Many moments passed and Armande did not return. The roar of the cannonade seemed to be slackening as time went on but it was still violent. No orders had come to the men as to what they were expected to do and consequently they surmised that they were not to attack again that morning. Before a charge the soldiers were usually notified so that they could have full opportunity for preparation.
"What's that?" demanded Earl suddenly, during a slight lull in the artillery duel. Armande had been gone about an hour.
"What's what?" asked Leon.
"I thought I heard a bell ring."
"A bell! What kind of a bell?"
"It sounded like a cow-bell to me."
"How could that be? What would a cow-bell be doing out here on the battlefield? I suppose the Germans are grazing their cattle out there."
"Don't be silly, Leon," exclaimed Earl.
Suddenly the bell sounded again; there was no mistaking it this time and all the men heard it. It was immediately followed by a burst of violent machine-gun fire from the German trenches.
"What do you suppose it is?" demanded Leon excitedly.