The Boy Scouts on the Trail

and read that thousands, scores of thousands probably, had already died in the war. But they hadn't seen the others,

ar for you, Henri,"

t be, but it is terrible. And only a few hours ago, I

before, they could see the women and a few old men about the work of the harvest, but in spite of that, there was an air of desolation. Everything seemed to have sto

noise, and yet it isn't, exactly. It sounds a little like thu

d together,

is coming to us now. There is a battle. In olden days we could see its smoke but now they fight

than a beating of the air. There were no sharp reports; it was a steady, ceaseless murmur. But ev

," said Henri. "That must mean that we hav

h you'd remember, Harry, that a retreat may mean mighty hard fighting. Not a rout-a retreat. It i

tting any nearer to the Engl

nearer, Harry. Or louder, anyhow. Perhaps that

ast as they could before. And all the time the sound of the cannon in front of them grew louder, and the quality of the noise gradually changed.

eems to be just about as steady. And to think that that's going on, all the way from here to

ri, suddenly. "Do you see?

they use in London!"

st, and they could see that behind it were many more. Just behind it, too, a man on a motorcycle came suddenly int

in a broken Frenc

and put one foot on the ground to steady his machine. He was dressed in kh

English,"

get to Guise. We've lost our blooming way, that's wha

"The road to Guise is back four miles, at least. Can you turn

indeed! However, you can come along with us as far as that. Then I'll wash my hands of you. But I c

ery officer they met what they were doing, but were to answer questions only when it was p

rain of omnibuses, but the officer in charge was efficient, and it was

gns of Germa

ank. He described the fight there as best he

"We hadn't heard of their bei

had, until a few moments befo

think he was in a bad way. I've got an idea that the Germans are behind us. Do you know what I

ought of t

to meet a guard, and missed it. S

ess! I suppose some English soldier

tle rise, they saw that the officer had dismounted. He had unstrapped a box from his machine and was setting it up. In a few minu

ield heliograph kit.

d Frank, while Henri looked on admi

hose answering flashes. Che

a similar instrument on a hill perhaps five miles away. He

"They'll have an escort here for us as quickly as it c

s,

at was decidedly disputed ground. But he had not the instinct that would have prompted a French, and more es

k. Don't get out of touch. And if I'm not around when we get to the road w

s engine, and Frank and Harry rode along q

was something wrong

thing's quiet now. Even the fir

feel. As if there was something in the ai

e the 'buses must turn, for G

"Look at that church. I suppose it's been there f

laugh. "I suppose they are so excited about the

short, staring as if fascinated at the clock. Then with a cry to Henri to wait for

e called to the soldier d

rdy," repli

, tugging at his revolver, sped on. Frank followed but was left far behind, naturally, by the speed of the motorcycle. When he reached the churc

umped off his machine and tore into the church as if his lif

a cry from above. They looked up, to see the figure of a man dropping from the op

hadn't seen the hands of that clock moving we might have been caught in

cried Henri, almost f

aid it had stopped, and I looked up. Then the next time

hy-if the cloc

some distance around, Harry. Suppose a German

mean he would tell other Germans to come

Captain Hardy st

he made his dispositions quickly. Counting the armed drivers of each omnibus, and the extra man each carried, he had less than thirty men. But he drew up several of

ng to have a fight it's no place for you. You've done us a migh

g out. It was from the dire

e, too," he

came up

he road we were taking. I think we got one of th

ow, boys. If you see the cavalry sent to escort us, tell th

and Frank pick