"Think how many are gone," Jacques reminded him.
"And how many are going to go too," added Leon.
"Perhaps we three right here," said Earl soberly.
"Perhaps so," agreed Jacques. "For me there could be no finer death though than to die with my face to the enemy; to die for my country, fighting for France."
"Let's hope you may live for France," said Leon.
"She has lost so many of her young men," said Earl. "She needs all she has and she'll need them after the war too."
"That's true," agreed Jacques. "Have you noticed lately that the regiments are made up of older men than they were before? The soldiers now are mostly between thirty and forty, where they used to be between twenty and thirty."
"The young armies are gone," said Earl. "Armies of little wooden crosses everywhere along the battle-line show where they have gone, too."
"We're going down now," announced Jacques suddenly. "That is our hangar below there."
"How can you see?" demanded Leon. "I never can see anything at night."