ut of some bushes by the side of
the road, and gazed with wonder at the whirling figures. John knew that
they belonged on the first line of the British outposts and he said
politely:

"You're partly wrong. My friends are crazy right enough, but they're not
Frenchmen. One is an Englishman like yourselves, and the other is an
American, but regularly enlisted in the Franco-British service, as I am
too."

Carstairs and Wharton stopped dancing. Carstairs took off his hat, and
made a deep bow to the astonished pickets.

"I'm not bowing to you, though God knows you deserve it," he said. "I'm
bowing instead to the British nation which is here incarnate in your
khaki clad persons."

"Touched a bit 'ere, Bill," said one of the men, putting his finger to
his forehead.

"A bit off says I too, 'Arry. We used to get 'em sometimes on our 'bus
in the Strand. Speak 'em gentle, and they'll stop carrying on."

Carstairs exuded joy and he extended a welcoming hand.

"I take it that you were the driver and conductor of a 'bus in the
Strand."

"Right you are sir," they replied together, and then one added:

"If you'll go down to the foot of the hill you'll see the good old 'bus
itself with all the signs still on it. But I'll 'ave to ask you first,
sir, who you are and what do you want?"

John had never thought before that the cockney accent would be so
grateful to his ear, but his pleasure at seeing the men was scarcely
less than that of Carstairs. They did not come from his own land, but
they came from the land of his ancestors, and that was next best.

Carstairs and Wharton quickly showed their dispatches. Bill promptly
took them to a sergeant, and in a half hour they stood beside the
general's tent in the center of ten thousand men, the vanguard of the
British army. Dispatches have never been read more eagerly and when
Wharton, in addition, told the story of the chateau roof and the
wireless the general felt a great thrill of excitement.

"I'm bound to believe all that you say," he said looking into the three
honest young faces. "Darrell, see that they have refreshment at once,
because we move in an hour."

Darrell, a young aide procured them food and horses. Soon the whole
detachment was marching toward the main force, and the three true to the
promise of their Cockney friends saw London 'buses, still covered with
their hideous signs lumbering along as transports. At noon they joined
the chief British army, and the next