en he
returned to John and his comrades. "It must be a great converging
movement in which time is worth everything. At least, General Vaugirard
thinks so, and he has a plan to get us into the very front of the
action."

"I hope so," said John. "I'm not anxious to get killed, but I'd rather
be in the battle than wait. I wonder if I'll meet anywhere on the front
that company to which I belong, the Strangers."

"I think I've heard of them," said de Rougemont, "a body of Americans
and Englishmen, volunteers in the French service, commanded by Captain
Daniel Colton."

"Right you are, and I've two particular friends in that company--I
suppose they've rejoined it--Wharton, an American, and Carstairs, an
Englishman. We went through a lot of dangers together before we reached
the British army near Mons, and I'd like to see them again."

"Maybe you will, but here comes an extraordinary procession."

They heard many puffing sounds, uniting in one grand puffing chorus, and
saw advancing down a white road toward them a long, ghostly train, as if
a vast troop of extinct monsters had returned to earth and were marching
this way. But John knew very well that it was a train of automobiles and
raising the glasses that he now always carried he saw that they were
empty except for the chauffeurs.

General Vaugirard began to whistle his mellowest and most musical tune,
stopping only at times to mutter a few words under his breath. John
surmised that he was expressing deep satisfaction, and that he had been
waiting for the motor train. War was now fought under new conditions.
The Germans had thousands and scores of thousands of motors, and perhaps
the French were provided almost as well.

"I fancy," said de Rougemont, who was also watching the arrival of the
machines, "that we'll leave our horses now and travel by motor."

De Rougemont's supposition was correct. The line of automobiles began to
mass in front, many rows deep, and all the chauffeurs, their great
goggles shining through the darkness, were bent over their wheels ready
to be off at once with their armed freight. It filled John with elation,
and he saw the same spirit shining in the eyes of the young French
officers.

General Vaugirard began to puff like one of the machines. He threw out
his great chest, pursed up his mouth and emitted his breath in little
gusts between his lips, "Very good! Very good, my children!" he said,
"Oil and electricity will carry us now, and we