“Our camp is about a mile ahead, and alongside the road,” one of them hastened to explain; “you will be held up there, unless you sheer off on a little side road that lies just beyond that batch of squatty trees.”
Evidently this was intended as a gentle hint. Rod, however, only laughed.
“Thanks for the tip, my friend,” he said gaily; “but we mean to spend the night in Calais, and will be only too glad to meet your commanding officer. We have papers he will be pleased to see; and there isn’t a general on French soil but who would gladly let us pass on the recommendations we carry.”
“When do you expect to start for the front?” asked Josh just then, as with his companions he prepared to move on.
“We have received notice that a train will be ready for us an hour after sundown; and let me tell you we are highly pleased to know it,” came the reply, accompanied with a good-natured smile.
“What is the news from the front?” continued Josh eagerly.
“A tremendous battle is on before Paris,” replied the Britisher. “Von Kluck has swung around from the northwest, and is trying to envelope the city with his forces, while two other armies are bearing down from the north and northeast. It will be all the French can do to hold them back. Most of us expect that Paris will fall inside of a few days. But we’re fair wild to get in the ruck, and strike a blow at the Kaiser’s soldiers. He’s called the British a contemptible little army, you must know.”
“Here’s hoping that you do have that pleasure!” called Josh as he turned and looked back over his shoulder, for the three boys had started along the road; “and my dearest wish is that I get on the ground before all the scrapping is over.”
A short time afterwards and they arrived at the place where the regiment of khaki-clad Britisher regulars was in a temporary camp. They were awaiting the summons to take their train when it was made up, and be whirled off to the scene of carnage, where tens of thousands of men on both sides were fated to be killed and wounded before three more suns had set.
Rod expected to be held up, and therefore was not in the least surprised when a patrol stepped into the road, motioning to the three lads to halt. They were soon taken to the place where several officers sat looking over a map of Paris and its environs, where they fully expected to be in action before another twenty-four hours had passed.