ensive,
was a factor that had apparently been overlooked.

The surprise was practically complete. The British army on the
continent at this time numbered slightly more than 100,000 men.
Probably two-thirds of this whole force was hurled across the Marne in
this battle, which, starting as a skirmish, soon grew into one of the
fiercest and bloodiest struggles of history.

Scotch Highlanders, Irish troops, Sikh legions, recently arrived from
India, British troops from other of her foreign possessions and the
English themselves stood shoulder to shoulder, fighting nobly and
driving back the foe.

But the Germans contested every inch of the ground. Outnumbering the
British as they did, however, they were slowly compelled to retreat,
the British pursuing them relentlessly.

Apparently it was not General French's plan to push the battle too
strongly now. It was merely his intention to deliver such a blow as
would make the coup planned by the Germans impracticable.

For seven solid hours the battle for the opposite shore of the Marne
continued, both sides fighting desperately and heroically. Then, as
the Germans continued to retreat, General French called a halt. The
British fell to work digging trenches in the recently won ground, and
preparing to resist an attack should one be delivered.

This first skirmish on the eastern banks of the Marne, while possibly
unimportant, when viewed in the light of later events, became one of
the greatest factors in the offensive movements of the Allies.

Now that the English had obtained a foothold upon the opposite side
they did not relinquish it, in spite of heavy assaults made by the
Kaiser's troops in the days that were to follow. Passage across the
stream for the rest of the allied army was now comparatively easy, for
the English, already having a foothold, stood ready to drive off the
Germans as reinforcements crossed.

And if the action at the Marne was one of the deciding factors in the
offensive movement of the Allies, the credit of it is undoubtedly due
largely to Chester and Hal, who, at the risk of their own lives,
enabled the British troops to catch the Germans in their own trap.

That the boys' value in this important battle was recognized, is
evidenced by the fact, that, when the army once more had come to a
halt, General French summoned the two lads to him, and with a hand on
the shoulder of each, and his whole staff grouped about him, said:

"You have done well! E