Part 22 (2/2)

Then Captain Coulton hurried away. Captain Creville bowed and also withdrew.

”Come on, Scott,” said Carstairs. ”We've an extra uniform, and it'll just about fit you. A rifle, cartridges and all your other arms are ready, too.”

John was equipped promptly, and then many introductions followed. It was a little Anglo-American island in the midst of a French sea, and they gave a joyous welcome to a new face. John noticed that many of them bore slight wounds, and he soon learned that several others, hurt badly, lay in an improvised hospital at the rear.

”The Germans are pressing us hard,” said Wharton. ”They whipped us yesterday afternoon, and they're sure to come for us again today.

There's Captain Colton now standing on the earthwork, watching through his gla.s.ses. In my opinion something's doing.”

Nearly all the Strangers went forward. From a hillock, John with his two new friends looked toward the forest, miles in their front. The forest itself was merely a blind ma.s.s of green, but overhead swung aeroplanes and captive balloons.

”Look up!” said Carstairs.

John saw a half dozen aeroplanes hovering some distance in front of their own lines.

”I think they're signaling,” said Carstairs. ”One of those monster guns must be getting ready to disgorge itself.”

”The forty-two centimeter?” said John.

”Yes, and I'm right, too. I saw a flash in the forest, and here comes the little messenger!”

There was a roar and a crash so tremendous that John was almost shaken from his feet. An enormous sh.e.l.l burst near the earthworks, sending forth a perfect cloud of shrapnel and steel fragments. It resembled the explosion of a volcano, and as his ears recovered their power after the shock John heard the cries of many wounded.

”I think this force carries only one such gun with it,” said Carstairs, ”and it will be some time before they can fire it again. We have nothing to equal it, but the French seventy-five millimeter is an awful weapon.

The gunners can time them so the sh.e.l.ls burst only fifteen or twenty feet from the ground, and then they rain death. I think it likely that we have out now a flanking force that will get within range.”

”There's cover to the right,” said Warton, ”if the French batteries advance at all, it will be that way.”

They were ordered to stand to their arms, but it did not keep them from watching, as at present there was nothing for them to do. A second shot came presently from the forty-two centimeter, but the sh.e.l.l burst too far away to do any harm. John and his comrades turned their attention back to the right, where a line of woods ran.

Ten minutes more of waiting and they saw a succession of flashes among the trees. The French field guns far in advance of the main force were at work.

”Well done,” said Carstairs. ”The French artillery is fine, Scott. I believe their medium guns can beat any others of the same cla.s.s in the world. Look how those woods flame with their fire! It scares me to go up in the air, but I'd like to be in one of those aeroplanes, where I could see the effect of the cannonade.”

”There goes 'Busy Bertha' again,” said Wharton.

”What's 'Busy Bertha'?” asked John.

”Oh, it's merely a nickname we've given to the Krupp monster. The French started it, I believe, but it's spread to the Strangers. It's aimed at our field guns this time! There the sh.e.l.l has burst in the forest! I wish I knew what it had done!”

”Not much, I judge,” said Carstairs, ”because the French guns are replying with as much fervor as ever. The woods are fairly blazing with their fire!”

[Ill.u.s.tration] ”A second shot came presently from the forty-two centimeter.”

”And yonder,” said John, ”are the Uhlans. Look at that ma.s.s of steel on the far edge of the plain!”

An immense force of German cavalry was issuing from the forest directly in their front, and was forming in a long line. The distance was great, but the August suns.h.i.+ne was so clear that all objects were magnified and made more vivid. The three clearly saw the great ma.s.s of German hors.e.m.e.n defiling toward the French right. Captain Colton of the Strangers reappeared and stood near them, watching through a pair of powerful gla.s.ses. John knew that he was anxious, and, although his experience of war was only three or four days old, he well knew the reason why.

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