“That’s the queerest thing I’ve run across for many a day,” he was saying; “but you notice that it doesn’t come any more now, since I went down. Oh! thunder! I spoke too soon, didn’t I?”
The sounds had indeed started in again with even more vigor than before. Hanky Panky, catching what seemed like a chuckle, suddenly turned on Josh.
“I’ve tumbled to your silly game at last, Josh,” he said, pointing a finger at the other in a stern fashion; “somehow I clean forgot how you used to be such a smarty at throwing your voice, and aimed some day to be a regular ventriloquist on the stage. Well, you did fool me all right, I own up; and I had my climb down into the old well for nothing. Hope you’re satisfied now. Let’s take another drink all around, and then get along.”
Hanky Panky was one of those good-natured fellows who could laugh at a clever joke even when himself the victim; so that he did not bear any grudge for the way in which Josh had deluded him.
“But I’m glad anyhow that I didn’t lose my grip, and drop into the water,” he went on to say; “because it was terribly cold down there.”
“All’s well that ends well!” croaked Josh, with a happy grin, for he believed he had once more cleared the slate in the account with his fun-loving comrade.
Soon afterwards they left the ruined place and once more started along the road. Again they came upon scenes of desolation, with clusters of natives standing by the ruins of their late possessions, to wave an encouraging hand as the three boys sped past. Doubtless many of them believed Rod and his mates must belong to some section of the brave French army, for their khaki uniforms seemed to proclaim this. And every little helped when the gigantic task of turning the invaders out of France was considered, even the assistance of a trio of half-grown lads.
If things kept up as they were now going Rod confidently believed they would be close to the battle line again inside of two hours. The roar of the guns announced that severe fighting was going on not many miles distant.
They were making only slow progress at this time, so many obstacles impeded their way. Numerous stops were also made so that Rod could exchange a few sentences with some of the people they came upon, so as to pick up information that might prove of advantage to strangers in a section of country new to them.
There was no time when right and left they could not see a myriad of interesting things. Most of them pertained to warfare–marching troops; strings of prisoners being led to the rear; broken caissons and abandoned guns; wrecked bicycles, and even motorcycles cast aside when of no further service to the retreating Germans; cooking outfits that had been wonderful contrivances before being utterly smashed on their late owners finding they could not be taken along; and other things too numerous to mention.