Fighting in France | Page 3

zeal its
destruction was sought, but still it kept on. Now it had reached a level
as high as the giant fokker. Meanwhile the other French machine raced
to its aid.
"You'll see the German turn back now," predicted Jacques.
"Why shouldn't he?" demanded Earl. "It's two to one."
"His only hope is to disable the first machine before the other comes
up," said Jacques. "Otherwise he'll have to run for it."
"How high do you suppose they are now?" asked Earl.
"Five thousand feet," said Leon. "Is that about right, Jacques?"
"I should think so; just about," replied the young Frenchman.
Almost every soldier in the great camp was standing, gazing skyward at
the combat going on among the clouds over their heads. These duels in
the air were not infrequent but they never lost their power to thrill. To
see two huge mechanical birds each maneuvering for a chance to strike
a death blow to its rival was a sight to stir the blood of any man, no
matter how often he had seen its duplicate before.
"What did I tell you?" demanded Jacques suddenly.
The fokker turned at the approach of its second enemy and in full
retreat made for the German lines. The two French machines did not
attempt a pursuit, but after one or two triumphant circles were headed
for home. A few moments later they passed directly over the spot
where the three young soldiers were seated, on their way to their
respective hangars.
"Why didn't they chase that fellow?" exclaimed Leon. "They were two

to one and it seems to me they had a great chance to bring him down."
"You must remember this," Jacques reminded him. "He had a good
start on them and, if anything, had a faster machine than theirs. Then
that scout of ours may have very important news for headquarters as a
result of his observations. He probably wants to report as soon as he
can."
"That's true," said Leon. "I had almost forgotten this attack to-morrow I
got so excited watching the aeroplanes."
"You started to tell what Captain Le Blanc said," Earl reminded his
brother. "Go ahead and finish what you heard."
"Well," said Leon, "he said that everything was ready. He even knew
the number of German batteries that will be opposed to us; he also
knew just what regiments hold the line opposite. He said that along the
whole length of our front line steps had been cut in the trenches so that
we can climb out easily. The barbed-wire entanglements have had little
lanes cut through them every few feet so we can get through without
any trouble."
"Whew," whistled Earl. "It looks as if we meant business all right."
"We surely do," agreed Leon. "We're to carry along bridging to form
pathways across the German trenches so we can bring up our guns and
supplies quickly. All shoes and extra clothes and blankets are to be
turned into the quartermaster; every man is to put on clean underclothes
so that if he is wounded he won't be infected. You're to have your
gas-masks ready and every one will receive one hundred and thirty
extra rounds, making two hundred and fifty in all."
"When do we move into the trenches?" asked Jacques.
"Ten o'clock to-night."
"And final inspection is when?"

"One hour before that."
"We'd better get ready," exclaimed Jacques. "It's almost supper-time
now and we've got lots to do."
Every man who passed their tent seemed, to be unusually business-like.
No one seemed nervous or worried, but perhaps a little more serious
than usual. But there was not a man among all those thousands who
was not glad that on the morrow he was to come up out of his hole in
the ground and meet his enemy face to face. An air of quiet confidence
pervaded the camp; the air was full of it and one glance at these
grim-visaged warriors of France was enough to convince any observer
that they were eager for the battle to come.
CHAPTER II
PREPARATIONS
At nine o'clock that evening all arrangements had been completed and
the final inspection held. The last letters were deposited at the
regimental post-office, a most solemn ceremony. Many a long thought
passed through the minds of the soldiers as they mailed what might be
their final messages to their loved ones.
"I don't like this business of hanging around," whispered Jacques in
Leon's ear. "I'd like to get started."
"So should I," agreed Leon. "It seems sort of weird standing here in the
darkness with thousands of men all about you, all waiting for the same
order that we are."
The night was clear and the stars were unusually brilliant. Not a cloud
appeared and the long lines of troops resting