for a day?"

"Well," said Hal, "there is likely to be some real fighting to-day,
and we don't want to miss anything, do we Chester?"

"I should say not," was Chester's reply.

CHAPTER IX.

TO THE RESCUE.

"It looks rather awesome, doesn't it?" said Chester.

"It certainly does," was Hal's reply.

The object of the boys' conversation was a long armored train, which
stood on a siding. It was late in the afternoon, and the two lads,
after having taken a long rest, and being relieved from active duty by
the express command of General French, had strolled up to the
temporary siding, where the huge engine now stood puffing and
snorting.

It was the first time either of the two boys had ever seen this
rapidly moving vehicle of warfare. The open flat cars were protected
by thick sheets of steel, behind which were mounted many small guns
and rapid-firers.

These armored trains already had given good accounts of themselves in
other parts of the long line of battle, particularly in Belgium, in
the earlier days of the struggle, and were things of terror to the
German troops.

The train beside which the two lads now stood was ready for instant
action. The gunners were at their posts, ready to go forward at a
moment's notice. The engineer and firemen stood beside the huge
engine.

In the distance the sound of firing could be heard, and occasionally a
shell burst close to where the boys were standing. But they had been
through their baptism of fire, and paid little heed to these
messengers of death.

"They say that these trains have proven immense factors in sudden
raids on the enemy," said Chester.

"Yes," agreed Hal, "and it is easy to see that among light armed
troops they could do great execution. It would even take very heavy
artillery fire to make an impression on those steel sides.
Besides----"

He broke off with a sudden exclamation.

"Look out," he cried, and leaped back, pulling Chester forcibly along.

A second later and there was a terrific explosion. A German shell had
burst within a few feet of where the two lads had been standing.

A crowd of troopers, who had been idling about a few yards from the
train, disappeared with the deafening report, and when the smoke had
cleared away they were nowhere to be seen. They had been blown to
atoms.

The boys rushed forward, but, even as they did so, they halted at the
sound of a sudden cry, and, turning their faces up the track, they
beheld a m