ess by reason of some accident; stocks of provisions that could not
be carried; cooking outfits that were the most complete affairs the boys
had ever seen; and many other things which could not be safely carried
off by an army that was being hourly harassed by a fierce and
unrelenting foe.

The day had worn on while they were in the field hospital so that it was
now getting well along in the afternoon. Rod knew they would soon have
to be thinking of seeking some sort of shelter for the night. He was
more particular about this because clouds had come up, and there seemed
a chance that rain would follow, as often happens immediately after a
great battle has been fought in which there is much cannon firing and
consequent concussion of the atmosphere.

At noon they had shared the meagre lunch of the noble French army
surgeon, who had conceived such an ardent admiration for the trio of
young Americans. Josh was already heard saying that he felt as hungry as
a tramp who had been walking the railroad ties from early morning; and
hoping that they would be lucky enough to soon strike a house where a
meal might be secured.

This was what Rod had in mind when ahead of him he discovered signs of a
pretty little French village. His hopes mounted higher because from the
evidence before them it seemed plain that the retreating Germans had
somehow managed to pass around this small place, so that there was a
pretty good chance they would find a hospitable woman there, who, after
learning that they had been assisting in the field, would be only too
proud to cook them a meal, and it might be allow them to sleep in her
house.

"I'd be willing to occupy a shed, or even a dog-kennel so long as it
didn't have a French poodle occupant," Hanky Panky had solemnly said,
when they talked this over at the last crossroads, as they stopped a
short time to confer upon their plan of campaign.

Their coming created quite a little furore in the village, for being off
the main road to Paris the good people here had as yet not learned what
wonderful success General Joffre was meeting with in his attempt to
force the stubborn enemy back toward the Rhine country.

The boys were soon surrounded by a throng of women and children, with a
smattering of very old men. Apparently there was not a single
able-bodied man left in the place, every one having gone to join the
colors and defend the capital.

Rod was kept busy telling some of the grand things that