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Page 70
"If that were put in a conspicuous place," he said, "an aviator with
glasses could see it a long way, and he would come to find out what it
meant."
"The top of a tree is the place for it!" exclaimed John. "Now if you
only had around here a real tree, or two, in place of what we call
saplings in my country, we might do some fine signaling with the flag."
"We'll try it, but I think we should go a considerable distance from the
cottage. If Germans instead of French should come then we'd have a
better chance of escaping among the hedges and vineyards."
John agreed with him and they quickly made ready, each taking his
automatic and knapsack, and leaving the fire to die of itself on the
hearth.
"I'm telling that cottage good-bye with regret," said John, as they
walked away. "I spent some normal and peaceful hours there last night
and it's a neat little place. I hope its owners will be able to come
back to it. As soon as I open the stable door, in order that the horse
may go where he will, I'll be ready."
He gave the big animal a friendly pat as he left and Marne gazed after
him with envious sorrowful eyes.
They walked a full mile, keeping close to the Marne, where the trees and
bushes were thickest, and listened meanwhile to the fourth day's
swelling roar of the battle. Its long continuance had made it even more
depressing and terrifying than in its earlier stages. To John's mind, at
least, it took on the form of a cataclysm, of some huge paroxysm of the
earth. He ate to it, he slept to it, he woke to it, and now he was
walking to it. The illusion was deepened by the fact that no human being
save Weber was visible to him. The country between the two monstrous
battle lines was silent and deserted.
"Apparently," said Weber, "we're in no danger of human interference as
we walk here."
"Not unless a shell coming from a point fifteen miles or so beyond the
hills should drop on us, or we should be pierced by an arrow from one of
our Frenchmen in the clouds. But so far as I can see there's nothing
above us, although I can make out one or two aeroplanes far toward the
east."
"The air is heavy and cloudy and that's against them, but they'll be out
before long. You'll see. I think, Mr. Scott, that we'll find a good tree
in that little grove of beeches there."
"The tall one in the center. Yes, that'll suit us."
They inspected the tree and then made a long circuit about it, finding
nobody near. John, full of zeal and enthusiasm, volunteered to climb the
tree and fasten the flag to its topmost stem, and Weber, after some
claims on his own behalf, agreed. John was a good climber, alert, agile
and full of strength, and he went up the trunk like an expert. It was an
uncommonly tall tree for France, much more than a sapling, and when he
reached the last bough that would support him he found that he could see
over all the other trees and some of the low hills. At a little distance
ran the Marne, a silver sheet, and he thought he could discern faint
puffs of smoke on the hills beyond. No human being was in sight, but
although high in the tree he could still feel the vibrations of the air
beneath the throb of so many great guns. Several aeroplanes hovered at
points far distant, and he knew that others would be on the long battle
line.
Reaching as high as he could he tied the flag with a piece of twine that
Weber had given him--the Alsation seemed to have provided for
everything--and then watched it as it unfolded and fluttered in the
light breeze. He felt a certain pride, as he had done his part of the
task well. The flag waved above the green leaves and any watcher of the
skies could see it.
"How does it show?" he called to Weber.
"Well, indeed. You'd better climb down now. If the Germans come from the
air they'll get you there, and if they come on land they'll have you in
the tree. You'll be caught between air and earth."
"That being the case I'll come down at once," said John, and he
descended the tree rapidly. At Weber's advice they withdrew to a cluster
of vines growing near, where they would be well hidden, since their
signal was as likely to draw enemies as friends.
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