CHAPTER XXV.
THE WINNING OF THE RIVER FORD.
Immediately there came a loud crash as the bomb exploded. The exhaustedFrench soldier had no further strength to sustain him, for the boys sawhim fall over as though he may have died in the climax of his success.
Then came the clear, piercing note of a bugle, like a clarion call. Itwas undoubtedly the signal for another attempt to force a passage of theriver, so essential to the success of the French pursuit of the retiringGerman armies.
Again did a host of active figures leap into sight from the covertswhere until now they had lain concealed awaiting the success or failureof the first action. These were no doubt the reserves intended to bethrown into the breach after some of the others had managed to getsafely across and engaged the enemy forces. Now they were taking theinitiative in pushing across the ford.
As the others had done these men also scattered when charging, so thatno great collective damage might be wrought when the foe started tofire. They were speedily at the water's edge, and it was then that theyanticipated meeting with that sudden avalanche of flame and smoke, andthe roaring sound of many guns.
Somehow it did not come in the volume expected; in fact, while riflesand quick-firing guns started to take their toll the one offensivebattery remained singularly silent.
Rod and Josh did not need to be told that the bold Frenchman must insome way have succeeded in disabling all the units of that battery whenhe hurled his bomb over the redoubt. Perhaps that terrific crash mayhave been an ammunition supply exploding and scattering the guns rightand left.
No matter what the cause the battery was as still as death, a fact thatmust have filled the anxious heart of the French commander-in-chief witha fierce joy; for its presence there intact promised to make all hiswork of no avail, despite the unrivaled valor of his men.
This time the story was to be quite different, it seemed. Some of theleaders in that mad rush were already almost over, and here, there,everywhere they were trying to shoot back as they found a chance toglimpse an enemy hidden amidst the bushes on the bank of the river.
Josh could hardly contain himself. He jumped up and down "like a flea,"as Hanky Panky afterwards explained it in his peculiar fashion. Indeed,to hear Josh letting out shrieks and cries one would have imagined thewhole battle of the Marne ford had been staged for his particularbenefit, and that he was enjoying the lively scene with all his heart.
Now some of the Frenchmen were crawling up the bank. They found shelter,such as it was, and immediately began to make good use of their guns,aiming so as to cut down those who were rattling the quick-firingweapons not far away.
More and more came up out of the depths, some of them wounded it wastrue, but with undiminished ardor hurrying on. With the climax of theirambition at hand and an opportunity for a fight at close quarters withthe hated enemy granted to them, why should they mind such a small thingas a bullet in the shoulder, or it might be a leg that dragged as theywalked?
The fire and enthusiasm that filled their hearts prevented them fromfalling out of the line. Some in fact would not know they had beeninjured until it was all over but the cheering, and a weakness began toovercome them, with the excitement on which they had been living havingpassed away.
Josh was waving his hat wildly now. Despite the noise and confusion heshouted out his views. In so doing he gave the "escape valve" somethingto do, and likely enough worked no harm.
"And to think it's all owing to the work of that one brave fellow!" wasthe burden of his outcries.
"I'm taking off my hat to _him_ right now. I salute him, living ordead! His family will be proud of him when they learn what a grand thinghe really did. Talk to me about the Cross of the Legion of Honor; why,that man ought to be made a general--if he lives!"
The Germans had by no means given up, even when they realized that afterall the French had won the passage of the ford. They had been given thetask of defending the crossing with their lives, and showed thecustomary German disregard for death in staying after all was lost.
But more and more French were getting over now. They came from everyquarter, all filled with ardor and a desire to get in the fight overthere. The guns too were being brought closer to the river, so that theretreating Germans might be shelled warmly as they left the scene oftheir stubborn combat.
How they splashed across that shallow place in the stream Rod wouldnever forget. Some, getting off the main ford, found themselves in waterbreast-high; others actually had to swim for it, holding their gunsabove their heads so that they might not get wet and refuse to continuethe good work of chasing off the Germans.
It was an inspiring sight--of course only to those who favored theFrench, for to the enemy it must have proven a most discouraging one--tosee those men wild to cross to where the engagement was being fought toa finish. Each one, as soon as he could set foot on solid ground, lostno time in starting up the bank and adding his quota to the force of theassailants.
And not one single shot had come from that important battery which, morethan any other contributing cause, had brought about the first disasterto the French. There could be no question but what that one unknownprivate soldier, perhaps now dead, had saved the day for his side.
Luckily none of the Germans seemed to have paid any attention to thelittle assemblage of three figures in faded khaki on that slight rise ofground. At least no annoying shell had fallen near them, nor did theboys at any time catch the irritating whine of a whimpering leadenmissile hastening past close to their ears. All of which pleased Rodvery much, for he certainly felt no desire to mingle in such terriblescenes as had been spread before them of late.
Well, the end was in sight, for when the French field batteries began tolet go it could be easily guessed that they were sending theircompliments after that remnant of the enemy now sullenly retreating, andalways with faces toward the foe.
Then came the shrill blast of bugles. This undoubtedly told the Frenchsoldiers that victory had fallen to their portion, and that the winningof the Marne ford was an accomplished fact.
Loud arose the huzzas of the survivors. Succor for the injured wouldquickly follow, since no pursuit was expected to be organized. The workto which they had been assigned was now accomplished, and againstdifficulties that might have frustrated all their efforts only for theone gallant man who made victory possible.
Rod and his chums cheered with the rest. They seemed somehow to feelthat their hearts beat in full sympathy for those Frenchmen who werestanding up in defense of their native land.
Josh, more demonstrative than either of his companions, went so far asto actually throw his arms around Hanky Panky and give him such abear-like hug that the other's eyes almost popped from his head and hisbreath came in gasps.
"Let up on that sort of business, can't you, Josh!" he managed to cryindignantly as he broke away from the other's detaining clutch; "what doyou take me for anyway? Must think you're doing one of the new fangledfox-trot hesitation dances. I've got feelings, I'd have you know; and myribs are brittle bones in the bargain, not hoop-iron. Go hunt up a treeif you must exercise yourself on something. I object!"
Standing there on the rise of ground they could see the first of theFrench light batteries crossing the ford, the horses prancing, butforced to drag the guns through the shallow water. Later on heavierartillery would also be coming up to follow the fleeing German army,when the full importance of this ford would be better understood. Nowonder the tactics of delay upon which the Germans were working hadforced them to defend such a spot to the limit.
"What are we going to do next, Rod?" asked Josh, when they had stood andwatched these events taking place for some little time.
"We'll have to hold off until they get things in ship-shape again,"replied the other; "you see there are the wounded to attend to, the deadto gather and bury, it may be, as well as a lot of other matters to belooked after. They'll be in no hurry to chase after the enemy, Iimagine. Their one object was to carry this crossing
, and that they'vedone."
"But at a terrible cost to them," sighed Hanky Panky, as he saw theinjured being carried to a central point, where doubtless the fieldsurgeons would be on hand, ready to give them first attention; besides,there had been scores upon scores carried down the river whose fatecould only be guessed at.
"That's always what war means, I'm afraid," remarked Rod, not that hehimself was getting hardened by seeing such sights, but because he had abroader vision than Hanky Panky, and could anticipate what would followwhen two hostile forces came in contact at close quarters.
"If that was Andre's regiment that went in at the first," observed Joshgloomily, "I'm mighty much afraid we're going to have all our troublefor our pains; because they were almost wiped out. Andre is pretty sureto have been among those who were in the water when that battery got inits heavy work, and--well, the current carried away many a gallantfellow, never to give him up again."
"Oh! it's hardly as bad as that, Josh," remonstrated Rod; "a good manymanaged to get back again, either wounded or whole. If we're lucky wemay find Andre among that lot. We'll hope to, anyway; and our businesswill then soon be over."
"Well, for one I hope and pray we're able to turn our backs on thisthing before another sun sets," said Hanky Panky, with such a sad lookon his face that Rod was quite sorry they had been tempted to follow upthis adventure.
Still, they had risked their lives in a good cause, and if only thatlittle French woman Jeanne and her family could be provided for in thefuture, despite the schemings of Jules Baggott, he for one would notfeel tempted to complain on account of perils undergone and risks taken.
"Most of the French have crossed over by now, you notice, Rod," observedJosh, when some time had crept past, and he could hardly restrain hiscustomary impatience any longer.
"And that means you think we should be getting a move on too?" laughedthe other, trying to raise the drooping spirits of Hanky Panky by anassumption of levity which truth to tell Rod was himself far fromfeeling.
"Well, it seems like we must make the crossing some way or other, andwhile one of those gun caissons we see coming along is going to get overwhy not find out if they'd let us climb aboard? It'll save us fromgetting our feet wet even if it did nothing else."
"That isn't a bad idea, Josh," commented Rod, "and it might be just aswell to try it out. These Frenchmen are pretty accommodating, andthey'll like as not take us for British boys, as has happened so manytimes before."
Another troop accompanied by a battery had come up and was starting toreach the northern side of the Marne, so as to presently continue thechase after the retreating enemy. It was to the ammunition caissonsbelonging to this battery that Josh had referred.
The boys hurried forward now. No one thought to question their right tobe present. Perhaps this was because of their looks, or the khaki suitsthey wore, which would be taken for British uniforms. Indeed, quite anumber of those who were seated on gun carriage or ammunition chestwaved to them in the hearty and friendly fashion known to soldiers aftera victory has thrilled their blood, making them light-hearted and gay.