who had previously helped me, I explained my
plans to him.

"Well, monsieur," he said, "I will try and help you, but for me it is
not possible to get you through. I am stationed here indefinitely, but I
have a friend who drives an armoured car. I will ask him to do it." We
then parted; I was to meet him with his friend that night.

I packed my things as close as possible, tying two extra spools of film
in a package round my waist under my coat, put on my knapsack, and drew
my Balaclava helmet well down over my chin.

Anxiously I awaited my friends. Seven o'clock--eight o'clock--nine
o'clock. "Were they unable to come for me?" "Was there some hitch in the
arrangement?" These thoughts flashed through my mind, when suddenly I
heard a voice call behind me.

"Monsieur, monsieur!"

[Illustration: USING MY AEROSCOPE CAMERA IN BELGIUM, 1914-15]

Turning, I saw my chauffeur friend beckoning to me. Hurrying forward, I
asked if all was well.

"Oui, monsieur. I will meet you by the railway cutting."

This was the beginning of an adventure which I shall always remember. I
had been up at the bridge some two minutes, when the armoured car glided
up. "Up, monsieur," came a voice, and up I got. Placing my camera by the
side of the mitrailleuse, I sat by my chauffeur, and we started off for
the French lines.

Dashing along roads covered with shell-holes, I marvelled again and
again at the man's wonderful driving. Heaps of times we escaped a
smash-up by a hair's-breadth.

On we went over the dunes; the night was continuously lighted up by
flashes from the big guns, both French and German. We were pulled up
with a jerk, which sent me flying over the left wheel, doing a
somersault, and finally landing head first into a lovely soft sandbank.
Spluttering and staggering to my feet, I looked round for the cause of
my sudden exit from the car, and there in the glare of the headlight
were two French officers. Both were laughing heartily and appreciating
the joke. As I had not hurt myself, I joined in. After our hilarity had
subsided they apologised, and hoped I had not hurt myself. Seeing that I
was an an Englishman, they asked me where I was going. I replied, "to
Nieuport Bain." They asked me if my chauffeur might take a message to
the Captain of the ---- Chasseurs. "Yes, yes," I replied, "with
pleasure."

Thinking that by staying every second might be dangerous, I asked the
officers to give the message, and we would proceed. They