oss the German trenches so we can bring up our guns and
supplies quickly. All shoes and extra clothes and blankets are to be
turned into the quartermaster; every man is to put on clean
underclothes so that if he is wounded he won't be infected. You're to
have your gas-masks ready and every one will receive one hundred and
thirty extra rounds, making two hundred and fifty in all."

"When do we move into the trenches?" asked Jacques.

"Ten o'clock to-night."

"And final inspection is when?"

"One hour before that."

"We'd better get ready," exclaimed Jacques. "It's almost supper-time
now and we've got lots to do."

Every man who passed their tent seemed, to be unusually business-like.
No one seemed nervous or worried, but perhaps a little more serious
than usual. But there was not a man among all those thousands who was
not glad that on the morrow he was to come up out of his hole in the
ground and meet his enemy face to face. An air of quiet confidence
pervaded the camp; the air was full of it and one glance at these
grim-visaged warriors of France was enough to convince any observer
that they were eager for the battle to come.

CHAPTER II

PREPARATIONS

At nine o'clock that evening all arrangements had been completed and
the final inspection held. The last letters were deposited at the
regimental post-office, a most solemn ceremony. Many a long thought
passed through the minds of the soldiers as they mailed what might be
their final messages to their loved ones.

"I don't like this business of hanging around," whispered Jacques in
Leon's ear. "I'd like to get started."

"So should I," agreed Leon. "It seems sort of weird standing here in
the darkness with thousands of men all about you, all waiting for the
same order that we are."

The night was clear and the stars were unusually brilliant. Not a
cloud appeared and the long lines of troops resting on their arms
looked like misshapen hedgerows in the faint light. The roar of the
French artillery came distinctly to the ears of these men who stood and
waited. Every man knew why it was that its activity was so greatly
increased that night. Their guns were playing a stream of metal death
on every yard and foot and inch of the opposing trenches. Not a spot
in the German lines but was being searched by these great mechanical
monsters.

"Listen!" warned Earl suddenly.

Nearby some man had started to sing the Marseillaise. Soon others
joi