dignation, "you're giving the exact symptoms of a chap who is
ossified from the shoulders to the sky! Of course I want to eat, and
I'd be de-lighted to perform that simple operation now."

"But to eat before mess, it is verboten," declared the guide.

"Say," retorted Jimmie, "just let me have your name and the address of
any relatives you want notified in case of accident. Something is
going to blow up pretty soon, and when the explosion is over they'll go
around with a sponge to gather up the pieces of the innocent
bystanders. Among those present was a former waiter at Dick Stein's."

"Ach, yes," slowly replied the other. "My name iss Otto von
Freundlich. In America I am called Friendly Otto. It iss so in der
telephone book. Names iss backwards put down."

"Well, if you'll just be good enough to get me one of those nice large
German pancakes that we used to get at Stein's, with a couple of cups
of coffee and a little 'T' bone steak well done, with some fried
potatoes and a side order of cauliflower in cream, some cold slaw, a
little lettuce, some lentils, and a small platter of sauer kraut, I'll
try to worry along until mess time. Can't we eat at all?"

"No, not all of dot," soberly responded Otto seriously, evidently
believing that Jimmie intended to eat everything he had mentioned.

"Then for pity's sake tell me what I can have. I'm getting so hungry I
could almost eat the wheels off this wagon."

"Maybe a little soup und some rye bread?" replied Otto inquiringly.

"That listens good to your Uncle Dudley," was Jimmie's response in a
somewhat mollified tone. "Lead me to it and I'll do the rest."

"Come," directed Otto, starting away and beckoning the lad to follow.
"Come; der cook maybe has something good for hungry soldiers."

Jimmie followed with much interest, taking note of everything as he
went along. Here he saw a group of soldiers resting after some
evidently heavy work. There another group were arranging their
accoutrements and polishing their weapons as they rested in the shade
of a broken wall that had withstood the heavy hammering of the immense
German guns during the days of bombardment of the city.

Wagons were drawn up along the side of the street, gasoline trucks were
darting hither and thither on various errands, while small groups of
horsemen were constantly passing to and fro about the town.

Everywhere was activity, indicating to Jimmie that not only were the
Germans investin