“Well, crawl under, and hold up the car while we work,” suggested Giraffe, maliciously; “because I’m a little afraid of that jack we’ve got; it doesn’t look overly strong. What’s the use of having a broad back like yours, Bumpus, if you can’t make good?”
However, Bumpus declined to be tempted to undertake the job. He did cease his complaining remarks, and went to one side of the road, where he sat down and waited for the others to get through.
They did not have the road to themselves all this time. Occasionally some vehicle would come along. Now it was a van loaded for the front, either with goods, or soldiers, or ammunition. Again it might turn out to be some of the wounded heroes on their way to the rear. Several times the boys had seen men in uniform, with perhaps an arm bound up, walking along the road. They had stoutly declined to take up precious room in an ambulance, meaning to walk all the way to the city. That was the kind of stuff those French fighters were made of. Being sent to the rear meant to them a punishment they did not much fancy, while the battle was still on, and enemies to be struck.
“All right again!” announced Thad, finally, at which Bumpus was galvanized into life, for he scrambled to his feet, and ambled toward them, his face creased with amiable smiles.
“After all we made pretty fine time of it!” declared Allan; “just twenty minutes, and a hard job in the bargain, because we’re not familiar with the French style of tires and inner tubes.”
Once more they were moving along, and all seemed well. Giraffe even made ready to keep an eye out for that cross-road which Thad had promised to explore in the endeavor to reach the main line into the city. He guessed that it must be somewhere ahead a short distance; any minute they might come upon the turn, when Thad expected to decide on their next move. If the road looked good they would try it.
“I think I see the turn, Thad,” he presently called out; “just where that post is planted. Yes, it has some sort of sign on the same. And now to decide whether we want to try the run across, or not.”
CHAPTER XXV
GIRAFFE HAS A NARROW ESCAPE
Thad had no hesitation about turning into the side road. It seemed a pretty decent route and, indeed, as he happened to know, there were few poor roads anywhere in France.
“We’ve got a whole lot to learn about the way to make decent roads,” Giraffe admitted as they started on. “America can boast of some things but in others she’s away behind.”