chatting
with a French major and two captains. Colonel Cleaves introduced
his own officers, then added:

"Gentlemen, it is intended that as many as possible of the officers
of this regiment shall go to the fighting front and spend some time
there studying the actual war conditions. You four have been chosen
for the first detail. Captain Ribaut is going to take you there.
He will act as your guide and your mentor for the length of your
visit to the front trenches."

Even the steady, unexcitable Major Wells showed his delight very
plainly. To a soldier this was unexpected good luck, to start
immediately, with the surety of finding himself speedily in the
thick of things in the greatest war in the world's history!

"I have informed Captain Ribaut," Colonel Cleaves continued, "that
you will be ready to leave the ship in an hour."

CHAPTER XIII

OFF TO SEE FRITZ IN HIS WILD STATE

By the time that Dick and his brother officers left the ship in
the wake of Captain Ribaut, the infantrymen massed along the nearby
street had been gladdened by the sight of a few score of French
women and children who came to the water front to look on.

Half of the regiment was now ashore and the rest were going over
the side slowly.

At the head of the pier Captain Cartwright saluted Major Wells
and Captain Ribaut, and found chance to say to Prescott in a low
tone:

"You're always one of the lucky ones! How do you manage it?"

"I don't know that there is any system possible in inviting luck,"
Dick smiled.

"You're going right up to the actual front. You'll see Fritz in
his wild state. I envy you!"

"Your turn will come, Cartwright."

"It can't come too soon then. For to-day, and the next few days,
I can't see anything ahead of me but drudgery."

Ever since that quarrel at Camp Berry, Cartwright had kept mostly
away from Prescott and Holmes. Dick, who knew the captain for
an indolent chap, didn't know whether, in other respects, he liked
him. To most of the officers of the Ninety-ninth Cartwright appeared
to be more unfortunate than worthless.

"Gentlemen," said Captain Ribaut, when they had passed the head of
the pier, "I think that I can obtain a car if you wish it. What
is your pleasure?"

"Thank you, but we've been on shipboard for so many days that
we'll enjoy the chance to stretch our legs," replied Major Wells.
"A walk of a few miles would do us a lot of good this morning."

"It is not that far,"