had happened
miles away, where the roll of the great guns had been sounding so long,
bringing terror to the faithful hearts of the good people. How they
shouted and even embraced each other as they learned what measure of
success was coming to their army. One and all they were now positive
that their wonderful commander would never give up the pursuit until he
actually dictated terms of peace before the walls of Berlin itself.

When Rod modestly mentioned the fact that he and his two chums were
hungry they immediately received a dozen offers of accommodation and
supper. Every house in the village belonged to them, and they were at
liberty to ask for anything they wanted.

Rod, however, used a little discretion. He did not in the first place
want to be separated from his chums, and this meant they must choose
some house capable of entertaining them all.

In the end he selected for their hostess a middle-aged woman who looked
prosperous and capable of attending to their wants without robbing
herself. The three motorcycles were stacked in the yard close by, where
they continued to attract the attention of every boy, big or small, in
the village.

Rod was not in the least afraid to leave them. He knew full well that
there was not any chance of the machines being tampered with; for those
French boys seemed well behaved. He wondered what would happen over at
his home town of Garland, where such fellows as Oscar Griffin, Gid
Collins and their like loved to play all manner of tricks and practical
jokes, regardless of other people's feelings.

Comfortably seated inside the house Rod and his chums awaited the call
to supper. They could get tantalizing whiffs of the food that was being
prepared for their consumption as the odors crept in from the kitchen;
and Josh several times privately declared he did not see how he was
going to stand that sort of thing much longer, for it was making him
fairly frantic, he was so ravenous.

Rod was figuring on where the three motorcycles should be placed for the
night, and had already made up his mind to ask if they could be brought
into the house; because while the good people of the village might all
be as honest as the day, stragglers from the army were apt to come along
who might feel like helping themselves to a "good thing" when they found
it so convenient.

It was just at this moment, when they were expecting to be called into
the dining-room to sit down at the bountiful feast pro