Chester was struck with a sudden idea.  Stepping out of view behind Hal, he quickly lifted his skirts and thrust his hand into his pocket.  He pulled forth a handful of gold and silver, from which he extracted several German pieces.  Then he advanced toward the old women, Hal following him in surprise.

Chester accosted the women in French.

“How much do you want for your basket of apples?” he asked, addressing one.

The old woman named a sum.

Chester counted it out and dropped it into her hand, much to her surprise, and relieved her of her basket.  Then he turned to a second and repeated the operation, passing the second basket to Hal.

“Now, we’ll see how business is,” he said, and led the way directly toward the trenches.

In the midst of the German soldiers, the lads did a thriving business, and, although they did not know it, the reason was because they were offering their wares at a much lower price than had been customary.

The soldiers joked with them and resorted to flattery in an attempt to cause them to reduce the price of the apples even more.  The lads, talking in shrill, wheedling tones, joked back, and made quite a hit with the men in the trenches.

At last, having disposed of all their apples, and having come to a place somewhat more secluded than the rest, the lads sat down to wait.  As they looked around, they observed that for some reason this short section had not been dug to fit in with the rest of the trenches.  As a result they were out of sight of either side.

Becoming conscious of voices from beyond the little wall of earth to the right, the lads became silent and listened.

“Then everything is in readiness for the grand advance?” asked a voice.

“Yes,” replied a second.

“And where will the assault be made?”

“At Soissons.  The French are secure in their belief that a concerted attack will not be made for some time—­at least not until the Kaiser, who, as you know has been very ill, returns to the front.”

“I thought that myself.”

“Well, you are right, to a certain extent.  What the French don’t know is that the Kaiser will be on the firing line the day after to-morrow.”

“What!  So soon?”

“Yes.”

“He has recovered, then?”

“Practically!  Therefore, the grand offensive will be resumed around Soissons two days later, which will be Saturday.  The French—­absolutely unprepared for any such movement—­will be caught unawares, and a wedge will be driven into them.”

“And the object of this new offensive?” queried one of the voices.

“The object,” was the reply, “will be the same as was the object when we first moved into France.”

“Paris?” asked a voice.

“Paris,” was the brief reply.

“Good!  And there is no chance of failure, you say?”

“Not unless our plans come to the ears of General Joffre.  If he knew of the plan he might, of course, hurry up reenforcements enough to stop it.”