only get killed and what good will it do?"

"I won't be killed," laughed Armande. "Those Boches, they cannot
shoot."

"Don't you fool yourself," said Dubois seriously. "Of course they can
shoot and shoot well too. You are foolish, Armande."

"Perhaps," Armande admitted with a shrug. "At any rate I shall now
crawl over and have a look at the German trenches while it is yet dark.
I shall be back before long."

"I hope so," muttered Dubois soberly.

Armande crept out of the trench and disappeared into the night. It is
one of the remarkable things about war that men soon seem to lose all
fear of death. The noise of the big guns and the shell fire terrifies
them at first, but they rapidly become accustomed to it and it makes
but small impression on them. Life in the trenches becomes very dull
and the men do all kinds of foolhardy things just to experience a
thrill. They laugh at death and even play with it.

Such a man was Armande and though Dubois had tried to prevent his
leaving the trench, the fact that he insisted upon going did not make
much impression upon him. Many others had done things equally foolish.

"He may get back," remarked Leon.

"Oh, yes," said Dubois lightly. "The night is dark and he may not be
seen."

"How far is it to the German trenches from here?" asked Earl.

"A hundred yards I guess," said Dubois. "I'm not quite sure though."

"About that," said Leon. "What's he going to do?"

"He said he was going to go over and take a look at the German
trenches," said Earl. "I suppose that's where he's gone."

Many moments passed and Armande did not return. The roar of the
cannonade seemed to be slackening as time went on but it was still
violent. No orders had come to the men as to what they were expected
to do and consequently they surmised that they were not to attack again
that morning. Before a charge the soldiers were usually notified so
that they could have full opportunity for preparation.

"What's that?" demanded Earl suddenly, during a slight lull in the
artillery duel. Armande had been gone about an hour.

"What's what?" asked Leon.

"I thought I heard a bell ring."

"A bell! What kind of a bell?"

"It sounded like a cow-bell to me."

"How could that be? What would a cow-bell be doing out here on the
battlefield? I suppose the Germans are grazing their cattle out there."

"Don't be silly, Leon," exclaimed Earl.

Suddenly the bell sounded again; there was no