of a night patrol, or the false alarm of some
one on listening post, there was little action during the hours
preceding the great offensive.

Their tour of duty ended, Ned, Bob, and Jerry sought rest in the
dugout. There, with but few more comforts than in the trenches, they
waited until the time should come again for them to go out and take a
"mud bath," as Ned called it.

For it rained often, and the trenches never seemed to dry. Still at
this stage of the war there were more comforts for the men on the
firing line than when France and England first opposed the advance of
the gray hordes.

"When does the big show start?" asked Ned, as he and his chums came
out of the dugout for a few hours' stay farther behind the lines. "I
thought the bombardment was to begin this morning."

"Must be delayed for some reason," said Jerry with a yawn. "Come on,
let's go somewhere and sit down. We'll know when it's time for the
shindig to start."

"Let's see if we can find the professor," suggested Bob. "We may have
hard work to get word to him after the fighting begins."

This seemed a good plan, and it was followed. Professor Snodgrass was
billeted temporarily in a farmhouse on the edge of a little French
village near which the boys were on duty. Thither they went, and found
their friend poring over books and papers.

"Well, how goes it?" asked Jerry, after they had all shaken hands.

"Well, indeed," was the answer. "I have not yet found the young
ladies, but I expect to, soon. I have heard that Mr. Schmouder, the
father of the janitor, who was looking after them, and who knew
something of their plans, moved from his home town, outside of Metz,
lately, and started farther back into Germany."

"Then I should think it would be harder than ever for you to trace
them," suggested Ned.

"No, I think it will be easier," said the professor, but he did not
explain how.

"Getting the results you expected from the insect noise campaign,
Professor?" asked Jerry.

"Yes, my boy. It is a complete success. I even have some moving
pictures taken with my new machine that helped me capture the Germans.
Wait, and I will show you."

He seemed as cheerful as though no cloud of financial trouble hung
over his head and as though the World War were being fought to give
him opportunity to test the effect of noise on the crickets. He turned
to a table in his room, and began delving in a mass of things. To get
at something he wanted to exhibit