r! I spoke too soon, didn't I?"

The sounds had indeed started in again with even more vigor than before.
Hanky Panky, catching what seemed like a chuckle, suddenly turned on
Josh.

"I've tumbled to your silly game at last, Josh," he said, pointing a
finger at the other in a stern fashion; "somehow I clean forgot how you
used to be such a smarty at throwing your voice, and aimed some day to
be a regular ventriloquist on the stage. Well, you _did_ fool me
all right, I own up; and I had my climb down into the old well for
nothing. Hope you're satisfied now. Let's take another drink all around,
and then get along."

Hanky Panky was one of those good-natured fellows who could laugh at a
clever joke even when himself the victim; so that he did not bear any
grudge for the way in which Josh had deluded him.

"But I'm glad anyhow that I didn't lose my grip, and drop into the
water," he went on to say; "because it was terribly cold down there."

"All's well that ends well!" croaked Josh, with a happy grin, for he
believed he had once more cleared the slate in the account with his
fun-loving comrade.

Soon afterwards they left the ruined place and once more started along
the road. Again they came upon scenes of desolation, with clusters of
natives standing by the ruins of their late possessions, to wave an
encouraging hand as the three boys sped past. Doubtless many of them
believed Rod and his mates must belong to some section of the brave
French army, for their khaki uniforms seemed to proclaim this. And every
little helped when the gigantic task of turning the invaders out of
France was considered, even the assistance of a trio of half-grown lads.

If things kept up as they were now going Rod confidently believed they
would be close to the battle line again inside of two hours. The roar of
the guns announced that severe fighting was going on not many miles
distant.

They were making only slow progress at this time, so many obstacles
impeded their way. Numerous stops were also made so that Rod could
exchange a few sentences with some of the people they came upon, so as
to pick up information that might prove of advantage to strangers in a
section of country new to them.

There was no time when right and left they could not see a myriad of
interesting things. Most of them pertained to warfare--marching troops;
strings of prisoners being led to the rear; broken caissons and
abandoned guns; wrecked bicycles, and even mo