Don. "And maybe we wouldn't have been surprised at -the Cheval Noir if we'd known that you were the very man responsible!" - -"Well, rather!" chuckled Chase. - -"And we never even had a suspicion of the truth," laughed Dunstan. - -"I certainly was astonished to run into the mysterious visitors," -declared Monsieur de Morancourt. And then addressing Chase, he added: -"When you made your early morning call my presence is explained by the -fact that I had spent the night in one of the upper rooms. - -"Now, Messieurs, I believe there is nothing further to add to my story." - -The ambulanciers all declared that it had been a very interesting one. - -At length, in the midst of a general conversation and much levity and -noise, Bodkins, holding his banjo aloft, shouted: - -"I think that after all the disturbance these chaps have caused they -ought to be made to face the music." - -And as he began strumming the instrument even "Peewee" forgot to object. - -It was a long time before the gathering broke up, and when Monsieur de -Morancourt finally took his leave he said: - -"I have heard a great deal about the exploits of this particular -section of the Red Cross and fully expect that some day every one of -you will be awarded the Croix de Guerre. And now, my young friend"--he -turned to Don--"allow me to wish you very great success when you take -up your new duties." - -"So do we!" cried "Peewee." "I say, boys, three cheers and a tiger for -Don Hale with the flying squadron!" - - * * * * * - - The Stories in this Series are: - - DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE - DON HALE OVER THERE - DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON (in press) - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE OVER THERE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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Sheppard</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Don Hale Over There</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: W. Sheppard</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: September 24, 2022 [eBook #69037]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE OVER THERE ***</div> - - -<div class="figcenter x-ebookmaker-drop"> - <img src="images/illusc.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>DON HALE<br /> -OVER THERE</h1> - -<p>By W. CRISPIN SHEPPARD</p> - -<p><i>Author of</i></p> - -<p>"DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE"<br /> -"THE RAMBLER CLUB SERIES," ETC.</p> - -<p>Illustrated by H. A. BODINE</p> - -<p>THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY<br /> -PHILADELPHIA<br /> -1918</p> - -<p>COPYRIGHT<br /> -1918 BY<br /> -THE PENN<br /> -PUBLISHING<br /> -COMPANY</p> - -</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>Introduction</h2> - - -<p>"Don Hale in the War Zone" recounts the many adventures of Don on a -dangerous trip across the ocean, as well as in war-torn France, while -seeking his father, an aviator in the service of the Allies. His chum, -George Glenn, too, was an active participant in numerous exciting -events.</p> - -<p>The present volume, the second of the series, tells about the thrilling -experiences that fell to the lot of Don, who, in common with numbers of -other young Americans, volunteered his services as an ambulance driver -in that great organization, the Red Cross, which has done so much for -the cause of humanity during the world war.</p> - -<p>Don views the operations at close range, and, naturally, amid such -perilous surroundings, often finds himself in extremely serious -situations.</p> - -<p>His life in the war zone, however, is not all danger, and besides his -work with the Red Cross he and some of his friends have an interesting -experience in connection with a mystery which hovers over the ancient -Château de Morancourt.</p> - -<p class="ph2"><span class="smcap">W. Crispin Sheppard.</span></p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>Contents</h2> - -<table summary="contents"> -<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_I"><span class="smcap">The New Arrival</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_II"><span class="smcap">A Mystery</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_III"><span class="smcap">On Duty</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><span class="smcap">Underground</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_V"><span class="smcap">Under Fire</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><span class="smcap">All's Well that Ends Well</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><span class="smcap">The Château</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><span class="smcap">A Man-Hunt</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><span class="smcap">The Light in the Window</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_X"><span class="smcap">The Big Gun</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><span class="smcap">The Observation Post</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><span class="smcap">The Attack</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><span class="smcap">The Storm</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><span class="smcap">The Chemin de Mort</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV"><span class="smcap">A Block on the Road</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI"><span class="smcap">A Footstep on the Stair</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XVII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII"><span class="smcap">Barrage Fire</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">"<span class="smcap">Deserter!</span>"</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XIX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX"><span class="smcap">The Red Cross</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX"><span class="smcap">In the Tower</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XXI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI"><span class="smcap">A Discovery</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XXII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII"><span class="smcap">The Treasure</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="right">XXIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII"><span class="smcap">The Count</span></a></td></tr> -</table> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>Illustrations</h2> - -<table summary="illustrations"> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#illus2">"<span class="smcap">One Can't Expect too Much</span>"</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#illus1"><span class="smcap">"Fire!" Commanded the Corporal</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#illus3">"<span class="smcap">Take a Look at It</span>"</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#illus4"><span class="smcap">A Hearty Chorus Rang Through the Room</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#illus5"><span class="smcap">A Red Cross Car Was Coming</span></a></td></tr> -</table> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2>Don Hale Over There</h2> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a></h2> - -<h3>THE NEW ARRIVAL</h3> - - -<p>"Yes, sir, it's been rather quiet along this sector for a week or two -past, Chase, but believe an old veteran in the ambulance service when -he says that it isn't going to remain so very long. An attack by one -side or the other is bound to happen; and then—whizz!—bang! You'll -hear more shells popping than you ever could have dreamed existed in -the world. This is no children's party—eh, fellows?"</p> - -<p>A volley of assents came from nine hearty voices.</p> - -<p>The "old veteran," who had spoken with a great deal of earnestness, -fixed his gaze quite searchingly, even sternly, upon Chase, a big, -husky chap sitting close by, who had made no answer.</p> - -<p>"Say, mon ami, what made you join the Red Cross, anyway?" he asked.</p> - -<p>Chase, disregarding his question, rose to his feet, stretched himself -and yawned. He wore the air of one who is entirely out of harmony with -his surroundings. Whereas all the rest, in spite of the hazardous -nature of their calling, appeared to be full of life and spirits, he -looked sullen and discontented.</p> - -<p>"I declare, these nights are about the limit!" he exclaimed, in a -growling tone—"nothing to do but loaf around and——"</p> - -<p>"One kicker in a crowd is one too many," remarked the "old veteran," -or, rather, Dunstan Farrington, with a laugh which softened the -bluntness of his observation.</p> - -<p>"Too bad he didn't remain in the states," added Hugh Wendell.</p> - -<p>The observations of the two had only the effect of causing Chase to -shrug his shoulders and lapse into a silence which no one seemed -inclined to disturb.</p> - -<p>On the table in the middle of a large, bare room occupied by the boys -stood an oil lamp which cast a yellowish glimmer over the surroundings -and threw upon the walls and floor huge, grotesquely-shaped shadows. -In the far corners the feeble light could not cope successfully with -the darkness, and there somber gloom and mystery lurked.</p> - -<p>To a casual observer the gathering might have appeared to be a -social affair—a mere coming together of young chaps who had no very -serious object in view; in reality, however, it was something far -different—they belonged to a unit of Red Cross ambulance drivers, -stationed for the time being in an abandoned hotel at a little -shell-torn village not far from the now famous city of Verdun. The -eleven were within a zone of death and destruction—a zone where peril -was never absent for a single hour.</p> - -<p>From the roadway outside came a ceaseless rumble. Motor lorries, huge -supply trucks, ammunition wagons, in fact practically every kind of -vehicle belonging to the transportation service of an army in the field -was making its way under cover of darkness toward the front. And in the -opposite direction a continuous line of "empties" flowed steadily past.</p> - -<p>The constant growling and grumbling of the French batteries, from -their masked positions in the hills to the east and northeast, were -growing louder. The German artillery, too, located to the north and -northwest, kept booming away.</p> - -<p>After a while Dunstan Farrington brought out a sketch book, and with -swift, sure strokes began to record some impressions he had received -during the day. Dunstan was not a collegian, but a former student of -the Ecole des Beaux Arts at Paris. During the early part of the great -war, like numerous other young men, he had felt the call to action and -had volunteered under the Red Cross.</p> - -<p>More than once while under fire the boyish-looking young chap had -performed some valiant deed in conveying the wounded soldiers from the -battle-field, and had incidentally narrowly escaped death or serious -injury. Dunstan, with several other equally brave Americans, also -ambulance drivers, had received the Croix de Guerre, or War Cross, -which the Médicin Divisionnaire had himself pinned to their breasts.</p> - -<p>During the last few years the art student had roughed it as few young -men of his culture and education are called upon to do. But no amount -of hard knocks could have taken away from Dunstan a certain air of -refinement and a suavity of speech and manner which stamped him as -an aristocrat. It was not, however, that form of aristocracy which -sometimes instinctively arouses a feeling of antagonism or dislike.</p> - -<p>The ambulance unit was installed in the abandoned Hotel de la Palette, -a one-time favorite rendezvous for artists, situated several kilometers -behind the lines.</p> - -<p>During various bombardments of the village so much damage had been -caused that it was now scarcely more than a mass of débris—an -inhospitable waste, with but few of its inhabitants remaining, and the -hotel had also suffered considerably. The ambulanciers, however, set to -work, and by a judicious use of materials succeeded in making it fairly -water-tight and comfortable. Formerly they had slept on straw spread -around the sides of a big barn; now real beds and real rooms were -reminders of the comforts which each had left behind him.</p> - -<p>The appearance of the Hotel de la Palette was quite suggestive of -some old print, such as might be found hanging in the window of a -second-hand book shop. It seemed to be something wholly apart from this -modern era; an air of a century past hovered over its discolored walls -and the dingy cobbled courtyard which they enclosed. Very tranquil and -peaceful indeed it looked—just the sort of a place where one might -expect to see a farmer's cart or a hay wagon drawn up before the door -and peasants occasionally wandering in and out.</p> - -<p>A wide, arching porte-cochère, battered and grimy, led into the -courtyard, where some of the Red Cross cars were parked. And so the -neighing of horses and the stamping of their iron-shod hoofs, as well -as the shouts of hostlers, had long since ceased to be, and now the -enclosure resounded and echoed to the blasts of the motorist's horn or -to the fresh, clear voices of youthful Americans.</p> - -<p>The cars which the courtyard could not accommodate stood in -inconspicuous positions in side lanes or behind the houses. The section -was composed of thirty men and twenty-two ambulances. Lieutenant -Fourneaux, a French officer, had entire charge, but the actual -commanders were two college men from the United States—Hugh Wendell, -Chef, and Gideon Watts, Sous Chef. French army cooks supplied the -meals, and the section also included several French mechanics, though -of course all the drivers were fully competent to overhaul and repair -their cars.</p> - -<p>From four to ten men and a number of ambulances were always on duty -near the dressing stations, a few thousand yards from the front-line -trenches—a dangerous post indeed, where the men were very often -obliged to make a precipitous rush for their dugouts in order to escape -the rain of devastating shells.</p> - -<p>Yes, there was plenty of action, plenty of thrill and excitement in the -life.</p> - -<p>Chase, who had arrived but a short time before, during a lull in -the fighting on that part of the western front, had as yet seen no -dangerous service. The young chap was not very popular—persons of a -sullen or taciturn disposition seldom are—and though he must have -realized this he made no effort to turn the tide in his favor.</p> - -<p>Bodkins, the musical member of the unit, had just brought forth his -banjo, ready to indulge in his favorite pastime, when a noise at the -door stopped him.</p> - -<p>"Hello! Somebody's coming in," he exclaimed, looking up.</p> - -<p>At that moment the door opened, and a dim, very vague form was seen -standing at the threshold about to enter.</p> - -<p>"Hello, fellows! Bon soir, Messieurs!" cried a cheery, youthful voice.</p> - -<p>Whereupon every one in the room except Chase gave utterance to a hearty -shout of welcome, Dunstan Farrington's voice rising high above the -others.</p> - -<p>"Hello yourself, Don Hale!" he shouted. "Back from your ten days' -furlough, eh? You're a sight for sore eyes! Well, well, we're mighty -glad to see you!"</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a></h2> - -<h3>A MYSTERY</h3> - - -<p>"Say, what kind of a time did you have in Paris, boy?" exclaimed Gideon -Watts. "Give us the latest news from civilization. What's in that -bundle? Newspapers, by Jove! Hooray!"</p> - -<p>It seemed as if every one in the room were intent upon shaking the -newcomer's hand at the same identical moment.</p> - -<p>"Had a perfectly dandy trip," returned the smiling Don Hale. "Maybe I -didn't enjoy every minute of it, too. What do you think?—I actually -saw an air raid on Paris. But the anti-aircraft guns soon sent the -Kaiser's bomb-droppers flying to the cover of the nearest clouds. -Hello!—a new member?"</p> - -<p>"Ah, Monsieur, nous avons oublié quelquechose. Pardon our lack of -politeness," laughed Bodkins—"also, I might say, my use of French. -Honestly, fellows, it's like second nature to me now to let it roll off -the tip of my tongue, and——"</p> - -<p>"I've seen some Frenchmen almost roll over with mirth when they heard -it," broke in Watts, cruelly.</p> - -<p>"Jealousy!—there's another mean fling thee has to thy credit," sighed -Bodkins. "Really, somebody ought to take a correspondence school course -in manners. But here's what I intended to say: Mr. Chase Manning and -Mr. Don Hale—let me introduce you to each other."</p> - -<p>The newest member of the section and the youngest driver thereupon -shook hands.</p> - -<p>Then, after each had spoken the pleasant words appropriate to such an -occasion, Chase drawled, slowly:</p> - -<p>"'Pon my word, Mr. Hale, I never expected to see a youngster like you -holding down such a responsible position! Why in the world did you come -to France?"</p> - -<p>Don gave a merry, infectious laugh, though he flushed a trifle at the -reference to his boyish appearance; for he, in common with many lads of -his age, liked to be considered as approaching man's estate.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you, Mr. Manning," he said.</p> - -<p>"Call me Chase, if you please."</p> - -<p>"Very well, sir, I will."</p> - -<p>Don drew up a stool, stayed a hurricane of questions which the -ambulanciers shot toward him from every quarter of the room with -a cheery, "All right, fellows—just a minute," and, desirous of -satisfying the curiosity of the taciturn young man, began his -explanations.</p> - -<p>In terse sentences he related how he and his chum, George Glenn, had -left Chicago with the intention of joining Mr. Hale, who belonged to -the aviation corps, in Paris. On reaching New York, however, they found -that a letter and remittance which the two expected had not arrived. -Don took passage on a munition ship and had a thrilling adventure at -sea. Afterward he met George Glenn and they journeyed to the war zone -together. A series of surprising incidents followed, and did not end -until they encountered Mr. Hale in a little French village.</p> - -<p>"By George! 'Pon my word!—quite a story," commented Chase at its -conclusion. His face actually lighted up with a smile. "And then, not -satisfied with all that excitement, you had to join the Red Cross in -order to get a bit more, eh?"</p> - -<p>"No; it wasn't for the sake of the thrills, though they come pretty -often in the day's work," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>"What's become of your friend?"</p> - -<p>"George? Why, he's preparing to enter the aviation service."</p> - -<p>"Then he's sure to rise above you very quickly," drawled Chase.</p> - -<p>"Ha, ha!" giggled Bodkins. "Did you hear that, boys? Chase Manning's -first joke. Remember the day and date."</p> - -<p>Don joined in the general laugh which followed, then remarked:</p> - -<p>"And now, Chase——"</p> - -<p>"Nothing doing, son. My history wouldn't interest even a cat," broke in -Chase, quickly. His voice and manner underwent a sudden change; once -again he appeared the same surly, discontented chap as before. "You -may have this much information, however: I'm from that 'somewhere in -America' known as Maine."</p> - -<p>By this time many of the ambulanciers were eagerly examining the Paris -newspapers—the first they had seen for some time—while others fairly -peppered the aviator's son with questions concerning his trip. A -journey to the French capital, after the hard grind of work and the -dangers to which they were daily exposed, really marked an epoch in the -lives of the drivers, and the next best thing to enjoying the pleasure -themselves, according to the majority, was to listen to an account of -the experiences of some one who had.</p> - -<p>And, very naturally, Don Hale, bubbling over with buoyant spirits, had -much to say.</p> - -<p>While engaged in conversation they heard the sound of an explosion, -startlingly loud, rising above the clatter of passing traffic and dull -booming of artillery.</p> - -<p>"Hello! There's a shell that landed almost near enough to say, 'How do -you do?'" cried the chef.</p> - -<p>Chase hastily sprang from his seat, with his mouth half open.</p> - -<p>"Great Scott!" he blurted out, with a perceptible tremor in his voice. -"I never heard one of these confounded things burst so close to the old -shack before."</p> - -<p>"I know of a certain village which the Boches didn't present with a -single shell for months and months," put in Dunstan, dryly, "and just -when everybody began to consider it a lovely and peaceful place—a -haven of refuge in time of danger—the German batteries, early one -morning, suddenly started working overtime. No, Messieurs, it probably -will never be rebuilt."</p> - -<p>"That's liable to happen here, too," remarked Bodkins, not very -reassuringly. "We're only a few kilometers from the front. But what do -we care, boys! Isn't there a dandy underground shelter right back of -the quarters for us to drop into when things get a bit too squally! -Why, it's got a roof of sand-bags and dirt about eight feet thick. Only -a shell landing very close could do any harm; so let's cheer up."</p> - -<p>A momentary silence ensued, and Dunstan Farrington thereupon began -tapping in a very nonchalant fashion upon the table.</p> - -<p>Any keen observer might have noticed that of all those present but one -paid attention to his action. A curious, eager light instantly sprang -into Don Hale's eyes; a smile curved his lips. For Dunstan, using the -Morse code, was sending a message to Don, who, being a former wireless -operator, of course understood.</p> - -<p>Rather laboriously the art student spelled the words which form this -sentence:</p> - -<p>"Chase, our new member, is an odd sort of a chap. Some of the fellows -think he has a yellow streak. We're curious to see what he'll do when -under fire."</p> - -<p>Humming softly, and with a twinkle in his eye, Don sauntered over to -the table, and, in a considerably more expert manner than his fellow -driver, made a series of taps upon its surface.</p> - -<p>Dunstan had no difficulty in translating the following:</p> - -<p>"Don't judge too soon. Give him a chance. I'll bet he'll make good."</p> - -<p>Dunstan replied:</p> - -<p>"A grouch of the first class, Don."</p> - -<p>Again: "Don't judge too soon."</p> - -<p>"What's the matter—do you chaps think you're woodpeckers?" broke -in Bodkins. "Come, boys, let's entertain ourselves. How's this for -improvising?"</p> - -<p>And the musician, twanging his banjo, began to sing and play in a -decidedly lusty manner.</p> - -<p>"Pardon—I thought you wanted us to entertain ourselves," snickered -"Peewee" Burns, a very fat, round-faced driver. "Fellows, Bodkins' -improvisations have about the same effect on me as Boche shells falling -uncomfortably close. I can't beat it too fast."</p> - -<p>"Humph!—there's another arrow from jealousy's quiver that slipped -harmlessly past," grunted Bodkins. "Why, you poor, ignorant chump, you -couldn't tell the difference between music and the blare of a Klaxon."</p> - -<p>Then, quite satisfied with this crushing retort, Bodkins began once -more. Loudly, and with a most extraordinary accent, he sang some of the -latest songs of the poilus,<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> and the others helped him manfully in -the chorus.</p> - -<p>Thus, for fully fifteen minutes there was so much jollification and -noise in the room that the sounds from without were effectually denied -an entrance.</p> - -<p>At length John Weymouth raised his hand.</p> - -<p>"Hold on, boys," he cried. "Enough of this kind of music is too much. -What's the next number on the program?"</p> - -<p>"Let's all take turns jumping on Bodkins' banjo," suggested "Peewee," -pleasantly. "I've got a pair of extra-heavy boots."</p> - -<p>"There's enough danger about without inviting any more," laughed -Wendell. "Somebody tell a story. Now's your chance, Chase."</p> - -<p>The latter shook his head.</p> - -<p>"Sorry I can't oblige," he said. "But my gift of gab is less than is -usually given to mortals."</p> - -<p>"Dunstan, then?"</p> - -<p>"He's sure to ring in something about painting or artists," declared -"Peewee." "It's a most oddly odd thing what a grip art and music get on -some people."</p> - -<p>"Commonplace individuals of course can't be expected to understand it," -remarked the musician, loftily. "Your bleatings, 'Peewee,' are——"</p> - -<p>"Order, order!" interrupted the Sous Chef. "Dunstan has the platform."</p> - -<p>"What shall it be—fact or fiction?" asked the art student.</p> - -<p>"Give us a little true fiction," remarked Wendell, with a laugh.</p> - -<p>Dunstan took a quick turn or two across the room, looked up at the -ceiling, then down at the bare planks beneath his feet. Finally he -raised his head so as to survey the crowd.</p> - -<p>"By George, fellows, that effect of light and shade on your faces and -figures is simply corking!" he cried, with enthusiasm. "Rembrandt -himself——"</p> - -<p>"I told you!" snickered "Peewee."</p> - -<p>"The story first and Rembrandt afterward," commented Watts.</p> - -<p>"All right, boys." Dunstan, with a sigh of resignation, seated himself -on the edge of the table and began swinging his legs to and fro. "I'll -relate a little bit of truth that may sound like fiction. Hello!"</p> - -<p>Bang! Bang!</p> - -<p>Two other concussions, though not quite so loud as the one previously -heard, crashed in upon his sentence.</p> - -<p>Chase squirmed uneasily in his seat. It required no skilled observer to -detect the fact that his nerves were shaking.</p> - -<p>"Confound it!" he muttered.</p> - -<p>"Oh, that's nothing," Weymouth assured him. "When they hit the house -next door it'll be time enough to worry."</p> - -<p>"As I wasn't saying," resumed Dunstan, after a moment or two had -passed, "my story concerns a French château—one of those typical old -châteaus dating from the feudal ages, and within the massive walls of -which——"</p> - -<p>"He's getting off to a good, flowery start, all right," chirruped -"Peewee."</p> - -<p>"The nobles and landed gentry dwelt." Then, with a cheery laugh, -Dunstan continued, in a more matter-of-fact way: "Just the other day -a couple of poilus gave me the tale I'm now passing along to you. In -this ancient château, which the Germans shelled and partly wrecked, -there lived a direct descendent of one of those old-time seigneurs. The -soldiers declared he resided in the great château alone, with a retinue -of servants, and that he had the reputation of being an eccentric old -chap with one great hobby."</p> - -<p>"And what was that?" queried Wendell.</p> - -<p>"The collection of paintings and objects of art."</p> - -<p>"There it comes, boys!—the art stuff again!" exclaimed "Peewee," -yawning. "Say, this is a fairy tale, eh, Dunstan?"</p> - -<p>His words were couched in a tone of accusation.</p> - -<p>"No, mon ami, not a bit of it," declared the art student, earnestly. -"A long article concerning the Morancourt case appeared in a Paris -newspaper."</p> - -<p>"Morancourt? Why, that's the old place right near us here—up toward -the front!"</p> - -<p>"That's the very place, my son."</p> - -<p>"Hah! The plot thickens. What is the 'case' you spoke of?"</p> - -<p>"The Count de Morancourt had in his gallery some of the most valuable -of all old masters—a Correggio, a Titian and a Botticelli, besides -several examples of the Dutch school, such as Rembrandt and Franz Hals, -for instance."</p> - -<p>"Well, suppose he had—what of it?" demanded "Peewee," a trifle -impatiently. "He isn't the first old gent that's been a bug on -collecting pictures. Where does your story begin to become a story?"</p> - -<p>"The French government made many efforts to acquire some of Count de -Morancourt's treasures for the Louvre," answered Dunstan, "but he -always refused to dispose of them."</p> - -<p>"No story yet," growled "Peewee."</p> - -<p>"Wait."</p> - -<p>"That's what we're doing."</p> - -<p>"Not long after the beginning of the war the count left the Château de -Morancourt and also the land of his birth and set sail for America. Now -comes the curious part of the story. With the government and the most -famous art dealers of Europe on the qui vive to get hold of his old -masters it would have been practically impossible for the count to sell -them without the fact becoming immediately known."</p> - -<p>"Quite true," assented Wendell.</p> - -<p>"It has been proven, too, beyond all doubt, that no part of his -collection accompanied the grand seigneur to America."</p> - -<p>"What is all this leading to?" inquired Watts.</p> - -<p>"Only this: that all the valuable paintings and bric-à-brac, without -exception, have disappeared—vanished—gone!"</p> - -<p>"Vanished!" echoed Don, his face lighting with interest. "A jolly -nice mystery, I call it. There's where the story becomes a story, eh, -'Peewee'?"</p> - -<p>"It sounds like one of those 'to-be-continued' yarns," grumbled -"Peewee." He winked impressively at Bodkins. "Anyhow, what's the use -of ado and chatter about a few old paintings? I'm on call to-night, -boys—which means that I must be ready to take out my car at an -instant's notice. Guess I'll hit the pillow."</p> - -<p>He stretched himself and yawned.</p> - -<p>"Why don't they get the old count to explain the matter?" inquired -Weymouth.</p> - -<p>"I understand he can't be found," answered Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps the stuff is all in Berlin."</p> - -<p>"The Château de Morancourt was never in the hands of the Germans."</p> - -<p>"It might have been stolen by some of that great retinue of servants -you spoke about," suggested "Peewee."</p> - -<p>"Not at all likely. They were sent away some time before the count -himself left."</p> - -<p>"Well, if official investigators can't solve the mystery I'm sure it's -no use for us to puzzle our heads about it," put in Watts. "I always -like a story which has some sort of an end, Dunstan. Your affair of the -Château de Morancourt wouldn't be so bad but for that."</p> - -<p>"I say, let's visit the place the very first chance we get," cried Don. -"Those old castles always interested me immensely, and in this case -that mystery'll add to the charm."</p> - -<p>"Sure we will, Don."</p> - -<p>"I reckon I'll go along, too," declared the taciturn Chase, somewhat to -the surprise of the others—"that is, if we don't happen to get blown -into bits beforehand."</p> - -<p>"We'll be glad to have you," said Dunstan, cordially. The art student -smiled. "Of course I don't mean blown into bits." He looked around. -"Any one else?"</p> - -<p>No enthusiastic response came to his ears, whereupon he broke into a -hearty peal of laughter.</p> - -<p>"I see my story has fallen rather flat," he chuckled. "But never mind, -boys. Perhaps our visit to the Château de Morancourt may be the means -of our being supplied with an interesting chapter or two on the history -of that ancient structure."</p> - -<p>"At least it will be a pleasant change," grunted Chase.</p> - -<p>"I know how it'll all end, Dunstan," giggled "Peewee." "You'll bring -back a pencil drawing, all shaded by hand and labeled with the title -and the date of the date."</p> - -<p>"All shaded by hand!—the date of the date!" scoffed Bodkins. "Take my -advice, 'Peewee'—never speak unless you're spoken to; then the extent -of your dreadful ignorance won't be so noticeable."</p> - -<p>Dunstan joined in the merry laughter at the expense of the grinning -"Peewee" which followed, then, seizing Don by the arm, he exclaimed:</p> - -<p>"Come, boy, you look quite serious—upon what, may I ask, are your -thoughts fixed so intently?"</p> - -<p>"Upon the Château de Morancourt," laughed Don. "That's quite a story, -Dunstan."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a></h2> - -<h3>ON DUTY</h3> - - -<p>Early on the following morning, while the light of the coming day was -slowly spreading throughout the heavens and by degrees bringing into -view the landscape which for long hours the deep shades of night had -gathered to themselves, Don Hale and Dunstan Farrington clambered into -ambulance number eight and took their places on the driver's seat.</p> - -<p>"Another forty-eight hours of duty at the outpost ahead of us!" -exclaimed Don.</p> - -<p>"Yes; and I hope there won't be too much excitement!" said Dunstan. "I -reckon Chase Manning would agree to that sentiment."</p> - -<p>"There's a chap whose acquaintance I am certainly going to cultivate," -laughed the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>The boy waved his hand to a couple of mechanicians tinkering over an -ambulance near by, threw in the clutch, and number eight, the center -of a very strong smell of gasoline, slowly trundled over the cobbled -paving, passed beneath the arching gateway and entered the street.</p> - -<p>Even at that early hour soldiers billeted in the village were to be -seen on every hand, and as the Red Cross car swung along in an easterly -direction over the wide highway an occasional "Vive l'Amerique!" rose -clearly above the hum of smoothly-working pistons and rumble of wheels.</p> - -<p>Traveling at a rapid rate of speed, the ambulance soon reached a bend, -and just beyond the road passed under the arch of an ancient porte, -or gateway, which marked the limits of the town. Very picturesque -and typical of other centuries it looked, looming up against the -slowly-lightening sky.</p> - -<p>Beyond the porte the ambulance passed a succession of hills and -meadows. Everywhere the earth had been pitted, scarred and plowed up -by high-explosive shells, and at frequent intervals there were huge -yawning craters, meters in depth and width, some showing the earth -freshly disturbed, others where it was hard and dry.</p> - -<p>The guns still boomed away, and spurting columns of smoke rising here -and there told where the shells from the German batteries were falling.</p> - -<p>"I hope the Boche won't be tossing any of their property along the -Chemin de Mort as we pass," exclaimed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't surprise me a bit if they did," declared Don.</p> - -<p>Dunstan glanced at his young companion curiously.</p> - -<p>"By George, Don, your nerves are like your helmet—made of steel," he -said, admiringly. "Don't you ever get the quiver, the shiver and the -shakes like the rest of us?"</p> - -<p>"You bet I do," laughed Don. "Hello!—Hear that!—seemed to be right in -the direction for which we're bound."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Dunstan, slowly—"not only seemed to be, but was."</p> - -<p>Very shortly afterward the Red Cross car sped swiftly around a bend in -the road and into one of the most dangerous stretches of the entire -journey. This was the Chemin de Mort, or Road of Death, so named -because of the fact that for a distance of over a kilometer it lay -in full view of the German trenches and artillery and within easy -range of shell-fire. Eleven ambulances belonging to the section had -been almost put out of service along that kilometer of deadly danger -by bursting shrapnel shells, and at certain times it required all the -courage and nerve a driver possessed to stick to his car. Number eight, -one of the eleven damaged cars, still showed the marks made by the -leaden hail.</p> - -<p>Probably no member of the unit ever arrived at the Chemin de Mort -or raced across its sinister length without experiencing decidedly -peculiar and uncomfortable sensations—sensations in which dread and -awe formed a prominent part.</p> - -<p>"Let 'er rip, Don!" cried Dunstan, anxiously.</p> - -<p>"First speed it is," said Don.</p> - -<p>Number eight bowled swiftly ahead, sometimes jolting and bumping over -inequalities in the road, while the two on the front seat kept their -eyes fixed on a bend beyond. Only a few moments were required to reach -it, and when the car shot around into a safer zone both Don and Dunstan -gave a little sigh of relief.</p> - -<p>"I always find myself wondering if something tragic isn't going to -happen along here one of these days," murmured Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"It hasn't yet," said Don.</p> - -<p>"I know; but——"</p> - -<p>The art student paused and shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>"Hello! Here comes one of our cars!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>His sharp eyes had just caught sight of a small object enveloped in a -cloud of dust swinging into view in the distance.</p> - -<p>On and on it raced at terrific speed; larger and larger became the -vehicle and its accompanying cloud of flying particles. A shaft of the -early morning sunlight, shooting across the landscape, tinted it with a -rosy glow; sharp lights gleamed and flashed on the polished surfaces. -Then, with a rush—a clatter—a whirl of wheels—it bore down a gentle -incline immediately in front of them. Now the red cross, the emblem of -mercy, on the ambulance's side could be clearly discerned, and Don and -Dunstan had a confused and momentary impression of a grim-faced driver, -tense and alert, bending over the steering wheel and a companion by -his side. Then the road ahead was clear.</p> - -<p>"An urgent case!" murmured Don.</p> - -<p>"I thought some of those shells were landing near the post," said -Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Number eight now turned another bend and began ascending a hill, with -woods on either side of the road. The highway at this point became -rather narrow and winding, and was in the midst of a neighborhood -almost as much dreaded as the Chemin de Mort. At night, with the road -shrouded in deep black shadows and barely room for vehicles to pass and -the likelihood that careless driving might at almost any moment cause a -car to topple into a shell-hole, the combination was one calculated to -test the skill of the most expert drivers.</p> - -<p>The forest was filled with guns of many calibers. And before the war it -must have been a very beautiful forest; for pines, cedars, hemlocks, -oaks and horse chestnuts, ages old, were growing in great profusion. -But the German batteries on the opposite hills had sent veritable -hurricanes of screaming shells into its midst. The withering blasts -had stripped countless trees of their foliage—so shattered and -blasted others that forlorn, ugly-looking stumps alone remained.</p> - -<p>Yet the French batteries had withstood the bombardment, and many a time -the ambulanciers driving along that narrow road in the forest had been -almost deafened by the terrific concussions of the guns.</p> - -<p>And as cannon must have ammunition numerous supply posts were situated -near the winding road. Cleverly hidden from the eyes of German airmen -stretched row after row of shells suitable for every gun, and enormous -quantities of boxes containing cartridges and hand-grenades.</p> - -<p>As the Red Cross car climbed the hills and descended into the valleys, -with the sun's rays ever strengthening and sending slender shafts of -pearly light between the trees and spotting their boughs and branches, -the two Americans caught occasional glimpses of figures in the depth of -the forest—artillerymen, ready for the day's work.</p> - -<p>Shells were bursting not far away; detonations came one after another. -But the French batteries now remained silent.</p> - -<p>"Hit it up again, Don," advised Dunstan, as the car approached a high -hill. "If there is any one spot the Boche seem to have the exact range -of it's right along here."</p> - -<p>"Gideon Watts knows all about that," rejoined the youthful driver, -grimly. "Narrow shake he had, eh?—car almost put out of commission and -Gideon sent shooting into the road!"</p> - -<p>"That day's work was responsible for Gideon getting the Croix de -Guerre," said Dunstan. "He stuck to his post with 'arrivés' dropping -all about him like hail. I can't imagine Chase Manning doing that, Don."</p> - -<p>Farrington began to chuckle softly, though a strained look appeared in -his eyes as he glanced up at the sky.</p> - -<p>"Don't know enough about him yet to offer any opinion," returned Don.</p> - -<p>Then a silence between the two ensued—a silence which continued while -the ambulance was chug-chugging its way up the steep incline. Very soon -the summit was reached and the dangerous hill and a crossroad near the -top left behind.</p> - -<p>Don remarked, reflectively:</p> - -<p>"I've been thinking about that trip to the Château de Morancourt, -Dunstan."</p> - -<p>"I haven't," said the other, very frankly. "My mind, just now, was on -high-explosive shells."</p> - -<p>Don laughed.</p> - -<p>"The same here up to a minute or so ago," he confessed. "But honestly, -Dunny, somehow, my curiosity has been excited a whole lot by your story -about the château."</p> - -<p>"I'm glad to hear it," chuckled the art student.</p> - -<p>The road in places was deeply rutted and worn by the passage of -countless vehicles, but the driver, skilled in the art of avoiding the -bad portions, took his car down a gentle slope at quite a lively pace. -At length number eight once more began making an ascent, and it was not -very long before the summit of the hill was reached. Turning sharply -off on a little spur lying at right angles to the main road, the -ambulanciers suddenly came in sight of two cars parked close together.</p> - -<p>"Here we are at the outpost!" cried Dunstan, quite gaily. "Hello, -fellows! What's been going on?"</p> - -<p>The door of an abri, or underground shelter near the cars opened, -revealing a glare of electric light inside. Four young Americans -hastily emerged, and there was a lively series of salutations. Right -behind the boys came three French army surgeons dressed in white.</p> - -<p>"Ferd Blane and Jim Roland had a couple of blessés,"<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> called one of -the Red Cross drivers. "Meet them?"</p> - -<p>"You bet—tooting it along at the dickens of a pace, too."</p> - -<p>"What happened?"</p> - -<p>"A marmite<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> dropped into the door of a dugout in the first-line -trenches."</p> - -<p>"Hard luck for some poor poilus!" murmured Don.</p> - -<p>With a bit of clever maneuvering he brought his car alongside of the -other two, then both he and Dunstan sprang to the ground.</p> - -<p>"The Boches have been presenting us with some pretty heavy salutes this -morning." The same young chap as before, speaking very cheerfully, -imparted the information. "And if you don't believe it"—he smiled—"I -can make you acquainted with the sight of several new and jolly big -shell-holes."</p> - -<p>"I told Don that something was happening in this direction, -Ravenstock," replied Dunstan. "The worst for a long time, eh?"</p> - -<p>"Well, rather. Enough, too, to make the abri look pretty good to -us—n'est-ce pas, Messieurs Rice, Batten and Vincent?"</p> - -<p>The Americans appealed to agreed, though all seemed to regard the -matter as of little importance. Constant association with danger and -thrills had long before accustomed them to the strain.</p> - -<p>In another moment Don and Dunstan were following the others into the -shelter.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a></h2> - -<h3>UNDERGROUND</h3> - - -<p>The abri was quite a pretentious-looking little place. Over the -arching entrance was layer upon layer of sand-bags, and on top -of these the earth had been packed into a hard, solid mass, thus -affording a good protection from the enemy's fire. The shelter, which -was situated only a few hundred yards from the front, also served as -a poste de secours,<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> three French army surgeons always being in -attendance. Still nearer to No Man's Land, in fact almost directly on -the battle-line, and, of course, shielded as well as possible, was a -"Refuge des blessés," or dressing station, where the brancardiers, or -stretcher bearers, conveyed the wounded for first aid treatment.</p> - -<p>The duties of the brancardiers were of the most perilous nature. -Frequently the men were obliged to crawl out of the trenches after -the fallen soldiers, and then, once burdened with the victims of the -great war, their movements were so restricted that it became all the -more difficult for them to protect themselves. The soldier may have his -reward in fame and glory and wear the hero's crown; the brancardier has -little but that which comes from his own conscience.</p> - -<p>The wounded were brought in from the first-line trenches through -connecting trenches, called in French boyaux, to the poste de secours -and the waiting Red Cross cars. The brancards—stretchers—are all of -the same size, so that they may be used in any ambulance or railway -car. It sometimes happens that a "couchée," which means a lying-down -case, generally one of a serious nature, reaches a base hospital on -the same stretcher on which he was placed after being picked up on the -battle-field.</p> - -<p>During the early part of the war the wounded were often obliged to -wait a long time before being removed, and it was generally in a -slowly-moving horse-drawn vehicle. The advent of the Red Cross and the -American Field Ambulance was the means of bringing about a wonderful -change. The light cars of the sections could travel fast, and whenever -haste was the chief and perhaps deciding factor between life and -death the patients could be taken to the field hospitals in from ten -to twenty minutes. These hospitals were situated about six or seven -kilometers from the front. Usually the base hospitals were placed much -further away.</p> - -<p>During the fierce fighting which had occurred a short time before, -the ambulance section to which Don Hale belonged had carried over two -thousand wounded inside of a week.</p> - -<p>Over the brow of the hill, about a hundred paces from the poste de -secours, the main road began to descend, leading in a rather zigzag -fashion to a little one-street village which we shall designate as -Montaurennes. Montaurennes, with its air of quiet, rustic beauty, -well set off by age-mellowed stuccoed walls enclosing gardens, had, -at one time, when viewed between the trees from the hilltop, made a -charming picture. Not so now, however. Scarcely a whole house was left -standing—the majority had been reduced to disordered heaps of bricks -and stones, and of the little spired church which once graced its -center only a few pieces of jagged walls remained.</p> - -<p>Three times the little village had changed hands, and its streets and -lanes had witnessed some of the most terrible hand-to-hand conflicts, -when steel met steel, and bayonets—not guns—became the deciding -factor.</p> - -<p>The Germans, however, were finally dislodged, and now the French -trenches cut squarely across the eastern end of the highway. Beyond, -though not so very far beyond, running in an irregular fashion -across the ridges of the opposite hills, stretched another line of -trenches—those held by the Germans.</p> - -<p>So the eight who had just entered the abri were very close indeed to -the scene of actual warfare.</p> - -<p>The underground shelter, the air of which was faintly impregnated with -the odor of antiseptics, in the glare of the electric light became -revealed as a roomy and comfortable retreat. The principal object which -struck the eye on entering was an operating table in the center. There -were also several stools, a couple of benches ranged alongside the -walls and cots for the surgeons.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers who, during their forty-eight hours of duty at the -outpost, always remained fully dressed, were content to get what rest -they could on the stretchers. Pictures clipped from newspapers and -magazines adorned the walls, and Dunstan had also contributed his -talent toward making the place pleasant and cheerful by hanging several -of his paintings in conspicuous positions.</p> - -<p>The drivers stationed at the outpost questioned Don Hale as eagerly -concerning his experiences in Paris as the boys at the Hotel de la -Palette had done. Any news was welcome to the ambulanciers, who were -compelled to pass so much of their time away from the general haunts of -men.</p> - -<p>"Why in thunder didn't you bring us a stack of prints?" demanded -Ravenstock.</p> - -<p>"Look in the car," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>"Good old scout!" cried the driver, making a rush outside.</p> - -<p>In a moment or two, returning with a bundle of Parisian dailies, he was -immediately besieged by the others and left in possession of a single -copy. Thereupon all, including the three French surgeons, Docteurs -Benoist, Savoye and Vianey, deciding that it would be more pleasant -outside, left the shelter and made themselves comfortable by the -entrance.</p> - -<p>The sun, rising higher in the heavens, sent shafts of light over the -ground and spotted the boughs and tree trunks with its radiance. Birds -flitting among the branches kept up a constant and noisy chattering.</p> - -<p>Dunstan, true to his artistic impulses, began making a sketch -of Docteur Benoist, and after more than a half hour of studious -application, paused long enough to hold it up for inspection.</p> - -<p>"Capital—capital!" exclaimed Docteur Vianey, who possessed some -knowledge of English. "What certainty of touch!—worthy of Sargent -himself, Monsieur Farrington."</p> - -<p>"Sargent! Who's Sargent?" demanded Vincent.</p> - -<p>"Great Cæsar, man! Do you mean to stand there and tell me you've never -heard of Sargent?" cried Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"I'm not standing; I'm sitting," corrected Vincent, with a chuckle.</p> - -<p>"Oh, well!" The art student shrugged his shoulders resignedly. "One -can't expect too much from the man in the street."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a name="illus2" id="illus2"></a> - <br /> - <img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>"ONE CAN'T EXPECT TOO MUCH."</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"Wrong again," laughed the other. "I'm not in the street."</p> - -<p>A short time later Ferd Blane and Jim Roland returned from their trip -to the field hospital, and they too gave Don Hale a hearty greeting. In -answer to his inquiry concerning the blessés Roland spoke up in a tone -of conscious pride:</p> - -<p>"The medicine chef said that our quick run may have been the means -of saving a life. That's the kind of thing which makes a chap feel -satisfied to stick to the job no matter how fast the shells are -falling."</p> - -<p>"You bet!" agreed Don, heartily.</p> - -<p>As they talked the sullen, angry roar of the guns came over the -air, and every little while, rising sharply above it, the éclat, or -explosion, of a shell landing somewhere among the trees.</p> - -<p>At length the surgeons and ambulanciers sought shady spots close to the -abri, for the day was growing hot, and only an occasional breath of air -stirred the leaves and grasses.</p> - -<p>Between twelve and two a curious lull came in the cannonading, an -almost daily occurrence, which every one attributed to the fact that -even the grim business of war must wait on appetite. The batteries -of both sides started up briskly again, but the long hours of the -afternoon wore on and drew to a close without the brancardiers bringing -in any blessés.</p> - -<p>A beautiful sunset sky tinged the tree tops with an echo of its -brilliant colors, and as the daylight gradually faded, the moon in the -east, shining resplendently, gained in strength until at length the -forest became a fairylike place—a place of ghostly, silvery lights and -grayish shadows.</p> - -<p>Owing to the clearness of the night no traffic was moving close to the -front; so the German batteries threw but few shells in the direction of -the road.</p> - -<p>"I guess I'll get a little rest," declared Rice, as midnight approached.</p> - -<p>"So shall I," said Jim Roland. "I'm going to take mine in the car."</p> - -<p>"Have a care, mon ami," advised Docteur Vianey.</p> - -<p>"That's the trouble; we have too many already," chuckled the -ambulancier.</p> - -<p>Don and Dunstan, electing to follow Roland's example, a short time -later climbed into number eight and made themselves comfortable on the -brancards, or stretchers, using a rolled up blanket as a pillow. And -while they lay there waiting—still waiting for the call of duty, the -whistle of the "arrivés," as the shells which came from the German -guns were called, and the "departs"—those hurled by the French -batteries—frequently sounded over the air.</p> - -<p>But the night passed without any especial incident.</p> - -<p>The next day was almost a repetition of the first, and when Don and -Dunstan, at the expiration of their forty-eight hour stretch, returned -to headquarters they had made only one trip to the field hospital. Each -knew, however, that it was only a question of time when the nature of -their occupation would necessarily carry them into a great deal more -excitement and danger than they cared about.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a></h2> - -<h3>UNDER FIRE</h3> - - -<p>It frequently happened that the ambulanciers had been obliged to take -their meals in the midst of shell-pitted fields, or perhaps in some -little village street. On such occasions planks thrown across a couple -of saw-horses served as a table.</p> - -<p>At the Hotel de la Palette, however, things were very different. There, -in the dining-room of the hostelry, they sat in comfort at the same -tables before which, in former times, peasants and care-free patrons -had once enjoyed repasts. The room, too, was very attractive, for the -visiting artists had recorded with paint and brush their impressions -of the charming scenery around. One of these pictures, executed on the -panel of a door, was signed by an English landscape artist who later -became a celebrated Royal Academician.</p> - -<p>The rolling field kitchen, in charge of a French army cook, stood in -one corner of the courtyard, and the members of the section took turns -in acting as "chow," as the waiter was humorously called.</p> - -<p>Don and Dunstan found that during their absence Chase Manning had been -doing evacuation work—that is, conveying the wounded from the field -hospital to a base hospital further away from the front. They learned, -too, that he would be en repos<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> for the day.</p> - -<p>"That's fine!" cried Don, as all sat around the breakfast table. "Why -not let's pay the Château de Morancourt a visit this afternoon?"</p> - -<p>"I'm with you," replied Chase.</p> - -<p>"So am I," agreed Dunstan, heartily.</p> - -<p>One of the drivers, "Tiny" Mason, began to laugh heartily. He had -gained the appellation of "Tiny," so Bodkins explained to the -uninformed, because his stature displaced only five feet three inches -of atmosphere.</p> - -<p>"I suppose you chaps are going to find out all about that missing -stuff, eh?" he chuckled.</p> - -<p>"If we do I'll let you know," laughed the art student.</p> - -<p>Producing a pocket map, he showed his companions the location of the -structure.</p> - -<p>"Hello! It isn't very far from the Chemin de Mort," exclaimed Don, in -surprise.</p> - -<p>"Quite correct, my boy," said Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"I'd much rather it were in some other direction," muttered Chase.</p> - -<p>"Come on, Dunstan, let's get through our work," cried Don, rising from -his seat and making a break for the courtyard door. "Old number eight -has to be freshened up a bit and overhauled."</p> - -<p>This task kept the boys busily occupied until lunch time, but -immediately after the meal, accompanied by Chase, they left the hotel -and headed toward the east.</p> - -<p>The dusty village street was full of reservists; poilus were eating, -poilus were lounging about or strolling here and there, all ready at -any moment, however, to march to the first-line trenches and face the -invisible foe and death.</p> - -<p>Now and then, in the midst of all this environment of war, peasants -trudged along, sometimes accompanied by children, several so young that -they could have known nothing else during their brief existence on -earth but the horror, the noise and turmoil of war.</p> - -<p>Presently a military car having two stars painted on the right hand -corner of the windshield, the insignia of a general, shot past the -Americans, and closely following, in the wake of dust which trailed -behind, came a motor cyclist with a large wicker basket strapped to -his shoulders. Through openings in the receptacle the boys caught a -fleeting glimpse of a number of birds.</p> - -<p>"A despatch bearer carrying pigeons to the front," declared Dunstan. -"I understand they have performed most valuable service in delivering -messages, and are seldom killed. Thus does man make use of even the -birds of the air to further his ends."</p> - -<p>"He'd make use of cats if he could," growled Chase.</p> - -<p>Passing the ancient porte, where a sentry gravely saluted them, Don, -Dunstan and Chase branched off into a road leading in a northeasterly -direction toward the rolling hills and battle-front beyond.</p> - -<p>The village fell further and further behind, and finally a rise in -the ground hid it from view. At length the three stopped on a hilltop -to take a survey of a broad and impressive view of the surrounding -country. The surface of the earth in innumerable places presented a -most singular appearance. It was as if some giant plow had been driven -again and again across it, so turning up the rich brown soil that -nature's covering of green was almost entirely obliterated.</p> - -<p>"The marmites have made a pretty thorough job of it," remarked Don.</p> - -<p>"Why are the big shells called marmites?" inquired Chase.</p> - -<p>"Because they gouge a big round hole in the ground somewhat like the -shape of a saucepan, in French a marmite," explained the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>"Thanks. Ruin—ruin, as far as the vision carries; ruin—ruin beyond, -and still further beyond!"</p> - -<p>"Yes; but there is something which seems to typify the unconquerable -spirit of the nation," exclaimed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>With a sweep of his hand he called attention to several peasant women -and old men, in sabots or wooden shoes, guiding plows and harrows -across a field.</p> - -<p>"Farming in this part of France just now certainly has its drawbacks," -said Don. "I've heard it said that to one shell which lands in the -trenches a hundred drop behind the lines."</p> - -<p>Resuming the march, the ambulanciers went down the gentle slopes of the -hill. Soldiers had scarcely ever been out of their sight, and now more -of them became in evidence. Groups of bearded, sun-tanned men, whose -uniforms showed the effects of weather and contact with the earth, were -taking things easy in the shade of the trees or along the road.</p> - -<p>"But if a bombardment should suddenly start up the timber would seem -almost to swallow them," declared the art student. "There must be -dugouts and bomb-proof shelters all through these woods."</p> - -<p>"Votre laissez passer, messieurs, s'il vous plait!"<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a></p> - -<p>A sentry's challenge rang out sharply.</p> - -<p>One glance at their papers, and he waved them on.</p> - -<p>Up and down hill they tramped. The day was superb, and legions of -light, fleecy clouds sent legions of delicate shadows skimming across -the landscape. But though peace was in nature the ambulanciers were -always forcibly reminded of the fact that the great war was going on -all about them.</p> - -<p>Over the brow of another ridge a sign conspicuously nailed to a tree -brought them to a pause.</p> - -<p>"No vehicles further than this by daylight," they read.</p> - -<p>"I am a sufficient believer in signs to pay attention to that warning," -remarked Chase, with an uneasy look on his face.</p> - -<p>"It certainly wouldn't be wise to venture where vehicles may not go," -laughed Don.</p> - -<p>"Scarcely!" put in Dunstan, dryly.</p> - -<p>Retracing their steps, the three soon reached a rather narrow crossroad -running in an easterly and westerly direction over a series of hills. -After following the much-traveled thoroughfare for a considerable -distance, the boys discovering, by the aid of Dunstan's map, that they -were being taken out of their way, decided to leave it. The ascent up -a steep slope, plentifully bestrewn with vegetation, was so hard and -toilsome that all were delighted, on arriving at the top, to discover -a broad, almost level field stretching over to a tree-crowned ridge -about two hundred and fifty yards away.</p> - -<p>"Thank goodness!" panted Chase.</p> - -<p>"Let's take a breathing spell," suggested Don.</p> - -<p>"Most cheerfully, mes cher amis," said Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Seating themselves on the edge of an old shell-crater, the three -rested until the effects of their strenuous exertions had entirely -disappeared. When they started once more they had gone more than -half-way across the field when a figure popped into view over the crest -of the opposite ridge with almost the suddenness of a Jack-in-the-Box. -It was a poilu—evidently a sentry; for they could see him, stationed -by the edge of the trees, making energetic motions, as if he wished to -hurry them on.</p> - -<p>"I suppose we must be breaking some military regulation and are liable -to arrest," said Chase, half jokingly.</p> - -<p>To his surprise, Don and Dunstan, looking considerably startled, -began to cast apprehensive glances toward the east, at the same time -increasing their pace. And then, just as the young chap from Maine was -about to put into words a query that had flashed into his mind a most -alarming thing occurred.</p> - -<p>It was the sharp crack of a rifle and the zip of a bullet, as it struck -the ground but a few yards distant and plowed up and scattered a bit of -earth.</p> - -<p>A terrifying fact was revealed to all—they were in full view of the -German "snipers."<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> That broad, peaceful-looking field was in reality -a miniature "No Man's Land," where none might tarry for a single -instant and expect to live.</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a></h2> - -<h3>ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL</h3> - - -<p>From relative security to the most appalling peril, and all in a moment -of time, was the unhappy position into which the three ambulanciers had -fallen. It was enough to drive the color from their faces, and send -cold chills sweeping one after another through their frames.</p> - -<p>The startled cries were still on their lips, when, almost as if a -powerful spring had set them into motion, they began a race—a wild and -furious race toward their goal—the tree-crowned ridge where the sentry -stood. And each of the three ran as only people can run when the stake -is the greatest in all the world—life itself.</p> - -<p>Zip! Zip! Zip!</p> - -<p>A regular fusillade of bullets was wickedly singing and humming past -their heads and thudding dully into the turf close about them.</p> - -<p>Like professional sprinters on the cinder path trying for a record the -ambulanciers exerted themselves to the utmost, sometimes one in the -lead, sometimes another. Now and then an obstruction made them swerve -aside or inequalities in the ground slacken their pace, but never for -a single instant did either of the trio cease his almost superhuman -efforts.</p> - -<p>Zip! Zip!</p> - -<p>Still the bullets came flying through the air, first to one side of -them, then to the other, now landing just behind, now just ahead.</p> - -<p>Neck and neck, panting, perspiring, the three with their faces -exhibiting all the terror and strain which such a situation would -naturally create, kept doggedly on.</p> - -<p>Neither Don, Dunstan nor Chase actually believed there was one chance -in a thousand of winning that race against the snipers' lead. All were -in the grasp of fear and despair. Yet, if the boys found their mental -faculties tending to yield to the terror of the moment they did not -allow that fact to interfere with their physical efforts.</p> - -<p>It seemed as if that tree-crowned ridge were as far away as ever.</p> - -<p>Crack! Crack! Crack!</p> - -<p>No! It never could be reached in safety!</p> - -<p>A sharp, startling snap sounded almost at the feet of the aviator's -son—a stone had been splintered—shattered, and the fragments narrowly -missed him.</p> - -<p>Don Hale was puffing harder and harder with the strenuous exertion; -his heart seemed to beat with alarming force; a painful dryness had -come into his throat. The boy could see Dunstan on his left; Chase -on his right; both, like himself, striving with all the energy and -determination they possessed to get out of the danger zone.</p> - -<p>Crack! Crack!</p> - -<p>Suddenly Chase tripped and went sprawling—down he was on his knees, -his arms outstretched before him.</p> - -<p>Don Hale groaned. To his excited, overwrought imagination, one of them -at least had ended his part in the game of life and death.</p> - -<p>Notwithstanding an almost irresistible impulse to keep on running, a -desperate, flying leap sent him to the other side.</p> - -<p>"Chase—Chase!" he gasped, hoarsely. "Chase!"</p> - -<p>The other was beginning to scramble up.</p> - -<p>"Are you hit, old man?" To Don's relief the other shook his head.</p> - -<p>He seized Manning's arm, and, with that strength and vigor often given -to those who find themselves in terrible danger, dragged him to his -feet. The tension created by that momentary stoppage brought beads of -cold, clammy perspiration to the faces of each.</p> - -<p>Dunstan had halted and was yelling frantically for them to come on. A -stream of bullets hummed past; a single shot struck the ground ahead.</p> - -<p>The race was on once more.</p> - -<p>It seemed almost miraculous that none of the runners was brought down -during the fusillade that immediately followed. Don Hale could scarcely -believe it possible. Renewed hope sprang into his heart; renewed -strength came into his body.</p> - -<p>A dozen yards only—ten—five.</p> - -<p>Breathless, almost exhausted, the aviator's son fairly flung himself -across the top of the ridge and down on the other side, and as he did -so:</p> - -<p>Zip! Zip! Crack!</p> - -<p>A branch of a sapling, cut cleanly off by a bullet, came tumbling at -his feet.</p> - -<p>That final effort sent the boy in a heap. But he was -happy—extraordinarily happy—filled, indeed, with a gratitude -to providence so great that he could have found no words with -which to give it expression. He was safe. Dunstan and Chase were -safe—wonderful!—almost unbelievable!</p> - -<p>It took the three some moments to recover their breath sufficiently to -speak, then Dunstan, with a very faint smile, addressed the poilu, or, -rather, the poilus, for quite an interested crowd had gathered about -them.</p> - -<p>"Kindly pardon our haste in dropping over to see you," he exclaimed. -"But the Germans were urging us to hurry."</p> - -<p>"You should have kept to the road, mes Americaines," declared an -artillery lieutenant who stood by the sentry's side. "Had you done so -this would never have happened."</p> - -<p>"Ah?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; there is a notice posted at the top of the hill which reads: -'Danger! Keep to the left!' In future beware of all short cuts. They -are apt to be short cuts to death!"</p> - -<p>"Very true," acquiesced Don, grimly.</p> - -<p>"The experience has been hard on your friend."</p> - -<p>Chase Manning was clearly suffering from shock; a pallor had overspread -his face; his mouth and eyes were twitching; his strength seemed to -have deserted his trembling form. He leaned heavily against a tree -trunk for support.</p> - -<p>"Not here very long, I suppose?" continued the lieutenant, in a lower -tone. "Otherwise——" He made an expressive gesture. "But he'll become -habituated in time; one always does."</p> - -<p>In a few moments Don and Dunstan were kept busy answering various -questions, then the sentry spoke up, saying:</p> - -<p>"The time was when the Boches didn't bother to fire at any one crossing -that field, but lately they have become quite mechant."<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a></p> - -<p>"The truth of the old saying 'All's well that ends well' has been -demonstrated to our satisfaction," declared Don, his features relaxing -into a faint smile. "Feeling all right now, Chase?"</p> - -<p>"No! Who could?" counter-questioned the other, in a tremulous voice. -"It was frightful."</p> - -<p>And after voicing this opinion young Manning became silent again.</p> - -<p>The side of the hill facing the German trenches was absolutely -deserted, but the opposite slope the ambulanciers found densely crowded -with poilus. And these soldiers of the twentieth century had virtually -become modern cave men; for, imitating the example of their primitive -ancestors, they had burrowed into the earth and made for themselves -habitations. There were hundreds and hundreds of dugouts in the -immediate vicinity, all so skilfully concealed or disguised by various -devices that a German airman flying directly overhead would in all -probability not have discovered their presence.</p> - -<p>A long time passed before Chase felt in any mood to join in the -conversation, and then, thoroughly disgusted at having allowed his -feelings to be so plainly seen, he became more than usually sullen.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the ambulanciers discovered that there were other sounds in -the air besides the distant booming of cannon and the occasional -explosion of a shell.</p> - -<p>"Music, as I live!" cried Don Hale. "Where in the world is that coming -from?"</p> - -<p>He addressed the artillery lieutenant.</p> - -<p>"The theatrical performance has just started," answered the officer, -with a smile. "Perhaps Messieurs would like to witness the comedy? -Plenty of bomb-proof shelters close by," he added, pleasantly.</p> - -<p>"Should we like to see it? Yes, indeed," cried the aviator's son, -enthusiastically.</p> - -<p>"And thus the scene shifts from near-tragedy to comedy!" laughed -Dunstan. "Coming, Chase?"</p> - -<p>The latter had been showing no inclination to budge from his position, -but in answer to the question he gave a gruff assent, then slowly rose -to his feet, and Don, standing near by, heard him mutter:</p> - -<p>"Awful, awful! I can scarcely believe I'm alive."</p> - -<p>As the three Americans followed their soldier-guide along the -foot-path, which wound its way in a serpentine direction through the -forest, they were greeted everywhere with cordial salutations. The way -led past an amazing number of subterranean retreats, representing such -a vast amount of time and labor that Dunstan could not help remarking -thoughtfully:</p> - -<p>"Too bad that so much energy had to be put into work of such a -character!"</p> - -<p>"I guess that thought was in the mind of every one who helped to dig," -growled Chase.</p> - -<p>The artillery lieutenant smiled.</p> - -<p>"This war has certainly proved as nothing else ever did the wonderful -ability of mankind to adapt itself to every sort of condition, no -matter how difficult or unusual. It has given tremendous impetus to -inventive genius all over the world, particularly in connection with -the science of aeronautics. The conquest of the air is almost complete."</p> - -<p>"My father is an aviator in the American army," declared Don, proudly. -"Formerly he served with a French squadron. Some day I hope to be an -airman myself."</p> - -<p>"Ah, indeed!" exclaimed the lieutenant, evidently very much pleased. -"But ma foi! You are very young."</p> - -<p>"Yes. I've no objection to that, however," laughed Don. "I suppose, -Monsieur le Lieutenant, there are plenty of guns around here?"</p> - -<p>"Do you see any?"</p> - -<p>"No; and I don't expect to unless I should happen to find a muzzle -sticking right in my face."</p> - -<p>"Ah! The art of camouflage is another thing I might have mentioned. -But, to change the subject, the Americans have proved themselves very -great friends of the French, and to show that I am among those who -are appreciative of it I am going to invite you all to pay a visit, -whenever it is convenient, to the battery to which I am attached. You -accept, n'est-ce pas?"</p> - -<p>"I should say so!—eh, mes camarades?" exclaimed Don, enthusiastically.</p> - -<p>He turned toward his companions.</p> - -<p>The art student assented heartily, though Chase, who still looked pale -and haggard, merely muttered his thanks and shrugged his shoulders -non-committally.</p> - -<p>As the Americans proceeded they became more and more surprised at the -immense number of men and dugouts to be seen on every side—indeed -they were passing over the top of a veritable underground village, with -little lanes running in all directions, so as to afford access to the -various quarters.</p> - -<p>"Naturally, there isn't always so much life and activity on this hill," -said the lieutenant, when Don mentioned the subject. He pointed to -the surrounding forest. Many of the trees had been snapped in twain -by high-explosive shells, while others lay prostrate on the ground; -indeed, but very few had escaped being scarred, gashed or broken by the -various bombardments. "Sometimes it is just as dangerous as you found -it back yonder."</p> - -<p>At this reminder of their thrilling experience Chase Manning -perceptibly shivered.</p> - -<p>"That's the kind of an experience which will stick in a fellow's memory -forever," he said, almost as if speaking to himself. The grim look -suddenly flashed away from his face. "Don, you're a brave kid."</p> - -<p>"Oh, it wasn't anything!" broke in the aviator's son, lightly. "You -would have done the same."</p> - -<p>The sound of music had been growing steadily louder, and now the -melodious strains of a song chanted by hundreds of voices were wafted -through the forest. It was very charming—very idyllic, and in strange -contrast to the sounds of warfare coming from the distance.</p> - -<p>A rather sharp turn, and they arrived almost abruptly at a clearing. To -one side, at the very edge of the trees, the ambulanciers caught sight -of a little stage, where the soldier-actors were going through their -parts with considerable fervor. And they were playing before a large -and enthusiastic audience, to whom, apparently, thoughts of war were -the very last in their minds.</p> - -<p>"The comedy is the work of one of our officers," explained the -lieutenant. "It is entitled 'The Poilu's Ten Days in Paris.' I hope, -mes Americaines, you will find it worth more than the price of -admission."</p> - -<p>"No doubt about that," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>"The last performance was abruptly terminated by a shell falling only a -short distance from the stage. We must trust that to-day the boys will -have better luck."</p> - -<p>"You can just bet we do," mumbled Chase.</p> - -<p>The artillery officer conducted them as close as he could to the -little improvised theater, then, after a brief conversation, during -which he reminded them of their promise to pay the battery a visit, and -stated that his name was Lieutenant D'Arraing, he bowed politely and -was speedily lost to view.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers found themselves quite the center of attraction, -and so much good humor and jollity around them went very far toward -effacing from the minds of all the remembrance of their recent peril.</p> - -<p>Dunstan very aptly described the play presented by the amateur actors -as "rip-roaring farce." A great many most extraordinary things occurred -during the "Poilu's Ten Days in Paris," and the pleasure of witnessing -all these laughable episodes was considerably enhanced, at least -according to the ideas of the boys, by the choruses, in which the -audience generally joined. An orchestra of five did valiant service.</p> - -<p>Altogether the Americans enjoyed the performance hugely, though several -times the explosions of shells sounded with unpleasant distinctness.</p> - -<p>After it was all over Don, Dunstan and Chase met so many poilus -who were eager to converse with them, especially on the subject of -America's entrance into the great war, that their departure was -long delayed—so long delayed indeed that an idea came into the art -student's head.</p> - -<p>"Fellows," he said, "there's a great deal in first impressions."</p> - -<p>"What's the sequel to that remark?" asked Chase.</p> - -<p>"It just occurred to me that we might tarry around here even longer, so -that we might get our first view of the famous Château de Morancourt by -the mystic light of the moon."</p> - -<p>"'Peewee' should have heard that!" chuckled Don.</p> - -<p>"If your artistic spirit craves that shadows and gloom should hover -over the old pile of stones and make it suggest a picture-postal, so be -it," grinned Chase.</p> - -<p>"Very good!" said Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Standing by the side of a tree, he began tapping on the bark.</p> - -<p>The smiling Don translated the following message:</p> - -<p>"Perhaps the castle by moonlight may be too much for our friend's -nerves."</p> - -<p>The aviator's son replied:</p> - -<p>"I wonder if he'll have an irresistible impulse to run."</p> - -<p>"He wasn't cut out for this sort of life."</p> - -<p>"No; an easy chair in an office for him."</p> - -<p>"Bodkins' woodpeckers again!" broke in Chase, with a yawn. "A funny -kind of a habit, I call it."</p> - -<p>"Maybe so," grinned Don.</p> - -<p>The three began to stroll leisurely here and there, quite often -accompanied by one or more of the poilus. Down by a little creek they -came across a number lined up alongside the bank engaged in the prosaic -occupation of washing clothes and hanging them out to dry on convenient -saplings and branches.</p> - -<p>"Another illustration of man's adaptability," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>In the midst of congenial company, with much to interest them, time -passed rapidly, and finally the ambulanciers, who had brought supper -with them, took seats on a bit of turf and began their meal.</p> - -<p>And though at times the mosquitoes and gnats made things decidedly -uncomfortable, there they remained until the sun had long since -disappeared beneath the horizon and the moonbeams were gaining -sufficient strength to reveal their presence upon the face of nature.</p> - -<p>Then Dunstan jumped to his feet, exclaiming:</p> - -<p>"It's time for us to be on the move."</p> - -<p>"Hooray! Now for the last stretch!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>"And the Château de Morancourt by moonlight!" added Chase.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a></h2> - -<h3>THE CHÂTEAU</h3> - - -<p>About a quarter of an hour later the three Americans were standing -before a high and ornamental gateway which led into the great park -belonging to the château. Only a small portion of the De Morancourt -coat of arms which once adorned it remained in place, and the ancient -bricks showed in many places the destructive effects of German shells.</p> - -<p>"This must be one of those real, bona-fide, genuine châteaus we read -about," commented Chase.</p> - -<p>"Yes; according to what I have been told it dates back to the time of -Louis the Fourteenth," said the art student.</p> - -<p>"I do wonder what could have become of all those pictures and art -treasures!" mused Don.</p> - -<p>"A lot of other people have been wondering, too; and whether they will -ever get beyond the wondering stage or not is problematical."</p> - -<p>"Suppose we get into the wandering stage."</p> - -<p>"I don't see any stage."</p> - -<p>"At any rate, let us hope there won't be anything unlucky about this -stage of our journey," put in Chase, dryly.</p> - -<p>Entering the grounds, the three found themselves on a wide carriage -road, bordered on each side with stately trees. The moonlight flooded -the scene with unusual brilliancy, and some of the ancient oaks, which -had escaped the destroying shells, made a grimly-impressive picture, as -their boughs and branches were silhouetted against the steely bluish -tones of the sky. Here and there the roadway was deeply shadowed; in -other places, it gleamed with a ghostly paleness amid the surrounding -gloom.</p> - -<p>At one time the park had evidently been anything but a haven of refuge; -for the same sort of havoc which existed elsewhere was to be found on -all sides—fallen trees, mutilated trunks and the earth torn up by -projectiles. And Chase Manning observed, with considerable uneasiness, -that some of the shells must have very recently fallen.</p> - -<p>"I declare, this makes me think of some of those old-time romantic -novels!" declared Dunstan, with enthusiasm. "What an air of charm -and mystery there is all about us! And look, mes amis, what do I -see?—Actually a marble group which has probably weathered the storm of -centuries past and strangely enough even escaped the present danger!"</p> - -<p>In a glade to their left the ambulanciers saw what had once been a -fountain. The center of the spacious marble basin was occupied by -a gigantic figure of Neptune surrounded by a number of rearing and -plunging horses. In the full glare of the moonlight, portions of the -ancient marble forms were clearly revealed in broad masses of greenish -white, against the background of trees beyond; the rest disappeared in -the shadows.</p> - -<p>Even Chase—Chase who rarely took heed of the pleasing or the -picturesque—gave an exclamation expressive of admiration.</p> - -<p>"By George!—just to see that is worth all the trouble we have taken!" -cried Don, as they walked up to obtain a view at closer range.</p> - -<p>"At some future time it means another sketch for my portfolio," -declared Dunstan. "How very still these fiery-looking horses simulating -rapid action are," he continued, reflectively, "but how vivid the -impression of life and activity each conveys to the mind! And how very -silent they are! Yet one gifted with a little imagination can almost -hear them snorting, in their haste and excitement."</p> - -<p>"Pretty good, boy! Keep it up," said Chase.</p> - -<p>"And Neptune, gaunt and threatening, with his arm upraised, appears to -be urging them on, as though unmindful of the fact that he and they are -forever destined to remain immovable!"</p> - -<p>"Bravo!"</p> - -<p>Standing before the time-worn group, in the lonely and deserted park, -with the vegetation all about them rustling in the faint breeze, Don -Hale felt a peculiar sensation of awe stealing over him.</p> - -<p>"Dunstan was right—it makes a chap almost feel as if he were living in -another age," he thought. And then, aloud, the aviator's son exclaimed: -"How curious it is to think that perhaps two or three hundred years -ago people may have looked upon this very same group!"</p> - -<p>"Yes; in all probability kings and courtiers, grand seigneurs and noble -dames once cast their eyes upon it," remarked Dunstan. "Ah, if I could -only invoke the muse, what a grand poem I could compose!"</p> - -<p>"And by so doing either provoke or amuse us," chuckled Chase, with the -first laugh he had been heard to utter during the day.</p> - -<p>"Good!—Chase's second joke!" cried Don, approvingly.</p> - -<p>"Allons, mes amis—let's go!"</p> - -<p>The trio, skirting around the fountain, reached the road again and -continued to tramp steadily on. The way led up a slight ascent, and -occasionally, through openings in the trees, they caught glimpses -of charming bits of scenery, with shadowy, mysterious-looking hills -looming up beyond. Then they observed what had once been very wonderful -lawns, but which were now mere fields overrun with weeds and tall -grasses and deeply pitted here and there with shell-holes.</p> - -<p>They were approaching a bend, and the moment the turn was reached -Dunstan stopped short, and, with a wave of his hand, exclaimed -dramatically:</p> - -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">"'Behold yon tower;</div> - <div class="verse">Mark well those crumbling walls—</div> - <div class="verse">Those silent chroniclers of years gone by,</div> - <div class="verse">Of tyranny and tears!'"</div> -</div></div> - -<p>"The Château de Morancourt is before our eyes!" cried Don. "Hooray!"</p> - -<p>"The park seems to equal the château and the château to equal the -park," commented Chase.</p> - -<p>Not far ahead, situated on the crest of a hill, the grim-looking -mediæval structure, with its wings and gables and partly demolished -tower, presented a singularly impressive appearance. From where they -stood the soft, mysterious light of the moon mercifully concealed from -view the great damage wrought by the missiles.</p> - -<p>"En avant!—Forward march!" cried Dunstan. "Isn't it curious to think, -fellows, that not so very long ago the Germans learned about the tower -being used as an observation post, and the result was——"</p> - -<p>"That there are no longer any observers, I suppose?" broke in Don.</p> - -<p>"Exactly!"</p> - -<p>"A nice place you have led us to!" growled Chase.</p> - -<p>He gave a perceptible start, for at that very instant a star shell -soared majestically up from the German lines, and then, having reached -a great altitude, burst into flames, casting all around it a brilliant -whitish glare.</p> - -<p>The nearer the ambulanciers approached the Château de Morancourt the -grander and more awesome the massive structure appeared. Over the -air from afar came the faint rumble of the convoys, but a strange, -melancholy silence, which accorded well with the solemn aspect of the -building and its surroundings, hovered over the park.</p> - -<p>"How suggestive of dark deeds and mystery!" murmured Dunstan. Then he -added, meditatively: "I wonder if we couldn't manage to get a look -inside!"</p> - -<p>"By all means let's try," cried Don.</p> - -<p>The three walked under a magnificent porte-cochère, supported by -graceful pillars, and came to a halt before the entrance. It was very -dark and somber in the shadow—so dark and somber indeed that the -massive door which surmounted a broad flight of stone steps leading up -on either side could be scarcely seen.</p> - -<p>Don, Dunstan and Chase could make out the dim outlines of a marble -lion supporting a shield which stood on a pedestal at the bottom of -the escalier, or steps. Without stopping to admire its savage and -formidable appearance, they began to mount, feeling their way by means -of the massive marble balustrade. Arriving at the top, Dunstan gave -the big door a vigorous push. So did Don and Chase. Once, twice—three -times they tried it, but their efforts were of no avail.</p> - -<p>"Nothing doing!" growled Chase. "It would take a German shell to open -that ton of door."</p> - -<p>"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>By this time, their eyes having become more accustomed to the darkness, -they were able to discern some of the details on the great entrance and -on the magnificent lamps which flanked it to the right and left.</p> - -<p>"Splendid," exclaimed Dunstan. "It makes me all the more determined to -gain an entrance."</p> - -<p>And so speaking, he skipped lightly down the opposite flight of steps. -His companions clattered after him.</p> - -<p>Then the three began walking along by the side of the building, and -though it was all very much obscured it was not so dark as to prevent -them from detecting the presence of scars and holes and cracks which -everywhere disfigured the walls. Passing around several wings into the -full glare of the moonlight, the ambulanciers kept steadily on until -the imposing façade of the château was reached. Great bay windows -and projecting portions relieved the structure from any appearance -of monotony, and here and there thick masses of vines climbing over -the weather-stained walls helped to soften their grim and threatening -aspect. The lower windows were within easy reach of the ground, and as -Don Hale's eyes lighted on the third from the end he gave a loud cry of -exultation.</p> - -<p>"Look, fellows—how's that for luck! There's one almost entirely -demolished."</p> - -<p>"Unkind fate for the château is kind fate for us," exclaimed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"I hope we shall not find ourselves in a waking nightmare," declared -Chase. "I'm not so keen about going inside."</p> - -<p>"Oh, pshaw!" broke in the aviator's son, impatiently.</p> - -<p>He sprinted over to the window, and, reaching up, gripped hold of the -sill. Strong and muscular, it was an easy task for the boy to draw -himself up and climb astride it. Leaning forward, he peered eagerly -inside the room. The window, like every other along that side of the -building, admitted a shaft of moonlight, which, for a short distance, -streaked weirdly across the floor. Don found himself staring at his own -shadow, singularly clear-cut in the midst of the pale greenish-blue -patch before him; then his glances wandered beyond. But all was -shrouded in deep obscurity.</p> - -<p>Without hesitation the boy eased himself down into the room, which he -could tell was of immense and imposing dimensions.</p> - -<p>"Come on, fellows," he called, "so in case I fall into the cellar you -can pick me up."</p> - -<p>Bringing forth a small flash-light from an inside pocket, Don turned -on the brilliant rays just as the figure of Dunstan loomed up in the -window.</p> - -<p>"This is an adventure that appeals to my imagination," remarked the art -student, cheerfully, as he clambered down and joined his companion.</p> - -<p>A moment later Chase stood beside them.</p> - -<p>Don Hale sent the beam of light flashing all around them, and as its -rays revealed the richness of the interior all three ambulanciers gave -voice to emphatic expressions of admiration.</p> - -<p>"Great, splendid—superb!" cried Dunstan. "I've just discovered what's -been the matter with me all along—this is the sort of place I should -have lived in."</p> - -<p>"Quite naturally; artists as a rule inhabit castles," remarked Chase, -dryly, "though sometimes they are airy, like the stuff of which dreams -are made. By George, fellows, what a spooky-looking place!"</p> - -<p>"It is, indeed," asserted Dunstan, meditatively. "Strange that the -Count de Morancourt should have left without putting his goods in -storage!"</p> - -<p>"Nothing strange about it," said Don. "I reckon the furniture vans -wouldn't have lasted very long—see!" The light fell across several -huge apertures in the opposite wall which told of the accuracy of the -German artillery. "Must have been pretty hot around here, eh?"</p> - -<p>"Quite so," responded Dunstan laconically.</p> - -<p>The three walked around a massive oak table in the center of the -room and then up to a huge fireplace at one end, where they halted. -The ribbon of light quivered and flashed on an ancient suit of armor -hanging just above and from there traveled to a great shield with the -coat of arms of the De Morancourts emblazoned upon it. Higher up the -head of a stag suddenly popped forth from the darkness, its glassy eyes -seeming to stare down upon them with a look of wonder.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps, in the age of the bow and arrow, some old ancestor of the -count's brought him low," commented Chase.</p> - -<p>Led by Don Hale, the ambulanciers continued their tour of inspection. -Now the flash-light brought into view old tapestries of mellow and -harmonious tones, or rows of ancestral portraits, many probably dating -from the dim and distant past. The earliest of these, very somber in -tone and much cracked, represented the De Morancourts as stern-visaged -and august-looking personages who had a penchant for wearing armor and -clasping heavy swords.</p> - -<p>"I shouldn't like to have any old chaps of their type challenging me to -fight a duel," laughed Dunstan. "Suppose we see what the rest of the -château has to offer us."</p> - -<p>Both footsteps and voices echoed in a most uncanny fashion, and Chase -found that somehow the darkness and mystery of the great interior -were producing rather creepy sensations within him. Often, to his -imagination, the room became peopled with an assemblage of the great -personages of the past. And then, though he knew it was quite absurd, -an unpleasant, vaguely-defined fear assailed him that at any moment -some one might step out of the shadows and demand the reason for their -presence in those ancestral halls.</p> - -<p>The next apartment the visitors entered was almost as large and even -more gorgeous than the preceding. A magnificent oval painting adorned -the ceiling. The walls were wainscoted with oak, and a richly-carved -mantelpiece of the same wood particularly attracted the ambulanciers' -attention.</p> - -<p>"Now I can better understand the value of the things which -disappeared," declared Chase. "No wonder such a howl went up."</p> - -<p>"I hate mysteries which are never solved," cried Don. "I wish to -goodness that before the section moves on some one would get busy and -give us an answer to this riddle."</p> - -<p>"No danger," grunted Chase.</p> - -<p>In a deep bay window the light disclosed fine stained glass, evidently -of rich colors and graceful designs.</p> - -<p>So interested was the young chap from Maine in examining the various -furnishings that he did not notice a chair lying in his path until he -brought up against it with considerable violence.</p> - -<p>Uttering an exclamation of impatience, he gave the offending piece of -furniture a vigorous shove, which sent it flying directly into the -curtained doorway leading to the dining-room.</p> - -<p>"Hurt yourself?" asked Dunstan, pleasantly.</p> - -<p>"Not enough for it to get any mention in the Parisian papers," growled -the other.</p> - -<p>The Red Cross men thought that the dining-room, with its heavily-beamed -ceiling, carved sideboards and china closets, in spite of a certain air -of heaviness and austerity, must have been a very pleasant place in -which to eat.</p> - -<p>"The château seems more like a museum than a place of residence," -declared Don. "But, fellows, we'd better hustle a bit faster. You know -a German marmite may be flying in this direction at any minute."</p> - -<p>"A sensible suggestion," said the art student; "for nothing is more -certain than that we are in the midst of the greatest of uncertainties."</p> - -<p>Reaching the entrance hall they discovered a very elegant staircase, -with ornate newel posts and balustrades, ascending to a balcony.</p> - -<p>"Just a moment—let's finish our inspection of the first floor before -venturing into the unknown regions above," exclaimed Chase.</p> - -<p>Cautiously following the pathway of light, which ever streamed far in -advance, the trio presently entered a long apartment which brought -forth involuntary exclamations of admiration from all.</p> - -<p>"The ballroom!" cried Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"And the show-place of the whole château," exclaimed Don.</p> - -<p>"It certainly is a show, all right," commented Chase. "What staggering -sums of money it must have taken to run such an establishment!"</p> - -<p>"I don't think I could have managed it on my income," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>On one side of the ballroom stretched gilded mirrors and magnificent -decorations, while on the other a long row of high, arched windows -faced the park. In whichever direction the light traveled some new -and unexpected beauty flashed into view. The beams sparkled and shone -on candelabra, on paintings and tapestries, and sometimes reaching up -to the ceiling disclosed a bluish vault, in imitation of the heavens, -studded with golden stars.</p> - -<p>"Enough of this!" cried Chase, suddenly. "We don't want to stay here -all night."</p> - -<p>And turning abruptly on his heel, the new member of the Red Cross -hurried away.</p> - -<p>A few moments later the three uninvited visitors were ascending the -stairway.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a></h2> - -<h3>A MAN-HUNT</h3> - - -<p>Some time previously a certain projectile had left a certain gun -situated a certain distance to the rear of the German trenches, and -this shell, no doubt owing to the correct calculations of a certain -artillery officer, had exploded so near the Château de Morancourt as to -destroy the upper portion of the tower. Perhaps it was this very same -shell which had caused the French to decide that the château could no -longer be used as an observation post.</p> - -<p>"Let Americans not rush in where French officers fear to tread!" -chuckled the aviator's son, as they entered the doorway leading to the -tower.</p> - -<p>Yet, notwithstanding his levity, the boy felt a certain sense of -awe—of solemnity. There they were, in a place which only recently the -Germans had made a target for their shells, and he fully realized that -should suspicion be aroused, even in the slightest degree, it would -mean another bombardment.</p> - -<p>Had the builders of the ancient tower designed it for the purpose of -giving the beholder a vivid impression of a prison they had succeeded -well. The solid masonry and the long, narrow windows, heavily barred, -through which the light feebly sought admittance, were all calculated -to produce that effect.</p> - -<p>As a matter of precaution, Don shut off the light, then headed the -advance up the circular flight of stone steps.</p> - -<p>"Remember—eternal vigilance is the price of life," exclaimed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Oh, cut out such theatrical stuff," broke in Chase, impatiently.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers ascended higher and higher until they reached the -summit, which was broken and jagged.</p> - -<p>"Thus far shalt thou go, and no further," chanted Chase, in sepulchral -tones.</p> - -<p>With the utmost caution, Don Hale peered over the wall.</p> - -<p>How high up it seemed!—higher by far than he had ever imagined. From -his lofty position he could look over the roof of the main building -and wings and see the moonlight gleaming here and there. Then his eyes -took in a portion of the rear walls, deep in shadow, their base and the -porte-cochère, so far below, losing themselves in the darkness.</p> - -<p>"Magnificent!" he exclaimed.</p> - -<p>The far-reaching view embraced the ranges of rolling hills to the -east. Between the Red Cross men and that wide sweep of ridges, patched -with soft, indefinite masses of lights and shadows, wherein charm and -mystery rested in equal degrees, lay that stretch of territory known as -"No Man's Land"—the most dangerous spot on the globe. On one hand it -was bounded by the French trenches; on the other by the German.</p> - -<p>"And all along its tortuous course of hundreds of miles through Belgium -and France there is but ruin and desolation!" exclaimed Dunstan -Farrington, in thoughtful tones. "Farms, villages, towns and forests -have paid the penalty for being in its sinister path. Sometimes it -sweeps forward, then moves back again, as surprise assaults and -counter-attacks are made by one side or the other. Every day, perhaps -every hour, its position is responsible for some new horror and -tragedy."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Don, slowly.</p> - -<p>"Then, just think of all the devices for causing destruction and -sudden death which lie concealed everywhere on its narrow width," put -in Chase. His morose manner returned in full force. "Nothing that the -ingenuity of man can conceive of has been neglected."</p> - -<p>"But even that isn't enough to prevent patrols of French and German -infantrymen from crawling beyond their own wire entanglements during -the night on reconnoitering expeditions," interjected Don. "Whew!" he -shivered slightly. "What courage—what sang-froid it must require!"</p> - -<p>"Excuse me from trying it," said Chase.</p> - -<p>The guns had never ceased rumbling, and occasionally the sharp cracking -of rifles or the staccato reports of machine guns, astonishingly clear, -jarred over the air.</p> - -<p>"Dunstan—your field-glass, if you please!"</p> - -<p>It was the aviator's son who spoke.</p> - -<p>Silently Dunstan drew the instrument from its case and passed it to his -companion.</p> - -<p>The boy immediately raised the glass to his eyes and gave a little gasp -of pleasure.</p> - -<p>Beyond the park, in fact, far beyond the point where its limitations -were marked by a row of tall poplars, which, like grim and forbidding -sentinels stood by the boundary walls, he could see a field of wheat, -waving and rippling in the breeze.</p> - -<p>Why did a sort of thrill run through him?</p> - -<p>Because the aviator's son felt reasonably sure that he looked upon a -portion of that famous area between the lines. The proof was this: -On the slopes of the hill which hemmed it in the powerful glass -brought into view a faint, irregular row of whitish objects, a wall of -sand-bags crowning the German trenches.</p> - -<p>In rapt silence, Don gazed upon the distant landscape. How strangely -serene and beautiful it appeared in the silvery light of the moon! And -just as he was about to utter some of the thoughts which the poetic -scene evoked in his mind, he gave a slight start, lowered the glass and -faced Dunstan Farrington.</p> - -<p>"What was that?" Don exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"What was what?" demanded the other.</p> - -<p>"Didn't you hear a noise?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"Where?" asked Chase, interestedly.</p> - -<p>"Down below—in the château itself."</p> - -<p>"In the château itself!" repeated Manning. A suspicious note crept into -his voice. "You're joking, son!"</p> - -<p>"No sir, I'm not," asserted Don, emphatically. "It was very faint, but -distinct, and sounded exactly like something falling."</p> - -<p>"It's a case of nerves," declared Chase, a little disagreeably. "Forget -it."</p> - -<p>Don Hale, however, couldn't be convinced that he was mistaken, though -perceiving how skeptical the others were he wisely made no attempt to -argue about the matter.</p> - -<p>Chase took an observation through the field-glass, so did Dunstan, and -each was as interested as Don Hale in seeing "No Man's Land" seemingly -brought so close to their eyes.</p> - -<p>"Now I'm through with the Château de Morancourt," declared Chase, -finally. "What's the use of tempting fate any longer? There wouldn't -be very much glory in letting a marmite get us while we're engaged in -sightseeing, eh?"</p> - -<p>"I've decided objections to it," chuckled Don.</p> - -<p>"There has been a wonderful change in the splendor of warfare," said -Dunstan, who appeared not to have heard these observations. "No longer -the dashing cavalry charges led by officers with waving swords; no -longer troops, victorious and triumphant, surging in irresistible -masses across the smoke-filled battle-field in hot pursuit of their -routed enemy, but foes invisible to one another plugging away, using -scientific calculations to attain their ends!"</p> - -<p>"But the picturesque is now more extraordinary than ever, mon ami," put -in Chase. "Think of the firework displays! See!—there is a trifling -manifestation of their possibilities before us!"</p> - -<p>A red signal rocket had suddenly shot up, illuminating the surroundings -with a strange, lurid glow. Then a white and a blue flare followed it -into the sky.</p> - -<p>"You are quite right, Chase," assented the art student. "Ah, how -that transforms the appearance of the landscape! Now it suggests a -wonderfully imaginative picture. Hello!—going?"</p> - -<p>Chase was already on the way. His two companions followed him, and as -the three descended the stone steps every sound of voice or movement -was weirdly increased in volume by the confining walls.</p> - -<p>Don Hale's thoughts were still on the noise which had reached his ears. -It vaguely conveyed to his mind an impression that others besides -themselves were in the ancient château—an unpleasant reflection, -conjuring up visions of unseen eyes watching them from the gloomy -shadows.</p> - -<p>By this time the somberness and depressing air which everywhere lurked -within the walls of the Château de Morancourt had affected all three -alike—each was longing to get out in the open air.</p> - -<p>Therefore, after stepping from the tower, the Red Cross men made only a -brief inspection of the rooms on the upper floor, and these they found -comported well with the general elegance of the rest of the structure.</p> - -<p>At length the three started down the grand stairway, with Don Hale's -flash-light guiding the way. Reaching the foot they crossed the hall -and pushed aside the heavy curtains hanging at the entrance to the next -apartment.</p> - -<p>And at the very instant Don Hale passed the portal he gave utterance to -a loud exclamation of surprise.</p> - -<p>"Look, look!" he cried.</p> - -<p>The others at once grasped the significance of his words. The rays of -light were streaming over the chair with which Chase had collided, but -the piece of furniture was not in the place they had seen it last.</p> - -<p>"Great Julius Cæsar!" blurted out Chase.</p> - -<p>"Strange—strange!" murmured Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Now maybe you won't think I was right!" exclaimed the aviator's son. -"Somebody must have bumped into that chair, Monsieur Manning, and -knocked it over."</p> - -<p>"What other explanation could there be?" agreed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Which means to say that we haven't been the only prowlers in the De -Morancourt palace to-night," muttered Chase, his voice betraying a most -uncomfortable state of mind.</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>The proof was conclusive—there could be no question about it: some -person or persons had been in that very room while the ambulanciers -were up in the tower. Now there was, indeed, something quite startling -in this thought. Who could the other, or others, have been? What was -their object in entering? And did they still linger in the château?</p> - -<p>For a perceptible interval of time the boys stood in silence. The -weirdness and loneliness of the situation, with only a narrow band -of light between them and the deepest gloom, intensified a curious -tingling sensation which the discovery had produced in the nerves of -each.</p> - -<p>"What can it mean?" exclaimed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Don's light was swiftly flashing and criss-crossing in every direction, -and not a single portion of the great apartment had escaped its glare -when he declared:</p> - -<p>"Fellows, there's certainly no one besides ourselves in this room."</p> - -<p>"Can there be no hiding places?"</p> - -<p>"It seems not."</p> - -<p>"If there is any one within the sound of my voice let him step -forward!" exclaimed Chase.</p> - -<p>His voice, raised so as to penetrate far beyond, rang out with -startling distinctness.</p> - -<p>A moment of great expectancy followed.</p> - -<p>No answer was received.</p> - -<p>"Come on, fellows! Let's get busy," burst out Don, impatiently.</p> - -<p>This proposition did not at all appeal to Chase Manning, but he made no -protest, his fear of ridicule being greater than his fear of the unseen -and the unknown.</p> - -<p>So, instead of leaving the Château de Morancourt at once, as they had -intended, the three ambulanciers began a tramp from one great hall to -another, searching—searching. And though the "man-hunt," as Don Hale -dubbed it, proved both interesting and exciting it brought forth no -result.</p> - -<p>After the lapse of three-quarters of an hour they were back in -the apartment which they had first entered, and Dunstan thereupon -straightened himself up, exclaiming:</p> - -<p>"No use, boys—the other visitors have probably gone."</p> - -<p>"I'm not so certain about that," declared Don.</p> - -<p>"The only thing I'm certain about is that I intend to go," cried -Chase, "and any one who tries to prevent it will have the privilege of -bringing an assault and battery charge against me."</p> - -<p>"The Château de Morancourt has been the center of too many stormy times -for us to start another," chuckled the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>Dunstan, standing by the big oak table, tapped upon its surface.</p> - -<p>"Chase has stood it better than I thought," he rapped in the Morse code.</p> - -<p>The answer he received was this:</p> - -<p>"Yes, after a while he may surprise us all with his courage."</p> - -<p>"You chaps are incorrigible," jerked out Chase. "I never knew before -that woodpeckers kept at it both day and night."</p> - -<p>So speaking, he made a break for the window.</p> - -<p>Don and Dunstan trailed after him, and all lost no time in climbing -outside.</p> - -<p>"A jolly interesting experience, I call it!" exclaimed Don.</p> - -<p>"Altogether too much so," grunted Chase, laconically.</p> - -<p>"Suppose we return by a different route," said the art student.</p> - -<p>They started along a wide carriage road which led between broad, level -lawns dotted here and there with groups of statuary.</p> - -<p>Before descending the slope on the opposite side of the hill, the -three, with a common impulse, halted to take a last look at the -ancestral home of the De Morancourts looming up against the moonlit sky.</p> - -<p>"Maybe I wouldn't give a whole lot to know who was the second bumper -into that chair!" declared Don.</p> - -<p>"Not any more than the rest of us," said Dunstan dryly. "But there's no -earthly chance of our ever knowing."</p> - -<p>"Of course not," snapped Chase. "Just add it to the list of things one -might as well forget."</p> - -<p>It was very delightful out there in the midst of the big park, with -the moon and stars shining so brightly overhead and beautiful vistas -here and there opening out before their eyes, and even the desultory -reports of the guns and the occasional sight of star-shells rising -heavenward contributed a peculiar sort of charm to the situation. The -ambulanciers, busily conversing, lingered longer than they had intended.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, Don Hale, breaking off in the middle of a sentence, blurted -out loudly:</p> - -<p>"I say, fellows, I say—just gaze at that!"</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a></h2> - -<h3>THE LIGHT IN THE WINDOW</h3> - - -<p>Dunstan and Chase, startled, faced him.</p> - -<p>"Well, what's the latest sensation?" cried Chase.</p> - -<p>"Didn't you see it?"</p> - -<p>"See what?" queried Dunstan, excitedly.</p> - -<p>"A light—a light flashing in one of the windows of the château."</p> - -<p>"A light flashing in one of the windows!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, yes; as sure as I'm standing here I saw a streak of light."</p> - -<p>Although neither Dunstan nor Chase had observed it they were by no -means incredulous. If some one had been in the château before, why not -now?</p> - -<p>There was something very strange—very mysterious in the whole affair. -To the minds of the Red Cross men it became quite clear that the -person, or persons, had known of their presence in the building and -purposely kept out of their way, though for what reason, of course, -none could conjecture.</p> - -<p>"And so the adventure continues!" exclaimed Chase, rather slowly.</p> - -<p>"Curious—curious indeed!" murmured Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Don Hale's eyes were dilated with excitement and interest.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir, I just happened to catch it!" he cried. "A bright spot -appeared for a single instant—then was gone. Shall we go back and -investigate?"</p> - -<p>"I certainly haven't the slightest intention of doing so," responded -Chase, most emphatically. "Besides, what good would it do? Whoever is -there would probably keep out of sight the same as they did before."</p> - -<p>Don thereupon appealed to Dunstan.</p> - -<p>The latter, however, shook his head.</p> - -<p>"I reckon Chase is right," he replied.</p> - -<p>Full of the ardor of youth and possessing in addition an adventurous -spirit, the aviator's son, considerably disappointed, argued, pleaded -and protested, and it is very probable that but for Chase Manning -Dunstan would have willingly acceded to his wishes.</p> - -<p>At length the youngest ambulancier, philosophically resigning himself -to defeat, declared:</p> - -<p>"Boys, I won't rest until I find out what it all means."</p> - -<p>"Then I think you'll have to go without rest for a mighty long time," -quoth Chase.</p> - -<p>Long and earnestly the three stared toward the château, expecting and -hoping to see a repetition of the light.</p> - -<p>All the windows, however, remained but blank, gloomy patches of dark.</p> - -<p>"Too little of this sort of thing is more than enough," declared Chase, -presently. "It may take a German marmite or two to drive you chaps -away, but not yours truly. En avant! Allons! Skip!"</p> - -<p>"All right, mon generale," laughed Don. "Good-bye, old château!" He -bowed and waved his hand toward the building. "When shall we four meet -again?"</p> - -<p>"I wonder!" said Dunstan, meditatively.</p> - -<p>Down the gentle slope they went, soon discovering that the road, -deeply shadowed in places by the thick woods on either hand, swung -sharply around in a westerly direction. And not once during their -journey through the great park could another glimpse of the Château de -Morancourt be obtained.</p> - -<p>The high ornamental wrought iron gate at the end of the carriage road -was securely locked, but the ambulanciers, being both nimble and -athletic, very easily climbed over the high stuccoed wall and lowered -themselves into a rather narrow and dusty highway.</p> - -<p>Dunstan promptly consulted his map, and having determined what route to -follow, led the way.</p> - -<p>To a stranger in the war zone that walk through the French countryside -would undoubtedly have been a memorable one; for every now and again -the booming of the artillery increased in violence, the sky flared with -strange lights and more than once the ears of the ambulanciers caught -the sinister scream of a shell; but familiarity with such things had -served to dull the boys' sense of danger.</p> - -<p>A battery to the north suddenly started into action, fired a number of -rounds with tremendous rapidity, then relapsed into silence.</p> - -<p>"We are living in a great age," declared Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"It is certainly a little grating to some," said Chase.</p> - -<p>A half hour's journey through a devastated country brought the Red -Cross men to a little one-street village.</p> - -<p>During their sojourn in northern France both Don and Dunstan had seen -many ruined towns and villages, but in none was the destruction so -complete as here. The pale moonlight streaming over this once peaceful -little hamlet revealed indescribable havoc. Some buildings had been -blown to pieces; of others but a few bits of jagged wall remained; -almost everywhere piles of débris littered the ground and enormous -shell-holes lined the disused road. This village was indeed a forlorn -and melancholy-looking place. Not a sign of life! Not a sound to -indicate the presence of other human beings. And yet, as the steady -footfalls of the three Americans rang out on the cobbled pave, an -animal scurrying into view from behind a wall dashed across their path. -They had an instantaneous view of a pair of gleaming yellow eyes -turned inquiringly toward them. Then the animal continued its wild -course along the road, to disappear presently around the bend.</p> - -<p>"Poor cat! What an eventful existence it must have had!" commented -Dunstan. "Just think of the sensations the creature probably -experienced when its intellectual superiors were pelting this place -with shells!"</p> - -<p>"From the looks of things one might suppose that nothing else escaped -alive," remarked Don, walking across the street in order to gaze upon a -conspicuous sign placed on the front of a tottering wall.</p> - -<p class="ph1">"<i>Cave de Refuge</i>"</p> - -<p>"An echo of something that has passed!" said Dunstan. "No doubt at -one time the cave, as the French call a cellar, served a very useful -purpose. Allons—allons!"</p> - -<p>Turning the bend, the three unexpectedly came upon a huge camion<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> -resting on its side, the bluish-gray shadow of its massive form -streaking fantastically across the road.</p> - -<p>"Another symbol of the twentieth century!" growled Chase.</p> - -<p>There could be no question as to what had happened: three wheels and -a part of the rear of the vehicle had been destroyed, and the days of -that particular camion were over forever.</p> - -<p>The Red Cross men gathered around the battered object, once so -powerful, now so inert and powerless, and speculated as to the -consequences which had followed its destruction. What had happened to -the drivers? Was that camion a temporary monument marking the spot -where some obscure heroes had fallen?</p> - -<p>"That's another thing we'll never know," said Dunstan, thoughtfully, -after Don had given expression to such reflections.</p> - -<p>Even to the aviator's son and the art student, who had had many unusual -experiences in the war zone, there was something very strange and -unique in going through a village so absolutely devoid of life. The -utter silence, the wreck and ruin about them, the ghostly lights and -bluish shadows half revealing, half concealing the details, all seemed -to impart an air of curious unreality to the scene.</p> - -<p>Continuing on, the ambulanciers were often compelled to climb over -piles of wreckage which stretched across the entire width of the -street, and their feet occasionally kicked up fragments of shells. -Toward the center of the village the destruction was even more -complete, and yet, strangely enough, not far beyond a roofless, -spireless little church stood a gray, stuccoed building almost intact. -Across the façade was painted in bold, black letters:</p> - -<p class="ph1">"<i>Au Cheval Noir<br /> -Café and Restaurant</i>"</p> - -<p>"By George! What a kind fate has hovered over that place!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>"Don't worry. Old Mars will get it yet," rejoined Chase.</p> - -<p>"From the sublime to the ridiculous—the Château de Morancourt and the -Cheval Noir!" put in Dunstan. "Let us visit the place."</p> - -<p>"Of course," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>The boys had not the slightest difficulty in following out the plan, -as there was no door to bar their progress. Don led the way inside; and -the three had only advanced a few feet into the shadowy interior when -they heard an animal scurrying rapidly about, and the next instant a -dark form, but dimly seen in the gloom, dashed frantically across the -floor, whisked out into the roadway and was gone.</p> - -<p>"Hello!—that cat again!" exclaimed Dunstan. "We seem to be seriously -disturbing the poor creature's peace of mind. Turn on the light, Don."</p> - -<p>A click sounded; then the flash-light, cutting a passage through the -darkness, fell across a number of chairs and tables.</p> - -<p>"Remarkable!" exclaimed Dunstan. "Apparently not a thing disturbed!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir, it looks just exactly as if the Cheval Noir was open and -ready for business," declared Don.</p> - -<p>"Too bad it isn't!" sighed Chase. "I'm just in the mood for a jolly big -meal."</p> - -<p>"Oh, garçon, a bifteck aux pommes! Des haricots blancs! Une tasse de -café noir!" sang out Don.</p> - -<p>"If you order any more beefsteak and potatoes, beans and coffee there's -going to be a right lively disturbance in the Cheval Noir," chuckled -the art student. "I didn't realize before how hungry I was. Be seated, -Messieurs. The treat is on me."</p> - -<p>Thereupon the ambulanciers dropped into chairs which were ranged -alongside a marble-topped table.</p> - -<p>The interior of the Cheval Noir was decidedly typical of French inns. -Facing the door stood a long counter, and its metal portions gleamed, -sparkled and shone as Don's light played across their surfaces. Even -the big clock which had once solemnly ticked off the passage of time -hung in its place on the wall behind the counter.</p> - -<p>"Another unusual experience!" drawled Dunstan. "How odd it is to -be sitting here, monarchs of all we survey, and yet with nothing -but a cozy inviting appearance to give us cheer. Say what you will, -fellows, an air of comfort pervades these places that our up-to-date -establishments in the new world sometimes seem to lack."</p> - -<p>"And by way of compensation they also lack the cobwebs and the -dirt," said Chase, dryly. "I can just imagine this inn in the heyday -of its existence. Around these tables were probably seated a noisy, -gesticulating lot of peasants, and chickens, enjoying the rights of -democracy, wandered in and out. Oh, yes—'twas the simple life, all -right, with the emphasis on the simple."</p> - -<p>"Ecoutez—ecoutez!" broke in Don suddenly.</p> - -<p>"But why should we listen, mon ami?" demanded Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Another sensation, I suppose!" cried Chase.</p> - -<p>"I heard footsteps just outside."</p> - -<p>"By all that's wonderful—footsteps in a deserted village!" cried -Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Yes—yes." The aviator's son raised his voice. "Hello—hello! Qui est -la?"</p> - -<p>"Entrez—entrez, Monsieur, or Messieurs!" exclaimed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>The Red Cross men did not wait to see whether their invitation would be -accepted or not but, rising, made a concerted and rather precipitous -rush for the door.</p> - -<p>Before they had reached it, however, a tall dark form suddenly loomed -up in the opening, and the rays of Don's light fell full on the face of -a poilu.</p> - -<p>Rather startled at being received in such an unceremonious fashion, the -soldier abruptly halted, then, recovering himself, exclaimed in a deep, -musical voice:</p> - -<p>"Bon soir, Messieurs! From your accent I should judge that I have the -honor of addressing Americans."</p> - -<p>"Yes," laughed Don. "We belong to the Red Cross."</p> - -<p>The man was attired in the uniform of a private, but it forcibly -struck the aviator's son that not since he had come to France had he -encountered a private of such distinguished mien and bearing. The -Frenchman, tall and dark, wore a pointed Van Dyke beard. His features -were aquiline; his eyes sharp and piercing. It could be readily seen at -a glance that he was not one to be treated in an offhand and jocular -fashion.</p> - -<p>"We have been taking possession of the Cheval Noir," exclaimed Dunstan. -"Will you not enter and keep us company for a while?"</p> - -<p>"Quite willingly," assented the poilu, stepping inside.</p> - -<p>The three reseated themselves at the table, while the soldier, pulling -out a chair at the end, made himself comfortable.</p> - -<p>"I suppose you are off duty, and, as a relaxation from your dangerous -work, have been taking a stroll about the country?" he said, politely.</p> - -<p>"Quite correct, Monsieur," replied Don.</p> - -<p>Then the newcomer, in a suave and polished manner, began to make many -inquiries concerning their particular section of the Red Cross, as well -as about their personal experiences at the front. Finally Don, in his -turn, put a question to the poilu.</p> - -<p>"Monsieur," he asked, "have you ever seen the Château de Morancourt?"</p> - -<p>"Who in this locality has not?" responded the other, laconically.</p> - -<p>"We had a very curious experience there to-night," pursued Don.</p> - -<p>"Indeed! May I inquire the nature of it?"</p> - -<p>"Bien sure, Monsieur."</p> - -<p>Thereupon Don began a spirited description of the puzzling event, to -all of which the Frenchman, though by no means exhibiting the interest -which the boy had expected, listened with respectful attention. At his -conclusion the soldier laughed dryly and commented:</p> - -<p>"As you say, quite a curious experience—the kind which would have a -tendency to jar one's nerves. But what is strange and weird in the -darkness and mystery of the night becomes by day the ordinary and the -commonplace. How is it, mes Americaines, that you came to visit the -château?"</p> - -<p>"Because of the mystery," replied Don.</p> - -<p>"The mystery?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Haven't you heard that a very valuable collection of paintings -and other things completely disappeared from the place, and that so far -no one has been able to discover the slightest trace of them?"</p> - -<p>"And did you think you might help to solve such a perplexing problem?" -exclaimed the soldier, half banteringly. "Ah, les Americaines are -quite wonderful! And I might remark, en passant, that you ran a very -great risk—a very great risk indeed. It is undoubtedly true that the -Germans are keeping a watchful eye on the Château de Morancourt. But -you probably will not venture to go there again?"</p> - -<p>"Of course we shall," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>"And the reason?"</p> - -<p>"Possibly we might be able to find some clue after all."</p> - -<p>"You weigh curiosity against danger and decide on the former, although -knowing that the château may be destroyed at any moment?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Monsieur," said Don.</p> - -<p>All the while the aviator's son had been wondering to what regiment -this very distinguished-looking soldier of France might belong, but -just as he was about to make some diplomatic inquiries the poilu rose -to his feet, saying:</p> - -<p>"I am glad to have had the opportunity of meeting you. Now I must say -good-bye. Perhaps the hazards of war may bring us together again, -but if not, allow me to take this occasion of wishing you continued -immunity from shot and shell, as well as a safe return to your native -country."</p> - -<p>And then, after shaking hands with each in turn, he quickly walked -outside.</p> - -<p>"Quite an odd character!" pronounced Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"And a very gentlemanly one," said Don.</p> - -<p>"A little too high-toned for me," declared Chase.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers rose in a body, and presently, upon reaching the road, -saw the poilu headed in the direction of the château, and, strangely -enough, the cat was close at his heels.</p> - -<p>"Ha, ha!" laughed Dunstan. "Not very complimentary to us, eh? We -terrified the poor cat, while it follows the Frenchman like a creditor. -I'd like to know where he's bound."</p> - -<p>"To the Château de Morancourt, of course," drawled Chase.</p> - -<p>"What makes you think so?"</p> - -<p>"Take it from me, that, while he didn't say very much, Don's tale -impressed him a whole lot—enough, I'll wager, to make him 'weigh -curiosity against danger and decide on the former.'"</p> - -<p>"That may be a pretty good guess," agreed Don.</p> - -<p>The three idly watched the Frenchman until he had disappeared, and -then, refreshed by their rest, began walking at a lively pace along the -road.</p> - -<p>The outskirts of the ruined village were soon reached and passed.</p> - -<p>From the summit of a rather high hill they stopped to gaze upon an -extensive panorama of the surrounding country. The object which excited -their greatest interest was the upper portion of the wrecked tower of -the ancient château, which rose, a somber, grim patch, just above an -irregular line of shadowy and mysterious-looking trees.</p> - -<p>"How fine it is!" exclaimed Don, enthusiastically.</p> - -<p>"The only thing it lacks is a few spectral lights," declared Chase.</p> - -<p>"And I have no doubt if we waited here long enough they'd appear," -returned Dunstan.</p> - -<p>The Americans turned away from the view, which even the growling of the -distant guns and the war rockets could not rob of a peaceful grandeur, -and continued their march.</p> - -<p>Very soon a singularly picturesque and interesting scene appeared -before their eyes. On the slopes of the opposite ridges was an immense -encampment of soldiers—a little tented city, as it were. Row after -row of tents stood out pale and ghost-like in the moonlight, and from -innumerable camp-fires hazy columns of smoke floated upward, to lose -themselves against the steely-blue tones of the sky. Here and there -tethered horses, no doubt belonging to the artillery, could be seen, -though but few of the poilus were visible.</p> - -<p>"Charming!" exclaimed Dunstan. "Perhaps that is the very place to which -our soldier visitor belongs."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps," agreed Chase. "But I'm not going to do any more wondering -to-night."</p> - -<p>"At any rate we have a story to tell that will set all the fellows at -the section to wondering," laughed the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>Down the incline they went, branching off about a quarter of an hour -later into a military highway, though, owing to the clearness of the -night, there was little traffic moving in either direction. Now and -again, however, they heard the steady, rhythmic tramp of marching feet -and encountered small bodies of troops passing along. The moonlight -glistened on rifles and accouterments, and its rays were strong enough -to disclose dogged, grave expressions on the faces of these poilus, -some of whom, perhaps before very long, would take their places on the -firing line.</p> - -<p>A railway ran by the side of the road, and occasionally miniature -locomotives and trains journeyed past, the puffing of the engines -blending with numerous other sounds which came over the air.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers did not hurry, and as every sentry stationed along the -road brought them to a halt by a demand to see their passes, the hour -was quite late when they finally saw the picturesque outlines of the -Hotel de la Palette looming up in the distance.</p> - -<p>"We've had quite a day of it," quoth Don.</p> - -<p>"We've had quite a night of it," said Chase.</p> - -<p>"We've had some experiences we shall not forget in a hurry," declared -the art student.</p> - -<p>Arriving at the section headquarters the three found that during their -absence a high-explosive shell had torn a big hole in the eastern wall -of the structure, whereupon Dunstan remarked, reflectively:</p> - -<p>"Well, there's certainly nothing dull about life in the war zone!"</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a></h2> - -<h3>THE BIG GUN</h3> - - -<p>Several days passed, during which Don, Dunstan and Chase saw duty -at the outpost. For the most part of the time the sector remained -comparatively calm, though occasionally the big guns on both sides -pounded away in a fashion that suggested the beginning of a real -curtain of fire.</p> - -<p>Don and the young chap from Maine were now working together on number -eight, Dunstan and "Tiny" Mason having been assigned by Chief Wendell -to take charge of ambulance number three.</p> - -<p>All of the Red Cross drivers mentioned made several trips to the -field hospital, but on none of their runs did they encounter any very -thrilling adventures.</p> - -<p>Don Hale had not forgotten the artillery officer's invitation to visit -the battery; so when the day on which he was to be en repos rolled -around he declared his intention of putting the plan into immediate -execution.</p> - -<p>"Not for me," drawled Chase. "I'm going to read all day and forget -there is such a thing as war."</p> - -<p>Dunstan, on the other hand, was decidedly enthusiastic.</p> - -<p>"Sure, I'm going," he declared.</p> - -<p>"Bully for you!" cried Don. "Hooray! We'll have a dandy time."</p> - -<p>Immediately after breakfast the two left the Hotel de la Palette, and -in due course reached that section of the country where the battery was -located. By the aid of information which a sentry kindly gave them the -boys discovered Lieutenant D'Arraing conversing with the crew of one of -the big guns located behind a group of trees. His eyes brightened at -their approach.</p> - -<p>"Ah, bon jour, mes Americaines!" he cried, in cordial accents. "Your -visit is very well timed indeed—unless you have already run into so -much danger that you do not care to risk any more."</p> - -<p>"Try us, and see," said Don, smilingly.</p> - -<p>"I will take you at your word. One of our airplane observers brought -in a report to the effect that he has very strong suspicions that the -Germans have erected a wireless station on a certain building behind -their trenches."</p> - -<p>"Aha!" exclaimed Dunstan, interestedly.</p> - -<p>"Of course we cannot permit any such liberty; so the captain and I -shall shortly be off to an observation post, in order to spot the -bursts of smoke from the shells when the work of putting that wireless -plant out of commission is begun."</p> - -<p>Don Hale's eyes sparkled. Hopefully and with much anticipation he -awaited the lieutenant's next words, and they were exactly what he -wanted to hear.</p> - -<p>"I should be pleased to have you come along."</p> - -<p>"Well, we'll be mighty glad to do so," cried the boy, delightedly.</p> - -<p>"No mistake about that," chimed in Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Good! But I must warn you in advance that there is a very grave -element of risk."</p> - -<p>"That doesn't scare us a bit," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>"It is settled, then. Here, let me show you." Lieutenant D'Arraing -unrolled a military map and spread it out on the top of a row of -bushes. Then calling the boys' attention to a numbered pencil mark on -its surface, he added: "This is where our observer locates the wireless -station of the Boches."</p> - -<p>Don and Dunstan studied the map with great interest.</p> - -<p>"How extraordinarily detailed it is!" cried the former.</p> - -<p>"Yes; the position of every clump of trees and even of single ones is -indicated—in fact such small things as hedges have not been omitted. -Our game is very exacting, you know."</p> - -<p>To the ordinary eye the map was quite confusing, for besides the -multiplicity of typographical details there were numerous red and blue -lines branching off from various points.</p> - -<p>"What do they mean?" queried Don.</p> - -<p>"The location of certain batteries and their range," explained the -artillery officer. "Now, kindly step this way."</p> - -<p>About fifty feet further on the three came to a halt before a rounded -elevation, on a mound of earth.</p> - -<p>"Entrez, Messieurs," said Lieutenant D'Arraing, with a smile—he -pointed to a dark, gloomy-looking opening at the base,—"and I'll -introduce you to one of our special favorites—'Le Grand Pere.' -Presently it will be paying some attention to the wireless over yonder."</p> - -<p>"Goodness gracious!—there's concealment for you!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>Cautiously the boy stepped down into the entrance, in a moment or two -finding himself face to face with the breech of a big gun. The weapon, -its muzzle projecting through another opening at the opposite end of -the mound, was well protected by a heavily-timbered roof covered with -earth. Even in the underground retreat the polished surfaces of the -steel monster caught and reflected every stray beam of light.</p> - -<p>"'Le Grand Pere' has done his full share of service," declared the -French officer, when all were standing inside.</p> - -<p>Then, to show how easily the piece of mechanism could be operated, he -raised, lowered and moved the muzzle from side to side by means of -little wheels.</p> - -<p>"It seems almost like perfection," commented the aviator's son, as he -carefully examined the "elements," as the figures on the gun's-sighting -apparatus are called. "And yet I suppose experts are continually trying -to make improvements."</p> - -<p>"Yes; science is insatiable in its efforts to advance," said Lieutenant -D'Arraing. "Here—look through this!"</p> - -<p>He swung back the big breech-block, and Don, sighting through the long -tube, saw a circular spot of brilliant daylight at the other end.</p> - -<p>"You will notice that the inside is rifled," continued the lieutenant. -"On the driving band of the projectiles are spiral grooves, which of -course exactly coincide with those in the gun, and that is what gives -the shell its rotation. Scientific calculations of the density of the -atmosphere and pressure of the wind, and the use of trigonometry to -find the range all combine to enable the gunners to fire with marvelous -accuracy."</p> - -<p>"What is your chief work—trying to put the opposing batteries out of -commission?" queried Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"By no means; though we should not miss an opportunity to do so. The -main objective of the artillery, however, is to support the troops, -to prepare the way for infantry charges and to prevent the enemy from -bringing up supplies and reserves—in fact, to harass them in every way -possible."</p> - -<p>"This seems to be really a war of big guns," commented Don.</p> - -<p>"Quite so!" assented the military man. He laughed. "Now, this is a -two-story house. Below, and to one side, is our rest and recreation -room. You may take a look if you wish."</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers did wish, and a few moments later had clambered down -a ladder to a subterranean room many feet underground. Straw was -plentifully strewn about the floor, and several of the gun crew were -lounging about at their ease.</p> - -<p>"A chap doesn't have to bother much about shells in here," said Don.</p> - -<p>"No," replied the lieutenant. "As a foundation the roof has iron -girders and cement beams. Over these is about a foot of closely-packed -earth. Next in order come a number of heavy logs, then earth again. -And as a finishing touch there is a second series of logs and a layer -of cement, topped off with another generous supply of good old terra -firma."</p> - -<p>"My, how safe I feel!" chirped Don.</p> - -<p>"The life of an artilleryman is not so dangerous," admitted the -officer; "for the moment things begin to get a bit too hot they can -desert the gun pits, and in so doing are not obliged to cross any -open spaces. One dive into the tunnel, and the cannoneers are safe! -Passageways connect the various underground chambers, and telephones -are installed wherever necessary."</p> - -<p>Just as the concluding words fell from the officer's lips a terrific -booming report made both of the ambulanciers give a perceptible start, -though the gun crew about them gave no indication of even having beard -it.</p> - -<p>"A few high-explosives being dispatched without our compliments!" -remarked the lieutenant. "Come, mes Americaines, and you can see one of -the big guns in action."</p> - -<p>One after another the three climbed nimbly up the ladder, and on -emerging into the open saw a cloud of smoke hovering in the still air -some twenty-five yards away.</p> - -<p>"No wonder it made such an awful crack!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>"Better stuff some of this in your ears," counseled Lieutenant -D'Arraing. He presented to each a wad of raw cotton. "The concussions -are pretty severe on ear-drums."</p> - -<p>The Red Cross men thanked him and promptly followed his advice. In a -moment they came to a hedge, behind which a gun crew, with remarkable -precision and swiftness, was loading an enormous howitzer mounted on -tractor-wheels.</p> - -<p>"It takes seven cannoneers and a corporal to fire this gun," explained -Lieutenant D'Arraing. "Each has a particular duty to perform, and -when the projectile is ready for its long journey, the corporal gives -the signal to fire, the lanyard is pulled, and what happens you will -presently witness with your own eyes. Give her all the room you can, -boys."</p> - -<p>Don and Dunstan, highly interested, stepped back. It was a very -wonderful thing, the ambulanciers thought, to be actual eye-witnesses -of such a proceeding—indeed it made Don Hale almost feel as if he -himself was an actual participant in the greatest war history has ever -known. How many times had he heard the terrifying screech and scream of -approaching shells and the frightful concussion which brought them to -an end! And here was a projectile about to be launched off into space -toward some point which none of them could see, but where, undoubtedly, -were human beings who might be destroyed by its withering blast.</p> - -<p>These reflections were abruptly terminated; for the corporal was -speaking at the 'phone.</p> - -<p>"Yes; ready to fire," he said.</p> - -<p>Then came an instant's pause.</p> - -<p>"Now!" thought Don, instinctively placing his hands to his ears.</p> - -<p>"Fire!" commanded the corporal.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a name="illus1" id="illus1"></a> - <br /> - <img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>"FIRE!" COMMANDED THE CORPORAL.</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>The lanyard was pulled.</p> - -<p>Instantly there followed a spurt of gleaming flame and a nerve-racking -report which made the earth tremble; and as the great gun recoiled from -the shock a thick cloud of smoke rolled upward and spread out among the -trees.</p> - -<p>Although prepared for the concussion, Don Hale felt almost as though -his ear-drums had been burst by its terrific force.</p> - -<p>But he almost forgot that an instant later, in his eagerness to watch -the crew at work, for the breech of the gun was open ready for another -projectile.</p> - -<p>About sixteen seconds after the first shot had been fired another -left the muzzle, and then came a series, the terrific crashes and -reverberations following one another so fast that Don Hale found the -strain almost too severe to stand. He gave a sigh of relief when, after -fourteen high-explosive shells had been hurled into the enemy's line, -the red bursts of flame and clouds of smoke abruptly ceased, and the -destroying monster, after its last recoil, sank back motionless into -place.</p> - -<p>"That means the demolition of a portion of a German front-line trench," -exclaimed Lieutenant D'Arraing. "Ah! another weapon is taking up the -refrain."</p> - -<p>Somewhere in the forest, not so very far away, the boom of a second big -gun was heard; and this kept steadily firing until fifteen more shells -had been sent toward the east, then a third went into action.</p> - -<p>"Whew! It would take some time for a chap to get used to all that awful -racket," gasped Don.</p> - -<p>"Will my head ever stop aching!" murmured Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Pretty hard, I know, when one is not accustomed to it," put in -Lieutenant D'Arraing, with a smile. "Now we shall have to look. When a -man hits another he is apt to get a blow in return."</p> - -<p>"Well, we are in a good place," said Don, his eye on the mouth of an -opening leading to an abri.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers waited expectantly, and, sure enough, but a few -moments had elapsed when shells were crashing both to the right and -left of the battery, but fortunately far enough away to make a dash -into the cave unnecessary.</p> - -<p>When the flurry was over the lieutenant remarked:</p> - -<p>"Come along. I'll introduce you to Captain Langlois."</p> - -<p>As the three followed a narrow lane through the woods the reports of -various guns of the battery echoed and reëchoed among the hills, the -staccato rattle and bang of the lighter field-pieces blending in with -the deep and solemn booming of the bigger guns.</p> - -<p>They soon reached a battery of the former type, also so well concealed -from view by various devices that they might easily have passed by -without noting its presence.</p> - -<p>"The eighteen pounders!" shouted Lieutenant D'Arraing in Don's ear. -"Each shell contains three hundred bullets. They can be fired with very -great rapidity."</p> - -<p>The ambulancier did not need to be told this—the evidence was right -before him. Terrific crash after terrific crash, following a lurid -sheet of flame and a spurt of smoke, was coming from each field-piece; -and after every shot the empty shells were discharged and fresh -projectiles slipped into place.</p> - -<p>"Did you ever see such wicked and vindictive-looking little chaps!" -exclaimed Don, yelling with all his might, so as to make himself heard -above the din. "They seem to be lashing out in perfect fury. Somewhere -somebody is being deluged with a hail of lead."</p> - -<p>"And every crash we hear may mean a tragedy some miles off," shouted -Dunstan, gravely.</p> - -<p>"The horse artillery is very useful," put in the lieutenant, using his -hands as a megaphone. "When the poilus 'go over the top' they are the -guns which thunder along the roads and fields, to give them support and -encouragement. They also help to prepare the way for infantry charges -by smashing to pieces the barbed-wire entanglements in front of the -trenches."</p> - -<p>Conversation under the circumstances was a very difficult matter; so -the party hurried away, though wherever they went it seemed impossible -to get beyond the roar of the batteries.</p> - -<p>In a large spacious dugout they found Captain Langlois, with a couple -of other officers, poring over a large map of the sector. He was a -middle-aged man whose black hair was plentifully sprinkled with gray. -He greeted the Americans pleasantly, though he appeared a little -dubious as to the advisability of allowing them to run the risk of -a journey to the observation post. A few diplomatic words from -Lieutenant D'Arraing, however, soon straightened out matters, and he -gave his consent.</p> - -<p>"Kindly take seats, Messieurs," he said. "I shall be ready in a few -moments."</p> - -<p>The dugout, besides being furnished with several chairs and a table, -had a number of bunks ranged around the walls. Then, of course, -military maps of various kinds and sizes were prominently in evidence -on all sides.</p> - -<p>While they were waiting for the Captain, Don began to tell Lieutenant -D'Arraing about their interesting experience at the Château de -Morancourt. The artillery lieutenant listened attentively, from time to -time shaking his head in a puzzled fashion.</p> - -<p>"Very mystifying, to say the least!" he exclaimed. "However, I've heard -some of the boys speak of the soldier you met. I believe he is on an -extended leave of absence and for some reason or other which no one -seems to understand makes his home at the café and restaurant, with a -cat as his sole companion."</p> - -<p>"What!—actually living at the Cheval Noir!" cried Don. "And he never -said a word about it. How is that for something queer, Dunstan -Farrington?"</p> - -<p>"It certainly is," admitted the art student. "He was so polite, too. I -wonder why he didn't give us an introduction to the cat."</p> - -<p>"The poilus around here regard him as an odd sort of a chap," -volunteered the artillery officer.</p> - -<p>"By George, I'm beginning to scent another mystery!" declared Don. "And -I won't be satisfied until——"</p> - -<p>"Messieurs, I am ready."</p> - -<p>The voice of the captain, breaking in upon Don's words, caused them all -to rise to their feet.</p> - -<p>Trooping behind the erect form of the veteran military man into the -bright glare of out-of-doors, Don Hale reflected, with a little chuckle -of delight, that it is not given to many to accompany artillery -officers on such an expedition.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a></h2> - -<h3>THE OBSERVATION POST</h3> - - -<p>A little later the members of the party, preceded by a telephone man, -were making their way with the utmost caution through a field of wheat. -With a soft blue sky filled with fleecy clouds overhead, the waving -grain close about them, and the pleasant scent which growing vegetation -exhales, their situation suggested anything but warfare. Undismayed by -the grumblings of the great guns and the whistling of the shells which -soared overhead, larks flew unconcernedly about, and frequently their -chatter or song was wafted over the balmy air.</p> - -<p>Here and there ugly shell-holes were encountered, and very often the -operator, fearing that the wires which led to the observation post -might have been damaged, stopped to examine them. The situation was -decidedly thrilling, and the aviator's son did not mind admitting, to -himself at least, that his nerves were at a very keen tension.</p> - -<p>To the east, hazy in the distance, a German observation balloon -hovered in the air, swinging lazily in the gentle currents. It wasn't -altogether pleasant to think that the observers in the basket might -have their powerful glasses leveled on that particular spot in the -wheat field across which they were now passing. And very likely, too, -there were men posted at various observation stations who were keeping -a watchful eye open for just the sort of thing they were now engaged -upon.</p> - -<p>It was quite natural, therefore, that whenever the boy heard the -awesome scream of a shell a little louder than usual his heart beat -faster.</p> - -<p>Going this way and that and concealing their movements in every -possible manner, the five reached a deep trench, which zig-zagged -across a field absolutely bare of vegetation. One by one they leaped -into it, and, in single file, continued steadily along.</p> - -<p>"Don't forget to keep your heads down," cautioned Lieutenant D'Arraing.</p> - -<p>"Never fear!" said Don. "We won't do anything to bring about an -inglorious end to the expedition."</p> - -<p>Presently the trench led upward over the slope of a hill, and when the -top was reached turned sharply to the left. A few yards further on, -around a bend, the boys discovered the observation post, roofed over -with corrugated iron. Right beside it was a dugout.</p> - -<p>"Here we are," spoke up Lieutenant D'Arraing. "And if I am not mistaken -our being here won't be a very good thing for the Boches."</p> - -<p>Not far away, close to the parapet of the trench, stood a row of -bushes. With a wave of his hand, indicating these, the captain -exclaimed:</p> - -<p>"I think it will be safe for you, boys, to take a look from there."</p> - -<p>While the operator by the entrance to the dugout was adjusting -the telephone to the wire Don and Dunstan, both provided with -field-glasses, cautiously moved forward, with the lieutenant by their -side.</p> - -<p>"Now we are ready for the fireworks!" muttered Don Hale, grimly.</p> - -<p>He carefully pushed aside the bushes and saw stretching before him -a steep slope, with a wide valley at the bottom and ranges of hills -beyond, the summits cutting clearly against masses of white clouds. -The wooded hills and bluish distance seen here and there between -breaks made a very charming picture in the bright, clear sunlight; -but it was not upon these features that the eyes of the aviator's son -were intently fixed, for even with the unaided eye he could make out -the lines of trenches, both French and German, running in a curiously -irregular fashion across the near and far slopes. To the south a few -faint grayish spots scattered here and there, inside the French lines, -indicated what remained of a little hamlet. In the entire valley Don -could not discover a single tree which had escaped the ravages of -warfare.</p> - -<p>"Do you see a spur on the hillside directly opposite?" asked Lieutenant -D'Arraing, who, standing by the side of Don, was peering through a pair -of field-glasses.</p> - -<p>"Yes—yes," said Don eagerly.</p> - -<p>"Take a look at it through your binocular."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a name="illus3" id="illus3"></a> - <br /> - <img src="images/illus3.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>"TAKE A LOOK AT IT."</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>The aviator's son placed the instrument to his eyes. The spur which the -artillery officer had indicated instantly became strong and clear.</p> - -<p>"Now swing your glass to the left," commanded the lieutenant, "and stop -when you come to a little whitish patch almost hidden by trees."</p> - -<p>"I have it," exclaimed Don.</p> - -<p>"I think you will find in a few moments that our battery has it, -too," commented the other, dryly. "You might not suspect it, but that -insignificant little light spot is a part of the side of a building, -and on that building has been erected——"</p> - -<p>"The wireless plant," supplemented Don, eagerly.</p> - -<p>By this time the telephone operator, with the receivers attached to his -ears, was ready to transmit the captain's orders to the battery, while -the senior officer in the observation post had his glasses leveled on -the distance.</p> - -<p>"How strange it is," reflected Don Hale, "that people some three miles -away are moving unconcernedly about a certain building, totally unaware -of the fact that within a moment or two they will be exposed to the -most terrible danger!"</p> - -<p>He lowered his binocular, for the captain was speaking.</p> - -<p>"First piece," he commanded.</p> - -<p>"First piece," echoed the telephone operator, speaking into the -transmitter.</p> - -<p>"Direction: wireless station; range five thousand yards."</p> - -<p>The message was flashed over the wire, and a few moments later word -came that the battery was in readiness.</p> - -<p>"Fire!" commanded the captain.</p> - -<p>That was an extraordinarily interesting moment to Don Hale.</p> - -<p>The operator had scarcely ceased speaking when, from the hill to the -rear, came the report of one of the howitzers, and as the projectile, -describing a parabola, passed overhead, making the same screeching, -screaming sound with which he had become so familiar, Don once more -directed the glasses upon the wireless station.</p> - -<p>Breathlessly, he waited.</p> - -<p>"Ah-h-h-h!"</p> - -<p>A long-drawn-out exclamation came from his lips.</p> - -<p>A cloud of black smoke suddenly shot up in the distance, completely -shutting from view the object upon which he had his eyes so intently -fixed. A few seconds later came a faint, dull boom.</p> - -<p>What had happened?</p> - -<p>Don could not tell. But, with fascinated attention, the boy watched -the swirling black mass rolling along the surface of the ground and -spreading slowly upward and outward, until it suggested the rounded -form of a huge tree.</p> - -<p>"Confound it!—wasted!" growled the captain.</p> - -<p>"Too short!" murmured the lieutenant.</p> - -<p>"Plus fifty yards; augment by thirty minutes," called out the captain.</p> - -<p>As the man at the telephone transmitted the order the lieutenant -explained to the interested ambulanciers just what the captain's words -meant.</p> - -<p>"Plus means to increase the range and less to shorten it," he said; -"augment tells the cannoneer that he must aim further to the right and -'diminish' means further to the left. The sighting apparatus of the gun -is, of course, accurately graduated."</p> - -<p>Another roar, and a second projectile was on its way.</p> - -<p>Again an inky column, with lashing, tossing edges, spurted above the -tree tops. And the aviator's son could instantly see that another shell -had been wasted; for the bit of wall now gleamed brightly against a -background of smoke.</p> - -<p>The captain, lowering his glass, gave voluble expression to his -annoyance and disgust; then, swinging around toward the telephonist, he -commanded:</p> - -<p>"The same elements, less thirty. Fire!"</p> - -<p>"Same elements, less thirty," repeated the operator. "Fire!"</p> - -<p>Boom!</p> - -<p>The confining hills flung the thunderous echoes in all directions. The -same whirr and scream overhead again—and for a third time Don Hale saw -where the projectile had landed.</p> - -<p>Still the wireless station had evidently not been touched.</p> - -<p>"H'm—h'm!" murmured Captain Langlois. "Pas mal—pas mal; not bad—not -bad! Same elements, less fifteen. Fire!"</p> - -<p>And a few moments later the light spot flashed from view, completely -obliterated by another enormous and sinister-looking cloud of smoke.</p> - -<p>For a second time the intensely interested Don Hale was in doubt as to -the result, yet in another moment he realized that the artillerymen -had been successful; for the captain, with a grunt indicative of -satisfaction, faced Lieutenant D'Arraing, declaring:</p> - -<p>"Enfin, Monsieur le Lieutenant, c'est fait!"</p> - -<p>"At last it is done!" murmured Don, translating the captain's words.</p> - -<p>"And I guess he's about right," exclaimed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Sure enough—when the slowly-disappearing smoke had lifted the -ambulanciers saw that the portion of the building they had looked upon -before was no longer in sight, and both could very readily imagine that -where it had stood there was nothing but unsightly piles of wreckage -and a huge shell-hole.</p> - -<p>"As I expected!" remarked Captain Langlois. "If that really was a -wireless plant it won't be sending out any more electric waves."</p> - -<p>"I should say not," said Don, a little soberly.</p> - -<p>"Inscribe the elements," commanded the captain.</p> - -<p>"Inscribe the elements," repeated the operator, speaking to the man at -the battery end of the wire.</p> - -<p>Don could not help reflecting upon the methodical and businesslike -manner of the whole proceeding. There was nothing to indicate that -either of the officers held any feeling of hate or vindictiveness -toward the foe; their attitude was rather that of men who having had -important work to do are glad of its successful accomplishment.</p> - -<p>"Do you know what 'inscribe the elements' means?" asked the lieutenant, -breaking in upon the boy's thoughts.</p> - -<p>"I think I do, Monsieur le Lieutenant," replied Don. "The officer in -command of the battery is to write on a chart the exact elements in -order that they may have the information in case they should ever be -required to fire at the same point again."</p> - -<p>"Precisely so," said the other, with a smile.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers still kept their eyes upon the German trenches, as -shells were now occasionally exploding here and there. After a short -time, due to the steady increase in the bombardment, dark and light -puffs of smoke, according to the character of the shell, were rising -continually into view. Vaguely suggestive of the surf, ever tumbling in -fleecy foam upon the beach, were these appearing and disappearing smoke -clouds softened by atmosphere distance.</p> - -<p>"The first part of our work is completed; now for the second!" remarked -Lieutenant D'Arraing. "Far to the right, where you see that little -leafless tree sticking up, we intend to get the range of the Boche -trenches."</p> - -<p>"But the French and German lines look mighty close right there," -declared Don. "Isn't there danger of a shell falling short and perhaps -striking too near our front?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; but we don't expect such a thing to happen," put in the captain, -smilingly.</p> - -<p>"I'm mighty glad I don't have to give directions for the firing," said -Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"I think the French can be mighty glad of that, too," came from Don.</p> - -<p>He chuckled faintly.</p> - -<p>The captain was now giving the range to the telephone operator, who, in -his turn, transmitted the order.</p> - -<p>"Fire!" commanded the artillery officer.</p> - -<p>Just as interestedly as before the ambulanciers waited to see the -result of the shot.</p> - -<p>The whistle of the projectile had been lost to the ear when a geyser of -smoke rose considerably beyond and to the left of the tree.</p> - -<p>"That won't do at all," grumbled Captain Langlois.</p> - -<p>He and the lieutenant held a consultation, studying the map, and having -come to a decision the gunners to the rear were presently informed of -the necessary readjustments in the range.</p> - -<p>A second shot went astray; so did a third. But each was just a little -nearer the mark. The fourth struck to the right, but so close that the -smoke floated in front of the solitary tree and partially obscured its -form.</p> - -<p>"As you see, mes Americaines, it is only a question of time when we get -what we wish," commented Lieutenant D'Arraing.</p> - -<p>"I reckon the Germans learned that long ago," said Don.</p> - -<p>The fifth shot proved the artillery officer's confidence to be based -upon good reasons; for when the smoke of the shell-burst began to clear -away the powerful field-glasses revealed the fact that a considerable -portion of a snake-like line of sand-bags running across the slope had -completely disappeared.</p> - -<p>"Which means, of course, a very disastrous occurrence—from their point -of view!" exclaimed Dunstan, with a long breath.</p> - -<p>"I don't like to think about it," declared Don.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers, not wishing to trespass too much upon the kindness -and courtesy of the French officers, soon decided that it was time -for them to leave. Accordingly, they expressed their warm thanks and -appreciation of the opportunity which had been afforded them.</p> - -<p>Very politely, both the captain and lieutenant declared that it had -given them pleasure to extend the privilege.</p> - -<p>"Now, cher amis, what are you going to do?" asked the lieutenant.</p> - -<p>"I wonder if we couldn't visit the front-line trenches?" cried Don, -with a sudden idea.</p> - -<p>"I see no reason why you cannot. Red Cross men as a rule are accorded -far more privileges than newspaper correspondents." Taking out a small -pad from his pocket, Lieutenant D'Arraing scribbled a few lines, then, -handing the sheet of paper to the aviator's son, added: "If you should -happen to be stopped en route this will probably smooth the way."</p> - -<p>Bidding good-bye to the obliging artillerymen, Don and Dunstan set out, -headed toward a distant point where scarcely any firing was taking -place. They very soon reached a boyau, or communication trench, which, -curving and twisting in all manner of ways, led toward the firing-line, -and into this they turned. Soldiers were going and coming, and many -times the Americans received a pleasant word of greeting. Along that -section of the front, as well as elsewhere, an astonishing number of -transverse ditches had been dug, starting from about a mile behind -the lines—indeed a veritable maze of passageways, so intricate and -bewildering as to make it sometimes difficult to find one's way, cut -across the earth, never running for many meters in the same direction. -They were constructed in this manner so that the fragments of a shell -exploding in the trench could travel only a very short distance, thus -giving security to the poilus who occupied the adjoining sections.</p> - -<p>Constant work, especially during rainy weather, was necessary in order -to keep the ditches in repair. Supporting timbers often had to be -added. Then, every now and again, enemy shells partially wrecked or -destroyed considerable portions; and for the work of reconstruction or -digging new trenches the services of soldiers housed in dugouts along -the second or third lines were often called into requisition.</p> - -<p>At many places all the labor was done under cover of darkness. Here -the trenches were within easy view of the German observers, and had -they discovered any signs of activity it would, of course, have meant a -deluge of shells.</p> - -<p>As the ambulanciers continued, very often hearing the ominous hum of -bullets ripping past close overhead, they felt profoundly thankful for -the protection the two feet of wall above their heads afforded.</p> - -<p>At length, when Don and Dunstan arrived at the second line, or support -trenches, an officer stepped from one of the crowded passageways, to -command them peremptorily to halt. It is very likely, too, that he -would just as peremptorily have ordered the two back but for Lieutenant -D'Arraing's note.</p> - -<p>"All right, mes Americaines," he said, after glancing over it. "You may -proceed. The firing-line is only about one hundred yards from here. I -presume you have never been so near the enemy before. Let me hope it is -not your intention to pay them a visit."</p> - -<p>"We couldn't be persuaded to," replied Don, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"About how far apart are the trenches?" asked Dunstan, casually.</p> - -<p>"In some places right along here only about twenty meters," was the -startling answer.</p> - -<p>"Great Cæsar! Only about sixty-five feet!" murmured Don.</p> - -<p>The thought of being in such close proximity to the Germans thrilled -and awed the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>As the boys, after nodding a good-bye to the officer, tramped along -the "duck walk," or slatted wooden flooring of the trench, they rather -marveled at the seeming indifference of the silent soldiers whom they -here and there encountered lounging idly about. None of them seemed -to be paying the slightest attention to the projectiles. Turning into -one of the front-line trenches, they found the blue-uniformed soldiers -of France on the alert. Many of them were standing on a narrow little -platform about a foot from the bottom of the excavation known as the -"firing step." Some gazed earnestly through trench periscopes; others -had their rifles resting across sand-bags or through openings in the -breastworks. Still others held hand-grenades, ready to throw on the -instant, while laid out within easy reach were rows of these deadly -weapons.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers, slowly following the ramifications of the trench, -discovered dugouts all along the rear wall, or parados, as it is -called. These excavations were, of course, located to one side of the -trenches and immediately below.</p> - -<p>After traveling for some distance Don and Dunstan came upon another -roofed-over observation post in which a young soldier was stationed. -Beside him stood a mitrailleuse, its polished muzzle pointing straight -ahead.</p> - -<p>A curious uncanny silence hovered over the trench; no one was speaking; -no one seemed to be paying any attention to the appearance of the -Americans in their midst—all were playing the game of waiting with the -utmost alertness. For that was the line which was guarding France from -the invader; and probably graven in the heart of every soldier were the -words made famous at Verdun:</p> - -<p>"Ils ne passeront pas"—"They shall not pass."</p> - -<p>"Sixty-five feet—sixty-five feet!" murmured Don, over and over again.</p> - -<p>It scarcely seemed possible that only such a short distance beyond the -parapet of the trench there were other grimly silent men standing side -by side and perhaps having as their battle cry the slogan:</p> - -<p>"On to Paris!"</p> - -<p>"Isn't it wonderful to think, Dunstan, that we are really on the firing -line!" said Don. "My, wouldn't I give a lot to look through one of -these periscopes!"</p> - -<p>Although the words were spoken almost in a whisper a soldier using one -of the instruments overheard him.</p> - -<p>"You may, mon garçon," he said, in an equally cautious tone.</p> - -<p>"Merci, merci!—thank you!—thank you!" said Don.</p> - -<p>Eagerly he placed his eye to the periscope.</p> - -<p>What a thrill shot through the boy as the secrets of "No Man's Land" -were revealed to him! Right in front of the trench stretched a maze of -barbed wire entanglements, but every growing thing had been blasted, -withered and shot to pieces. The trees that remained standing were -gaunt, bare poles, and the ground all about looked as if some terrible -convulsion of nature had upheaved and overturned it. Scarcely any of -the forms bore a semblance to their original shape. Only a few yards -away he could see the rim of a huge shell-crater, into the yawning -depths of which a portion of the barbed wire had disappeared. Less than -a hundred feet beyond stretched a yellow, muddy line of sand-bags, and -right in front of these, extending out for some distance, were stakes -driven into the ground and strung with innumerable wires.</p> - -<p>"And not a sign of life!" murmured Don. "It just looks as if nothing -ever did exist or could exist along this awful stretch of 'No Man's -Land.'"</p> - -<p>Dunstan now took his turn at the periscope, and presently having -satisfied their curiosity the two thanked the obliging soldier and -moved on.</p> - -<p>During all this time the sharp cracking of rifles was continuous. -Sometimes single bullets snapped over the top of the trench—sometimes -a regular fusillade; then, at longer intervals, came the rapid-fire, -vicious reports of a machine gun in action. Now and again a poilu sent -a shot across the barren stretch of ground and a thin wisp of bluish -smoke from the muzzle of his rifle floated lazily upward.</p> - -<p>"They can't let Fritz do all the work," commented Don.</p> - -<p>"Bonjour, Messieurs! On a tour of inspection, I suppose?" broke in a -low voice.</p> - -<p>An officer standing by the entrance to a dugout was regarding them -smilingly.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Don, with an answering smile.</p> - -<p>"Want to take a look inside?"</p> - -<p>The officer pointed to the entrance.</p> - -<p>"Very much indeed," declared Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"All right. You're welcome. I'll go first; otherwise you might take a -tumble."</p> - -<p>He lowered himself into the opening and presently disappeared into the -cavernous depths, and by the time Don had his feet on the rungs of the -ladder an electric light, flashing up, dispelled the gloom.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers found that this particular dugout was about six feet -square and scarcely high enough for a man to stand erect in.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you have been in finer apartments," said the officer, "but I -must confess that this place has an irresistible attraction for me at -times."</p> - -<p>"I don't doubt it," laughed Dunstan. "How many men can sleep here?"</p> - -<p>"Three or four, and the accommodations are not so bad except in rainy -weather; then it's the most confounded place imaginable."</p> - -<p>"It must be," said Don.</p> - -<p>"Many a time I've seen the water in the trenches above a man's knees, -and we have to work mighty hard pumping it out. We live in mud, eat in -mud, sleep in mud, and look as if we were made of mud."</p> - -<p>"Must be uncomfortable, sure enough!" commented Don.</p> - -<p>"Uncomfortable isn't the word that hits it, mon garçon; it's perfect -and unadulterated misery. However, there seems to be nothing which -hasn't some good in it."</p> - -<p>"Yes?" said Don questioningly.</p> - -<p>"The floods put an end to the prowling of the trench rats for a time."</p> - -<p>"Do you have many of them?"</p> - -<p>"Well, I should say so! Nothing is safe from these thieving rascals. -It's a positive wonder they don't try to get away with our steel -helmets."</p> - -<p>After a few moments' conversation the three clambered up the ladder and -emerged into the open air. With the officer accompanying them, Don and -Dunstan presently walked around a bend, and came upon a trench that -started out at right angles to the firing-line and wound in a most -irregular fashion across "No Man's Land."</p> - -<p>"Hello!" exclaimed Don, in surprise. "Where does that go?"</p> - -<p>"To the listening post," answered the military man.</p> - -<p>"The listening post?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, mon ami. And the end of it is so close to the enemy's trenches -that the sentry who is stationed there—and one always is—can easily -overhear the voices of the Boches. The sentry's duty is to listen and -observe, and, as you can very well imagine, it is a pretty dangerous -assignment."</p> - -<p>"I'll wager it is," said Don. "I'd rather keep to the main street."</p> - -<p>"Very naturally. A man in such an isolated position stands a good -chance of being cut off from all help. Should the sentry discover -a German patrol or anything else that looks at all suspicious he'd -communicate the facts at once. Then, as a discourager to any German -tricks, six hundred cartridges a minute could be sent crashing across -'No Man's Land.'"</p> - -<p>"Is there an abri out there for the sentry?" asked Don.</p> - -<p>"Well, rather!"</p> - -<p>The aviator's son glanced toward the listening post with fascinated -attention. The trench appeared so perfectly safe, with the walls rising -on either side—and yet what peril lurked in every meter of the way!</p> - -<p>"By the looks of things one might judge that the Germans could rush -this trench and capture it," he remarked, reflectively.</p> - -<p>"Yes; but the very instant they started the wires would flash the news -back to the support trenches," said the officer, "and the reserves -would come pouring out and stem it in short order. Surprise attacks do -not cut much figure in this war."</p> - -<p>"Crack—crack—crack!"—three rifle shots in quick succession.</p> - -<p>A dull thud followed, as one of the bullets struck a sand-bag.</p> - -<p>The soldier smiled.</p> - -<p>"No occasion to worry, mes garçons," he continued.</p> - -<p>"We're not doing any," grinned Don.</p> - -<p>Not very long afterward the ambulanciers resumed their journey.</p> - -<p>On and on they went, at a leisurely pace, always seeing the same sights -and hearing the same sounds. Occasionally the twitter of birds came to -their ears. They alone could dare to show themselves above the surface.</p> - -<p>"This isn't like any war that was ever fought before," declared -Dunstan, at length, in meditative tones.</p> - -<p>And then, as the aviator's son was about to reply, a most frightful—a -most deafening detonation burst upon their ears.</p> - -<p>Almost instantly a second explosion followed. The earth seemed to reel -and shake—the whole air to be filled with an awful vibration. The -terrified ambulanciers, gasping—staggering—were almost thrown to the -ground.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a></h2> - -<h3>THE ATTACK</h3> - - -<p>All about them soldiers were fairly hurling themselves into the -dugouts, and the boys would have done the same had they not for the -instant been too dazed,—too bewildered to make a move.</p> - -<p>And as they stood there, open-mouthed, with staring eyes, gazing -straight ahead, they saw a tremendous column of smoke rising -menacingly; and mingling with it were tons and tons of earth, rocks and -branches—a fear-inspiring, terrible, yet grand and majestic spectacle.</p> - -<p>Higher and higher rose the mass; wider and wider it kept spreading -out at the base, until a great space of the blue sky became entirely -blotted from view. And branching out from the rounded form of the great -column of smoke were spurts and jets furiously lashing, twisting and -darting about in every conceivable direction.</p> - -<p>The terror which held Don and Dunstan fast in their tracks was but -momentary, and very fortunate indeed it was for them that this proved -to be the case; for they had scarcely dived into a dugout close by -before the surroundings were deluged by an avalanche of descending -missiles, which fell with terrifying, smashing force, filling the air -with the sounds of vicious thuds, crashes and bangs.</p> - -<p>Huddled in the darkness, the inmates of the dugout, their frames -trembling from the shock, and half expecting to be blown to pieces, -awaited the outcome in silence. A limb of a tree clattered down near -the entrance; clods of earth shot beside it. And then the faint light -which had been coming in through the opening suddenly disappeared, and -dense, impenetrable blackness followed—a flood of earth and rocks -could be heard pouring into the interior.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers and the soldiers were entombed. And scarcely had this -startling fact been impressed upon their minds than a tremendous shower -of smaller particles, making a din like the heaviest kind of hail, -began to descend. And although the noise was very great they could -faintly hear the reports of more rifles than they had ever before heard -at any one time in their lives. A tremendous fusillade was going on.</p> - -<p>"The Boches have mined the trench, and are attacking!"</p> - -<p>These words were yelled from somewhere in the darkness—a poilu had -spoken.</p> - -<p>"Mined the trench and are attacking!" echoed Don, huskily.</p> - -<p>After all, their visit had not been so very well timed, he thought.</p> - -<p>Both ambulanciers possessed their full share of courage, but, -nevertheless, they were very much alarmed. Visions of the many dreadful -things that might happen filled their brains. Their situation was one -of the gravest peril; even should they escape injury or death it might -mean that their careers as Red Cross drivers were over and that they -would be obliged to await the great war's termination in some prison -camp.</p> - -<p>The poilus, three of them, were now making a determined effort to -remove the obstruction at the entrance to the dugout. It was hard -work. As fast as they dislodged the yielding soil, the opening filled -up again. But finally the hot, excited Frenchmen succeeded, and, with -yells expressive of satisfaction and defiance, first one and then -another clambered up the ladder and crawled into the trench.</p> - -<p>Only a moment or two had elapsed when the sharp cracking of rifles -apprised Don and Dunstan of the fact that these soldiers of the -Republic were doing their part in helping to check the enemy.</p> - -<p>The first impulse of the ambulanciers was to get out of the dismal -darkness, but the loud explosion of a hand grenade, which landed almost -outside, made them hastily reconsider.</p> - -<p>"Something doing up there!" shouted Dunstan, his face close to Don's.</p> - -<p>"Awful!" cried the aviator's son. He shuddered. "Here we -are—caught—almost as helpless as rats in a trap. The trench is so far -in advance of the support lines that the Germans may succeed in cutting -us off. Whew! Just listen!"</p> - -<p>The cracking of rifles—of machine guns—was simply terrific. But -occasionally the keen ears of the boys caught other sounds even more -terrible, more sinister than these ceaseless reports—the human voice -raised as if in uncontrollable fury—as if in the greatest desperation -and pain. The Red Cross men, listening, with every nerve at the keenest -tension, knew what was going on—the hostile forces had come together -and in a desperate hand-to-hand conflict were fighting with all the -savagery and ferocity of wild animals of the jungle.</p> - -<p>At last the howls and shouts and yells abruptly ended.</p> - -<p>Had the French lines broken before the attack? Were the Germans in the -trench?</p> - -<p>Unable to bear the suspense, Don Hale sprang for the ladder. -Cautiously, he began to mount; anxiously, he poked his head above the -opening.</p> - -<p>Then he drew a long thankful breath. The blue line had held.</p> - -<p>French soldiers were still on the firing-step, sending volley after -volley toward the east. Ahead a great portion of the trench had been -utterly demolished; there was no longer any parapet or parados, but -a mass of earth jumbled and piled together in the most extraordinary -confusion. Nearer at hand débris choked up the passageway.</p> - -<p>Don Hale allowed his gaze to rest on this evidence of destruction for -only a moment. Something else had attracted the boy's attention and -drawn an exclamation from his lips. Thick, impenetrable clouds of smoke -were rolling slowly across the narrow strip of "No Man's Land," and he -realized at once the reason for it—the Germans had created a curtain -by means of smoke bombs in order to conceal their movements. Perhaps at -that very instant they were ready to launch another attack.</p> - -<p>Never at any time since his entrance into the war zone had the -aviator's son felt peril to be so imminent. Should he and Dunstan -venture forth they would expose themselves to the chance of being -hit by some of the flying bullets; should they remain there was the -possibility of capture.</p> - -<p>A prey to the keenest apprehension and fears, he dropped back into the -gloom and shadow of the dugout.</p> - -<p>"This is worse than the 'Chemin de Mort,'" he cried.</p> - -<p>"Very much so, Don, old chap," shouted Dunstan in reply.</p> - -<p>Crouching against the wall, the ambulanciers vainly tried to gain some -indication of the trend of events.</p> - -<p>Sometimes, mingling in with the firing, they heard the voices again, -and though fainter than before distance could not rob the sounds of -their forbidding nature.</p> - -<p>An hour passed—an hour such as neither had ever before experienced. -It was filled with every sort of alarm. Veritable streams of shot and -shell were crashing over the trench, and at times it seemed to the -boys as if the crucial moment had at last arrived and that the host of -gray-uniformed invaders must be sweeping down upon them through the -smoke clouds.</p> - -<p>And then, when both least expected it, there came a second cessation in -the violence of the battle; the mitrailleuses and other machine guns -stopped their fire altogether, while the sharp, vicious snapping of the -rifles was heard only at intervals.</p> - -<p>"Great Cæsar! can it be possible that the attack has been repulsed?" -cried Don, inexpressible relief and hope in his voice.</p> - -<p>"Let's take a look! Let's take a look!" shouted Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Without an instant's hesitation Don Hale ran up the ladder; without an -instant's hesitation he climbed outside the dugout.</p> - -<p>Yes, there could be no doubt about it—the blue line still held. And -the smoke cloud over "No Man's Land" had vanished.</p> - -<p>A wave of joy surged through the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>"Ils ne passeront pas!" he exclaimed in a fervent voice to Dunstan, who -was now standing beside him.</p> - -<p>"No—'ils ne passeront pas!'"</p> - -<p>The air they breathed was impregnated with the odor of burning -gunpowder; smoke drifted through the trench, and everywhere they looked -a bluish haze filled the atmosphere.</p> - -<p>Joyous as the ambulanciers were at their deliverance, they could -not help but feel saddened at the thought of the many casualties -which certainly must have occurred, not only through the great mine -explosion itself but on account of the desperate nature of the assault -which followed. Though both were intensely anxious to know just what -had happened they realized that it was not a time to seek information -from the stern-faced soldiers on the firing-step. On looking about, -however, they discovered a poilu not much older than themselves leaning -heavily against the rear wall.</p> - -<p>Don, walking forward, ventured to address him.</p> - -<p>"Did the Germans get anywhere near the trench?" he queried, eagerly.</p> - -<p>The young soldier nodded.</p> - -<p>"I think so," he replied. "Some were almost on top of us before we -stopped them. But now that it's all over I can scarcely recall anything -clearly. My head's in a whirl. But they tell me that wave after wave of -the Boches rolled up, and then thinner waves rolled back again. It was -terrible—awful!"</p> - -<p>A perceptible shudder shook the young soldier's frame.</p> - -<p>"Come on, Dunstan!" shouted Don, suddenly.</p> - -<p>The art student instantly discovered what had attracted his companion's -attention. Stretcher bearers were making their way over the heaps of -débris ahead in search of the wounded. Don was already hurrying toward -them, and Dunstan sprang to join him.</p> - -<p>The nerves of the ambulanciers had on many occasions been put to pretty -severe tests, so they were now rapidly recovering from the effects of -their thrilling experience; but they were still in a situation of the -gravest danger, for shells were every now and again screeching overhead.</p> - -<p>Quickly reaching the brancardiers, the two were face to face with a -scene which but for their experiences as Red Cross drivers would have -perhaps made them falter and turn pale. The attack had exacted its full -toll of dead and wounded. Many of both lay about, and the stretcher -bearers were busily engaged in carrying the wounded to the dressing -station just behind the lines.</p> - -<p>Two, close at hand, were feverishly trying to release a wounded, -half-unconscious poilu pinned down by a supporting timber of the -trench.</p> - -<p>The Red Cross men at once leaped to their assistance, though each had -the uncomfortable realization that there was no shelter to protect them -from the enemy's fire.</p> - -<p>No words were exchanged by any of the four. The brancardiers used their -spades while Don and Dunstan laid hold of the timber. By their united -efforts it was at last raised and dragged aside. The two Red Cross -drivers helped to place the soldier on the stretcher, and as they did -so he opened his eyes and exclaimed, weakly:</p> - -<p>"Well, I thought the Boches had got me that time—but they didn't."</p> - -<p>"You are mighty fortunate," commented Don.</p> - -<p>With a grave face, the boy looked over the ghastly battle-field and -at the bodies of the blue-clad soldiers who had faced the Germans for -the last time and died for their country. Harrowing as the scene was, -however, he realized that at such a time emotions must be held in -check; the duty of all was to the living.</p> - -<p>Accordingly, he was glancing around, in order to see where he might be -of help, when an officer approached. In sharp, authoritative tones, -he commanded them to get away from that immediate vicinity with all -possible speed.</p> - -<p>"You are lucky not to have been killed," he declared.</p> - -<p>"That's just how we feel about it," remarked the aviator's son, grimly.</p> - -<p>"We have plenty of men here to do the work," continued the officer. -"There's no use of your taking any chances. The Red Cross needs you."</p> - -<p>The two, obeying his mandate, climbed down into the trench and started -back the way they had come.</p> - -<p>A little further along a communication trench opened out before them, -and, swinging into this, they kept up a lively pace—or at least as -lively as they could with so many soldiers constantly moving about in -both directions.</p> - -<p>No stops were made, however, for every now and then the cannonading -started up afresh. The reports of rifle-firing in the trenches, too, -carried over the air with unpleasant distinctness.</p> - -<p>"I reckon when Chase hears our story he'll be mighty glad he didn't -come along," declared Don.</p> - -<p>"I reckon you're right about that," chuckled Dunstan. "By the way, old -chap, it's becoming kind of sultry. To my mind, a storm is brewing."</p> - -<p>"I wish I thought you were mistaken, but I don't."</p> - -<p>"And both of us are on call to-night."</p> - -<p>"Yes; and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if they'd need us at the -outpost."</p> - -<p>Following the devious wanderings of the boyau, the two finally emerged -upon a recently-constructed military road which led up over the slope -of a hill. From that time on they made rapid progress, and both were -well pleased indeed when, hot, dusty and perspiring, they reached the -headquarters of the Ambulance unit.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a></h2> - -<h3>THE STORM</h3> - - -<p>Naturally the story Don and Dunstan had to relate proved very -interesting to the members of the section. But it did not create a -sensation; in fact it would have required something very wonderful -indeed to create a sensation among those young but seasoned drivers -of the Red Cross. At any rate, however, it furnished a good topic of -conversation for the rest of the day.</p> - -<p>"If you will pull chestnuts out of the fire you must expect to get -burnt," declared Chase on one occasion, as Don and Dunstan were busily -at work in the courtyard overhauling and cleaning Number Eight.</p> - -<p>"I suppose so," said the aviator's son, smilingly.</p> - -<p>After supper the crowd gathered outside the old hotel, and while -they were taking things easy on the roadside the rapid firing of -anti-aircraft guns came to their ears. Following this they heard the -whirring, musical sound of airplane propellers, and presently a fleet -of German planes on a reconnoitering expedition was seen approaching.</p> - -<p>Pale and gossamer-like, and flying in groups of three, they presented a -very beautiful appearance. As the shells burst uncomfortably close the -machines began to separate, some veering directly toward the road on -which the Red Cross men had gathered.</p> - -<p>Burst after burst of whitish smoke kept pace with them, and the boys -could not help admiring the courage of the airmen, as they maneuvered -their machines this way and that in order to escape the explosives.</p> - -<p>"The planes are perfectly delightful to see," said "Peewee." "I'd -almost like to be an airman myself."</p> - -<p>"It's too high a calling for you," grinned Chase.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the anti-aircraft guns to the east ceased firing and others to -the west began to send forth reports.</p> - -<p>And while the drivers stood there, craning their necks and regarding -the spectacle with the utmost interest, a curious sort of whistling -and pattering began to sound close at hand. "Peewee" was the first to -realize what it meant.</p> - -<p>With a loud yell of alarm he made a dash for the hotel.</p> - -<p>And the others immediately left that particular spot with the same -ludicrous haste.</p> - -<p>The distance of a dozen yards or so to the entrance was covered just -in time. The spent anti-aircraft projectiles were dropping from the -sky; and the way they thudded and banged on the roof of the Hotel de la -Palette and upon the roadway just outside made the crowd feel devoutly -thankful that they were under shelter.</p> - -<p>"A pretty narrow escape, I should say!" chirped "Peewee," pleasantly, -when the flurry had subsided.</p> - -<p>"You bet! But for our record-breaking sprint we might have been -caught," said Chase.</p> - -<p>"Ha, ha!" laughed "Peewee." "Oh, my! Oh, my! Won't things be dull when -we get away from here! It will seem so awfully odd not to have to -shake in one's shoes and tremble every little while."</p> - -<p>"I'd like to see a motion picture of ourselves crossing the road," -chuckled John Weymouth.</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't," giggled "Peewee."</p> - -<p>Having satisfied themselves that the danger was all over, the crowd -made a sortie. They saw the German airplanes sweeping around, -preparatory to returning to their own lines. And as several of the -machines reached a certain position in the sky the rays of the sun, now -low in the west, streaming through an opening in the clouds, caught -the wings, and for one brief instant they flashed and sparkled with a -golden reflection.</p> - -<p>Now flying at a much higher altitude, shells failed to reach their -level, and very soon the airplanes became but faint purplish specks in -the distance.</p> - -<p>"I guess the war-birds are skimming back home fast so as not to get -caught in the rain," laughed "Tiny" Mason.</p> - -<p>Great masses of cumulus clouds were piling up in the west and the air -which blew in their faces came in hot, fitful gusts. As time went on -the whole aspect of the sky became more ominous and threatening, and at -last lightning glimmered faintly just above the horizon.</p> - -<p>"It's going to be Heaven's artillery pitted against man's to-night," -remarked the art student, thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"Which impels me to say that I hope to thunder we won't have to go -out," declared Chase.</p> - -<p>The village street now presented quite a lively appearance; for little -groups of reserves here and there surrounded field kitchens, while -others were sitting about eating their evening meal. Occasionally a -military car, enveloped in a cloud of dust, whizzed by, and as the -twilight slowly deepened a couple of camions, one close behind the -other, appearing huge and impressive in the gloom, rumbled ponderously -over the cobbled road, the first of a long line which, under the -protection of darkness, would soon be going toward the front.</p> - -<p>Slowly, the shades of night crept over the landscape; the distance -became blurred; only the objects that rose against the sky could be -seen with any distinctness, and these, too, finally became lost to view -in the gathering gloom.</p> - -<p>There was nothing very inviting about out-of-doors, so the ambulanciers -at length gathered in the dining-room of the hotel, where Dunstan began -to amuse himself, as well as the others, by making sketches. Then came -the inevitable story-telling and the discussion of various topics, -prominent among the last being the mystery of the Château de Morancourt -and the strange incident which had occurred during Don, Dunstan and -Chase's visit.</p> - -<p>"Still an unfinished story!" sighed "Peewee." "When will finis be -tacked on to the end, I wonder!"</p> - -<p>"Let me ease your misery," grinned Bodkins, taking out his banjo. "I'll -play a variation on Shubert's unfinished symphony."</p> - -<p>"A variation!" jeered "Peewee." "That's a good name for an -unrecognizable collection of tinkles and scraping sounds. Boys, what -do you say to tacking the finis sign on that old banjo—instrument of -torture, I should say—to-night? All in favor of——"</p> - -<p>"Aye, aye, aye!"</p> - -<p>A hearty chorus rang through the room.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a name="illus4" id="illus4"></a> - <br /> - <img src="images/illus4.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>A HEARTY CHORUS RANG THROUGH THE ROOM.</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"The ayes have it," chortled "Peewee." "An axe! An axe! My kingdom for -an axe!"</p> - -<p>"And while the execution is taking place I'll seize the opportunity to -take an observation on the weather," laughed the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>Then, as a good-natured scuffling began for the possession of Bodkins' -much discussed banjo, he left the cheerfully-lighted room and climbed -up a dark stairway to the second floor.</p> - -<p>Very soon he was groping his way toward the room formerly occupied by -the "patron," or proprietor of the hotel. The window faced to the west, -and the boy, presently reaching it, threw up the sash and looked out. -Everything was intensely black; his eyes searched in vain for any of -the familiar details, but not even the faintest silhouette of a roof or -the outlines of a tree could be distinguished.</p> - -<p>He had been at his post only a moment or two when there came a bluish -flash of lightning which cast a weird glare over the landscape. -For the briefest interval of time he had a view of the road and a -procession of slowly-moving vehicles. The sweeping outlines of the -hills, too, stood out grimly against the sky. Then came the blackness -and gloom again, only to be broken by other vivid flashes, one quickly -following another.</p> - -<p>"It's going to be a wild night, all right," reflected the aviator's -son, as he heard the booming of thunder mingling in with the roar of -the distant cannon.</p> - -<p>He was at an impressionable age, and these successive glares, which -revealed the rounded, piled-up masses of storm-clouds and continually -brought into view vistas of the surrounding country, impressed him -strangely. Occasionally the peals of thunder grew louder, but they -were not yet loud enough to drown the never-ending grind and rumble -of wheels, the faint rattle of harness and clinking of chains, or -the voices of drivers yelling commands to their skittish horses. He -wondered if he and Dunstan would be called out at such a time. Don did -not shrink from any task which he might be called upon to perform, but -nevertheless he could not help heartily wishing that the night might -pass without a summons.</p> - -<p>"It will be a positive wonder, though, if there isn't something doing," -he muttered. "The firing is growing heavier and heavier, and guns of -all calibers seem to be at it."</p> - -<p>He heard the sound of a step and a cheery voice calling:</p> - -<p>"Hello, Don! Where are you?"</p> - -<p>"At the observation post," returned the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>"And I'll be there in another moment."</p> - -<p>Dunstan, after colliding with several pieces of furniture, at length -reached the window.</p> - -<p>"Humph!—pitch black!" he exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"Yes—except when it isn't," exclaimed Don, with a faint chuckle.</p> - -<p>"Quite correct!" agreed the art student. "By George! How weird and -solemn it all seems! And what curious impressions and thoughts it -brings to one's mind!"</p> - -<p>"And creepy sensations, too," said Don.</p> - -<p>"Very true! To my mind, it is only the very stolid or the unemotional -who fail to be impressed by such manifestations of nature."</p> - -<p>For a long time the ambulanciers remained at the window and watched -the lightning growing steadily brighter. The thunder rolled and -reverberated, sounding more and more ominous and menacing.</p> - -<p>At length the noise made by several of the boys tramping up to their -rooms made them realize that the hour was growing rather late. Making -their way to the stairway, they descended to the first floor, and were -glad to get back to a region of light and good cheer.</p> - -<p>"Ah, how beautiful nature must have looked!" piped "Peewee." "I -suppose, mon cher Dunstan, you could see a whole lot of wonderful -colors and tones denied to us poor, ordinary mortals?"</p> - -<p>"I hope so," laughed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"And I can hear a wonderful lot of beauty in my banjo playing, even if -no one else does," giggled Bodkins, who still had the instrument in his -possession. "Just let me illustrate what I mean."</p> - -<p>"If you do any illustrating by means of sound I will give a very good -illustration of the fact that there are limits to even the most amiable -of dispositions," said "Peewee." "I hope if the Germans ever capture -this town they'll capture that banjo with it."</p> - -<p>"Tut, tut, my boy!—another feeble attempt!" chirped the musician. -"Let me tell you, gently but firmly, that clever remarks and bright, -scintillating touches of wit and humor which lift conversation from the -dull and commonplace are not in your line."</p> - -<p>"I'll bet you wrote that out and committed it to memory," jeered -"Peewee," "and——"</p> - -<p>At this instant "Tiny," leaning over the table, blew out the lamp, -while John Weymouth, taking Mason's action as his cue, extinguished the -other; and with the sudden and unexpected advent of total darkness the -colloquy between the two came to an abrupt termination.</p> - -<p>"The fact has now been satisfactorily demonstrated that there is a -limit even to the most amiable disposition of all," laughed Mason.</p> - -<p>Then, with much chuckling and good-natured pushing and jostling, the -ambulanciers made a break for the door, and in another moment or two -emerged into the "Bureau."<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> There they found the sous chef, Gideon -Watts, seated behind the long counter where, in the days long past, the -former patron of La Palette had been accustomed to extend a greeting to -his guests.</p> - -<p>"Sounds like the sortie of a kindergarten," grinned the sous chef. -"Nothing doing as yet, mes camarades."</p> - -<p>"I guess you do well to emphasize the 'as yet,'" commented Chase, -seating himself on a bench.</p> - -<p>"We might as well hit the planks, fellows," put in Dunstan. "I -declare—whenever I'm on call I feel more sleepy than at any other -time."</p> - -<p>"The same with me," confessed Weymouth. "But by the sound of things a -fellow wouldn't be able to get much sleep no matter how hard he tried. -Whew! That real, bona-fide thunder is going to be a winner over the -imitation kind."</p> - -<p>A deep, booming reverberation, winding up with a succession of crashes, -was the occasion of Weymouth's remark.</p> - -<p>Of course the drivers who were on call always remained fully dressed, -and in order that there might not be an instant's delay in starting, -as a rule they got what rest they could on the benches with which the -bureau was supplied.</p> - -<p>Perceiving that Watts was hard at work on a report, and no doubt being -unconsciously affected by the solemnity and grandeur of the warring -sounds of nature, the spirit of levity soon left the boys, and, one -after another, they spread their blankets and lay down.</p> - -<p>Conversation, carried on in subdued tones for some time, at length -ceased altogether, though no one had yielded to the inclination to -sleep. There seemed to be a curious feeling of unrest, of tense -anticipation, which affected all of the Red Cross men and prevented -their eyes from closing for more than a few moments at a time.</p> - -<p>Don Hale found himself mechanically studying the scene about him. The -glow of light from the lamp which stood by the side of the sous chef -spread far enough out to reveal the businesslike appearance of the -bureau. Numerous bulletins hung on the walls. Some included a list -of the members of the section, the squads to which they belonged and -the order of the driver's turns. Then, giving a certain military -atmosphere to the place, rules and regulations to be observed by "La -Section Sanitaire Automobile Americaine" were posted up, as well as -documents from the "Médicin divisionnaire" and other officers. But, -somehow, the wandering glances of the aviator's son nearly always -returned to the bent-over figure of Watts and the telephone close -beside him. A spot of light on the instrument that gleamed and sparkled -like a star of the first magnitude seemed to have a peculiar, almost -annoying fascination for him. Whichever way he moved his head its -assertive sparkle caught him in the eye.</p> - -<p>"I was almost sure we'd get a call before this," he exclaimed at length.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I don't know," returned Watts. "Wendell anticipated that there -might be some big doings to-night, and he has six cars stationed at -Montaurennes. I hope they will be able to handle all the work."</p> - -<p>Chase seemed to give a sigh of relief.</p> - -<p>"The storm will soon be here," he declared. "The thunder is steadily -growing louder."</p> - -<p>"And the artillery, as though to rival its efforts, is pounding away -more vigorously than ever," came from a partly-recumbent and shadowy -figure in a far corner of the room.</p> - -<p>The voice belonged to Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Well, we can't help it," grunted Weymouth.</p> - -<p>He eased himself off the bench and after yawning several times began -pacing forth and back. The others, weary, with blinking eyes, yet -unable to sleep, evidently coming to the conclusion that any sort of -action was preferable to remaining still, got up and joined him.</p> - -<p>Now the booming of the thunder was giving them an idea of the fury of -the storm. When midnight came the almost continuous roar was jarring -and shaking the old Hotel de la Palette to its foundation. Window panes -and doors rattled noisily, and the ambulanciers, about as wide awake as -they had ever been in their lives, listened with feelings of awe as the -rushing wind howled and whistled past and drenching torrents of rain -beat and splashed against the ancient structure.</p> - -<p>"Some poor chaps are getting a mighty good soaking to-night," remarked -Don.</p> - -<p>"I should think both sides would call off the war while the storm -lasts," declared "Tiny." "Now is the time I suppose we ought to hear -that 'phone bell ringing."</p> - -<p>"Don't mention such a thing," said Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Then, as the tumult of the raging storm made conversation difficult, -the ambulanciers relapsed into silence. Some again lolled on the -benches, while others continued to exercise their limbs.</p> - -<p>The crashing of the thunder soon became almost deafening, and through -every crack of the windows and door the bluish flashes of lightning -gleamed brilliantly. And for hour after hour, with scarcely a lull, the -storm kept up its violence.</p> - -<p>Glad indeed were the Red Cross men when at length the force of the -downpour began to lessen, the wind to quiet down and the lightning to -come at longer intervals.</p> - -<p>About two <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> the last volley of nature's artillery boomed -majestically overhead, the last heavy patter of rain-drops was heard, -and the tempest, passing on, left the village serene and peaceful, -except for the sound of the distant guns.</p> - -<p>"Ah, mes amis, I breathe freely again," cried Dunstan. He laughed. "To -tell the truth, I had dreadful visions of taking Number Three along -that water-soaked road. It shows the folly of borrowing trouble. Be a -philosopher. Being a philosopher prevents wrinkles from creasing the -brow. It holds the gray hair at bay. It——"</p> - -<p>Ting-a-ling! Ting!</p> - -<p>With startling clearness, with startling suddenness, the 'phone bell -began to ring.</p> - -<p>No one uttered an exclamation; no one spoke. But every head was turned -on the instant toward Gideon Watts, whose loud "Hello!" sounded -simultaneously with the ending of the ringing of the bell.</p> - -<p>Every one stepped nearer the counter; every one waited with the utmost -eagerness—the utmost interest—to hear the words which would presently -fall from the sous chef's lips.</p> - -<p>And only an instant elapsed before they came.</p> - -<p>"All right, Monsieur le Médecin," he cried. "We'll attend to it right -away." Then facing the aviator's son, he added: "A hurry call from -Montaurennes, Don—'tres pressé,' too, says the Médecin Savoye. Sorry, -old chap. I guess you'll find it isn't any joke, either, getting to the -post."</p> - -<p>But Don Hale did not wait even to make a reply. Rushing to the bench, -he picked up his gas mask and steel helmet, suspended one over his -shoulders and slapped the other upon his head.</p> - -<p>"Quick, Chase!" he called. "So-long, fellows!"</p> - -<p>Then the boy dashed out of the room and in another moment reached the -courtyard.</p> - -<p>By the aid of his pocket flash-light he cranked the car. The explosive -roar and hum of the motor suddenly started up, and, as it began to -subside into a series of soft rhythmic notes, Don sprang to his seat. -He heard the sound of a door slamming shut and the patter of rapid -footsteps—Chase was hurrying over.</p> - -<p>Without a word the young chap from Maine climbed up beside him.</p> - -<p>"We're off!" exclaimed Don, in a low voice, as he threw in the clutch.</p> - -<p>A loud warning blast of the horn went over the air, and ambulance -Number Eight began to move slowly forward.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a></h2> - -<h3>THE CHEMIN DE MORT</h3> - - -<p>As the Red Cross car rolled under the archway the driver supplemented -the work of the horn with a lusty yell.</p> - -<p>Even to join the line of moving convoys was a mighty difficult task, -and would have been almost impossible but for the fact that ambulances -had practically the right of way.</p> - -<p>Don Hale, alert, watchful, with a firm hand on the steering wheel, -guided Number Eight slowly out into the roadway. The darkness was so -intense that he could not see even the wagons passing directly in -front—everything, indeed, was swallowed up in a void of blackness, but -he knew by the sounds and the shouts of the drivers that an effort was -being made to find a place in the line for the Red Cross car.</p> - -<p>And then, just at that instant, there came a vivid flash of lightning. -Another storm was approaching. And that particular glare served a good -purpose. It enabled the boy to discover an opening, and without the -slightest hesitation he increased the speed of the car. It swung past -the foremost camion, the wheels grazing the front as it passed. Then -an abrupt turn, and Ambulance Number Eight, splashing streams of water -and mud in every direction, was in the middle of the road, hemmed in by -vehicles.</p> - -<p>It was risky, nerve-racking work. Now and again wagons lurched -unpleasantly close, and horses, rendered skittish and hard to manage by -the storm, swung directly in the path of the machine. Then, the young -driver was ever mindful of the fact that cars coming from the poste de -secours might be encountered at any minute hastening with all speed -between the moving walls of vehicles. Don had the prime requisite of -a good driver—a cool head and steady nerves—but these were only an -aid, and by no means a passport to safety; for in the human element -all about him were tired, overworked drivers, and men who sometimes -combined recklessness with a lack of skill.</p> - -<p>The lightning was again darting from cloud to cloud, or, in forked -tongues, crashing earthward; and with each flash the surroundings were -revealed with almost startling clearness—the long line of vehicles -of every description, the muddy, water-soaked road, full of rivulets, -splashing and rushing from pool to pool and reflecting the vivid, -blinding illumination, and, on both sides, wrecked, forlorn-looking -houses and trees.</p> - -<p>"This is the worst ever!" groaned Chase. "It's bad enough here—what -will it be when we get to climbing the hill! Don, I don't believe we'll -ever make it."</p> - -<p>The aviator's son did not reply, because the slightest incautious move -might have brought disaster. Occasionally there was barely enough room -between the huge, towering camions in which to guide Number Eight in -safety.</p> - -<p>Now and then the vehicle floundered and jolted from side to side, as -one wheel or another slipped into the ruts. Just as they turned a bend -in the road and the ancient ports suddenly rose to view—a black, grim -pile against an instantaneous glare of bluish light—the rain again -started to descend, first in a flurry of big drops splattering noisily -against the canvas covering of the ambulance, then in a vicious, -lashing downpour which pelted the two in the driver's seat with -stinging force. And accompanying the deluge came sweeping blasts of -wind that almost took their breath away.</p> - -<p>"Awful—awful!" muttered Chase, holding tightly to his seat, while -the vehicle, rocking like a boat in a storm, plunged heavily across a -torn-up section of the road.</p> - -<p>The noise of the wind and rain almost drowned the loud, rough voices -of drivers yelling to their horses. Sometimes a heavily-loaded camion -became stalled in the mud—then the entire convoy behind it was brought -to a standstill, and perhaps held up for minutes at a time.</p> - -<p>Don Hale during his service with the Red Cross had been out on many a -stormy night, but never on such a wild night as this, and the dangers -and difficulties which beset them promised to become far greater. -Notwithstanding the weather conditions, both the French and German -bombardments steadily grew in intensity. Marmites were continually -landing in the fields, both to the right and left of the highway, and -the young ambulance driver could not help reflecting on the dangers -which awaited them along the Chemin de Mort and at the crossroads.</p> - -<p>"Well, we haven't got to take any more chances than the rest," he -muttered.</p> - -<p>Though his face and eyes were smarting from the wind and rain and he -was obliged to bend far over the steering wheel to protect himself from -the blasts, Don made a determined effort to drive Number Eight rapidly -ahead, but the pace seemed exasperatingly, fearfully slow. The vehicle, -exposed to the full force of the elements, shook, staggered and wobbled -and sometimes slipped and slid on the mud until it certainly appeared -as if Chase's prediction must be fulfilled and the journey come to a -disastrous end.</p> - -<p>Zigzag streaks of lightning tore the gloom asunder; the peals of -thunder crashed and roared with appalling force, following one -another so closely as to fill the air with a continuous series of -reverberations. And mixed in with all this commotion of nature's forces -was the heavy booming of the big guns and the éclats of the dreaded -marmites—all forming an awesome combination which would have created -a tension in the nerves of the bravest. Struggling hard to keep his -wits and faculties about him, Don wondered what the thoughts of his -companion might be.</p> - -<p>"Poor chap! It's pretty hard on him," he reflected.</p> - -<p>Every glare from the heavens disclosed the dripping Chase huddled up -in his seat, with a curious, strained expression resting on his face. -His appearance suggested that of a person who, finding himself in a -terrible situation, has lost every particle of hope.</p> - -<p>Don Hale's reflections concerning Manning, however, abruptly ceased.</p> - -<p>A bright gleaming flash of light close to the ground, instantly -followed by a terrific concussion, made his heart fairly leap. A -high-explosive shell had fallen not a hundred yards away. It was only -what might have been expected, yet, nevertheless, it both startled and -frightened him.</p> - -<p>But the aftermath proved even more startling; the lead horses of a -six-horse team attached to a returning "empty" began to rear, buck and -plunge, in spite of the most strenuous efforts of the postilion driver -to control them.</p> - -<p>Even above the noises of the storm the ambulanciers could hear the -animals' quick, terrified snorts and their iron-shod hoofs crashing -down in the mud and water. Instinctively, Don Hale realized that they -were turning across the road.</p> - -<p>The Red Cross car came to a halt with a jerk. Quick action alone had -prevented a collision.</p> - -<p>Across the inky heavens darted another forked tongue of electric flame; -another and another followed, and in the sustained, blinding glare the -boys saw the horses pawing the air in dangerous proximity to the front -of the machine. Momentarily Don Hale expected a crash.</p> - -<p>"I told you! I told you!" shouted Chase.</p> - -<p>A few instants of anxiety—of keen suspense—then came the opportunity -for which the boy was looking—the fractious steeds swerved to one -side. Ambulance Number Eight shot forward on the second, violently -grazed the body of the nearest horse and continued, while the shouts -of the postilion driver became quickly drowned in the roar of the rain.</p> - -<p>"Adventure number one!" muttered Don, with a great sigh of relief.</p> - -<p>In the narrow and rugged passageway he dared not put on many bursts -of speed, though at times he shot past several vehicles in quick -succession. Presently, however, he was forced to pause—there was not -sufficient room to pass between the teams. A series of loud yells, a -few vigorous, aggressive blasts of the horn, and the transports on -either side began hugging the edge of the road. But still it continued -to be slow work. "Tres pressé," the doctor had said, and Don Hale felt -that upon his shoulders lay a tremendous responsibility.</p> - -<p>"At any rate, we're getting nearer, old chap!" he yelled to Chase.</p> - -<p>The crouched-up figure made no reply.</p> - -<p>During moments in which the storm lessened the terrific din of the -French batteries became more apparent. In every direction, both near -and far, they seemed to be pouring forth streams of missiles, and the -Germans on the hills beyond were returning a furious fire. Shells -passed overhead in both directions, and even the roar of storm and -cannon could not drown their sinister whistle—their awe-inspiring -shriek. Every now and again they burst startlingly near, the resounding -blasts echoing over the air, and as Ambulance Number Eight neared the -Chemin de Mort the tension on Don Hale's nerves became so acute that -sometimes an involuntary tremor shook his frame.</p> - -<p>Now, by means of the lightning, he caught sight of the bend in the -road. One of the most critical stages in their whole journey had been -reached. For the first time Chase Manning aroused himself, and, sitting -erect, kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.</p> - -<p>Cautiously, Don Hale took the ambulance around the curve. He heard his -companion exclaim:</p> - -<p>"The Chemin de Mort!"</p> - -<p>"Yes!" cried Don,—"the Chemin de Mort!" He wondered how it happened -that the convoys had not yet been halted along that shell-swept road.</p> - -<p>"Once we get by I'll feel a bit easier in my mind," he muttered, "or, -at least, I shall until old Number Eight draws up to the crossroads."</p> - -<p>Would the Chemin de Mort justify its name?</p> - -<p>Any speed would have seemed too slow to the youthful driver of the Red -Cross ambulance, but the pace at which he was obliged to move tried him -to the utmost. He took chances he would scarcely have dared before, -and frequently the car was violently jolted and shaken as the hubs of -wheels ground against one another in passing.</p> - -<p>Don Hale fairly counted the yards; and doubtless every other driver -along that section experienced sensations of just such an unpleasant -nature as those which affected him.</p> - -<p>Possibly it could only be a question of time when some of the -projectiles were going to land squarely on the road, as they had often -done before. Still, he reflected, a kind fate might protect them. The -aviator's son realized, too, that dread and fear meant a lessening of -his capacity to act with coolness and judgment, so he strove hard to -cast both aside.</p> - -<p>Very often the Chemin de Mort and the surrounding hills shot out from -the dense obscurity, to become, for the instant, almost as clearly -defined as in the broad light of day. They formed a weird—a most -impressive spectacle; but each flash brought into view something else -that was even more impressive—huge, low-hanging clouds of black smoke -which told of the explosions of the marmites.</p> - -<p>At length half the distance was covered, and still nothing had -happened. Don Hale's spirits took an upward trend.</p> - -<p>"So far we're getting along famously, old chap!" he cried to Chase.</p> - -<p>"Number Eight has a long way to go yet," responded the young chap from -Maine, in a strained voice.</p> - -<p>Don sadly missed the companionship of Dunstan—Dunstan, the care-free, -the courageous and the hopeful, who by his strength of character helped -to impart strength to those around him. And yet he could not blame -Chase. His nature was cast in a different mould.</p> - -<p>As the ambulance rolled and bumped steadily along, the boy, in spite of -all the dangers that surrounded them, could not help but be impressed -by the grandeur—the sublimity of the situation. Now the wind was -soft and low, now it rose to heights of almost tumultuous fury, and -intermingling with its cadences were the sounds of booming guns—of -thunder—of pelting rain and exploding shells, all combining to form in -his mind a strange, weird symphony—a symphony expressive of terror and -tragedy.</p> - -<p>Three-quarters of the greatly feared Chemin de Mort were passed in -safety. Don Hale's spirits rose still higher. The rain was finally -beginning to slacken, for which he felt profoundly thankful. The water -was running off his khaki uniform in streams; but discomfort held no -place in his mind; all his thoughts were on that bend ahead which would -take them into a safer zone.</p> - -<p>And, suddenly, he almost jumped from his seat. Again a terrible blast -had sounded—not ahead but to the rear.</p> - -<p>Where had that shell landed? Was it on the road?</p> - -<p>Chase was sitting bolt upright.</p> - -<p>"By George! That's the time we nearly caught it!" he shouted.</p> - -<p>Don nodded.</p> - -<p>"A few moments, more or less, play a great part in this kind of game," -he exclaimed, grimly.</p> - -<p>But now the bend in the road was right before them, and presently -Don gave an exclamation expressive of the keenest satisfaction. The -ambulanciers need have no further concern, for the present at least, -about the Chemin de Mort—at last, it lay behind them.</p> - -<p>The young driver was becoming so much easier in his mind that he began -to think of a letter he intended to write to his chum, George Glenn. -And wouldn't a description of this wild ride in the stormy night make -good reading! The boy thought so—he even chuckled softly to himself, -as his mind continued to dwell on the subject.</p> - -<p>And then, just as he was about to mention the matter to Chase, there -came another appalling roar—a roar and crash so terrific, so frightful -in its intensity that the two ambulanciers were almost hurled from -their seats.</p> - -<p>A perfect deluge of flying mud and stones struck the car.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a></h2> - -<h3>A BLOCK ON THE ROAD</h3> - - -<p>Ambulance Number Eight came to an abrupt halt. Although almost -stunned—almost overwhelmed by the shock—Don Hale had managed to -prevent it from crashing into a camion close ahead. He knew what had -happened—a shell had landed on an ammunition wagon and fairly blown -it to atoms. The lightning showed a huge, towering column of smoke -spreading across the road; it also revealed horses lying prostrate in -the mud, struggling desperately to rise, and other horses, wild and -panic-stricken, kicking, plunging and endeavoring to break away from -their restraining traces.</p> - -<p>It took some moments before Don Hale could recover the use of his -faculties sufficiently to stir from his inaction. His head was aching; -his pulse throbbed and jumped; he felt as if he had been almost -deafened by the explosion. A frightened horse which had managed to -tear itself loose from the wreckage came running madly—furiously -along, dragging a part of the traces and barely missing the ambulance -as it clattered by.</p> - -<p>"Come on, Chase!" yelled Don, springing to the ground.</p> - -<p>The road was blocked, and drivers of all the vehicles in the immediate -vicinity were hurrying as fast as they could through the mud and water -toward the wreck ahead.</p> - -<p>Without waiting to see whether Chase intended to join him or not, the -boy started off. But he had only gone a dozen yards or so when another -tremendous concussion caused him to stagger toward the nearest wagon. -And in the grip of a fear he had never known before—a fear that robbed -him of his strength—he leaned heavily against it. Half stunned and -gasping, Don felt as though the end of all earthly things had come.</p> - -<p>And now additional shells began bursting close to the road. Don had a -vague, confused impression of seeing men dashing this way and that, -but he himself, his faculties for the moment almost paralyzed, was -held fast to the spot. And while he stood there in that helpless -condition, his form shaking violently, the whole air seemed filled -with pandemonium—a hideous whirring, screeching, screaming series of -sounds, mingling in with terrific, thunderous blasts that sent violent -tremors through the earth and made the huge camions rock and lurch as -though they were about to topple into the roadway. Flashing jets of -flame from the exploding shells cast a weird, unnatural light over the -surroundings, and as if some mighty convulsion of nature was upheaving -them, giant geysers of earth, mud and débris shot high in the air, -while streams of iron and steel created havoc and destruction on every -hand.</p> - -<p>The terrified Don Hale heard the thud of bullets and fragments of -shells all about him. He seemed to be no longer living in the world but -in the midst of some awful inferno from which there was no possibility -of escape. But though it was unbelievably, fearfully appalling, -he managed to keep his wits about him. Faint, weak, every instant -expecting utter annihilation, the boy made an effort to walk forward -and just then there came a bright, wicked-looking flash, accompanied by -a detonation that seemed fairly to crack his ear-drums. The concussion -was great enough to hurl him backward; and while his senses were still -reeling from the shock, a veritable stream of earth, thrown up as if -from the crater of a volcano in eruption, descended upon him and in a -moment he was almost buried beneath a mass of mud.</p> - -<p>For a time he remained in a state that was neither consciousness -nor yet a lack of consciousness—a state wherein the terror of the -situation seemed to be softened to such a degree as to make it easy -to bear. When the dull, dazed sensations did finally depart, however, -leaving him with a clear understanding of the realities, he gave a gasp -of wonderment—of almost stupefaction.</p> - -<p>A strange calmness had come into the world—of course only a relative -calmness, for the batteries had not ceased to fire; yet the contrast -between the present and the immediate past was so remarkable as to make -it appear as though such a thing could not be. Was it possible that the -bombardment was over? Was it possible that he had gone through such -peril and remained unscathed?</p> - -<p>With a cry expressive of gladness—of the thankfulness he felt, Don -Hale endeavored to regain his feet. But a heavy weight was pinning him -down to the earth. He kicked and struggled to free himself from the -soft, though tenacious grip of the mud. Now, after a valiant effort, -he sat up and jerked one leg out of the mire. It was hard work in his -weakened condition. The mud was in his eyes—in his hair. The boy -happened to recall the officer's description of life in the trenches -during rainy weather, and for the first time since leaving headquarters -Don smiled, though the smile was grim and set. At any rate, it served -to still further relieve his pent-up, overwrought feelings.</p> - -<p>Again he exerted all the strength he possessed and presently the other -leg slipped out of the mud. And as he struggled up, unstable on his -feet, a great throbbing was in his temple. Like a man on the point of -swooning, he clutched the nearest object for support.</p> - -<p>Then Don suddenly thought of Chase. A terrible fear that his companion -had not been so fortunate as himself took possession of him.</p> - -<p>A thick pall of smoke hung over the road; and when the lightning came -again he caught a faint, shadowy image, a mere silhouette, of Number -Eight standing in the middle of the narrow passageway, but he could see -no signs of Chase Manning, indeed, no human beings were in view. The -road was deserted—he was alone.</p> - -<p>What was to be done? Should he, too, seek some abri by the roadside?</p> - -<p>"No—no!" he muttered—"no!"</p> - -<p>Though almost choking with the smoke and fumes, he nevertheless raised -his voice in a loud cry of:</p> - -<p>"Chase—Chase!"</p> - -<p>No answer.</p> - -<p>Again and again he shouted, and then, as still no response came to his -keenly-attuned ears, the boy was filled with dreadful forebodings, and -in his anxiety he seemed to momentarily forget all else.</p> - -<p>Shells were coming that way again. At any instant the road might be -swept by another deadly stream. But Don Hale, whose mental faculties -and strength began to return, paying not the slightest heed, started -toward the ambulance, often splashing through great pools and puddles. -The thunder still rolled and boomed overhead. There were longer -intervals, however, between the flashes of lightning and it was not -until he arrived quite abreast of the car that the landscape once more -sprang into view.</p> - -<p>Chase Manning was not in the driver's seat nor was he anywhere to be -seen.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Chase! Hello!" yelled Don.</p> - -<p>Many times he repeated the cry, and if Chase had been uninjured and -anywhere near he must have heard the strained, anxious voice of his -comrade.</p> - -<p>Had a tragedy occurred?</p> - -<p>As Don Hale stood there in the middle of the road, with the wind and -rain still sweeping against him, he shivered at the thought and at -the recollection of the awful moments through which he had passed. It -seemed to him a most marvelous thing that any one in that vicinity -could have escaped alive.</p> - -<p>Putting all the force of his lungs in a final effort, he shouted:</p> - -<p>"Chase!—Chase!"</p> - -<p>And then, hearing nothing, seeing nothing, he made a despairing -gesture and hurried away—not in search of an abri, however, but -toward the scene of destruction ahead. He felt shocked, depressed and -disheartened.</p> - -<p>But, all at once, he recalled the words of Doctor Savoye—"Tres -pressé." His paramount duty was to take the car to the outpost, if such -a thing was possible. He must get there. He would get there. And with -this thought, which for the time being drove all doubts, perplexities -and worries from his mind, he broke into a run.</p> - -<p>Then, very soon, he began hearing voices and footsteps—the drivers of -the convoys were returning.</p> - -<p>Presently the aviator's son almost stumbled over the prostrate form of -a horse. Its body quivered; its iron-shod hoofs flew in all directions. -Recovering his balance, the boy, with a startled gasp, leaped aside -and continued on, in another moment finding himself close upon a scene -of extraordinary confusion. A flash of lightning revealed wagons -wrecked and débris strewn along the road. A number of horses were lying -about, those which still remained alive, as a result of their furious -struggles, having become completely entangled in the harness. Several -on their feet immediately started to rear and plunge anew as the men -arrived among them.</p> - -<p>"Great Julius Cæsar! This is another dangerous game," murmured the -aviator's son.</p> - -<p>The wild and fear-stricken animals had to be set free, and unless -extraordinary care and precautions were used they might stampede along -that narrow passageway and perhaps cause either serious injury or death.</p> - -<p>The adventurous Don Hale had no intention of standing idly by. He -watched his chance, and, taking advantage of a succession of brilliant -flashes of lightning, groped his way cautiously past several of the -prostrate horses—a very dangerous proceeding. Hoofs were continually -on the move and every now and again one or another of the animals -managed to struggle to its knees, remain in that awkward position for -an instant or two, and then fall back with a dull and heavy thud.</p> - -<p>It was a strange, awe-inspiring situation for a boy to be placed -in—close to the battle-front, with the storm-clouds overhead, in the -midst of wreckage and frantic horses, and facing the possibility of -a tragic end. Yet, though all these things were vaguely impressed on -Don Hale's mind, his thoughts were not upon them. The words "Tres -pressé—tres pressé" continually sounded in his ears.</p> - -<p>He advanced boldly, right into the midst of the prancing, pawing -animals. Hoofs were thudding down hard all about him; streams of liquid -mud often splashed against his figure. The movements of the ponderous -bodies made Don forcibly realize that one false step, one moment's -lack of thought, might cause the most disastrous results. Again the -lightning proved a friendly aid. A horse stood directly in front of -him. Its mate lay stretched in the mud. Originally the team had been -one of eight horses, but how many were still on their feet Don could -not tell. He did know, however, that the drivers, in the darkness, -in the slippery road, were having a mighty hard time to control the -fractious beasts.</p> - -<p>A man brushed roughly past him and seized the bridle of the fallen -horse.</p> - -<p>"Quick!—if you've got a knife, comrade, cut the traces!" he yelled. -"Fast now! We've got to get them out of this. And watch yourself, or -it's good-night!"</p> - -<p>"I know it," muttered Don.</p> - -<p>He took out his knife. A sharp, quick slash, and one of the leather -traces was cut in two. Then the keen-bladed instrument ripped its way -through another. And from that moment the aviator's son was constantly -in the midst of the greatest excitement and danger.</p> - -<p>Now he was cutting the traces; now helping to urge the horses to one -side; now tugging hard at a bridle, jerked this way and that, or lifted -bodily off his feet, perhaps to get a fleeting glimpse by means of a -bluish glare of lightning of a great head with foaming mouth, distended -nostrils and glaring eyes rearing high above him and to feel the hot -breath of the animal upon his cheek. More than once he was violently -bumped and almost sent to his knees.</p> - -<p>The constant shuffling of feet, the pounding of hoofs, the loud rough -voices of men raised in harsh yells and commands and the accompaniment -of rolling, booming thunder and bursting shells seemed in Don Hale's -mind to form a part of some strange, wild fantasy rather than of actual -reality.</p> - -<p>At last, however, the war in the roadway was at an end; one by one the -horses capitulated to superior intelligence and skill and were led -aside. Only those which lay helpless where they had fallen remained to -be attended to.</p> - -<p>The aviator's son, quite exhausted, his head still throbbing violently, -felt compelled to rest. Every joint and muscle in his body seemed to be -aching. A dull pain caused by the repeated concussions was in his ears. -And then:</p> - -<p>"Tres pressé! Tres pressé!"</p> - -<p>The words, shaping themselves in his mind again, fell from his lips.</p> - -<p>Their appeal could not be disregarded. With an energy born of an -earnest desire to fulfil his duties to the uttermost, he resolutely -cast aside every thought of physical discomfort or of fatigue and once -more lent his efforts to the work of clearing the road.</p> - -<p>Never had he toiled harder than he did during the next three-quarters -of an hour, and by that time the last uninjured horse was up and the -wreckage and débris sufficiently cleared away to permit the passage of -Ambulance Number Eight.</p> - -<p>It was a joyful moment to the weary Don Hale when he climbed aboard -the car, yet, withal, a very sad one. Where was Chase? How lonely—how -depressing it seemed without him!</p> - -<p>"Hello, Chase—hello!" he called.</p> - -<p>He heaved a great sigh, as no answering hail was received, and, -murmuring, "Well, such is war!" put the vehicle into motion. There was -no help for it—he must continue on to the outpost alone.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a></h2> - -<h3>A FOOTSTEP ON THE STAIR</h3> - - -<p>For a few seconds after Don Hale had jumped down from his seat on -Number Eight Chase Manning sat motionless. His brain was in a tumult -and all power over his muscles seemed to have vanished. There was no -escape—there could be no escape, he thought, from such a horrible -situation; and when after a few moments had passed and he found himself -still alive it came as a matter of great surprise. Then, suddenly, -a reaction set in; the benumbing sensations which had robbed him of -strength and courage disappeared, and in their stead came a wild, a -feverish desire to run—to run in any direction so long as it led away -from the vicinity of that terrible road.</p> - -<p>He heard Don Hale call, and by a flash of lightning discovered him -hastening away. To his mind his fellow ambulancier was seeking safety -in flight, and to act in any other way he thought would have been -sheer madness—almost like offering oneself up as a sacrifice to the -God of War.</p> - -<p>He sprang to the ground, and, in a state of the utmost panic and -excitement, lunged heavily through the mud, seeking for a passageway -between the vehicles.</p> - -<p>Those were terrible moments to Chase Manning. He felt cold shivers -coursing through him; his heart was throbbing painfully.</p> - -<p>Shells began bursting with fearful force close about him and his -overstrained nerves threatened to give way completely.</p> - -<p>Men were dashing past, running with all that mad haste which -characterizes the actions of those fleeing for their lives.</p> - -<p>"It's all up! It's all up!"</p> - -<p>The words fell stutteringly from Chase Manning's lips.</p> - -<p>The flashing fire of the exploding projectiles, the thunderous -concussions and the fumes which were wafted in his face appalled him. -He began to experience a feeling of rage—of bitter rage against those -who were responsible for the engines of destruction on the opposite -hills.</p> - -<p>He soon found a narrow passageway between the transports and then, -with lowered head, began running across a muddy, uneven field—a -field that one moment was swallowed up in pitchy blackness and the -next illuminated with a dazzling glare of lightning. In his panic and -confusion of mind, he entirely forgot the shelters that might have been -found along the road.</p> - -<p>As he plunged and staggered ahead his feet often sank deeply into the -soft, yielding soil, which held on to them with a sucking, tenacious -grip that was hard to break. Although dazed—almost unable to think -coherently—he never ceased to put forth his utmost exertions. The -bursting projectiles were dropping to the right and left of him, ahead -and behind, each with a gleam of flame, a stunning detonation and -an enormous rounded pile of smoke, and now and then shrapnel shells -exploding in the air sprayed the earth with bullets.</p> - -<p>Despite the pains and aches which the strenuous exertion brought into -his frame, Chase kept struggling on, in the midst of Heaven's storm -and the far deadlier storm created by man. Many a time he had narrow -escapes from falling headlong into the shell-craters that pitted the -field; many a time he crawled around a rim to safety.</p> - -<p>At length, after having been on the move for about five minutes, he -began climbing the slope of a low ridge, and on arriving at the top, -his forces being practically exhausted, he was obliged to come to an -unwilling halt.</p> - -<p>He had withdrawn, as it were, to the edge of the zone of falling -marmites; and with this knowledge the turbulence of his emotions slowly -subsided and he was better able to grasp the sense of things.</p> - -<p>"Poor Don Hale!" he panted. "I'll bet he's 'gone West'!<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> How -terrible!"</p> - -<p>Making no effort to protect himself from either the wind or rain, -the young chap from Maine turned, and, with eyes that twitched with -excitement, gazed in the direction from whence he had come. A portion -of the road lay in full view, and as each flash gleamed in the sky, -he could see the motionless transports vaguely defined against the -background. Column after column of ugly-looking smoke was being swept -along with the wind, sometimes clearly in front of the camions, -sometimes clearly on the other side. Vaguely, he thought that the -Chemin de Mort never could have received a worse baptism of fire.</p> - -<p>What was he to do? Where should he go?</p> - -<p>Able to reason clearly for the first time since the explosion, these -questions presented themselves to his mind. And to neither could he -find a satisfactory answer. Of one thing he was quite certain—it would -have been beyond reason for him to return to the road.</p> - -<p>And yet, in spite of his gratitude to Providence for having spared -him, he felt a curious and ill-defined feeling of dissatisfaction with -himself. Had he been guilty of deserting his post?</p> - -<p>He could answer the question firmly with a "No!"</p> - -<p>Had he acted with any degree of bravery?</p> - -<p>He could also answer that question with a "No!"</p> - -<p>Wet and miserable, Chase Manning passed through some very distressing -moments.</p> - -<p>And then something occurred which once more caused him to start with -alarm. It was the familiar whistle of an "arrivé," a sound which never -failed to send a series of tremors through him. He had time to wonder -where it was going to land and whether he should throw himself flat on -the ground when the explosion occurred. And it was so close at hand -that for a few terrible moments Chase felt that he must certainly be -struck by some of the flying fragments.</p> - -<p>"By George, that was another narrow shave!" he exclaimed, in a -hollow voice. "If I don't get away from here in a hurry one of those -confounded things will get me yet."</p> - -<p>For a second time Chase Manning began a flight, not so precipitous as -the first, though none the less determined.</p> - -<p>But for the lightning he would scarcely have been able to make any -progress at all; for he was now in the midst of a patch of timber. -The tall straight trees, mostly denuded of their branches and boughs, -seemed more suggestive of a collection of gaunt telegraph poles than -of monarchs of the forest. He did not succeed in getting through this -woods, however, without receiving many painful jabs and bumps from -various objects which impeded his progress.</p> - -<p>A little farther along Chase stumbled upon a road at the crest of a -hill, and after his weary march over the water-soaked, torn-up earth to -be actually on a highway once more came as a most welcome relief.</p> - -<p>"Well, only a little while ago I certainly never would have expected -that I'd be standing here safe and sound!" he panted. "Now, what am I -going to do? The bombardment along the road seems to be about over."</p> - -<p>With the change in the situation the tension seemed to be lifted in a -measure from the young Red Cross driver's mind. He had gone through the -most frightful peril without anything more serious happening to him -than a few minor bruises and scratches. And now that it was all over -it scarcely seemed as if it ever could have happened. And what was the -sequel to be?</p> - -<p>To this self-propounded query the answer came at once:</p> - -<p>"Return to the road and Ambulance Number Eight, or, at least, to the -place where you left it."</p> - -<p>But where was the ambulance? He had paid no attention to direction in -his flight and hadn't the least idea now where the road lay. Thoroughly -perplexed, Chase leaned against a tree trunk.</p> - -<p>The storm had lessened, but of all the dreary and dismal situations -it was possible to imagine this seemed about the worst. Here he -was—alone, in utter blackness, with a few pattering drops of rain -occasionally falling and little gusts of wind toying with the -vegetation and making a weird symphony of sounds.</p> - -<p>"The people who started this confounded war haven't my best regards," -he growled. "It's——Oh—oh—hello! Who would have believed it!"</p> - -<p>A flash of lightning had enabled him to make an interesting and -surprising discovery. It was the tower of the Château de Morancourt, -faintly visible in the distance.</p> - -<p>"Great Julius Cæsar!" exclaimed Chase. "I said no more night visits to -lonely châteaus for me, but, by Jove, I'm privileged to change my mind. -After what I've gone through another visit would seem like a joyful -picnic. Yes sir—why not? The château at present seems to be perfectly -safe from German guns. So I'll just wait in the ancient stronghold of -the De Morancourts for daylight to come."</p> - -<p>Having decided upon something definite, Chase immediately felt very -much better. He easily managed to persuade himself that it was the -wisest course to pursue, though at times unpleasant doubts persisted in -coming into his mind.</p> - -<p>"Confound it! Nobody could be expected to take a chance of throwing his -life away," he growled almost savagely. "Anyway—here goes!"</p> - -<p>Traveling along the road, the young chap made rapid progress, even -though the gloom was so intense that he often found himself plunging -off into muddy fields at the side. Thoroughly drenched, he waded -regardlessly through the pools and puddles, his sole thought being to -reach the château, and, in quiet and safety, give his nerves and body -the rest they required.</p> - -<p>Arriving at the base of the hill, he found the entrance to the park -of the Château de Morancourt right before him. How it brought -back recollections of his previous visit! He thought of Don Hale, -the youngest ambulance driver in the service, and his anxiety and -forebodings concerning him increased, especially now that his thoughts -were not upon his own immediate safety.</p> - -<p>"Poor chap—poor chap!" he murmured many times. "How great a suspense I -must endure! Ah!—war—war! What a terrible thing it is! Oh, but hang -it all, I mustn't think too much!"</p> - -<p>Chase, groping his way past the gate-posts, entered the grounds. -Everywhere the surroundings were black and forbidding, for only an -occasional gleam of lightning from the now rapidly-departing storm -faintly illuminated the sky.</p> - -<p>"Anyway, I'm in no danger of losing my way," he thought, a little -grimly. "Be as black as you please, old nature; I am in a position to -defy your efforts!"</p> - -<p>Walking steadily along between trees which he could scarcely see and -by the side of lawns equally invisible, he soon found himself in -front of the ancient château. The lightning flashed, and the ruined -tower, austere and threatening-looking, stood for an instant a black -silhouette against the glare, and then melted away into obscurity.</p> - -<p>On a former occasion the loneliness and mystery of the night -had strangely impressed Chase Manning; now such things appeared -trivial—not worthy of a moment's thought. He was no longer affected -by idle fancies or tricks of the imagination—actualities alone -concerned him. Even the thought of the mysterious sound and the -equally mysterious flashing light were totally disregarded as, slowly -and cautiously, he passed under the great porte-cochère and circled -entirely around the structure, not stopping until he came to the broken -window.</p> - -<p>What he would not have dreamed of doing before had he been alone -he now proceeded to do without a tremor, and that was to grasp the -window-sill, pull himself up and enter the building.</p> - -<p>"Whew! I thought that nothing could be blacker than it is outside," he -reflected, "but I was mistaken. It's a mighty good thing I brought this -along."</p> - -<p>In another instant a pocket flash-light was sending a dancing beam of -light across the floor.</p> - -<p>"That chair which disturbed our equanimity the other night ought to -serve as a mighty nice and comfortable resting-place to a weary, -mud-bespattered fugitive from the horrors of war," muttered Chase. "Ah, -but this has been a night to be remembered!"</p> - -<p>Quickly crossing the great apartment, he entered the next, and, well -remembering the position of the chair, directed his light upon the -spot. But instead of its rays streaming over the piece of furniture, as -he had fully expected, they simply made a patch on the floor and wall.</p> - -<p>And at the discovery of the fact that it had actually been moved again -Chase Manning gave a start.</p> - -<p>"By George, that's queer!" he jerked out. "Is this really a deserted -château, or isn't it? Am I alone, or are there others around?"</p> - -<p>He paused irresolutely, fighting an impulse to turn upon his heel and -make a precipitous exit from the place over which so much mystery -seemed to hover.</p> - -<p>"No, sir! I came here to stay until daylight—and stay I will!" he -muttered determinedly. "Hello!"</p> - -<p>The flash-light which he was idly directing about had suddenly lifted -the form of the chair out of the darkness. It stood in an inconspicuous -position, partly concealed by a handsome screen.</p> - -<p>"Now, I'd give quite a lot to know just how it got there," he mused. -"Did the same person who moved it before repeat the operation, or was -it some one else? Ah, that's a question which would certainly interest -Don Hale!"</p> - -<p>Then, as his thoughts reverted to his fellow ambulancier, Chase felt -such a troubled feeling coming over him that for a moment he quite -cast aside his reflections concerning the peculiar travels of the -innocent-looking chair. Don, he feared, was hasty and impulsive, with -the rash bravery which sometimes belongs to youth. What a terrible -thing it would be if anything should have happened to him!</p> - -<p>Chase was thoroughly weary. His endurance had been tried to a greater -extent than ever before in his life, and with every movement pains -shot through him. Without wasting any time in cogitation or surmises, -he walked over to the chair, pulled it away from the screen, and then, -giving expression to a feeling of contentment, sat down.</p> - -<p>"This has certainly been a night of contrast," he sighed. "From being -in the midst of storm and battle to a luxurious seat in a fine old -château is a wonderful change."</p> - -<p>Stretching his legs out before him, Chase closed his eyes and prepared -to get as much comfort as possible, though, of course, in his wet -uniform and with shoes heavily caked with mud, there was not much to -be had. It seemed very solemn. From outside came the rumble of the big -guns; but the soft soughing of the tree tops in the breeze, a soothing, -lulling sound, aided the boy in his effort to compose himself.</p> - -<p>Soon Chase was only vaguely conscious of his surroundings. He seemed -to be again going through the terrifying ordeal of the night, in the -midst of a most extraordinary confusion, neither real, nor yet unreal. -At length, however, as though his brain had become too weary to longer -allow these thoughts to hold such a mastery over him, he fell into a -peaceful doze and from that drifted into a state of profound slumber.</p> - -<p>Though in reality considerable time had passed, it seemed but a moment -later that his eyes suddenly opened.</p> - -<p>Chase realized that something had startled him, but what he could not -tell. A peculiar tingling sensation ran through him. He looked hastily -about. What did he see?</p> - -<p>Nothing, save that the windows instead of being indistinguishable from -the rest of the room showed as faintly-gray patches of light—the dawn -was breaking.</p> - -<p>Mentally deciding that imagination had played with him, Chase was about -to rise from his seat when he heard the sound of a footfall caused by -some one descending the grand stairway.</p> - -<p>Quite electrified, he stifled a gasp. It was a most unpleasant -experience, conjuring up in his mind all sorts of strange, wild -fancies. Should he make his presence known?</p> - -<p>For the life of him he could not repress a series of cold shivers; his -nerves were on the keenest edge. And as he sat there motionless the -tread of feet sounded louder; yes, some one was approaching.</p> - -<p>Now Chase stood up. And then, as his eyes were turned toward the -doorway leading to the dining-room, a flashing light suddenly shot -across the threshold—and behind it he perceived the dark, shadowy form -of a man.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a></h2> - -<h3>BARRAGE FIRE</h3> - - -<p>Don Hale certainly had a very unpleasant prospect before him. -Responsibility shared is that much lessened; but, bravely holding his -feelings in check, he guided Number Eight with a firm hand.</p> - -<p>"I hope to goodness no more adventures are in store for me to-night," -he thought, grimly.</p> - -<p>Reaching the scene of the catastrophe, the car bumped and floundered -heavily over places where the explosion had torn up the road-bed.</p> - -<p>The "empties" were still stalled, but the transports in advance had -gone on their way; and for this Don felt very thankful, as it enabled -him to make better speed.</p> - -<p>Around another bend—then Number Eight began mounting the rather narrow -road which led over the hill just beyond. The roar of the big guns -hidden in the forest was now almost incessant, and between the trees -in the distance, through the clearing atmosphere, the ambulancier -caught glimpses of flares and signal bombs rising above the German -trenches.</p> - -<p>Along this portion of the way he again encountered "arrivés," which -were coming in pretty fast and still further devastating the forest, -but so long as none of them landed within a few hundred yards or so the -young Red Cross driver's mind was easy.</p> - -<p>Finally the ambulance climbed over the summit and presently went -slipping and sliding down the opposite slope. The lightning now cast -only an occasional glimmer among the trees and the task of piloting the -car down that wet and treacherous incline required all the skill Don -Hale possessed. Not the faintest glimpse of horses, wagons or trucks -could he see. It was taking chances with a vengeance. Nevertheless the -young ambulancier, ever mindful of the serious nature of his mission, -kept steadily on, while the forest all about him rang and reverberated -with the thunderous reports of the big guns. A succession of rolling -hills was passed in safety, and now the dreaded crossroad was being -approached.</p> - -<p>"The Germans are peppering it, all right!" exclaimed Don, aloud.</p> - -<p>A marmite had just dropped on the heights above.</p> - -<p>There are some things to which the nerves can never become accustomed. -Don Hale felt his heart throbbing faster; he clutched the steering -wheel with a stronger grip, and anxiously peered upward.</p> - -<p>Bang!</p> - -<p>Another shell, he felt sure, had come close to its objective point. -Still Number Eight kept plugging steadily along, and while the boy's -thoughts were fixed intently on the crossroad a series of bright -flashes accompanied by crashing reports from the top of a high bank -almost overhead nearly startled the life out of him.</p> - -<p>A battery of soixante-quinze, or seventy-fives, had suddenly gone into -action. The force of the concussions was so frightful as to cause the -ambulance to shake and tremble in the most violent fashion. The young -ambulancier's head seemed to be fairly bursting.</p> - -<p>Guns on the other side of the road now began blazing away, and to the -rolling, volleying, crashing reports was joined the echoes hurled back -by the surrounding hills.</p> - -<p>A tir de barrage<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> was on.</p> - -<p>Fearful that his ear-drums might be permanently injured, Don strove to -get away with all possible speed, but the road was slippery, the hill -rather steep, and under the circumstances Number Eight could only crawl -along.</p> - -<p>He found the strain almost unendurable.</p> - -<p>The roar gradually became louder, at last culminating in one mighty, -reverberating crescendo, like the rolling and booming of continuous -thunder, which jarred the earth with its appalling intensity.</p> - -<p>As the car neared the top of a slope Don Hale, scarcely able to control -his jumping nerves, became a witness to one of the most marvelous and -stupendous spectacles which man has ever given to the world.</p> - -<p>From the heights both to the north and south as far as his vision -could reach, guns of many calibers were belching forth their messengers -of death so fast that in places the spurts of livid fire piercing the -blackness appeared almost to join together and form a flickering line -of flame. All the elements of the sublime, the terrible and the unreal -were there; and so awestruck and thrilled was the boy that, actually -forgetting the danger which threatened him, he brought the ambulance to -a halt and gazed with wonderment on the scene.</p> - -<p>Streaming high into the sky was a great pyrotechnic display. Balls -of brilliant white fire sent a ghastly light over the surrounding -landscape; red and green signal rockets were continually ascending, -while powerful searchlights flashed this way and that, until the night -was fairly driven away and a strange, almost supernatural illumination -held sway.</p> - -<p>Breathless, almost spellbound, Don Hale sat in the seat of the -ambulance. Then, suddenly, recalled to his senses by the words "tres -pressé" flashing through his mind, he put the car in motion again. -Truth to tell, the boy had never been more frightened—more unnerved in -his life. While such a fearful commotion was under way it seemed as if -nowhere could any safety possibly exist. All things impressive at other -times now dwindled into insignificance.</p> - -<p>Occasionally the vari-colored lights in the sky shone faintly on the -now moving line of "empties." Amid the immensity of the conflict even -the great camions appeared like mere atoms. However, it gave Don Hale a -sense of vast relief to know that he was not alone.</p> - -<p>The ambulance descended a slope and mounted a hill beyond.</p> - -<p>The danger point was right before him. The vehicle lurched heavily. -The rear wheels had narrowly missed sliding into a shell-hole. Yes, -there had been some work going on at the crossroads that night. Now the -driver increased his speed, and Number Eight presently shot over the -brow of the hill.</p> - -<p>And from the heights Don caught a glimpse of another extraordinary -scene—the bright flashes of the French shells, a literal stream of -fire, bursting over the German lines—withering, scorching blasts, -which must have been fairly annihilating to the enemy's trenches. And -in the heavens above was another magnificent display of star-shells and -signal rockets. But this time Don did not halt a second.</p> - -<p>The thunder of the guns showed no signs of abating, and as blow invites -blow, so the artillery on the eastern hills was stirred into frenzied -action, and the terrible din of the French batteries was answered -by the terrible din of the foe's. Countless projectiles whistled -and screamed overhead in both directions. Every instant terrific -detonations came from shell-bursts in the forest, and frequently the -frightened driver of the Red Cross ambulance caught glimpses of their -lurid gleams.</p> - -<p>"It seems almost like the end of the world!" he reflected, with a -shiver.</p> - -<p>About this time the boy began to vaguely wonder if dawn was not -breaking. At first quite uncertain, he soon realized that the blackness -actually was being dispelled.</p> - -<p>"Ah, what a relief!" he cried.</p> - -<p>Imperceptibly but steadily, the light spread throughout the sky, and -finally a cold, cheerless glimmer was descending into the valleys, -bringing the surroundings very plainly into view. Once more the -serpent-like line of camions had come to a halt. Not a driver could -be seen, all evidently having sought safety in the abris along the -roadside. Don Hale felt an almost irresistible impulse to do the same, -but, manfully setting such thoughts aside, he stuck to his post.</p> - -<p>At last the car was chugging its way up the slope of the final hill. -Now the tops of the gaunt, scarred trees above stood out clearly -against the rapidly-lightening sky. Gleams of somber gray were -penetrating into the forest and formless shadows began to assume -definite shapes. All nature appeared in its most sad and melancholy -aspect. The dripping, water-soaked vegetation reflected the dull -leaden gray of the clouds overhead; rivulets were still trickling down -the hill and huge puddles and pools lay on all sides, as reminders -of the recent storm. There is always a certain solemnity about the -awakening of day, and this particular dawn seemed to be one of the most -impressive the young ambulancier had ever known. He could not help -picturing in his mind the awful scenes which must be taking place along -the battle-front, yet, wrought up as were his nerves, thoughts of Chase -Manning almost constantly came to his mind. Had anything happened to -him? Where was he? What wouldn't he have given to know!</p> - -<p>The last stretch was probably the most terrible of all. Shells were -actually landing all about the road. Like avalanches, the upheaved -earth and stones and trees came crashing downward, though, amid the -terrible roar, no sounds of their falling could be heard.</p> - -<p>Now that the light was stronger, Don Hale, his face bathed in -perspiration, drove recklessly; and Number Eight, like a marathon -sprinter on the final lap, wobbled, staggered and shook as it bowled -over the last few yards of the main road and turned into the spur which -led to the abri.</p> - -<p>"Great Julius Cæsar! I am actually here!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>The car stopped with a jerk, and in another second he was on the -ground, running with all speed toward the shelter.</p> - -<p>With every ounce of his strength he pounded on the door.</p> - -<p>It was almost immediately opened, and Don Hale, the youngest -ambulancier in the Red Cross service, almost fell inside.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a></h2> - -<h3>"DESERTER!"</h3> - - -<p>Chase Manning, in the great apartment of the Château de Morancourt, was -most unpleasantly startled—even alarmed. Who was this man? What was -he doing there? Where had he been while Chase slept peacefully in the -chair?</p> - -<p>The mind under stress works rapidly, and all sorts of conjectures -flashed through his brain. Presently the man entered the room, the rays -from a flash-light in his hand sending streaks of light jumping here -and there in the most erratic fashion.</p> - -<p>And still Chase Manning stood immovable. He was wrestling with his -nerves, and obtaining control over them by slow degrees. Perhaps the -stranger would pass through the room without discovering his presence.</p> - -<p>And just as he was devoutly hoping that such might be the case the -little stream of light switched abruptly from its course and darted -straight toward him.</p> - -<p>Chase Manning, with a gasp of dismay, found the rays of the instrument -directly in his eyes.</p> - -<p>The man recoiled, uttering at the same time a curious, half-stifled -cry. He had evidently been terribly startled. The flash-light quivered -and shook, and the illumination, swinging off from Chase, struck the -wall behind him.</p> - -<p>But in an instant it was again turned in his direction, and the man, -with a loud, angry exclamation, stepped hastily forward.</p> - -<p>"Who are you?" he cried, in a voice which, though it showed the effects -of his scare, rang throughout the room.</p> - -<p>His menacing attitude, his aggressive action and the tone in which -he spoke made Chase Manning fall warily back. Face to face with an -actuality, however, his nervousness departed. He felt, too, a touch of -anger beginning to surge within him. Instead of immediately replying, -therefore, he jerked out his own flash-light, and instantly a whitish -glare fell squarely upon his interrogator's face.</p> - -<p>Thus, had any one else been present, he would have witnessed a most -singular spectacle—two people each directing a stream of light upon -the other, each grimly silent, each with a most eager look upon his -face.</p> - -<p>And breaking the tense, strained silence there came a simultaneous cry -of surprise—of amazement—from both.</p> - -<p>"You—you!" stammered Chase.</p> - -<p>Yes, he had seen that man before. He was the poilu whom they had -encountered at the Hotel Cheval Noir. But his attitude, his expression -and his manner were in such striking contrast to that of the suave, -polished and distinguished-looking Frenchman that it scarcely seemed -possible that he could be the same.</p> - -<p>"So it is you, eh?" exclaimed the French soldier, in a voice choked -with anger. "What do you mean? By what right, I ask, are you invading -the Château de Morancourt at this early hour?"</p> - -<p>And, advancing, he shook his finger threateningly in the other's face.</p> - -<p>Though astounded—nonplussed—Chase Manning stood his ground.</p> - -<p>"And may I ask by what right you are here?" he demanded. "What do you -mean by invading the château at this early morning hour?"</p> - -<p>"And that, I may say, concerns me alone. But I demand an answer to -my question. A person does not enter a place like this without some -definite object. Explain—or I may be compelled to place the matter -before the proper authorities!"</p> - -<p>Chase Manning's command of French was rather limited, but he found no -difficulty in speaking the foreign tongue sufficiently well.</p> - -<p>"As you please, Monsieur," he exclaimed. "And in that case you may have -some explaining to do yourself. When you heard our story the other -night you never said a word about coming to the château, and yet I'll -wager you're the very man who moved this chair—who carried the light -that my friend saw at the window. I dare you to deny it."</p> - -<p>The vehemence of the American's manner, the high pitch of his voice, -the light which gleamed in his eye seemed to rouse the other to a -greater degree of wrath.</p> - -<p>"Who are you, that you should interrogate me?" he demanded harshly. -"Why are you not at your post? The road, I believe, was shelled this -morning. Every car and the services of every man belonging to the -ambulance corps must be imperatively required in such an emergency; and -yet you are here—why? I have strong suspicions, indeed, that you are -a——"</p> - -<p>"Say it!" blurted out Chase, savagely. "Just say it!"</p> - -<p>Perhaps there had never been a more dramatic moment in the history -of the Château de Morancourt. Standing only a few feet apart, the -two faced each other as if ready to begin a most desperate battle. -The soldier's insinuation had touched Chase Manning to the quick. -It was insupportable—something that he could not and would not -stand. Though the word was never uttered it seemed to ring in his -ears—"deserter!—deserter!"</p> - -<p>"Take that back and apologize!" shouted Chase, "or—or——"</p> - -<p>He got no further.</p> - -<p>A quick movement on the part of the poilu—a sudden raising of an -arm—then Chase discovered the muzzle of a revolver on the level of his -eyes.</p> - -<p>With a cry of alarm, he stepped back. Never before had he so forcibly -realized how ugly and dangerous a revolver can look. As though -fascinated, he stood staring at the muzzle, which gleamed and sparkled -in the rays of his flash-light.</p> - -<p>"I take nothing back," answered the other, firmly. "And, furthermore, -Monsieur, I order you to leave at once. Delays are dangerous. Go—go, I -say!"</p> - -<p>He stepped forward, pushing the revolver almost into the American's -face.</p> - -<p>Chase had never been so furious—so disgusted in the whole course -of his life, and at the same time he felt greatly alarmed. The -poilu seemed fairly bristling with rage—on the point, indeed, of -uncontrollable fury.</p> - -<p>Chase, helpless, was almost afraid to trust himself to speak.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps another time you will first learn to whom you are talking!" -continued the Frenchman. "Allez—allez!"</p> - -<p>As the soldier advanced step by step, never letting the revolver -waver from in front of the American's head, another strange scene -was enacted within the walls of the Château de Morancourt. Chase -Manning retreated; and in this singular fashion they crossed the great -apartment and entered the next, heading for the demolished window.</p> - -<p>And it was not until they reached it that any further words were -spoken. Then Chase, who could scarcely control his pent-up emotions, -burst out explosively:</p> - -<p>"Americans, Monsieur, do not need revolvers to bolster up their -courage. We have met twice; perhaps our third encounter will be the -most interesting of the three."</p> - -<p>"Go!" said the Frenchman, sternly. "One—two—three!"</p> - -<p>But by the time he had uttered the "three" Chase Manning was safely -outside.</p> - -<p>He did not tarry, either. Facing an angry man armed with a revolver he -considered too dangerous a proposition.</p> - -<p>It was fully ten minutes before he had recovered sufficiently to -think with any degree of calmness. The fresh air, however, the -slowly-awakening day, and the sound of birds singing in the trees all -combined to soothe his overwrought nerves.</p> - -<p>"Well, that was certainly a peach of a row!" he muttered, at length. -He began to laugh softly. "Another illustration of the strangeness of -human nature! I suppose if either of us had only remained cool a few -words of explanation might have prevented such a miniature war. Now, I -wonder who in the world that poilu can be! Strange—incomprehensible! -'First learn to whom you are talking!' Well, if there is one certain -thing in the world, I will learn to whom I was talking. Ah! Deserter, -eh?"</p> - -<p>He clenched his fists. The hot blood mounted to his face. He came to a -halt and looked back.</p> - -<p>The old château appeared very dim and shadowy; for the cold, -cheerless light in the eastern sky was just beginning to steal over -the mist-covered landscape. Everything was reeking with moisture; -vegetation faintly glimmered; every gust of wind seemed to bring down -pattering drops of water from the leaves. Presently, he stood in a -streamer of mist, and between him and the distance were others. The -world that surrounded him was gray and melancholy-looking. Boughs -and branches bestrewed the carriage road, and in whatever direction -he turned there seemed to be nothing but dampness, desolation and -cheerlessness.</p> - -<p>Chase had been so concerned with his own personal affairs as to -be almost unmindful of everything else; now he realized that the -guns of both armies were pounding away at a fearful rate. The -perplexing question of what he should do came back to him. To steer -in the direction of the road seemed like madness; and yet the word -"deserter—deserter!" could not be banished from his mind. The thought -made him clench his fists again. Ah! he would show them—he would show -anybody whether such a word could truthfully be applied to him! He was -in a mood to welcome danger—to defy it. A new spirit seemed to have -been awakened within him. Notwithstanding the roar of the artillery, -he started off at a rapid rate. Not long afterward the great park lay -to the rear and he was traveling upon the road along which he had come -during the night.</p> - -<p>Slowly the light of day crept across the landscape, though the mists, -which continued to hang low over the earth, occasionally prevented him -from seeing very far.</p> - -<p>"Whew! What a night!" muttered Chase. "Shall I ever forget it? And how -singular a wind-up!"</p> - -<p>The boy indulged in a train of reflections concerning the Château de -Morancourt and the mysterious poilu until he approached a zone in which -lay the gravest dangers.</p> - -<p>The barrage, rising to tremendous heights, was making a din that -rivaled thunder in its intensity.</p> - -<p>At last he was brought to a halt. To continue any further toward that -raging tornado of shot and shell would have been both foolhardy and -useless. Seating himself on a rock by the roadside he listened and -marveled at the fury of the bombardment. Though terrible and tragic, -there seemed to be in it something of the magnificent and sublime. And -the raging conflict had the effect of making him forget himself and his -worries.</p> - -<p>The sun rose above the horizon, and what little mist remained was -soon dispelled. In place of somberness and cold, gray tones a trace -of warm, mellow color spread over the landscape, and presently beams -of sunlight were shooting between breaks in the clouds. The hills and -distance came into view.</p> - -<p>Wonderful indeed was the spectacle before Chase Manning's eyes. For -miles along the German front the shells from hundreds and hundreds -of French guns of all calibers were exploding, and the multiplicity -of flames gleaming through the smoke produced a marvelous, almost -terrifying sight. The upper portions of the rolling columns were tinged -with rosy hues.</p> - -<p>Spellbound, forgetful of almost everything else, Chase Manning -continued to gaze on the battle, which had now reached its greatest -height. Birds were singing close about him; some alighted on the road -not far away, but he scarcely saw them; his whole mind was centered, -with feelings of the deepest awe, upon that titanic conflict between -the great nations of the world. He thought of the countless sacrifices, -of the horror and the tragedy; and he wondered how, in this great age, -the folly of mankind could have reached such stupendous proportions.</p> - -<p>Very often he saw projectiles bursting in the fields or on the slopes -of the hills and sending high in the air huge geysers of smoke and -earth.</p> - -<p>An hour passed, and the rolling, booming and volleying of the guns had -begun to lessen; it was as if their fury had been spent—their strength -exhausted by the tremendous effort.</p> - -<p>"What I have witnessed would seem to be enough to shake the world," -commented Chase, "and yet perhaps it may mean only a gain for the -French of a few hundred yards or the capture of a trench or two. -Now, boy—en route—en route! As the mysterious poilu said, 'every -car—every man must be needed;' and, by George, I'll do my share of -work to-day, unless the Boches should happen to catch me before I have -a chance."</p> - -<p>The old sullen look which had so often marred his features had -vanished, and in spite of the ordeal of the night he appeared -keen—alert—earnest. Though he fully realized the great risk he ran, -he resumed his journey.</p> - -<p>The way led over a series of hills—barren, desolate-looking hills; -for all the trees and vegetation had been scorched and blasted by the -enemy's shells. Every once in a while concussions sounded that brought -back some of the old tingling sensations, while shells continually -whistled over his head from French batteries on the hills at the rear. -To Chase's great satisfaction, the road led in the right direction; -then, to further encourage him and revive his spirits, the canopy of -clouds overhead was beginning to break away, and nature, refreshed and -revivified by the rain, appeared in its most charming aspect.</p> - -<p>As Chase finally neared the road which led to the outpost he saw -many evidences of the destruction wrought by the bombardment—huge -shell-craters, trees uprooted or broken and splintered, and, in many -places, great quantities of loose earth and rocks scattered over the -ground.</p> - -<p>"I don't think anybody can blame me for getting away in such a hurry," -he murmured, with a wry smile. "By George! I can't say I exactly relish -the idea of going to the outpost on foot, but it's got to be done."</p> - -<p>Within a very few minutes he turned into the main highway, soon -discovering that he had reached a point close to the place where the -explosion had occurred. Of course the train of ammunition and supply -wagons was no longer there, in fact the road appeared absolutely -deserted, but Chase had scarcely tramped more than a hundred yards or -so when he caught sight of a motor car in the distance swinging rapidly -toward him.</p> - -<p>"One of our ambulances, I'll wager!" he cried.</p> - -<p>The surmise proved to be correct</p> - -<p>"And, by George, wouldn't I give a lot if it were Number Eight!"</p> - -<p>With the utmost eagerness and hope, he kept his eyes fixed upon the -vehicle. In a few moments he would be able to tell.</p> - -<p>"No!"</p> - -<p>He sighed with disappointment. Neither of the figures on the front seat -was the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>He heard a shout as the car sped swiftly by and saw a hand raised as if -in salutation, and, murmuring, "It's Number Five!" continued on his way.</p> - -<p>Scarcely had the car disappeared around a bend when another came into -view and behind it a third. They, too, were traveling at a rate of -speed which showed their mission to be of a most urgent nature.</p> - -<p>"Yes siree, the section's busy, all right!" murmured Chase. "Now maybe -Don is among these chaps."</p> - -<p>But once more he had to suffer the pangs of disappointment.</p> - -<p>Just as soon as the cars had passed he broke into a run, not so much -on account of the danger from the falling marmites, the explosions -of which every now and again jarred over the air, but because of his -intense anxiety to fulfil his duties and to learn if anything had -befallen Don Hale.</p> - -<p>When Chase, panting from his exertions, reached the scene of the -disaster he was not surprised to find a great amount of wreckage -bordering the road on either hand. Several camions, battered and -smashed beyond repair, were before his eyes, as well as poles, harness -and chains, remnants of cases which had once contained goods, and, here -and there, the bodies of horses, the whole forming a truly melancholy -spectacle,—all the meanness and sordidness of warfare with nothing of -its grandeur.</p> - -<p>Chase, thankful indeed that he could not discover anything among the -débris belonging to Number Eight, nevertheless shuddered as vivid -recollections of the bombardment crowded into his mind.</p> - -<p>Passing around the curve in the road, he began toiling up the hill. -In his impatience to reach the post the way seemed to drag out -interminably.</p> - -<p>The guns in the forest were roaring at intervals—much too short -intervals to suit him; for many had their muzzles almost pointed over -the road, and the early morning air was filled with a purplish haze -of smoke. Now and then the German gunners, searching to put these -batteries out of commission, sent shells hurtling among the trees, to -create still further havoc. That walk of Chase Manning's to the outpost -was certainly the most eventful he had ever taken.</p> - -<p>"It is like flirting with death!" he grunted, after recovering from the -effects of a blast which had made him jump with alarm.</p> - -<p>And it was not the last time either that he experienced such -sensations while traveling over the hilltops and down in the valleys. -At times he almost gave up hope of ever reaching his destination, as -the guns blazing furiously away suggested that the tir de barrage -was about to start again. In spite of all his efforts, just at that -particular time, Chase could not altogether master a feeling of dull -despair. And while in the midst of one of these moods he happened to -stop abruptly and look behind him.</p> - -<p>A cry—a joyous cry escaped his lips. A Red Cross car was coming down -the hill at a rate which fairly astonished him. Now and then it jolted -and bounced or took a wide, swinging curve around some bad place in the -road, but it was not reckless or careless driving. The young chap at -the steering wheel seemed to be handling the car with all the skill, -all the courage displayed by the drivers in an automobile race.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a name="illus5" id="illus5"></a> - <br /> - <img src="images/illus5.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>A RED CROSS CAR WAS COMING.</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>The sight of that oncoming car served to remove a tremendous load from -Chase Manning's mind. But what he discovered, as the whirr of wheels -grew louder and he was able to see clearly the bent-over figure of the -driver, made him feel like giving expression to his joy in a series of -wild, exuberant shouts.</p> - -<p>"Don Hale!" he gasped. "Sure as I live, it's Don Hale!" He raised his -voice in a loud yell of "Hello, Don; hello!"</p> - -<p>And on the instant the racing car slackened speed, and, rolling up to -within a few yards of the Red Cross driver, came to an abrupt halt.</p> - -<p>"Great Cæsar! I thought it was you, Chase," shouted Don Hale, his face -shining with happiness. "Honestly, I was never more glad of anything in -my life. But quick—jump in. There isn't a moment to lose. My, this is -certainly fine!"</p> - -<p>"The finest thing that ever happened!" agreed Chase, exultingly. He -sprang nimbly up to his old seat beside the driver, adding: "This is -better luck than I ever dreamed of, Don."</p> - -<p>In the great happiness and pleasure which the reunion gave them the -ambulanciers almost forgot the peril that constantly surrounded them; -indeed it was a wonderful moment to both, and though each felt deeply -anxious and curious to learn about the adventures of the other, they -realized that it was a time when personal affairs should have little -place in their thoughts.</p> - -<p>Chase settled himself comfortably on the seat and Number Eight was on -the way again. The young chap from Maine fairly bubbled over with glee, -and he looked so unlike the usually grim, taciturn Chase—the Chase -with whom the Red Cross men had become so familiar—that Don was quite -astonished.</p> - -<p>Owing to the condition of the road, the necessity of reaching the -outpost in the shortest possible time and the booming of the big guns, -the ambulanciers had scarcely exchanged a word when the car, turning -off the main highway, entered the spur and a moment later stopped -before the abri.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</a></h2> - -<h3>THE RED CROSS</h3> - - -<p>In view of the immensity of the conflict and the number of guns -employed, it is not surprising that the surgeons at the outpost -and this particular Red Cross section had all the work they could -possibly attend to. Even as Don and Chase arrived the brancardiers -were bringing in the wounded from the firing-line on both stretchers -and little two-wheeled carts; so that all that Chase could learn about -his companion's movements was that he had passed through some very -thrilling times, and after reaching the outpost in safety had remained -there until the firing lessened sufficiently for the Red Cross men to -begin taking wounded to the hospital. He had already made several trips.</p> - -<p>"Well, well!—of all things!" exclaimed Docteur Vianey, addressing -Chase. "I cannot myself believe it possible that you have come."</p> - -<p>Swiftly and silently, four stretchers on which unfortunate poilus had -been laid after being picked up on the battle-front were slipped into -the ambulance. Don Hale and Chase Manning sprang to their seats, and -the car was on the way again.</p> - -<p>Down the hill it went at as fast a pace as Don could take it. It was -always the old question of saving minutes and perhaps thereby saving -lives. Very soon a string of three cars passed them returning to the -post.</p> - -<p>With never a stop, the ambulance kept plunging over the hills and -across the valleys, and once on the broad military road, with a clear -track ahead, Don increased its speed until objects by the wayside -seemed to be fairly hurling themselves toward the car and flying past -with bewildering rapidity.</p> - -<p>Now they were on the Chemin de Mort, and a few minutes later had gone -far beyond. A Red Cross car again flashed past; then, after a short -interval, another. The outlying houses of the village shot into view; -the ancient porte, in full sunlight, loomed up against the sky, and -the ambulance, without slackening speed, presently rolled under its -shadowed arch. The blurred outlines of the Hotel de la Palette soon -sprang into the range of vision. The car fairly leaped across the -intervening space, Don and Chase had an instantaneous view of the old -hostelry at close range, and then it too was sent spinning to the rear. -Almost like a flash, the rest of the village passed in review and the -Red Cross car was bowling along in the midst of an open country, past -encampments of soldiers and through little one-street hamlets crowded -with all the evidences of warfare, the toot, toot of its horn, the roar -and rumble of its wheels never failing to result in its being given the -right of way.</p> - -<p>At length, after speeding for about six kilometers, Number Eight swept -around a curve and rolled down a rather steep slope at the base of -which they could see a cluster of red-roofed houses between the trees. -A typical little French village it was—full of charm—full of poetry; -and enveloped in the soft haze of the morning it suggested a place of -quietude and charm.</p> - -<p>At the bottom of the hill there came an abrupt turn in the road. -The car rumbled across a little one-arch stone bridge, and almost -immediately they were in the midst of the low, stuccoed dwellings. -The tall poplars here and there sent a network of delicate shadows -across the road. Beyond, a church spire stood out clearly against the -glistening white of a mass of fleecy clouds, while the weather-vane, -reflecting the sun, gleamed like a spot of flame. Lazily floating near -the top of the steeple was that flag before which even the God of War -himself must pause—the flag which belongs to no country, to no race, -and yet belongs to all—the Red Cross flag; for this little village -church was no longer a place of worship but a field hospital where the -wounded received treatment before being sent further away from the -scene of hostilities. The vestry bad been turned into an operating -room, and over the floor of the main body of the church was laid a -thick carpet of straw upon which the injured soldiers lay in rows.</p> - -<p>There were many poilus about this little village, and also a number -of blue-bloused peasants, who, in spite of the terrible conflict, -persisted in tilling their fields and pursuing as orderly an existence -as events would allow.</p> - -<p>Only once was Number Eight obliged to halt before it reached its -destination, and that was when a farmer's cart drawn by a pair of -clumsy oxen rolled across its path.</p> - -<p>Another turn, and the ambulance drew up before the church, which faced -a little square.</p> - -<p>Scarcely had the car halted when brancardiers, followed by a surgeon -in white, put in an appearance, and with the same promptness that had -characterized the entire proceeding the wounded were lifted out and -carried into the hospital.</p> - -<p>"A wonderfully quick trip, mes amis Americaines," declared the surgeon; -"and I fear that you will have many more to make."</p> - -<p>"There's not much doubt about that, Monsieur le Médecin," exclaimed -Don. "Au revoir!"</p> - -<p>The young driver took the Red Cross ambulance along the road on the -return trip as fast as he could possibly pilot it in safety. A very -brief stop was made at the Hotel de la Palette, where the car was given -an overhauling and the supply of gasoline replenished. The French cook, -too, ever solicitous about the welfare of the men of the section, -handed each a substantial lunch, reminding them that care for their -own requirements would enable them to better serve the requirements of -others.</p> - -<p>"We'll certainly have to take it on the fly to-day," said Don, with a -grin, as he resumed his post.</p> - -<p>Number Eight had not traveled very far beyond the ancient gate when it -passed a pathetic procession of wounded poilus. Nearly all were swathed -in bandages, and, as though their terrifying experiences on the firing -line had dulled their senses, they seemed to be marching along in a -weary, listless manner, seeing nothing, hearing nothing and paying not -the slightest attention to their surroundings. On the faces of many -still rested traces of the horror—of the awful fear which must have -been theirs. The strong were assisting the weak; those who could see -guided the steps of those who could not; and the speed of the whole -straggling group was regulated by the halting, limping gait of men -scarcely able to drag themselves along. A strange, melancholy sight -indeed were these silent, mud-covered soldiers of France, who had -fought and suffered and given all but their lives to their country and -who were now almost physical wrecks.</p> - -<p>"It's terrible—terrible!" reflected Don Hale. "But c'est la guerre—it -is war."</p> - -<p>Some distance further on another peculiar procession was encountered, -though of an entirely different character. This was a long line of -captured Germans, guarded by officers on horseback. Strong, sturdy -specimens most of them appeared to be, and only a very few wore -bandages of any sort. Their attitude was that of men who felt immensely -relieved, and scarcely a downcast or sullen face could be seen among -the lot. Fritz, although a reliable fighter while engaged in the -business of fighting, is evidently a very philosophical and docile -prisoner.</p> - -<p>The ambulance reached the outpost without any further incident to -mark the journey. And as soon as the wounded could be placed on board -another trip to the hospital began.</p> - -<p>And thus for the whole day the work continued without intermission. -During the greater part of the time both the French and German -artillery kept up a heavy cannonade, and on several of their trips Don -and Chase ran into sufficient excitement and danger to show that the -latter had bravely pulled himself together.</p> - -<p>In all, the section carried about three hundred and seventy-five -wounded to the hospital, and it was not until after seven o'clock that -the car, splashed all over with mud, rolled into the cobbled courtyard -of the Hotel de la Palette and the two weary ambulanciers jumped out.</p> - -<p>"It's been a wonderful seventeen hours," commented Don.</p> - -<p>"I should say it has," agreed Chase. "It seems like an age. But it's me -for a nice wash, some supper, and then——"</p> - -<p>"A whole lot of conversation," laughed Don. "Just think, during all -this time we haven't had a single chance to listen to one another's -stories."</p> - -<p>At the supper table that evening every one heartily agreed that the -aviator's son deserved the Croix de Guerre. Every one heartily agreed, -too, that Chase had proved himself a man.</p> - -<p>"Honestly, Chase, I never could have believed it of you!" exclaimed -Wendell. "You know we—we—that is——"</p> - -<p>And here the chef paused.</p> - -<p>"Don't get confused, old chap," laughed the other. "To tell the truth, -fellows, the horror and tragedy of the war affected my nerves to a much -greater extent than I ever expected. I knew every one here thought I -had a yellow streak, and I even began to suspect you were right. The -whole thing made me feel mighty grouchy and uncomfortable. Sometimes -it requires a great crisis to bring a chap to his senses. I didn't -think much of myself for running away from the road, and something else -occurred which also helped to bring about a wonderful change in my -state of mind."</p> - -<p>"Pipe us about the something else," exclaimed "Peewee."</p> - -<p>Thereupon Chase gave an account of his experience at the Château de -Morancourt and his meeting with the soldier.</p> - -<p>"The intimation that I was a deserter—actually a deserter—aroused -me as nothing else in my life ever did," he continued emphatically. -"And the hardest part of it all was the fact that I realized that I -actually had been considerably at fault. You can just bet I determined -to wipe out the stain—if there was any." Chase's eyes began to -sparkle. "In fact I got into such a mood that I actually felt like -courting danger instead of avoiding it," he cried. "So I hope no one -will ever again be able to justly accuse me of having a yellow streak!"</p> - -<p>"Bravo—bravo!" cried Bodkins.</p> - -<p>Warm expressions of approval came from all the others.</p> - -<p>Following this a general discussion in regard to the poilu started.</p> - -<p>"It's really too bad that duelling has gone out of fashion," declared -"Peewee," reflectively. "Really, a nice little set-to with either -swords or pistols would come as a pleasant change."</p> - -<p>"Thinking it over," remarked Bodkins, "I shouldn't mind a bit acting as -a second. I'm pining for some excitement. Couldn't the old custom be -revived?"</p> - -<p>"At any rate, joking aside, I intend to get satisfaction," grinned -Chase. "And I shan't be satisfied until I do."</p> - -<p>"Let's catch that mysterious poilu and make him listen to some of -Bodkins' music," suggested "Peewee."</p> - -<p>"No inhuman revenge for me!" laughed Chase. "At the very first -opportunity I'll run over to the Cheval Noir and have that third -meeting. Boys, I think you'd better chip in and hire a man with a -motion picture outfit to film the interview."</p> - -<p>"It ought to be a scream," grinned Ravenstock.</p> - -<p>"The whole affair is really quite extraordinary," put in Dunstan, -thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"It's still much—too much—like one of those confounded -'to-be-continued' yarns," complained "Peewee." "Only, they come to an -end some time and this one never will."</p> - -<p>"''Tis true, 'tis pity; and pity 'tis 'tis true,'" quoted Bodkins, with -his usual giggle.</p> - -<p>Dunstan nodded, while Don exclaimed, shrugging his shoulder:</p> - -<p>"But, after all, who can tell?"</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX</a></h2> - -<h3>IN THE TOWER</h3> - - -<p>Just two days later Don, Dunstan and Chase journeyed to the ruined -and deserted village, in the hope of finding the "mysterious poilu," -as they called him, at the Cheval Noir. Their quest, however, proved -unsuccessful, the only sign of life they saw being the cat, which, from -a considerable distance, eyed them with evident suspicion.</p> - -<p>"It's too bad," grumbled Chase. "I certainly would have given a lot to -see him."</p> - -<p>"Well, if he isn't here he must be somewhere else," remarked Don, -philosophically; "and that somewhere else could very well be the -Château de Morancourt—so, suppose we pay the old place another visit."</p> - -<p>"By all means!" laughed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"I, too, am heartily in favor of it," declared Chase.</p> - -<p>It was still quite early, the heat of the day had not yet begun to be -felt and a pleasant, refreshing breeze swept across the country.</p> - -<p>They felt no inclination to linger in the once delightful little -hamlet, for in the strong, clear sunlight it presented such a picture -of indescribable ruin as to sadden them.</p> - -<p>Following the road they had taken before, the ambulanciers strolled -leisurely ahead. Of course they were always hearing the booming of the -guns, some comparatively near, others far in the distance.</p> - -<p>They arrived at the great park of the château, however, without running -into any adventures, and climbed over the wall.</p> - -<p>"Having a definite object in view always adds to the zest of a -promenade," remarked Dunstan. "How I hope our curiosity may be appeased -as a result of this visit!"</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid it isn't at all likely," said Chase, with a dubious shake -of his head.</p> - -<p>"Anyway, we're getting lots of fun out of it," put in Don, leading the -advance along the carriage road. "My, how different this place looks -from the way it did the other night!"</p> - -<p>"Yes; the shadows and mystery have gone, but not the charm," remarked -Dunstan. "Our imaginations are no longer acted on by the mystic spell -of the night. Ah, how beautiful nature is! As Bryant says: 'For our -gayer hours she has a voice of gladness and a smile.'"</p> - -<p>"True enough!" said Chase.</p> - -<p>It took quite a while for the three to reach the point from which Don -had seen the strange light in the window, for Dunstan was forever -stopping to call his companions' attention to some interesting view. -But none proved so interesting as the sight of the grand old château -itself, with its massive, picturesque walls looming up in sunlight and -shadow.</p> - -<p>While they stood there admiring it an airplane was suddenly discovered -soaring majestically in the eastern sky.</p> - -<p>"Hello! I wish I'd noticed that bird before," exclaimed Dunstan. -"Quick, fellows—get to cover!"</p> - -<p>He sprang toward a near-by clump of trees.</p> - -<p>His companions immediately followed.</p> - -<p>"Confound it! Who knows but what powerful field-glasses may not be -leveled on the château at this very moment!" cried Don. "We must be -doubly c-a-r-e-f-u-l."</p> - -<p>"A bit of profound wisdom!" laughed Chase. He peered cautiously between -the leaves and branches. "It's a good thing that machine is pretty far -away."</p> - -<p>"But it's not far enough away to suit me, however," murmured Dunstan.</p> - -<p>Without exposing themselves in the slightest degree, the three keenly -watched the machine. Although receiving the attention of the French -gunners—for little puffs of white smoke were breaking all about -it—the plane continued to approach.</p> - -<p>"Lie low—don't budge!" cautioned the art student.</p> - -<p>"Catch me trying it!" said Don. "Just to think that before very long -I'll be floating around in the air myself!"</p> - -<p>"And I certainly won't," declared Chase, emphatically.</p> - -<p>After a few minutes had passed the airplane, making a wide, sweeping -circle, flew directly toward the German lines, soon disappearing behind -the trees in the park.</p> - -<p>"Now's our chance!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>"Yes. Let's cast aside worries and test the laws of chance," laughed -the art student.</p> - -<p>"In other words, beat it before another plane comes into view," cried -Chase.</p> - -<p>Leaving their place of concealment, the boys broke into a run, and, -covering the distance to the château in short order, mounted the broad -flight of steps at the entrance.</p> - -<p>Presently Don Hale was using the big bronze knocker in a lusty fashion.</p> - -<p>All three were very curious—very expectant—very hopeful indeed -that in another moment the great door might swing wide open and the -distinguished-looking Frenchman greet them.</p> - -<p>But nothing of the kind occurred.</p> - -<p>"It doesn't seem as if there was going to be an instalment to this part -of the story," pronounced Dunstan, in a tone of disappointment.</p> - -<p>"He may be in there, however, and won't come out," exclaimed Don.</p> - -<p>"Then, if the poilu won't come to us we must go to the poilu," declared -Chase, very firmly.</p> - -<p>The trio hurried down the steps, walked around the building and -presently reached the open window.</p> - -<p>Forthwith, Don Hale climbed inside.</p> - -<p>The aviator's son half expected to hear a challenge hurled at him, but -a dreary, mournful silence pervaded the great apartment, which one -swift glance showed him to be entirely empty.</p> - -<p>"Well, it may be another game of hide-and-seek," he murmured. "But, -with daylight in our favor, it ought to be a bit easier than it was the -other night."</p> - -<p>One after another, Dunstan and Chase followed Don into the château.</p> - -<p>"I'm back here again, old chap, to find out to whom I was talking," -shouted Chase. "Come—don't be bashful! And kindly leave your revolver -behind."</p> - -<p>His words rang out startlingly clear, but the footsteps which the -ambulanciers thought they might possibly hear in response did not sound.</p> - -<p>"Never mind. It doesn't prove anything," said Chase. "To work, boys!"</p> - -<p>In view of Chase Manning's strange experience, Don Hale found quite an -enjoyable thrill to the situation.</p> - -<p>With the daylight streaming through the high windows the magnificence -of the apartment became fully revealed, but the ambulanciers, intent -upon the task before them, did not linger. In the adjoining room they -stopped for a few moments to admire the flood of lovely color in the -stained glass windows and then passed on. A thorough examination of the -first floor was quickly made.</p> - -<p>"It's as certain as anything can be that the 'mysterious poilu' is not -down here," declared Chase, at length. "To tell the truth, boys, I've -about given up hope of seeing him to-day."</p> - -<p>"You can't find a bird if it has flown," laughed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"Adventure, as a rule, comes only when you are not looking for it," -commented Don. "Fellows, I will now give an illustration of how the -count's guests didn't act when they entered the château."</p> - -<p>And, with a laugh, Don bounded up the grand stairway two steps at a -time.</p> - -<p>A race speedily developed, and no doubt had the stern and dignified -Count de Morancourt been present he would have viewed the spectacle -with considerable astonishment and indignation. But there were no -haughty personages to cast a damper upon the spirits of the Americans, -because it very soon developed, "beyond the peradventure of a doubt," -as Dunstan expressed it, that there was no one besides themselves -within the château. "Unless," he added, "he should have taken refuge in -the tower."</p> - -<p>"Nothing easier than to find out!" chuckled Don. "Though"—he spoke -rather thoughtfully—"it wouldn't be a very pleasant place in which to -meet a revolver face to face."</p> - -<p>As usual, he took the lead, and presently, in single file, they were -ascending the circular staircase which led to the top of the tower. And -as no other sounds but the echoes of their own footfalls and voices -were heard within the gloomy walls they quite resigned themselves to -the thought that their mission had been a failure.</p> - -<p>"Very well! But the meeting is only postponed," declared Chase, with a -snap of his jaw.</p> - -<p>"We must demonstrate, to 'Peewee's' satisfaction at least, that that -part of the story will come to an end," laughed Don.</p> - -<p>At each of the narrow, iron-barred windows the three paused a moment -to make an observation. Arriving at the top, they looked carefully over -the edge of the broken wall. The view, very charming and beautiful by -the light of the moon, was equally so enveloped in the hazy sunlight. -Patches of timber and hills and valleys were spread out before their -eyes. It was vast and impressive, with the far distant slopes scarcely -seen against the brilliant sky. Here and there little clusters of -ruined buildings marked the sites of former villages. Faint whitish -lines, glimpses of roads, ran in this direction and that. They could -make out, too, both the French and German trenches and hear the -occasional cracking of rifles, which showed that the countryside was -not so deserted as it seemed. But once again the famous "No Man's -Land" aroused their greatest interest. Through Dunstan's binocular the -field of ripening grain which flourished upon its sinister surface was -plainly visible, still waving and rippling in the capricious breeze.</p> - -<p>"Magnificent!" exclaimed the art student. "There's only one thing that -prevents me from making a sketch."</p> - -<p>"What's that?" asked Chase.</p> - -<p>"The danger of being discovered by the Germans," chuckled Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"My, what a jolly fine park this is!" broke in Don. "There's the -fountain we saw the other night." He turned the field-glass upon it. -"Crickets! Through this it seems just as if I were standing right -beside it. Say, fellows, the guns are still pounding away in a pretty -lively fashion."</p> - -<p>"When aren't they?" demanded Chase.</p> - -<p>"And look—look!—A shell-burst! My, my! What a whopper!"</p> - -<p>"That's not a very unusual sight," commented the art student dryly.</p> - -<p>"No; it's almost impossible to glance in any direction without seeing -a cloud of smoke just above the ground," declared Chase. "And though -it seems like peace itself up here in the tower, amidst this balmy -sunshine, in reality it is a terribly dangerous position. Better not -test the laws of chance too far."</p> - -<p>"Quite correct!" assented Dunstan. "Hello!—a German observation -balloon!"</p> - -<p>Hazy and indistinct in the distance, it rose by slow degrees against -the sky, and then, gently swaying from side to side, remained in a -stationary position.</p> - -<p>"That's mighty interesting!" cried Don. "We'll each take a look and -then skip."</p> - -<p>Never forgetting the absolute necessity for using the greatest -caution, Don turned his glass on the balloon. He gave a little gasp -of astonishment. By the aid of the powerful binocular he could even -see the observers in the basket suspended beneath the great, unwieldy -monster, and in his eyes those faint and tiny specks assumed a -most tremendous interest and importance. It was not very often, he -reflected, that Germans were seen as foemen, at liberty and engaged in -their work.</p> - -<p>And while he was studying them intently there came an interruption—a -most startling interruption, and one which brought a cry of the -greatest astonishment and alarm from the lips of every one. It was a -bright spurt of flame in the midst of a patch of trees close to the -château and a frightful, deafening detonation which jarred and shook -the tower in the most violent fashion.</p> - -<p>The trees instantly vanished, and where they had been rose a huge and -cyclonic mass of black smoke mixed with earth, branches and stones—a -terrifying spectacle indeed.</p> - -<p>Like a flash, the ambulanciers realized the awful truth—the Château de -Morancourt was once more being shelled.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI</a></h2> - -<h3>A DISCOVERY</h3> - - -<p>Almost stunned by the suddenness of the event, the three nevertheless -realized that they had probably brought it upon themselves. Their -movements must have been observed by the German airmen, who, perhaps -thinking that the ancient château was again going to be used as an -observation post, had reported the fact.</p> - -<p>"We'd better get out of here the fastest ever," yelled Don.</p> - -<p>Then a wild dash for safety was on. Down the winding stairway they -clattered, sometimes taking two or three steps at a time. If fear lent -wings to their feet, their very disregard of the fear of tumbling -served to prevent such a catastrophe.</p> - -<p>In these thrilling instants Don Hale could not help recalling -their experiences with the French artillery officer; he remembered -the deadly accuracy of the fire, and how the wireless station had -disappeared in a cloud of smoke and dust. He could hear the captain -saying, "Inscribe the elements." No doubt some German officer would be -giving exactly the same command in a few minutes, when the range of the -château had been found.</p> - -<p>In a panic of fear, the ambulanciers rushed out of the tower, and, like -hares fleeing before the hunter, continued down the grand stairway. -And scarcely had the three reached the foot when they heard another -frightful roar. The building gave a sudden lurch, the violence of -which sent them staggering, tumbling in all directions. Then the -resounding din of smashing glass—of falling débris filled the air. -Momentarily they expected the walls to come crashing down upon them. -Each experienced a feeling of awful helplessness, as, with half stifled -cries, they picked themselves up and made a concerted dash through the -various apartments toward the window.</p> - -<p>One after another, they fairly hurled themselves over the sill and -landed in a heap on the ground.</p> - -<p>Up they were in a second and off again, running -wildly—desperately—trying to get out of the line of fire. Feelings of -hope and hopelessness coursed through them, as, panting and breathless -from their exertions, they plunged ahead almost abreast.</p> - -<p>But before a distance of seventy-five feet had been covered there came -a third detonation—a horrible, crashing, stupendous roar, so terrible -in its character that it could only have been made by a very much -larger projectile than the others.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers were lifted off their feet and hurled violently to the -ground.</p> - -<p>Don Hale's pale, fear-stricken face was turned toward the château, -and, although partially dazed by the shock, his faculties remained -sufficiently clear for him to see what was taking place. Above an -enormous, swirling cloud of inky smoke rose the tower of the ancient -château. It was beginning to lean. It was shaking.</p> - -<p>Unable to regain sufficient control over his trembling nerves to rise, -Don Hale, quite breathless, almost spellbound, kept his gaze fixed upon -it.</p> - -<p>Grandly—majestically, as though even at the end of its existence it -must be worthy of the noble building to which it belonged, the tower -slowly began to topple, and the boy presently saw it go crashing -downward with a thunderous and muffled roar.</p> - -<p>Then, as the wreckage piled over the ground, a vast, whirling column of -dust mingled with the smoke, and through it all jagged and broken walls -could be faintly discerned.</p> - -<p>Don Hale again tried to regain his feet, but his limbs refused to -support him.</p> - -<p>Dunstan and Chase were lying almost flat on the ground, their faces -ashen and drawn, and they too had been witnesses of the catastrophe. -Don gained sufficient command over himself to struggle up, and was -about to resume his flight when a fourth mighty, echoing blast -resounded.</p> - -<p>Shaken and jarred off his feet, he again fell back to the earth with a -half articulate cry, gasping for breath. He looked toward the château. -The massive walls were tumbling and crashing inward and outward. The -dull roars, as débris piled upon débris, were terrific, and before -they had ceased Don Hale saw the black smoke swirling in front of the -building and completely hiding it from view.</p> - -<p>And a few seconds later the mass hurled aloft by the explosion began -descending all about the ambulanciers. Pieces of stone landed only a -few yards from Don and sent the turf flying in his face. A few terrible -instants passed before he quite realized that the danger from the -deadly rain of missiles was over. Once more they had actually escaped a -peril from which it had seemed that there could be no escape.</p> - -<p>A great body of low-hanging smoke and dust rolling slowly over the -ground soon shut from his eyes every vestige of the surroundings. -Coughing and gasping from the fumes, he scrambled to his feet, and, -though weak and shaky, managed to stagger away. No obscurity of fog -could ever have been so dense as that in which he found himself. Like -a blind man groping his way, the boy sought to get beyond its choking -reach, and by the sound of footsteps close at hand he knew that Dunstan -and Chase were making the same desperate efforts as himself.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the faint light struggling to pierce the obscurity brightened. -A few yards more, and, almost overcome, Don Hale emerged into the -glorious sunshine.</p> - -<p>His first thought was for his companions. Yes, they too were all right. -But he had not yet recovered sufficiently from the suffocating effects -of the smoke to speak. His brain was still whirling with a jumble of -confused thoughts and impressions, and uppermost among them was the -unpleasant reflection that perhaps they might have been responsible for -the destruction of the grand old Château de Morancourt. Ah, indeed, -Dunstan had been mistaken—there was something interesting in this part -of the story.</p> - -<p>The boys staggered along with all the strength they could command, but -no other shells landed in the vicinity.</p> - -<p>It was Chase Manning who finally broke the silence.</p> - -<p>"I say, fellows," he called, in a voice which trembled, "I thought I -heard a noise somewhere. Did you?"</p> - -<p>"Where? What did it sound like?" asked Don, faintly.</p> - -<p>"Not a hundred miles away; and it seemed to fill the whole world. I -say, Dunstan, how are you feeling?"</p> - -<p>"Kind of mixed," grinned Dunstan; "but very thankful to be still here -on earth—a most unexpected privilege, I can assure you. Boys, I don't -think we need continue our flight. Look!" He waved his hand toward the -building. "The Germans have made a mighty good job of it."</p> - -<p>"Yes; and having done so I don't believe they'll send any more marmites -in this direction," declared Don. "What a thriller that was!"</p> - -<p>"No words in any language could ever begin to describe it," said Chase -shudderingly. "What a sight!"</p> - -<p>It was indeed a melancholy-looking spectacle upon which the three -grave-faced ambulanciers were gazing. Of the once great and stately -structure there remained but a few bits of scarred, unsightly walls, -and the surrounding ground was covered with a vast collection of -wreckage, all showing the fearful force of the explosions. The -impenetrable black smoke had thinned out, though a haze still hovered -over the ruins, to soften their ugly and forbidding aspect.</p> - -<p>Though feeling quite sure that no immediate danger existed, the boys, -to be on the safe side, withdrew to a point some distance away. They -were troubled in mind. Had the airplane observer seen them? Had they -not visited the château it might still have been standing.</p> - -<p>"What is to be done?" asked Chase.</p> - -<p>"Make a report of the matter, of course," declared the aviator's son.</p> - -<p>"We have perhaps merely hastened its end," remarked Dunstan. "Just -think of all that magnificence gone—swept away in a few moments of -time! I wonder what the Count de Morancourt would think!"</p> - -<p>"I am mighty glad he isn't here to express an opinion," put in Chase, -dryly.</p> - -<p>"And the 'mysterious poilu' might have a few observations to make," -suggested Don, in a reflective tone.</p> - -<p>"I can't say that I'm so very anxious now to have that third meeting," -admitted Chase.</p> - -<p>"We'll have to accept the situation philosophically and hope that -others may do the same," declared the art student, his brow wrinkled -with disturbing thoughts. "It's not the first time that good intentions -have brought about disastrous results."</p> - -<p>"No," said Don, thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>Somehow or other the ambulanciers felt disinclined to leave the spot. -The sight of the ruins held a strange and peculiar fascination for -their eyes. It was very hard for them to realize that they would never -again see the grand old Château de Morancourt or tread its great -apartments. The variety of emotions which had assailed all three left -them in a depressed and uncomfortable frame of mind. They could not -help wondering, too, what the authorities might have to say.</p> - -<p>"Fellows, suppose we get a look at a little closer range," suggested -Don Hale, finally.</p> - -<p>"You'll not find me afraid to follow your lead," declared Dunstan, with -a faint smile.</p> - -<p>"Lightning isn't apt to strike twice in the same place," said Chase.</p> - -<p>Carefully scanning the sky to see that no airplanes were in the -immediate vicinity, the three began to retrace their steps.</p> - -<p>Very soon they were climbing over great heaps of débris. The wreck and -ruin were almost complete. Now they came across pieces of ornaments -which had once contributed to the beauty of the interior. From a torn -canvas a head of one of the ancient and noble De Morancourts seemed to -stare at them with a stern and reproachful glance.</p> - -<p>With mingled feelings of sadness and regret, they pursued their -investigations. Here and there the three came across bits of marble and -stained glass or portions of shattered doors and furniture. Sometimes -they peered over the edge of a jagged wall, to look into an interior -wherein traces of chaos and magnificence lay side by side.</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers conversed but little; they felt in too solemn and -serious a mood. Suddenly, however, Don made a discovery which brought -about a change in their demeanor. Close outside the wall an immense -opening in the ground had been torn. Of course there was nothing in -that to be wondered at; but what Don Hale saw was something more than -a huge crater. A tunnel-like passageway had been uncovered, the bottom -lying perhaps twenty feet below the surface.</p> - -<p>"Hello! What in the dickens is that!" he cried.</p> - -<p>"We must find out," said Chase, viewing the opening with considerable -astonishment.</p> - -<p>"It may be some secret passageway," put in Dunstan, excitedly. "Upon my -word, this is a mighty interesting development!"</p> - -<p>"I should say it is," exclaimed Don Hale, and having uttered these -words with much conviction, he began hastily climbing over the -wreckage. The broken, uneven surfaces leading downward afforded a good -foothold, and thus he was able to make his way to the bottom without -much trouble.</p> - -<p>"Yes sir, it's a subterranean passageway," he called to the others, who -were sliding and slipping down the incline. "Now we'll see what's ahead -of us."</p> - -<p>With Chase and Dunstan at his heels, he plunged boldly through a wide -and spacious passageway which led directly away from the building.</p> - -<p>"I'll bet I was right, fellows!" cried Dunstan. "This is probably a -secret passageway connected with the basement. I suppose in the old -feudal times, when law and order weren't so much in fashion as they -are to-day, such places were often mighty convenient."</p> - -<p>"You bet!" agreed Don.</p> - -<p>He brought out his flash-light, for the passageway ahead was becoming -dim and somber. A click of the instrument, and the white rays streaked -the walls and floor with a series of fantastic flashes.</p> - -<p>Their interest and curiosity highly aroused, the three ambulanciers -pushed slowly ahead, and after covering a distance of many yards -discovered an open doorway.</p> - -<p>"Aha!" cried Dunstan, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction. -"Lead on, Monsieur le torch-bearer."</p> - -<p>"Nobody could stop me," grinned Don.</p> - -<p>"Be a little careful now," cautioned Chase, as the aviator's son stood -at the threshold. "There may be some deep pit in there. You don't want -to take a tumble."</p> - -<p>But as Don thrust the light inside he saw nothing to warrant any -such fear. Before his eyes was a great square apartment, the ceiling -supported by massive pillars. Its appearance did not suggest a dungeon, -however, but rather a well-built room. It was furnished, too, with a -table and several chairs, while against the walls were piled numerous -handsome picture frames and ornaments of many different kinds.</p> - -<p>"Well, what do you think of this!" cried Don, in astonishment. "Who -could have ever suspected that such a place existed?"</p> - -<p>"A whole lot of people never did, I suppose," said Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"To me it suggests a retreat where plotters, in comfort and seclusion, -could plan dark deeds," commented Chase, and as he spoke in a loud tone -his voice echoed and reëchoed in a most startlingly weird fashion.</p> - -<p>The boys thought there was something very strange and unique in the -situation. Here they were, exploring a mysterious underground room, and -while Don Hale's light flashed and crisscrossed through the intense -blackness and objects momentarily tumbled into view and out again, they -speculated as to who had been the last person to visit it.</p> - -<p>"Let's make a hasty exploration of the whole place before spending any -time in here," suggested Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"A good idea," agreed Don. "I say, if we were to all yell together -wouldn't it sound just like an exploding marmite?"</p> - -<p>"Please don't remind me of 'em," pleaded Chase.</p> - -<p>Preceded by the "torch-bearer," they filed out into the "subway," -as Don termed the passageway, and walking a short distance came -across another room, situated, however, on the opposite side. But the -ambulanciers, desirous of finding out where the corridor led, did not -enter.</p> - -<p>Their curiosity was quickly gratified. At the end they discovered a -third room—the largest of all, and though bare of furnishing, the -light immediately disclosed the fact that it was by no means empty. -Neatly piled against the four walls were great numbers of boxes and -cases of all sixes.</p> - -<p>"Hello, what's in those, I wonder!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>"I can't offer any explanation," replied Chase, dryly.</p> - -<p>"A little investigation, however, wouldn't come amiss," declared -Dunstan. "It strikes me, fellows, that these things are here because -somebody had particular reasons for wishing to keep them out of sight."</p> - -<p>"Well, he certainly succeeded, all right," declared young Manning.</p> - -<p>"Then, of course, they are probably of some value," cried Don. "I -say, Dunstan"—a sudden idea had flashed into his mind—"I wonder—I -wonder——"</p> - -<p>"What?" demanded the art student.</p> - -<p>"If—if——" Don, pausing again, began to laugh. "No—no—that's -absurd!"</p> - -<p>Walking forward, he began to examine several of the boxes, while -Dunstan and Chase peered earnestly over his shoulder.</p> - -<p>"Aha! If they don't contain pictures I'm pretty badly mistaken!" -cried the art student, suddenly. Excitement was in his tone. "By -George, Don, having guessed your meaning, I'm beginning to wonder -myself if——Hello!—by all that's wonderful, just look at that -name!" Dunstan's voice almost rose into a shout. "Great Julius Cæsar! -Astounding—astounding! Just think of it—Giovanni Bellini!"</p> - -<p>Now the name of Giovanni Bellini, which the art student pronounced with -a degree of earnestness that almost suggested a feeling of awe, meant -very little to either Don or Chase, neither of whom were especially -interested in artistic matters, but nevertheless the excitement -displayed by the art student at once communicated itself to them.</p> - -<p>"Do you really think it's possible that the mystery of the Château de -Morancourt is solved at last?" cried Don, his voice quivering with -suppressed eagerness, his eyes open to their widest extent, while -Chase, staring with considerable curiosity at the name of Giovanni -Bellini, murmured:</p> - -<p>"What a marvelous thing it would be!"</p> - -<p>"I'll give you my opinion in a few minutes," burst out Dunstan, who -was acting in a manner totally unlike his usually calm self. "Quick, -Don—your light! Let me see the name on this case—quick, I say!"</p> - -<p>And as the illumination played across the one he indicated the art -student rose to his feet and waved his hand in the air, at the -same time uttering a loud hurrah, which made wild echoes ring and -reverberate throughout the room.</p> - -<p>"Fellows, in my opinion the mystery is solved!" he exclaimed. "The -name I have just seen is Andrea Mantegna, a most celebrated artist born -in Padua, Italy, in fourteen thirty-one. His works are priceless. By -Jove, fellows, I honestly believe the tale we have to tell is going to -create even more excitement than we dreamed. Ha, ha! I can almost see -our pictures in the papers. Monsieur le torch-bearer, I believe your -light has been the means of lighting our way to fame."</p> - -<p>"I—I can scarcely believe all this is real!" cried Don.</p> - -<p>Almost feverishly, the three examined case after case, and these names, -one by one, fell from Dunstan Farrington's lips:</p> - -<p>"Hobbema, Hans Holbein, Franz Hals, Velasquez, Ribera."</p> - -<p>And with each word the art student's voice became louder—his -excitement greater.</p> - -<p>"A most remarkable and unexpected sequel to the great event!" he cried. -"Boys, there is a finis to the story, after all—and what a grand, -dramatic one! I wonder—I wonder what 'Peewee' will have to say!"</p> - -<p>Seating themselves on convenient boxes, the ambulanciers, full of -strange, pent-up emotions, continued to converse in eager, animated -tones. A remarkable change had come over the feelings of every one. -Now, instead of being disturbed and distressed, they were happy—almost -exultant.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Don Hale leaped to his feet and exclaimed:</p> - -<p>"Listen—listen! There's somebody coming."</p> - -<p>The others ceased speaking, and a strange, oppressive silence seemed to -hover over the chamber.</p> - -<p>Then, almost instantly, there came sounds which indicated that several -people were approaching along the passageway.</p> - -<p>"We are discovered!" exclaimed Dunstan, grim humor in his tone. "Ah, -fellows, our sensational exploit must be revealed to a gaping world -sooner than we expected!"</p> - -<p>Simultaneously, the three sprang to their feet and made for the doorway.</p> - -<p>Beyond the beams of Don Hale's flash-light the passageway was -illuminated by the yellow glow of a lantern carried by the leader of a -dim and shadowy group.</p> - -<p>Anxiously—expectantly—the ambulanciers waited, while the sound -of voices, steadily growing louder, echoed through the subterranean -retreat.</p> - -<p>And one of them made Chase Manning give a loud gasp of surprise.</p> - -<p>"Well, well, can you beat that!" he exclaimed, clutching Don Hale -tightly by the arm.</p> - -<p>"Who is it?" asked Don. But the question needed no answer from Chase. -For at that moment the lantern, swung high, illuminated the face of the -man who carried it, and the boys recognized the "mysterious poilu."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII</a></h2> - -<h3>THE TREASURE</h3> - - -<p>But the astonishment of the boys was not nearly so great as that of -the poilu, who held the lantern aloft so as to permit its yellow glare -to fall full upon the Red Cross men; it was a moment or two, indeed, -before he found his voice.</p> - -<p>And, while the two groups stared intently toward one another, he broke -the profound silence by exclaiming harshly:</p> - -<p>"You here again! Didn't I expressly order you to keep away!" Advancing, -he peered menacingly into Chase Manning's face. "Your persistency in -coming here is quite remarkable. Now, perhaps you will answer a few -questions."</p> - -<p>"Go ahead," exclaimed Chase, defiantly.</p> - -<p>A number of soldiers crowded about the four. Upon their faces -picturesque flashes of light stood out against deep, somber shadows, -which lost themselves in the background like a painting of some old -Dutch master.</p> - -<p>"Where were you when the Germans started to bombard the château?"</p> - -<p>"In the tower," replied Chase, shortly.</p> - -<p>This answer created a sensation. A murmur of loud and excited voices -was immediately heard, while the interrogator, giving a perceptible -start, almost shouted:</p> - -<p>"In the tower, you say? Why—this is most extraordinary!" His fists -were clenched. His eyes gleamed. "And do you know if your presence was -suspected by the Germans?"</p> - -<p>This question, couched in the harshest tones, added to the feelings of -wrath which Chase, as well as his fellow ambulanciers, was beginning to -experience. As though a challenge had been hurled at him and accepted, -Chase replied:</p> - -<p>"Yes, Monsieur, I believe it must have been."</p> - -<p>This frank answer, received with gasps of astonishment, had a most -extraordinary effect upon the "mysterious poilu."</p> - -<p>He appeared about to hurl himself bodily upon the ambulanciers. It was -a thrilling and dramatic moment.</p> - -<p>Then, amid a chorus of noisily resounding voices, Don Hale spoke up.</p> - -<p>"I fear the truth is that we were discovered in the grounds by a German -airman," he said.</p> - -<p>"You saw the machine, then?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Monsieur."</p> - -<p>"And it never occurred to you, I suppose, that if the Germans detected -any signs of life about the château they would certainly bombard it?"</p> - -<p>"My answer to your question, Monsieur, is that we got out of sight the -instant we saw the plane."</p> - -<p>"But by that time you had probably already been observed."</p> - -<p>"I should say it is quite certain that they were," broke in a French -lieutenant.</p> - -<p>Like a lawyer conducting an examination, he began asking questions, -and after becoming acquainted with all the details, like a lawyer -summing up, he showed as conclusively as it could be shown under the -circumstances that the boys were responsible for the destruction of -the château.</p> - -<p>Just before he finished speaking the poilu raised his arm, and, with a -gesture that embraced all three Americans, cried in a terrible voice:</p> - -<p>"And, as a De Morancourt—the nephew of the count—I order your arrest. -Lieutenant, take these young men in charge! They shall be made to pay -the penalty for their conduct."</p> - -<p>"The nephew of the Count de Morancourt!" repeated Don, quite aghast.</p> - -<p>The revelation of the man's identity came as a stunning surprise.</p> - -<p>The Frenchman's dramatic outburst appeared to relieve his pent-up -wrath. The lantern which he held in his hand sent splotches and dashes -of yellowish light flitting weirdly from place to place, and presently, -noticing the boxes and cases, he uttered a loud exclamation, brushed -past them and entered the room.</p> - -<p>And the moment he discovered the names of the artists his whole manner -abruptly changed.</p> - -<p>"Get me a screw-driver! Ma foi!" he cried out hoarsely. "Can it be -possible that my hopes, aroused to the highest pitch by the finding of -this underground passageway, are to be realized!"</p> - -<p>And in response to his peremptory command one of the poilus left the -room almost on a run.</p> - -<p>The atmosphere seemed surcharged with tense excitement. Every one was -speaking at the same time, but the noise—the confusion—was so great -that probably none understood what the others were saying.</p> - -<p>Like a man almost overcome by his feelings, the nephew of the count -sent the light flashing over the other boxes and cases, and exactly as -the art student had been affected so was he. Every inscription he saw -appeared still further to increase his emotion.</p> - -<p>"If it should only be so!" he cried, in a strained voice, at length. -"But we shall soon know. Will that man never come back, I wonder! Ah!"</p> - -<p>The footsteps of the poilu in the passageway rapidly grew louder, and -presently he walked into the room, exclaiming:</p> - -<p>"Here it is, Monsieur de Morancourt; here it is!"</p> - -<p>The nephew of the count seized the tool extended toward him, and, -surrounded by an intensely eager and interested group, set to work -unscrewing the cover of one of the boxes. A sudden hush settled over -the room.</p> - -<p>With a hand that trembled, the young man presently completed his task, -and there was exposed to view a wonderful picture, centuries old—a -picture, mellow and golden in tone, representing the Madonna and Child, -and signed by the famous Italian artist Giovanni Bellini.</p> - -<p>Monsieur de Morancourt was the first to speak.</p> - -<p>"I feel confident all of the missing treasures are here," he declared. -Once more his deportment was that of the calm, rather austere and -elegant soldier whom Don, Dunstan and Chase had met in the Cheval Noir. -"The whole aspect of the situation is now changed. This discovery -has proved a wonderful solace to my disturbed feelings. Monsieur le -Lieutenant, I countermand my order. Perhaps, after all, the château -would sooner or later have been destroyed."</p> - -<p>"I don't think there can be any doubt about that," said the lieutenant, -who seemed vastly relieved.</p> - -<p>Monsieur de Morancourt, extending his hand toward Chase, remarked, with -a smile:</p> - -<p>"Shall peace be declared between us, Monsieur l'Americaine?"</p> - -<p>"By all means," acquiesced Chase, heartily.</p> - -<p>"Strange how old Mars first of all got us in an awful pile of trouble -and then helped us out again!" cried the delighted Don, as he and -Dunstan, each in turn, shook hands with the now smiling Frenchman.</p> - -<p>Good fellowship having been restored, the whole party, after a few -moments' conversation, continued their exploration and investigation of -the underground apartments and within a half hour it was demonstrated -to the satisfaction of all that the mystery of the Château de -Morancourt was certainly a thing of the past, for in the room which the -boys had not entered the various objects of art were found, carefully -packed.</p> - -<p>At length they emerged into the open, and the boys immediately -discovered a large military car standing on the road near by.</p> - -<p>"It's the vehicle that brought us here," explained Monsieur de -Morancourt. "I had been out and was returning to the Cheval Noir when -the bombardment of the château began. Somehow suspecting the truth, -I made an immediate investigation, and when my fears were verified, -ran to the nearest encampment, where I was given authority to use the -motor car, which is supplied with all sorts of tools for use in cases -of emergency. And now, mes amis, I must hurry away to make arrangements -for the removal of the valuables. Of course, during my absence, some of -the soldiers will remain on guard. When shall I see you again?"</p> - -<p>"We'd be delighted if you could visit us at the Hotel de la Palette," -exclaimed Don Hale. He smiled. "Of course we too would be mighty glad -to learn something about the Count de Morancourt and your connection -with the affair."</p> - -<p>"I am more than pleased to accept your invitation," said Monsieur de -Morancourt, cordially. "You may count upon seeing me this evening. Au -revoir, mes amis."</p> - -<p>He waved his hand, and joined the lieutenant and the poilus.</p> - -<p>"And so what promised to be a most unfortunate and unpleasant situation -for us has turned out to be quite the reverse," commented Dunstan. -"Boys, I reckon we'll never forget the Château de Morancourt, eh?"</p> - -<p>And his companions heartily agreed that they never would.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII</a></h2> - -<h3>THE COUNT</h3> - - -<p>That evening at the Hotel de la Palette, with the nephew of the -Count de Morancourt as a guest of the ambulance section, was quite a -memorable one. This time the story which Don, Dunstan and Chase related -really did create a sensation.</p> - -<p>"Honest to goodness, fellows, I always had a sort of hazy idea that -there was going to be a sensational development," confessed "Peewee," -"and——"</p> - -<p>"It was certainly hazy enough, I'll wager," chortled Bodkins.</p> - -<p>And he might have added a great deal more but for the fact that -Monsieur de Morancourt was speaking.</p> - -<p>"Before I begin my own explanations I should be glad to know all about -your own experiences at the château," he declared, politely.</p> - -<p>Thereupon Don Hale, ably assisted by Dunstan and Chase, gave a brief -but graphic account of all that had taken place.</p> - -<p>"It seems quite extraordinary," commented Monsieur de Morancourt, -reflectively, when his curiosity was finally satisfied, "that but for -your interest in regard to the mystery of the Château de Morancourt the -objects so long sought for might have remained hidden for years."</p> - -<p>Then, in a conversational tone, he began his story.</p> - -<p>"Some time after the outbreak of the war I visited my uncle, the Count -de Morancourt, at the château, and saw his great collection. He said -nothing of his intention of leaving; indeed, it was long afterward that -I learned of his departure for America. It seems that as the scene of -war drew near to the château the count decided that it wouldn't be -safe to remain any longer. Accordingly he dismissed all his servants -but one, the latter his valet, and then, after attending to various -matters, embarked for America. The military authorities had already -begun to use the tower as an observation post.</p> - -<p>"It came as a great surprise to me when I learned that no one knew what -had become of his priceless collection of paintings. The fact naturally -disturbed me very much indeed. I wrote several letters to my uncle, but -whether they reached him or not I do not know; at any rate, no replies -were ever received.</p> - -<p>"At last I decided to do a little investigating on my own account, -and, obtaining leave of absence, came on to this part of the country. -Discovering the Cheval Noir, which was in a habitable condition, -I concluded to make my headquarters there, but not wishing to be -interfered with or bothered in any way did not choose to disclose my -identity.</p> - -<p>"I held this theory—there might be secret apartments under the old -château, in which the count, with the assistance of his valet, had -stored the valuables."</p> - -<p>"And you certainly made a mighty good guess," declared Don.</p> - -<p>"Yes; so it seems," replied Monsieur de Morancourt, with a smile. -"I spent a great part of my time in the château searching for an -entrance to the subterranean passageway. On the occasion of your first -appearance I must have entered the building very soon after you. It was -I who stumbled over the chair, and, naturally, I realized at once that -it had been moved. Surmising the presence of some one, I merely waited -until I heard you coming down-stairs and then walked outside.</p> - -<p>"After your departure, I reëntered, and, wishing to see if anything had -been disturbed, made a hasty examination—that explains the flashing -light at the window."</p> - -<p>"How very simple mysteries sometimes appear after one has learned all -about them," laughed Don. "And maybe we wouldn't have been surprised at -the Cheval Noir if we'd known that you were the very man responsible!"</p> - -<p>"Well, rather!" chuckled Chase.</p> - -<p>"And we never even had a suspicion of the truth," laughed Dunstan.</p> - -<p>"I certainly was astonished to run into the mysterious visitors," -declared Monsieur de Morancourt. And then addressing Chase, he added: -"When you made your early morning call my presence is explained by the -fact that I had spent the night in one of the upper rooms.</p> - -<p>"Now, Messieurs, I believe there is nothing further to add to my story."</p> - -<p>The ambulanciers all declared that it had been a very interesting one.</p> - -<p>At length, in the midst of a general conversation and much levity and -noise, Bodkins, holding his banjo aloft, shouted:</p> - -<p>"I think that after all the disturbance these chaps have caused they -ought to be made to face the music."</p> - -<p>And as he began strumming the instrument even "Peewee" forgot to object.</p> - -<p>It was a long time before the gathering broke up, and when Monsieur de -Morancourt finally took his leave he said:</p> - -<p>"I have heard a great deal about the exploits of this particular -section of the Red Cross and fully expect that some day every one of -you will be awarded the Croix de Guerre. And now, my young friend"—he -turned to Don—"allow me to wish you very great success when you take -up your new duties."</p> - -<p>"So do we!" cried "Peewee." "I say, boys, three cheers and a tiger for -Don Hale with the flying squadron!"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Literally "hairy ones." The affectionate slang term that -all France applies to its private soldiers.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Blessé: a wounded man.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Marmite: a large shell.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> Poste de secours: surgical first aid station.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> En repos: off duty—"at rest."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> "Show your passes, gentlemen, please."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Snipers: sharpshooters.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> Mechant: wicked.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> Camion: truck.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> Bureau; office.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> "Gone West": been killed.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> Tir de barrage: a barrage fire, or bombardment by which -shells are placed close together along a certain line, so as to form -there a barrier against advancing troops.</p></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<h3>The Stories in this Series are:</h3> - -<p class="ph1">DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE</p> -<p class="ph1">DON HALE OVER THERE</p> -<p class="ph1">DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON (in press)</p> - - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE OVER THERE ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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