be given every possible courtesy by loyal Belgians,
as they had proved their friendship for the little kingdom to the
utmost.

Then later on the motorcycle trio knew they were on French soil, for
they had been stopped by a patrol in the famous blue tunics of the
republican army. Once more had their passports been scanned, and after a
little consultation, in which Rod was able to mingle a few sentences, he
speaking French, they were saluted respectfully by the patrol, and
allowed to proceed.

After that they had arrived at Dunkirk, where later on hundreds of
thousands of British soldiers were destined to be landed.

Once through this city the boys headed on south, aiming to reach Calais
before evening came. So far nothing serious had hindered their forward
progress, and all of them felt light-hearted indeed.

Then had come the halt at the cool wayside spring; and it was after
drinking their fill of the delightful water, thanks to a gourd some kind
person had supplied, that Hanky Panky announced his discovery.

Josh took a look, and then burst out into a loud laugh.

"Why, if you're going to believe because a fellow wears khaki he must
own a motorcycle," he told the other, "you'll have the whole country
full of spinning machines. Those are British soldiers, Hanky; Tommy
Atkins, you know, come over to France to give a helping hand to keep the
Germans out of Paris."

"Sure they are," grinned the other; "as if we didn't spy a lot of the
same up at Dunkirk when we slipped through. I was only guying you, Josh.
But we must be near Calais, don't you think, Rod?"

"Only a few miles more and we'll get there," the leader advised him.
"Like as not there's a regiment of Britishers camped near by, ready to
start off in the direction of Paris when trains can be supplied."

"Huh! they'll need all the hands they can muster to hold back that army
we saw passing through Brussels, I wager," said Josh.[1]

"Hundreds of thousands of Germans, if there was one," added Hanky Panky;
"why, they passed on the dog-trot for hours all that afternoon; and in
the morning the drab-colored line was still moving steadily through the
city, headed south."

"There, those two men are going down the road now, in the same direction
we are," Josh went on to say; "I'd like to come up with them, and hear a
few words in my own mother tongue. Let me tell you I'm tired of
listening to only German, Flemish and French."

The two soldiers, hearing the splut