t a right to think so. Well, he didn't sell anything today
anyway. He didn't find the German lieutenant in any condition to talk
business."

The bugle blew for "taps" just then, and the conversation came to an
end. And the two days that followed were so crowded with events that
their own personal interests were thrust into the background.

For the great drive was coming, the drive for which they had been
looking for months, looking not with fear but with eager anticipation,
their ardent young hearts aflame with the desire to fight to the death
the enemies of civilization.

The weather had favored the enemy in his preparations. Usually at that
time of the year the ground was soft and not fit for military
operations on a grand scale. But the ground this year had dried out
unusually early and was suitable for the bringing forward of men and
guns.

There were all sorts of rumors afloat as to what the enemy had in
store. There were said to be monster guns that could throw shells more
than seventy miles. There were new and diabolical inventions in the
way of gas that were to cause unspeakable agonies to their victims.
There was talk of gigantic mirrors that would act as burning-glasses
and blind the opposing troops.

Some of these things proved to be true. Others were mere lies,
designed to sap the morale of the Allied armies and civil populations
before the fight began.

"Heinie's the biggest boob that ever happened," grinned Billy, when the
boys were discussing the coming conflict. "He acts as if the Allies
were a lot of children. He thinks that all he has to do is to dress up
a bugaboo and we'll all roll over and play dead."

"He'll get something into that thick head of his after a while,"
predicted Frank. "It will have to be jabbed in, but there are a lot of
us ready to do the jabbing."

"Let him bring on his bag of tricks," scoffed Bart. "When all's said
and done, it's going to be man-stuff that will decide this war. And
there's where we've got him on the hip. Man to man we're better stuff
than the Huns. We know it and they know it. They can't stand before
our bayonets."

"Right you are, old scout!" said Frank, enthusiastically, giving him a
resounding slap on the back. "Let them bring on their old drive as
soon as they like. They can begin the drive. We'll end it. And we'll
end it in the streets of Berlin!"

CHAPTER XIV

THE STORM OF WAR

"Listen to that music," said Frank to h