The Khaki Boys at the Front; or, Shoulder to Shoulder in the Trenches

by Gordon Bates

  CHAPTER IV

  AN UNSEEN FOE

  It was not a long journey to the station for which the Khaki Boyswere bound. During the ride they had plenty to say in regard to theinteresting trio they had left behind them. What had been rather a dullafternoon had suddenly turned into a red-letter evening. Not only werethey jubilant at having again encountered the Twinkle Twins. They hadalso met one of the great heroes of France, and they could not readilyget over it.

  Arrived at the station, they were obliged to spend half an hour therebefore getting a train back to camp. Still absorbed in enthusiastictalk concerning their absent friends, they were not impatient over thislittle wait.

  With the train on time, the five Brothers calculated reaching camp ingood season. Once there a few moments' brisk walking would see themsafely back in quarters.

  All now being non-commissioned officers they had found itcomparatively easy to make arrangements to be together. They werenow well aware, however, that when they reached a village back ofthe firing line this state of affairs could not continue. Each wouldprobably be quartered in a separate residence with a number of privatesin his charge.

  "We've barrels of time," announced Bob, as the train stopped in frontof the camp station. "Where's our jailer? It's time he came and let usout of the jug."

  By "jug" Bob humorously referred to the compartment which the guardhad locked at the beginning of the journey. As it happened, the guardwas at that moment engaged in unlocking another compartment from whichissued a solitary man, heavily bearded, his hat pulled over his eyes.

  Almost coincidental with Bob's inquiry the "jailer" appeared and openedthe door for his temporary prisoners. The Khaki Boys skipped nimblyout of the compartment and started off at a leisurely pace across thestation platform.

  "A fine evening for a hike," pronounced Roger presently, drawing in along breath of the crisp night air. "Just enough cold to make a fellowfeel brisk and snappy."

  "Don't you get 'snappy' with me," warned Bob jokingly. "I'm in a realgood humor and I'd hate to have to snap back."

  Now well away from the station, the hikers were tramping along fiveabreast in the middle of a street of a little French village, whichthey had to traverse in order to reach their camp.

  "It's almost as light as day," Jimmy squinted up at the round moon."This would be a fine night for a Boche air raid on Paris."

  "Too light," disagreed Schnitzel. "A Zep would be spotted in a hurryand the Archies would get busy and smash it."

  By "Archies" Schnitzel referred to the anti-aircraft guns, a part ofthe defenses of Paris against air raids.

  "Did you hear what Voissard was telling me about the megaphones postedoutside the city?" asked Roger.

  Ignace, Schnitzel and Bob answered in the affirmative.

  "I only caught part of it. I was talking to Jack," replied Jimmy. "Whatwas it he said?"

  "Well, they call these megaphones 'the ears of Paris.' They arerecording reversed machines with microphone attachments. They're set upin clusters of four at different points just outside the city. Throughthem the sound of an airship's engine and propellers can be heard fivemiles away. There's a look-out for every bunch of 'em. The minute theybegin to hum he sends warning. Then, bing! The searchlights blaze upin the sky and a flock of aeroplanes get busy and attack the Bocheraiders."

  "Good work!" approved Jimmy. "I wonder if it's the same in London?There seem to be more raids there than any place else. Almost every bigraid you read about's on London."

  "I suppose the fog gives the brutes more of a show to drop bombs,"reflected Schnitzel.

  "It's a horrible business," growled Bob. "I'm glad the Allies arebeginning to give the dogs some of their own dope. I wish they'd wipeGermany off the map."

  "She'll do that for herself if she keeps on trying a little longer. I'dhate to be deutschy Deutschland when our Allies get through with her.She'll sure be out in the cold," predicted Roger.

  "Let her freeze. She deserves it," was Jimmy's vengeful opinion.

  "So think I," echoed Ignace, who had been plodding tranquilly alongwith his Brothers in his usual silent fashion.

  "Poland at last heard from!" exclaimed Bob. "I thought it had beenstruck dumb by Cousin Emile."

  "No yet," flung back Ignace. "So much I hear I feel to keep the shutup. So mebbe I learn som'thin'."

  "Oh, my conversation is always highly instructive," Bob patronizinglyassured. "You can learn something from Bobby every time he opens hismouth. He's a walking compendium of knowledge and a spouting fount ofuseful information."

  "We'll let _Bobby_ tell it," jeered Jimmy. "I wouldn't be caughtdead----"

  Walking next to Bob, something suddenly cut the narrow space betweenthe two with the peculiar whistling whine which belongs only to aspeeding bullet.

  "Drop!" yelled Jimmy, suiting the action to the word. "Some Boche hasit in for us!"