Tom smiled as he reveled in their joy. He pointed ahead, and the boys quickly turned. Far off, in the distance, they saw what seemed to be immense fields of snow.
"What can that be?" asked Ralph.
Alfred shook his head, and gazed silently, then turned toward Tom. "Can you make it out?" he asked Ralph. The latter shook his head.
The machine went on for ten minutes more. Beyond the white fields something else arrested their attention; great clouds of smoke were observed. They were not clouds, and there was no fire visible on the earth. That was the second mystery.
"I know what that is now," said Ralph.
"What is it?" asked Alfred.
"Tents, tents," said Ralph.
"Yes, and that smoke must come from the big guns," said Alfred.
Ralph turned his head toward Tom, and raised his cap. The latter knew that the boys recognized the nature of the scene before them.
"That must be a battle," said Alfred, as he pointed to the great clouds of smoke.