CHAPTER IX

THE PUZZLING SIGNAL

When John awoke a bright sun was shining in at the window, bringing with it the distant mutter of cannon, a small fire was burning on the hearth on the opposite side of the room, a man was bending over the coals, and the pleasant odor of boiling coffee came to his nostrils.  He sat up in amazement and looked at the man who, not turning around, went on placidly with his work of preparing breakfast.  But he recognized the figure.

“Weber!” he exclaimed.

“None other!” said the Alsatian, facing about, and showing a cheery countenance.  “I was in the boat just behind you when your own was demolished by the shell.  In all the spray and foam and confusion I saw my chance, and dropping overboard from ours I floated with the stream.  I had an idea that you might escape, and since you must come down the river between the two armies I also, for the same reasons, chose the same path.  I came upon this cottage several hours ago, picked the fastenings of the door and to my astonishment and delight found you, my friend, unharmed, but sound asleep upon the bench there.  I slept a while in the corner, then I undertook to make breakfast with provisions and utensils that I found in the forest.  Ah, it was easy enough last night to find almost anything one wished.  The fields and forest were full of dead men.”

“I provided myself in the same way, but I’m delighted to see you.  I was never before in my life so lonely.  How chance seems to throw us together so often!”

“And we’ve both profited by it.  The coffee is boiling now, Mr. Scott.  I’ve a good German coffee pot and two cups that I took from the fallen.  God rest their souls, they’ll need them no more, while we do.”

“The battle goes on,” said John, listening a moment at the window.

“Somewhere on the hundred mile line it has continued without a break of an instant, and it may go on this way for a week or a month.  Ah, it’s a fearful war, Mr. Scott, and we’ve seen only the beginning!  But drink the coffee now, while it’s hot.  And I’ve warmed too, some of the cold food from the knapsacks.  German sausage is good at any time.”

“And just now it’s heavenly.  I’m glad we have such a plentiful supply of sausage and bread, even if we did have to take it from the dead.  I want to tell you again how pleasant it is to see you here.”

“I feel that way too.  We’re like comrades united.  Now if we only had your English friend Carstairs, your American friend Wharton, and Lannes we’d be quite a family group.”

“I fancy that we’ll see Lannes before we do Carstairs and Wharton.”

“I think so too.  He’ll certainly be hovering today somewhere over the ground between the two armies—­either to observe the Germans or more likely to carry messages between the French generals.  I tell you, Mr. Scott, that Philip Lannes is perhaps the most wonderful young man in Europe.  In addition to his extraordinary ability in the air he has courage, coolness, perception and quickness almost without equal.  There’s something Napoleonic about him.”