E-text prepared by Roger Frank, D Alexander,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
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The Big Five Motorcycle Boys
On the Battle Line
OR
With the Allies in France
By RALPH MARLOW
AUTHOR OF
“The Big Five Motorcycle Boys Under Fire,” “The Big Five
Motorcycle Boys at the Front,” “The Big Five Motorcycle
Boys’ Swift Road Chase,” “The Big Five Motorcycle
Boys in Tennessee Wilds,” “The Big
Five Motorcycle Boys Through by
Wireless,” “The Big Five
Motorcycle Boys on
Florida Trails.”
Copyright, 1916
BY A. L. BURT COMPANY
THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS ON THE BATTLE LINE
THERE WAS A SUDDEN SPITEFUL CRACK FROM THE REAR, AND JOSH DUCKED HIS HEAD INVOLUNTARILY. The Big Five Motorcycle Boys on the Battle Line. Page 35.
THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS ON THE BATTLE LINE.
CHAPTER I.
ON THE STREETS OF ANTWERP.
“Good-bye, Elmer, and you, too, Rooster!”
“It’s too bad we have to hurry home, and break up theBig Five Motorcycle Boys’ combination, just when we’ve beenhaving such royal good times over in the country of the GreatWar!”
“But there was nothing else to do, Elmer, when you got thatcable message telling you to take the first steamer home, as yourmother was about to undergo an operation, and wanted to see youfirst.”
“And Rooster here chose to go along with you, becausehe’s got such a tender chicken heart he just hates to see all themisery and suffering these poor Belgians are enduring.”
“There’s the last call to go ashore. Come along, Josh,and you too, Hanky Panky. Boys, to be honest with you I more than halfwish I was going along. Home would look mighty fine to me justnow.”
“Oh! shucks! you’ll soon get over that feeling,Rod,” said the lanky boy called Josh, taking the alarm at once,for he seemed perfectly contented to stay where he was; “justwait till we’re spinning along on our bully machines down throughOstend, Dunkirk, and Calais to Boulogne, where we may take a steamer tothe U. S. if we can find berths.”
“Be sure to keep a regular daily log of your happenings, Josh,so we can look it over when you get back home,” begged the boywho went by the strange nick-name of “Rooster,” doubtlessbecause he crowed so much over his accomplishments.
“Good-bye, and good luck!” called out Elmer, waving hishand again.
“Remember us to everybody in Garland, particularly all thepretty girls!” shouted Hanky Panky, after the last exchange ofhandshakes, when with his two chums, Rod and Josh, he hurried down thegang-plank to the dock.
The steamer for London was leaving its Antwerp pier, and all seemedexcitement. Many people were already fleeing madly from Belg