an Zeppelin or a bombing aircraft had,
before this, dropped explosives. To these the French had become as much
accustomed as one ever can to such terrible means of attack.

But this was different. There was no sign of a Hun aircraft, and, as the
chauffeur had said, no police warning had been sounded.

"What is it?" asked Jack.

"It is a bombardment, that is all I know," replied the taxicab driver.
He spoke in French, a language which the two boys used fairly well,
though, as has been said, their accent left much to be desired.

"You had best seek shelter until it is over," went on the man. "I shall
do so myself." He seemed to pause suggestively, and Jack handed him some
money.

"_Merci_," he murmured, and an instant later was careening down the
street at full speed.

"He isn't losing any time," said Jack.

"No. And perhaps we hadn't better, either. Where'd that shell fall?"
asked Tom.

"I don't know, but it must have been somewhere about here, judging by
the noise. Look, the crowd's over that way," and he pointed to the left.

It was true. Careless of the danger of remaining in the open, men, and
women, too, as well as some children, were rushing toward the place
where, undoubtedly, the shell from the German gun had fallen.

"Might as well take it in," suggested Jack. "I don't want to crawl down
into a cellar or a subway quite yet, even if there's one around here; do
you?"

"No," answered Tom, "I don't. Go on, I'm with you."

They followed the throng, but could not resist the impulse to gaze
upward now and then for a possible sight of another shell, which, they
half hoped, they might observe in time to run for shelter. But of course
that would have been out of the question. However, quiet succeeded the
din of the explosion, which had been close to the spot where the taxicab
had stopped and the boys had alighted.

Following the crowd, Tom and Jack came to a side street, and one look
down it showed the havoc wrought by the German engine of death. The
shell, of what kind or calibre could not be even guessed, had fallen on
top of an establishment where a number of women and girls were employed.
And many of these had been killed or wounded. There were heart-rending
scenes, which it is not good to dwell upon. But, even in the terror and
horror, French efficiency was at the fore.

Ambulances were summoned, a guard was thrown about the building, and the
work of aiding the injured and tenderly carrying out the d