"Look," he said, "he's going to bed again."
It was true. His Lordship had stretched out on the cold, hard ground.
"Great Scott! Can he sleep there?" asked Chester, in surprise.
"His Lordship," said the sergeant calmly, "can sleep anywhere!"
CHAPTER XVI.
THE GERMAN ATTACK.
A battle, as severe in its hand-to-hand struggle and toll of life as
Fredericksburg or Antietam, in the American Civil War--yet in this vast
conflict only an incident, chronicled as "progress" in the official
reports--such was the battle of Soissons. It was the most terrific and
the most bitterly contested of the great war up to date, January 8.
There, for eight days, men fell, torn with shell and bullet, and over
these trenches men charged in the face of certain death.
A German attack in force opened the battle on January 8. General Joffre
had slightly altered his plan, as outlined to Hal and Chester, and
immediately the battle began the French made a counter-attack.
The Aisne river, at this point, is one of the most strategic positions.
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