think the troops are to be congratulated for
their success, and certainly this outfit was lucky in that we didn't
hang any planes on the top of Vauquois or in the woods. Four balloons
and three E.A. is not such a bad record for a day like this. We held
complete supremacy."

"Congratulations will be in order after a complete success, Lieutenant.
Now for to-morrow--here, see this map." Larkin winked shrewdly as Cowan
led them over to a detailed wall map. "The lines of departure are here.
Our most advanced positions, now, as near as we can tell, are well
beyond the Hindenburg Line, with the Hagen Stellung line of defense
facing our troops to-morrow. Montfaucon, the enemy's strongest point,
and for months headquarters for the Crown Prince, blocks the way for the
5th Corps. It is a commanding and strong position. No one knows just how
strong it is."

"Pardon me," a voice came from directly behind them, "but I know a great
deal about its strength."

So interested had they been, that they had not heard anyone enter. At
sound of the voice they wheeled around. There stood Siddons, mud from
head to foot but smiling expansively.

"Siddons!" Cowan exclaimed. "You?"

"Yes, sir--fortunately."

All three of the startled men rushed forward to wring his hand. There
was a hubbub of excited talk and exclamations of surprise, with no
chance for the mind to put forth logical questions. Cowan was the first
to gain some degree of composure.

"Heavens, man! How did you get here?"

"Crawled, walked and ran, and the last few miles in a side car," Siddons
replied. "Last night, at midnight, I was being held at Montfaucon under
the trumped up pretext that a staff officer was on his way down to see
me and that I was to take off with von Herzmann later in the night. But
I knew that von Herzmann had taken off with another pilot, and I knew
that the jig was up. They weren't accusing me of anything--as yet--but
they were very quiet and their manner told me all I needed to know.
Then, bing! the barrage opened up. It was some surprise. They hadn't the
foggiest notion that a blow was to be struck here. Almost the first pop
out of the box that long range railway rifle at Neuvilly dropped one of
those big G.I. cans just outside of headquarters. There was a grand
scramble for the deep dugouts. You never saw so many High Ones streaking
it for safety.

"I made tracks too, but I missed the dugout door--by design! Pretty soon
another big shell came a