the ford across the Marne."

"Do you mean Andre?" demanded Hanky Panky, instantly.

"Just who I meant," came the reply.

The others knew that as Rod spoke French, and had talked with a number
of people as well as soldiers on the road, he must be primed with
information such as had not fallen to their lot. Hence it never occurred
to either of them to question the accuracy of anything he might say.

"That would be too bad for all of us," remarked Josh, "if anything
happened to Andre, just when we got within stone's-throw of him. But
Rod, do we have to stay right here, and do our looking?"

"What makes you ask that, Josh?"

"Well, you see, there's a whole lot better place over yonder, if only we
could reach it; but I'm afraid lugging our machines over the rough
ground would be too big a job."

At that Rod took a glance, and of course saw the advantages to be
attained by a shift in their position.

"It might be done," he told the anxious Josh, "if we cared to try and
conceal our wheels somewhere near by, and walked or ran over to the
rise."

"Would that be safe?" asked Hanky Panky, fearful lest they after all
lose their mounts, and be compelled to walk, or depend on getting an
occasional lift from some vehicle going in the direction of Paris.

"Reasonably so, I think," admitted the leader.

Encouraged by his tone Josh began to cast about in the hope of
discovering a hiding place that would stand the test. This he speedily
succeeded in doing, for Josh had sharp eyes, and could see things in a
flash that it would take another a long time in finding out.

So they made haste to hide the trio of motorcycles in the shrubbery,
hoping no one might by accident force a way through just at that
particular point, and discover what had been left there.

"Now let's whoop it up for the rise!" suggested the eager Josh, for the
sound of the battle had grown so insistent that he was fairly wild to
see everything going on.

They all ran in a bunch, for Rod held Josh in, so that Hanky Panky might
not be left too far behind. When they arrived at the place picked out
for their station they found that, just as Josh had guessed, it was
admirably fitted for their purpose.

Brief though the time had been taken up with this strategic maneuver the
fight had evidently progressed beyond the preliminary artillery duel.
True, the guns on either side of the Marne were thundering fearfully,
and every time a battery sent out its winged mess