shed fact.

Loud arose the huzzas of the survivors. Succor for the injured would
quickly follow, since no pursuit was expected to be organized. The work
to which they had been assigned was now accomplished, and against
difficulties that might have frustrated all their efforts only for the
one gallant man who made victory possible.

Rod and his chums cheered with the rest. They seemed somehow to feel
that their hearts beat in full sympathy for those Frenchmen who were
standing up in defense of their native land.

Josh, more demonstrative than either of his companions, went so far as
to actually throw his arms around Hanky Panky and give him such a
bear-like hug that the other's eyes almost popped from his head and his
breath came in gasps.

"Let up on that sort of business, can't you, Josh!" he managed to cry
indignantly as he broke away from the other's detaining clutch; "what do
you take me for anyway? Must think you're doing one of the new fangled
fox-trot hesitation dances. I've got feelings, I'd have you know; and my
ribs are brittle bones in the bargain, not hoop-iron. Go hunt up a tree
if you must exercise yourself on something. I object!"

Standing there on the rise of ground they could see the first of the
French light batteries crossing the ford, the horses prancing, but
forced to drag the guns through the shallow water. Later on heavier
artillery would also be coming up to follow the fleeing German army,
when the full importance of this ford would be better understood. No
wonder the tactics of delay upon which the Germans were working had
forced them to defend such a spot to the limit.

"What are we going to do next, Rod?" asked Josh, when they had stood and
watched these events taking place for some little time.

"We'll have to hold off until they get things in ship-shape again,"
replied the other; "you see there are the wounded to attend to, the dead
to gather and bury, it may be, as well as a lot of other matters to be
looked after. They'll be in no hurry to chase after the enemy, I
imagine. Their one object was to carry this crossing, and that they've
done."

"But at a terrible cost to them," sighed Hanky Panky, as he saw the
injured being carried to a central point, where doubtless the field
surgeons would be on hand, ready to give them first attention; besides,
there had been scores upon scores carried down the river whose fate
could only be guessed at.

"That's always what war means, I'm afra