Shovels and picks were now employed feverishly to dig the holes and plant the poles. The wires were strung and the decorations added, not only along and around the location of each gun, but in the spaces between the pieces. The vans came up continually with new burdens of boughs, until the boys thought there would be no end to this new species of arbor culture.
"Ralph, do you think we could spot this place at a distance of five thousand feet in a swift Morane?" asked Alfred.
"I should say not," replied Ralph, "but there is one thing I should do if I had anything to say about it."
"And what is that?" asked the captain, who overheard the remark.
"I'd completely cover the breech of the gun and the ammunition case," he answered.
"And why?" asked the captain, with a smile.
"Because the merest glimpse of shiny metal is likely to be noticed when flying. I have seen that many times when flying, and Lieutenant Guyon always told us to watch for it," replied Ralph.
"You are right," answered the captain. "That will be your work. Here, men, follow the instruction of these boys as to the placing of the boughs."
The sergeant showed his pleasure at the order, for he somehow felt himself to be sponsor for the boys. "You've got the old man going," he whispered to the boys.
"Shall I go to the next gun?" inquired Alfred, addressing the captain.