The bombardment of Rheims was in full blast, and here it was that the boys witnessed a strange combination of war and peace. Unaffected by the terrific shelling of the town, refugees from Northern France and Belgium were busy in the country picking grapes for the French champagne yield. “Can you match that?”
Billy marveled at the scene presented.
Henri and Reddy were intently watching the flight of shells, some of which struck the cathedral, and a boy bugler, between 14 and 15 years old, who came out of the heat of the fray, told them that a shell had fallen on one of the high altars and had considerably damaged it.
This youngster had the grit, for he was as cool as a cucumber under fire, and with his battalion had been nearly all day where bullets flew thicker than flies in Egypt.
“That was quite a shake-up,” referring to the shell explosion in the cathedral, “but,” assuming[133] the easy air of one accustomed to such things, “it wasn’t a marker to some of the whacks I’ve seen coming from those howitzers.
“I’m from Dover; name Stetson; came over with the marine brigade; from where does your ticket read?”
The youthful bugler was looking at Billy.
“From Bangor, Maine, United States of America; Barry is the family handle, and the front name is Billy.
“Mr. Stetson, I’ll have you know Mr. Henri Trouville and Mr. Joseph Mouselle, I think that is the way you pronounce it, isn’t it, Reddy?”
“Oh, call me Jimmy,” jovially urged the newcomer; “what’s ‘misters’ between friends?”
“Did you know Capt. Leonidas Johnson and Mr. Josiah Freeman in Dover?” asked Billy.
“Did I know them?” cried Jimmy. “Did I know the town-clock and the wharves? They’re the flying machine men, and I have hung around their hangars so much that I must have worn out my welcome. To tell the truth, though, I am on the waver between an a?roplane and a submarine. I’ve have had some training, too, in the underwater boats. Say, coming back at you, do you know Capt. Johnson, or just heard of him?”
“Rather well acquainted with him, I should imagine,” stated Billy with a smile; “Henri and I rode up here in the captain’s seaplane.”
[134]
“Gee whiz, then, you’re the Aviator Boys I have heard about. I was in London when that happened, and when I came back to Dover to say farewell to mother I had no more than time to wave a hand to the captain before the ship sailed for Ostend.”
“Do you mean to say that Captain Johnson and Josh Freeman are in Dover?&............