human
We certainly did, said Jacques.
gpt
Major Villier seemed very much pleased with what we had done and he said he would see to it that we were mentioned at headquarters.
human
Were they worried about us at all?
gpt
They were a little; they had expected us back sooner than we actually did arrive.
human
What did the major think of our blowing up that train?
gpt
It seemed to please him greatly, said Jacques.
human
In fact he was almost as pleased about that as he was about our having delivered the dispatches safely at Flambeau.
gpt
I should think he'd been more glad about the train than the dispatches,
human
We don't know what they were, Jacques reminded him.
gpt
Evidently they were even more important than blowing up a munition-train.
human
At any rate I'm glad Major Villier approved of what we did.
gpt
He said we got into too many scrapes, laughed Earl.
human
He said that unless we were careful we might get hurt.
gpt
He was joking, wasn't he?
human
Of course he was; as though we went around looking for trouble.
gpt
I want to get up, exclaimed Leon suddenly.
human
I want something to eat, too, and I want it quick and I want an awful lot of it.
gpt
Whew! whistled Jacques smilingly.
human
You must be feeling better.
gpt
I never felt so well in my life, cried Leon.
human
I feel like a king.
gpt
Well, I wouldn't care to feel that way, laughed Earl.
human
As far as I can see there aren't very many kings who are very well off these days.
gpt
Well, then I feel the way kings used to feel, said Leon.
human
Have it any way you want, but give me something to eat.
gpt
How would you like to go automobiling after you eat? inquired Jacques.
human
Earl and I are going.
gpt
What do you mean?
human
I've got to run an ambulance up to the front and we are to start in about fifteen minutes. I need two helpers and if you feel strong enough you may come along.
gpt
Of course I'll go, exclaimed Leon.
human
What are they doing with you anyway, Jacques? It seems to me you have a new job about every day.
gpt
He's general utility man, laughed Earl,
human
It looks so, Leon agreed.
gpt
At any rate I don't mind it. I'm rather fond of variety.
human
Did you hear about the _douzième_?
gpt
Tell me what has happened to them, demanded Leon quickly.
human
Where are they?
gpt
There are not many of them left, said Jacques soberly.
human
Do you remember that bombardment we saw as we flew over the firing line last night?
gpt
I do. I remember we wondered if our regiment was in it.
human
Well they were all right, said Jacques.
gpt
They bore the brunt of the whole attack and if it hadn't been for them I don't know what would have happened.
human
Tell me about it,
gpt
The Boches launched a terrible bombardment on that portion of the line held by the _douzième_, continued Jacques.
human
Then they turned loose one of those massed infantry attacks on our trenches and though the _douzième_ was outnumbered nearly four to one they held fast. Not without paying the price though and half of our comrades were either killed or wounded so that they are out of it.
gpt
Did the Germans take the trench?
human
They reached it at some points and even entered it; just as things looked blackest, reënforcements arrived and drove them out and saved the trench.
gpt
Good! cried Leon heartily.
human
It must have been splendid!
gpt
More bloody than splendid I guess, said Earl grimly.
human
I think we were pretty lucky to have missed it.
gpt
So do I, agreed Jacques.
human
Still I hate to be absent when the rest of our regiment is fighting.
gpt
Weren't you fighting all that time?
human
Oh, yes, but somehow I feel so much safer up in the air than I do in the trenches.
gpt
There aren't many safe spots left in Europe now anyway, I guess,
human
Nor any other place in the world, for that matter, added Leon.
gpt
Just stop a minute and think where there have been battles fought in this war.
human
Pretty nearly every place you can think of,
gpt
I know it; in France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Austria, Italy, Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, China--
human
What was in China?
gpt
Kiao Chau. Don't you know that port the Japanese and English took from the Germans?
human
That's right. Then there is or has been fighting in Armenia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Africa, the Marshall Islands and all those islands down around Australia; Zeppelins have raided England.
gpt
Yes, exclaimed Leon,
human
It's awful, isn't it? said Earl.
gpt
And right at home in America the Germans have been blowing up factories that were making arms for the Allies; they've also been putting bombs on ships.
human
Why doesn't your country stop that?
gpt
Don't ask me, exclaimed Earl.
human
I wish they would; if they'd deal with some of those plotters the way any European government would, I think all that trouble would end. We're too good to people in the United States.
gpt
That's right, agreed Leon.
human
We offer them our hospitality and give them a chance to earn a good living and then they turn on us.
gpt
Some day the people of the United States will turn on them,
human
That's just what will happen, exclaimed Earl.
gpt
They will stand for a lot over there and they don't get angry easily; people like that are the worst kind when they do lose their tempers. One of these days they'll all get mad and those trouble makers will wake up to find that they've been playing with fire.
human
There's our ambulance, said Jacques suddenly.
gpt
Come along.
human
A gas attack,
gpt
The Boches using gas again? exclaimed Jacques.
human
That's bad.
gpt
That means work for the ambulances and hospitals, remarked Leon soberly.
human
That's the worst death of all.
gpt
But we all have masks,
human
Thank goodness we have! muttered Jacques.
gpt
All ready?
human
Go ahead,