“Right,” agreed Colonel Pavet, “and if I might be permitted to suggest, I would say nothing to your mother about it at present. If it were anything really serious, of course she ought to know. But under the circumstances it would only cost her needless worry. Now I must be going. Of course you know or have guessed that there will be a great battle tomorrow.” “I have heard that we attack at dawn,” replied Frank. “Yes,” confirmed the colonel. “To you Americans has been assigned the task of clearing out the Argonne Forest. It is one of the most tremendous tasks of the war but I know you will be equal to it. My own regiment is with Gouraud’s forces on your left. We will probably effect a juncture with your forces after you have taken the forest, and the two armies will have a friendly race to see which gets to Sedan first. The luck of battle may bring us together again before long.” “I hope so,” smiled Frank, “and when we do meet I hope that we can congratulate each other on the complete defeat of the Huns.” “We will,” replied the colonel with conviction. “Their lines are bending now and are ready to break. One more great effort and the work is done. The Allied armies will spend Christmas on the Rhine.” “I hope you are as good a prophet as you are a fighter,” laughed Frank. “But I believe in my soul you’re right.” “I’m sure of it,” replied the colonel. “And now I must go. Remember me to your mother when you write.” They shook hands and separated, the colonel mounting his horse which stood at the door, and Frank with a final wave of the hand returning to his comrades. His sleep that night was as sound as though the next day were to be a holiday, instead of marking the beginning of one of the most desperate battles of the war. The reveille sounded while it was yet dark on the following morning, and before the first faint streak of dawn appeared in the eastern sky the old Thirty-seventh was in line waiting for the word to advance. Before them in the semi-darkness loomed up the gigantic shapes of the tanks that were to lead the way and smash the barriers that the foe had erected during the four years that they had held the forest.