Part 5 (1/2)

”A tremendous battle is on before Paris,” replied the Britisher ”Von Kluck has swung around fro to envelope the city with his forces, while two other ar down from the north and northeast It will be all the French can do to hold them back

Most of us expect that Paris will fall inside of a few days But we're fair wild to get in the ruck, and strike a blow at the Kaiser's soldiers He's called the British a conte that you do have that pleasure!” called Josh as he turned and looked back over his shoulder, for the three boys had started along the road; ”and round before all the scrapping is over”

A short tiiulars was in a te the summons to take their train when it was e, where tens of thousands of men on both sides were fated to be killed and wounded before three more suns had set

Rod expected to be held up, and therefore was not in the least surprised when a patrol stepped into the road,to the three lads to halt They were soon taken to the place where several officers sat looking over a map of Paris and its environs, where they fully expected to be in action before another twenty-four hours had passed

The British officers eyed them with ain, for they soon realized that the boys were not English, as they had at first supposed; and ugly ruun to pass current in the ranks of the Allies

When Rod gave a brief account of all their adventures, from the tiainst Russia and France by Germany, all of them were deeply interested And they scanned the wonderful paper bearing the signature of King Albert with eager eyes, for already had the ian nation becoure over across the Channel, on account of his defiance to the Kaiser's deh neutral territory in order to swoop down on Paris

After a very pleasant ten minutes with the British officers the boys passed on toward Calais, followed by the best of wishes

”No use talking,” Josh was heard to say, ”blood is thicker than water, after all I've got solish and Scotch and Irish blood in me, and that's why my heart is with the cause of the Allies I suppose if I'd had German ancestors I'd be just as much for their cause; but all the same I am not”

Shortly afterwards they arrived in Calais, and put up at an inn reco decent and reasonable

Calais was already in the throes of the war, for the streets were croiththis way and that, as they were being loaded on flat cars to be taken to the front

The boys expected to pass the night there, getting such sleep as was possible, considering the confusion that prevailed In the , if all ell, they couldto find splendid roads all of the way, and with nothing to delay theed the thoroughfares so that a passage was impossible

After they had had their supper they wandered forth to look around a little, because on account of et away so early they knew there would be no opportunity to do this in the

All of the before Hanky Panky voiced the general sentiested that sleep would fill the bill better than anything else he knew of

They had a rooiven the single cot Itwhen Rod awoke, oppressed with the conviction that there was soestion sent a thrill through his whole being, and aroused hi Five Motorcycle Boys Under Fire”]

CHAPTER VI

THE FRETFUL ROAR OF BATTLE

Rod held his breath and listened Though his nerves were quivering with excitement he could hold hi heavily, while Hanky Panky lay quite still; soht also have been aroused, and was, like hi with bated breath to find out what had caused that slight noise close by

A thrill passed through Rod when so touched him Then he suddenly realised that it was his bed-fellow, Hanky Panky, wishi+ng to be reassured; and accordingly Rod gave hiain, and, on straining his vision, for the rooed to discover what seeuessed instinctively that it was no coed to enter their cha to steal et his hands on

Jules ed to follow after them, and was also in the French city by the sea, which later on the Kaiser becaland twenty es on the part of his htered without acco any favorable result

Rod did not mean to lie quietly there and allow this sneak-thief tie around Of course the precious paper wanted by Jules was securely hidden; but for all that it went against his grain to allow such liberties

Managing to get his mouth close to the ear of Hanky Panky he whispered: