Part 21 (1/2)
”What's the ly
”Why, I tell you there's nothing down here,” replied Hanky Panky ”My eyes have got used to the dark, and I can see perfectly well All around me is the stone of the well, the water is just under n of anybody”
”Didn't I tell you so?” asked Josh, laughing harshly; ”the old well roan we heard it was given by a ghost, or a goblin, and not a living being”
”Hey! that's enough, Josh!+ Get me up out of here quick, I tell you!”
called Hanky Panky, shaking the rope vigorously; ”you proreat rate; nevertheless when Rod signalled to him he condescended to lend a hand, and between the two of them they speedily had Hanky Panky up safely, none the worse for his experi deeply puzzled
”That's the queerest thing I've run across for ; ”but you notice that it doesn't come any more now, since I went down Oh! thunder! I spoke too soon, didn't I?”
The sounds had indeed started in again with evenwhat seemed like a chuckle, suddenly turned on Josh
”I've tu a finger at the other in a stern fashi+on; ”soot how you used to be such a sular ventriloquist on the stage Well, you _did_ fool ht, I own up; and I hadHope you're satisfied now Let's take another drink all around, and then get along”
Hanky Panky was one of those good-natured felloho could laugh at a clever joke even when hie for the way in which Josh had deluded hirip, and drop into the water,” he went on to say; ”because it was terribly cold down there”
”All's well that ends well!” croaked Josh, with a happy grin, for he believed he had oncecomrade
Soon afterwards they left the ruined place and once ain they came upon scenes of desolation, with clusters of natives standing by the ruins of their late possessions, to wave an encouraging hand as the three boys sped past Doubtlessto some section of the brave French army, for their khaki uniforigantic task of turning the invaders out of France was considered, even the assistance of a trio of half-grown lads
If things kept up as they were now going Rod confidently believed they would be close to the battle line again inside of two hours The roar of the guns announced that severe fighting was going on not ress at this time, so many obstacles impeded their way Nue a few sentences with some of the people they caht prove of advantage to strangers in a section of country new to theht and left they could not see a s Most of thes of prisoners being led to the rear; broken caissons and abandoned guns; wrecked bicycles, and even motorcycles cast aside when of no further service to the retreating Ger outfits that had been wonderful contrivances before being utterly s they could not be taken along; and other things too numerous to mention
Rod hiht e to partly inde possession of so their usefulness
It was now getting well on toward noon Hanky Panky had even been heard to call out that he felt hungry, though Rod could see little hope of appeasing their appetites in that country, so thoroughly cleaned out by the ene close at hand It was so furious that the three boys involuntarily stopped short, and huddled together to coht decide upon the safest course for thean to climb upwards above the trees not more than a mile ahere Rod had reason to believe the Marne River ran
”That's where the fight is going on, Rod, you can see!” shouted Josh, eagerly, pointing as he spoke; ”look at the French batteries wheeling into position, would you? They , looks like I wonder what it all uess, Rod?”
Rod could, and lost no ti his opinion
”From what I heard when I talked with that last bunch of natives,” he called out, for the racket was growing e, ”there's a ford to the river right about that place
Now like as not the Ger, and left a big force there to hold Joffre'sup, and it will be a pretty stiff fight unless all signs fail”
CHAPTER XXIII