d I want an awful lot of it."

"Whew!" whistled Jacques smilingly. "You must be feeling better."

"I never felt so well in my life," cried Leon. "I feel like a king."

"Well, I wouldn't care to feel that way," laughed Earl. "As far as I
can see there aren't very many kings who are very well off these days."

"Well, then I feel the way kings used to feel," said Leon. "Have it
any way you want, but give me something to eat."

"How would you like to go automobiling after you eat?" inquired
Jacques. "Earl and I are going."

"What do you mean?"

"I've got to run an ambulance up to the front and we are to start in
about fifteen minutes. I need two helpers and if you feel strong
enough you may come along."

"Of course I'll go," exclaimed Leon. "What are they doing with you
anyway, Jacques? It seems to me you have a new job about every day."

"He's general utility man," laughed Earl, "and we're his assistants."

"It looks so," Leon agreed. "At any rate I don't mind it. I'm rather
fond of variety."

"Did you hear about the _douzieme_?" asked Jacques.

"Tell me what has happened to them," demanded Leon quickly. "Where are
they?"

"There are not many of them left," said Jacques soberly. "Do you
remember that bombardment we saw as we flew over the firing line last
night?"

"I do. I remember we wondered if our regiment was in it."

"Well they were all right," said Jacques. "They bore the brunt of the
whole attack and if it hadn't been for them I don't know what would
have happened."

"Tell me about it," urged Leon eagerly.

"The Boches launched a terrible bombardment on that portion of the line
held by the _douzieme_," continued Jacques. "Then they turned loose
one of those massed infantry attacks on our trenches and though the
_douzieme_ was outnumbered nearly four to one they held fast. Not
without paying the price though and half of our comrades were either
killed or wounded so that they are out of it."

"Did the Germans take the trench?"

"They reached it at some points and even entered it; just as things
looked blackest, reenforcements arrived and drove them out and saved
the trench."

"Good!" cried Leon heartily. "It must have been splendid!"

"More bloody than splendid I guess," said Earl grimly. "I think we
were pretty lucky to have missed it."

"So do I," agreed Jacques. "Still I hate to be absent when the rest of
our regiment is fighting."

"Weren't you fighting all that tim