CHAPTER XIV.

WHERE THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE RAGED.

"Look, an aeroplane coming this way!" exclaimed Hanky Panky, pointing upwards.

"If you glance off yonder," added Josh, "you'll see more than one of the same. They're hanging over the battle lines, and I guess sending signals back to tell what the observer notes from his perch away up aloft."

"Just what they're doing, Josh," Rod went on to say, as he stopped for a brief time to take a look in the direction indicated.

In fact, they could make out as many as half a dozen of the fliers, some darting about as swift as swallows on the wing, others more stationary, and evidently with the operators busily engaged transmitting signals.

"There, see that one dropping something white!" cried Hanky Panky; "chances are he's giving the gunners on his side a tip, so they can get the range of the German battery, and put it out of action with a volley."

"And there's going to be something doing pretty soon, or I miss my guess," added Josh, excitedly; "because there comes a pair of those Taube machines bent on giving the French ones battle. Rod, we're going to watch a fight in the sky, don't you see? Whee! but this _is_ the life, take it from me. I never dreamed I'd be so lucky as to be right on the lines when a big battle was taking place."

The pair of Taube machines came swiftly along to engage the rival aeroplanes that had been making so free with the secrets of the German defences. Evidently the aviators had been ordered to put a stop to the operations of the French pilots, no matter at what cost to themselves.

"They're shooting at each other now!" cried Josh; "you can see the puffs of smoke break out every second; and it's different from the bursting of shrapnel shells all around them."

"Gee! whiz! but this is awfully exciting!" gasped Hanky Panky, stretching his neck still more in order to follow the swift evolutions of the rival air machines; "what if one of them has the hard luck to get his motor smashed by a ball; or his gasoline tank exploded?"

"That'd be a bad thing for the men in the aeroplane, I should say!" Josh informed him. "They must be all of half a mile high, and a fall would flatten a poor chump out like a pancake."

"There's one of the Germans turning tail right now and running away!" called out Hanky Panky; "and the other--why, see how queer that machine is acting, will you? It keeps turning around like a corkscrew, and seems to be dropping all the while."

"A good reason, too," snapped Josh. "French guns proved superior to the Kaiser's, for they did some damage. That Taube is falling! Only for the skill of the two men aboard it'd be coming down right now like the stick of a spent rocket, or a meteor aiming to strike the earth."

All of them watched the erratic course of the disabled aeroplane with the keenest interest. Indeed, the valiant pilot certainly deserved a great deal of praise for the way in which he manipulated his charge. At the same time the Taube was going to strike the earth with a severe blow.

"I wouldn't like to be aboard that poor craft, let me tell you," said Hanky Panky, as it neared the earth, not far back of the French front; "the people in it are going to get broken arms or legs, and the machine will be smashed in pieces."

"Huh! they'll call themselves lucky if it ends at that," snorted Josh; "some men would have their necks or backs broken; but these German aviators are a tough lot, I've heard, and can stand a heap of pounding."

Even as they looked the wrecked Taube struck the ground. Some soldiers had hastened in that direction, and were on the spot almost as soon as the disabled German machine landed. They could be seen moving about amidst the wreckage of the aeroplane. Then they appeared carrying something in their midst.

"They've picked up the occupants of the fallen Taube," said Rod, "and from the way they carry them the poor chaps must be badly hurt. Yes, there they've stopped that ambulance coming from the front, and are getting the wounded birdmen aboard. The French admire bravery, even in a mortal foe, and you can be sure that those gallant fellows will receive just as good care as if they were their own men."

He again started to move forward. The field hospital was now close at hand, and they could expect to be within its borders in a few minutes more.

Hanky Panky nerved himself for the terrible ordeal he knew was before him. Both the other lads also shut their lips firmly, so that they might endure the gruesome sights without feeling faint; for they were not accustomed to such things, and but boys after all.

Some of those they met eyed them in wonder, doubtless at a loss to know who the three youngsters were, and what brought them to the battle lines. No one seemed to think of stopping them and asking questions; it might be from lack of time.

Whenever Rod noticed some officer near by he gave the regulation salute, which may have induced the others to believe the boys actually belonged to some branch of the service; though their khaki uniforms would rather indicate a connection with the British army just then co-operating with General Joffre.

The boys had just succeeded in stacking their machines when an opportunity came that allowed them to render assistance in carrying several poor fellows into one of the tent shelters. A lorry had arrived, and there did not seem to be any attendant on hand to help the driver, who looked around in despair.

"Come along, Josh, and lend a hand here!" exclaimed Rod, equal to any emergency, as he sprang forward.

Hanky Panky started, but soon held back, unable to bear the sight of the wounded men who were in the motor truck.

The two boys succeeded in carrying three of them inside the shelter, where they were placed as comfortably as possible, awaiting the time when the bustling surgeon, engaged with other cases, could attend to their hurts. One of them was in a very bad way, having been terribly injured by a bursting shell. It pierced Rod's sympathetic heart just to look at his white, blood-specked face. But the black eyes were still full of fire and animation; and when Rod held a dipper of cold water to the lips of the soldier of the republic the other drank greedily, and then thanked him in French.

"It may be the last drink I shall ever want," he told Rod complacently, "but I rejoice to know I have lived to see the day when a French army has made the German beast turn tail and run. My father died before Paris many years ago, and I have prayed for this glorious day to come. I am satisfied. I have done my duty to France."

It made a powerful impression on both the boys. Such bravery and devotion to country could hardly fail to do otherwise. Secretly they hoped the valiant soldier might survive his terrible injuries, and live to see the day when victory crowned the tri-color of France, which he adored.

The busy surgeon now found a chance to pay attention to the later victims of German bullets and bursting shells and bombs. At the same time he started a conversation with Rod, the latter being the only one of the boys who could speak French.

Presently Rod turned again to Josh to say:

"Here's a streak of luck for us, Josh. Just as soon as he's through with the case he's now working on, the gentleman, Dr. Gervaise, is going to loan us his binoculars. He also says there is a slight elevation twenty yards back of this shelter, from the top of which we can get a pretty fair view of the battle lines. From what he tells me I figure we'll be just in good time to witness something that is going to take place before long."

Of course this pleased Josh exceedingly, because it was a field-glass he had been yearning for ever since they found themselves within touch of the field of battle. He even tried to assist the wearied army surgeon as best he might, for Josh had an abundance of nerve, and could accustom himself to almost any sight if he had a motive controlling his actions.

Presently, armed with the Lemaire binoculars, Rod led the way out of the temporary shelter under which the victims of the fierce fighting could be shielded from the hot September sun while the principle of "first aid to the injured" was being applied.

Hanky Panky was lingering near by, watching some of the interesting sights, and evidently finding it a difficult thing to retain a firm grip on himself. He greeted the reappearance of his chums with eagerness. Perhaps he even hoped that they meant to quit the confines of the field hospital, and depart to other regions. At sight of the field-glasses which Rod waved at him Hanky understood, however, just why they were hurrying toward that elevation close by; and he trotted at their heels as an obedient little spaniel might have done.

Once they reached the summit of the rise it was found that the French surgeon had not overstated the fact when saying that a very good view of the battle lines could be obtained from this point. Rod took a look and then handed the glasses over to Josh, knowing how eager the other was to see at close range what was going on over where the big guns were thundering so fiercely--where also the French lay in hiding, ready to again charge desperately upon the German trenches when the word to advance was given. The ground between the hostile armies was covered with the fallen. Josh shivered as he contemplated the terrible spectacle. It would doubtless haunt him for many a day and night to come. He looked everywhere, not even omitting to glance upward so as to see what the flying birdmen might be doing; then he handed the binoculars over to Hanky Panky, who received them eagerly, despite his sensation of horror.

When Hanky Panky leveled the glasses at the distant line of hastily thrown up German trenches the first thing he saw was what seemed to be an innumerable army of men in drab working feverishly to strengthen their defences.

Already they had tasted of the new-born French enthusiasm, and could anticipate that much more of the same sort was bound to break loose. Long years had those fiery Gauls been hugging to their hearts the thought of revenge for the humiliation suffered away back in '71, when their beloved Paris echoed to the tramp of the victorious Teutonic hosts.

They began to believe the day had dawned at last when the shame of their fathers could be wiped out, and the tables turned on the hated foe.

How Hanky Panky did turn from one point to another and "soak" it all in, as Josh remarked aside to Rod, impatiently waiting for a second chance to observe what was going on over there beyond the windrows of the dead.

It seemed as though Hanky Panky could not tear his eyes away from the amazing sight which fairly fascinated him. As though held in the grip of a nightmare the boy was staring and muttering to himself. Sometimes his words signified wonder and awe; then again there was an underlying vein of compassion in what Hanky Panky said; for his heart was greatly touched by the sight of all this terrible misery. He could see some of the forms on the late battlefield moving. He realized that men in anguish must be calling out for a drink of cooling water so as to quench their burning thirst. Others were doubtless suffering all sorts of tortures from the wounds they had received.

To be sure the hospital attendants were doing everything they could to gather up the wounded. Men bearing the sacred Red Cross, from both the French and the German sides, were moving about, searching for those in whom life still remained. Vehicles could also be seen in places, receiving some of these victims, while the men with stretchers stumbled about carrying their groaning burdens to the rear.

Yes, Hanky Panky would never forget what he saw that day, though he lived to a ripe old age, for it was burned upon his memory indelibly.

Josh, getting impatient, was just about to demand the binoculars when the other uttered a sudden cry that gave them a new thrill:

"Oh! see what's going to happen now, will you, fellows?" was the burden of his announcement; "there's a new French army hurrying up to attack them on the flank; and they've given the signal for a general advance. Great snakes! but it's going to be an _aw_ful sight when they come to close grips!"