Chapter 26

JOSH MAKES A DISCOVERY.

Rod soon fixed the transportation part of it, just as his confident chums felt sure he would be able to do. He quickly selected a certain outfit that had stopped on the border of the ford for a minute or so, while a loose portion of the harness was tightened.

Entering into conversation with the sergeant, who seemed to be in authority, Rod explained in a measure who they were and how they came to be loose on the battle lines at such a time as this.

Then he made his request, and with such simplicity, accompanied by a winning smile, that the dapper Frenchman could not have refused his modest request even had his heart not warmed toward these young friends of France from across the sea.

"We must get over the river, because it is necessary that we find Andre D'Aubrey if he is yet alive," Rod had gone on to say ingenuously; "and since it would be unpleasant for us to continue our ride if we were soaked to the waist, perhaps M'sieu le Sergeant would permit us to climb up with him on the caisson, and accompany him over the ford?"

"Indeed, it would be a pleasure to have you along with me," hastily replied the non-commissioned officer of the battery, "and as the harness is now repaired, make yourselves at home here, if you can find a lodgment where your feet will be out of the reach of the water."

Gladly then did the trio of lads accept of his friendly offer. Trust them for finding a perch where they would be beyond the reach of the river, unless the soldier astride one of the horses managed to lose the shallow line of the ford and stray into the depths.

Luckily this did not happen. The water did come close to their feet so that Hanky Panky was impelled to draw himself up into something of a knot in the fear of getting wet; but the worst was over, so that presently the gun caisson emerged from the Marne, and the boys were able to jump down.

Rod looked about him. It was indeed a stirring picture taken in all, for everywhere the French had occupied the ground so tenaciously defended by the German rearguard.

Hundreds of soldiers were moving this way and that, with the officers gathering as if for a council of war.

Other batteries could be seen coming on the gallop toward the captured ford, as though the birdmen aloft may have sent the signal along to tell them that now the coast was clear they could make the passage in safety. Some of these were heavier guns than any the boys had as yet seen, showing that the French were hurrying all their available resources forward in order to strike the enemy hard while yet in retreat.

"Now what, Rod?" asked Josh.

"We'll look around a bit so as to get our bearings," he was told. "It's true we came here on a mission, but perhaps it might be wise not to bother the commander-in-chief in too big a hurry. He's certainly got his hands full as it is, and can't be worried with our private affairs."

"I guess that's about so, Rod," agreed Hanky Panky. "To us Andre's business may seem mighty important, but why should a general waste a precious minute of his time with any one's affairs, when he's got to map out his movements, with a beaten but still fighting foe ahead?"

"Look there, fellows!" exclaimed Josh just then; "unless I miss my guess that must be the hero of the battle they're fetching in right now."

"See how the men take their caps off, will you?" said Hanky Panky reverently; "I'd feel like doing the same myself if he came near me, because it was his work that really made the passage of the ford possible. They all know it too, and just now they fairly worship that lucky chap."

"Oh! I hope it doesn't mean he's dead!" exclaimed Josh with a tinge of deep regret in his voice; "that'd be too everlasting bad, you know, after he'd won his promotion, and the cross these Frenchmen prize so much."

"No, he is still alive, because I saw him wave his hand feebly just then when he passed that group of cheering soldiers," said Rod quickly.

"Bully for that!" exploded Josh exultantly; "somehow or other I just seem to be taking a personal interest in that brave chap, as if he might be a friend of mine, though of course I wouldn't know him from Adam. But a thousand pair of eyes saw what he did, and the army of France knows how to honor such a hero. We must find out his name before we leave here, Rod, that's sure."

"I'll not forget to ask it!" declared the other positively, "because we'll want to write it down in our log. Whatever his name turns out to be it's bound to go down to posterity as belonging to one of the heroes of the Battle of the Marne."

"There," continued Hanky Panky, "see, the general is going over himself to see the wounded man now. Why, even he takes off his military cap. It must be a proud time for the man who threw that bomb and wrecked the German battery. He not only won the ford for his side, but like as not saved the lives of scores of his comrades."

Rod was considering his plan of campaign.

"You can see that some of the officers are gathering under that shed yonder," he went on to explain. "I reckon they mean to hold their council of war there, because it looks like the best shelter around. I wouldn't be surprised if the German forces had the same places for headquarters before their retreat, because I can see a table there and some camp chairs."

"Yes, and then, too, it seems to be out of range of the batteries that were on the other side of the river; sort of protected as it were," Josh observed, for he was quick to notice such things.

"All right," Rod wound up by saying; "our plan is to hang around until the war council breaks up, and then try to find a chance to speak with the commander-in-chief. All we want to do is to show him who and what we are, and then ask about Andre. He may not have the time to bother with it himself, but I hope he will put us in charge of some subordinate officer who can tell us what we want to know, as well as take us to Andre, if so be the poor fellow still lives."

While waiting they strolled around the immediate vicinity, being considerably interested in all that was going on.

Josh in particular seemed disposed not to lose anything. He moved this way and that, now watching the labors of a string of men dragging at a rope by means of which they were helping the horses attached to a heavy gun pull the same up out of the river; and a little later even observing the field surgeon and his assistants binding up the grievous wounds of scores of poor fellows who had been more or less injured in the battle.

Rod was seated on a stump and thinking seriously of their own affairs when he suddenly became aware of the fact that his two chums were hurrying toward him. He could also see that they looked both excited and grave, as though something had happened to alarm them.

Of course the first thing that came into Rod's mind was bad news; he feared that in some way they might have learned about the fate of Andre, and were now hurrying to tell him all their efforts had been in vain, for the husband of poor Jeanne could never sign his name to the paper they carried.

"Is he dead, then?" was the way he addressed them as they came panting up.

"Oh! it isn't about Andre, Rod!" gasped Hanky Panky.

"What then?" questioned the other, at the same time giving a sigh of relief, for he had feared the worst.

"It's something Josh here hit on, that's given us both a bad shock; he'll tell you, Rod," continued the other, who was trembling visibly.

"It's just this way, you see," Josh spoke up. "There's a German soldier hiding close by, a wild-looking chap in the bargain. Whee! but he's got staring eyes, and he makes me think of a crazy man."

"Oh! he must be one of their wounded," said Rod; "when they pulled out in such a big hurry they couldn't take all with them, and some had to be abandoned. This fellow in hiding that you've run across must be hurt in the legs, and couldn't get away with the rest."

Josh shook his head with a vim.

"Excuse me, Rod, but I don't think you've hit the real secret," he went on to say. "This man has stayed here _for a purpose_, and he's about ready to lose his own life, I'd say, so as to carry it out. I really and truly believe he must have a screw loose in the upper story."

"Go on," said Rod, seeing that Josh evidently knew more than he had as yet explained.

"I just noticed him by the merest accident," explained the other. "He's hiding in a hole in the ground. I happened to see him lift his head, and noticed that he wore the dark green uniform of a German soldier. Then I discovered something else, Rod, that gave me a cold feeling, and made the chills run down my back."

"Go on, and hurry, too!" advised Rod.

"It was a wire, Rod, a wire that seemed to come up out of the ground, and disappear by the side of a tree. It headed straight for the shelter that used to be the headquarters of the German staff, and where the French officers are gathering right now, waiting for the general to join them."

"A wire, did you say, Josh?" demanded Rod, starting up, and looking white.

"Yes, and ten chances to one there's a mine, planted under headquarters, which he means to explode so as to blow up the French staff, general and all."