



Produced by Al Haines.




[Illustration: Cover]




[Illustration: A FOUL BLOW (_See p_. 52.)]




                                FIGHTING
                              WITH FRENCH

                        _A TALE OF THE NEW ARMY_


                                   BY
                             HERBERT STRANG



             _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR BY CYRUS CUNEO_

                                 LONDON
                              HENRY FROWDE
                          HODDER AND STOUGHTON




                       _First published in_ 1915




                                PREFACE


In these days one would rather fight than write; and those of us whom
inexorable Time has superannuated can but envy and admire.

Seven years ago the father of two boys at Rugby asked me to write a
story on the German peril, and the necessity of closing our ranks
against a possible invasion.  After some hesitation I decided to decline
the suggestion, anxious not to insinuate in young minds a suspicion of
Germany which might prove to be ill-founded.  Two years later, when the
subject was again pressed upon me, I felt bound to attempt some little
service in the cause of national defence; but again I avoided any direct
implication of Germany, imagining an invasion of Australia by an
aggressive China.  In two or three books I had poked a little fun at
German foibles, how harmlessly and inoffensively may be known by the
fact that one of these books was translated into German.  The course of
events, the horrors of the present war, show how needless were my
scruples.  Germany has come out in her true colours, and the mildest of
pacifists feels a stirring of the blood.

In _A Hero of Liege_ I wove a little romance upon the early events of
the war, when we were still under the shock of surprise and information
was scanty.  The present story has been written under more favourable
conditions.  A good deal of it springs from personal knowledge of the
training of the New Army.  The "Rutland Light Infantry" exists, under
another name, and one or two of the characters may perhaps be recognised
by their friends.  But I should point out that a story is not a history.
The history of this great struggle must be sought elsewhere.  The
romancer is satisfied if he is reasonably true to facts and
probabilities, and more than happy if his fictions, while amusing an
idle hour, have also anything of stimulus and encouragement.

HERBERT STRANG.




                                CONTENTS

CHAP.

I  A CHANCE MEETING
II  SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE
III  STONEWAY ENLISTS
IV  THREE ROUNDS
V  THE BACK OF THE FRONT
VI  BAGGING A SNIPER
VII  IN THE ENEMY'S LINES
VIII  SKY HIGH
IX  D.C.M.
X  HOT WORK
XI  THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GINGER
XII  DOGGED
XIII  THE FIGHT FOR THE VILLAGE
XIV  THE HIKIOTOSHI
XV  THE OBSERVATION POST
XVI  EXCHANGE NO ROBBERY
XVII  STRATEGY
XVIII  USES OF A TRANSPORT LORRY
XIX  SUSPICIONS
XX  MONSIEUR OBERNAI'S ATTIC
XXI  MARKED DOWN
XXII  'RECOMMENDED'




                         LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

A FOUL BLOW...... _Frontispiece_ (_see page_ 52)

"HANDS UP!"

A LONG WAY BACK

THE INTRUDER IN KHAKI




                               CHAPTER I

                            A CHANCE MEETING


Mr. Kishimaru smiled, and rubbed his long lean hands gently the one over
the other.

"Yes, Mr. Amory, you make great progress," he said, in low smooth tones,
and with the careful enunciation of one speaking a foreign tongue.  "You
will be an artist. Yes, I assure you: jujutsu is a fine art; more than
that, it is an application of pure science.  I say that, and I know.
Compare it with boxing, that which your grandfathers called the noble
art.  Rapidity of movement, yes; quickness of eye and judgment, yes; but
delicacy of touch--ah! jujuts