engers of death the
very earth seemed to tremble under the boyish trio, who crouched there,
and gazed with their hearts fluttering in their breasts like those of
frightened birds when held in the hand.

The Germans had left quite a strong detachment of their forces behind to
defend that particular ford, which evidently assumed an important
position in the eyes of the commander. The Marne could not be crossed
with heavy artillery in all that section without the building of a
bridge to replace those destroyed by the retreating Teutons, which would
take a certain measure of time to execute.

But it was possible to get the guns across here at the ford, for that
was what the Germans themselves had done. And a crossing here in force
would mean that the pursuing columns of the French must creep that much
closer to the precious big guns which the Germans were doing everything
in their power to save from capture.

A thousand men might be sacrificed in this endeavor, but what of that?
Human material could be replaced readily enough, but it took months to
build up one of those magnificent forty-two centimetre mortars with
which they meant to batter down the defences of Paris, and win the war.

At the moment the three boys reached their point of observation things
were rapidly drawing near a crisis. The French troops were undoubtedly
getting wild to be let loose upon the waiting enemy; only their
commander knew that the chances were as two to one they would not be
able to get across the river so long as that one battery in particular
commanded the ford. Its shells were able to sweep over every yard of the
crossing, and could cut down those who were wading desperately through
the waist-deep water, as though they were helpless flies.

"What are they waiting for, do you think, Rod?" asked Josh, between the
roars of the opposing guns.

"The French leader hates to sacrifice so many of his brave men while
that battery is in a position to sweep the ford," replied the other,
without hesitation, showing that he had grasped the situation even in
that brief time.

"Well, tell me how he expects to get rid of the same?" continued Josh,
though he had to place his lips close to Rod's ear, and fairly bellow
his words in order to make himself heard, such was the increasing din
close by.

"Perhaps he keeps hoping that some of his own guns will be able to
locate the German battery among the bushes there, and disable it," said
Rod.

Hanky