e tonight. I
need it, after this back-breaking work."

Fortunately the trench was soon finished, and the long range firing
ceased entirely. The night came on, hiding the two armies from each
other, and fires sprang up in the French camp. Their light was ruddy and
cheerful. Then came the glorious aroma of food, and, the Strangers
called from their labors to the banquet, sat down and ate.

John had heard all his life what cooks the French were, but nothing that
he had ever tasted before was like the food he ate and the coffee he
drank that night. Incessant marching and fighting gave a savor that
nothing else could impart.

While they still sat around the cooking fires they saw dim shapes in the
heavens, and John, out of the depths of his experience, knew that they
were the flying machines. Carstairs and Wharton saw him looking up.

"You may want to be there," said Wharton, "but I don't. I'd grow so
giddy I'd jump right out of the machine. This sound and rolling earth
suits me. I like its green grass, its rivers, its lakes and its
mountains, and I don't want to go off, prospecting for other planets."

"It's lucky," said John, "that this army has flying machines of its own.
If it didn't the Germans would be raining bombs upon us."

Carstairs shuddered.

"There's something heathenish and uncanny about it," he said. "Soldiers,
by Jove, have to watch nowadays. If you're on the ship looking for an
enemy of your size the little submarine down under the water may blow
you to pieces, and if you're on the land holding your own against
another army a little aeroplane away up in the sky may drop a bomb that
will shatter you into seven million pieces."

"It's a hard world, Carstairs," said Wharton, "but I think discomfort
rather than danger will come out of the sky tonight. The clouds are
piling up and there'll be heavy rain. John, you little old flying man,
won't that stop the Taubes?"

"They wouldn't venture much in a heavy rain, and I think we're safe from
them, but you know that what their fliers can do ours can do too."

"That being the case I'll settle myself for rest and sleep. The French
show us a lot of consideration as we've volunteered to fight for them,
and there are tents for the Strangers. You're to have a place in ours."

John was grateful and said so. The strain of the last few days would
have overpowered him, but luckily he was exceedingly strong and
tenacious. Yet he was so tired that he could scarcely wa