h French and German dead. In
between the rows of corpses, which had hurriedly been pushed to one side,
the other troops worked, apparently without thought of their fallen
comrades. Red Cross physicians and nurses were working among the wounded,
lightening the suffering.

Hal looked at his watch.

"Twelve o'clock!" he muttered. "It seems as if this single battle had
been going on for days!"

He made his way slowly back to General Petain.

Chester, his message delivered, also had taken account of the French
position on the right. There the fighting had been particularly severe,
and the newly won positions presented ghastly spectacles. Chester
shuddered:

"And this is war!" he said.

He made his way back to headquarters and rejoined Hal.

"Wonder if we shall try for the second line defenses to-day?" Hal said
to his chum.

"I don't know; but I wouldn't be surprised to hear the order at any
minute now. Look at the masses of reinforcements being rushed forward.
Surely, they are not being sent there just to hold the trenches. No; I
believe that to-day General Petain hopes to carry at least the second and
third line of trenches on our whole front."

And, as it transpired, Chester was right.

At four o'clock in the afternoon the French had established
themselves firmly in the German second line trenches, although at
great cost. Dense masses of reinforcements were immediately rushed
forward. To Hal and Chester this signified that there was still to be
another effort that day.

And at five o'clock in the evening the effort was made.

Under a sun that beat down with terrific force, despite the lateness of
the hour, the French infantry again advanced to the attack. Flushed with
two victories earlier in the day, they went forward confidently and with
eagerness and enthusiasm. Cheers broke out along the whole line as they
advanced. Farther back, a band--many bands--played "The Marseillaise."

The German troops, twice driven back before the victorious French,
nevertheless stood firm in their trenches. They had learned a dear lesson
at the hands of their enemy this day; and while they realized fully that
they were getting the worst of the battle, they still stuck bravely to
their task.

Terrible as it was, it was an awe-inspiring sight that Hal and Chester,
far back with General Petain and staff, witnessed through their glasses
that late afternoon.

In dense masses the French hurled themselves against the German tren