as any Englishman
could possibly know it, perhaps better, but I'm modest, and I didn't
talk about it."

"If you only kept your ignorance as well as your knowledge to yourself,
Wharton, you'd have a greater reputation for wisdom. Look out!"

A shell that failed to explode in the air struck near. Carstairs threw
himself upon Wharton, and, at the imminent risk of his own life, dragged
him down just in time, as the shell burst and threw fragments over their
heads.

"Thanks, Carstairs," said Wharton. "Your first name is Percy, but you
don't act like a Percy."

"Expect the same from you, old fellow, when the time comes."

"I'll do my best."

John was absorbed now in the tremendous panorama of war, carried on with
all the mighty machines of death that man had invented. A heavy German
force appeared on their left also. It was yet distant, but it was nearer
than the great mass in the center. Untrained as he was he knew
nevertheless that the Germans, with their greatly superior numbers, were
seeking to envelop the French. But the defensive guns on the right in
the wood were maintaining a swift and terrible fire. They were pouring
showers of shrapnel not only on the Uhlans, but upon the gray masses of
infantry crossed the wide intervening fields.

The Strangers were now drawn up by one of the earthworks, but it would
be a long time before they went into action. That heaving gray sea of
Germans could not come within range of the rifles for an hour yet.
Meantime the artillery would carry on the battle over a space of miles.
While he waited he could look on and see it all.

More and more guns were coming into action. Batteries were sent off to
the left to meet the second German flanking force there, and soon the
heaviest of the French cannon in the center were able to reach the
advancing enemy directly in their front.

The scene became tremendous and full of awe. There was little smoke, but
along two vast semi-circles, one convex, and the other concave, flashes
ran like continuous lightning, while the whole earth grumbled and
roared. The air seemed surcharged with death, and John suddenly found it
hot in his lungs as he breathed.

Through the roar of the guns he heard all the time the malicious
shrieking of the shrapnel. It was falling among the defenders, killing
and wounding hundreds, and John knew that the storm beat also on the
great gray circle that was ever coming nearer. Now and then a crash,
louder than all the r