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At ot into their rental truck Saate They drove along the curving rustic highway to the hamlet of Cuperly and then headed north It was only a short time before they reached the field they had found in the late afternoon Sam pulled the truck to the side of the road

“Well, let’s go see what they were digging out there,” said Remi as she put on her backpack

Saophers in France”

They climbed a stone fence and walked into the field Reuide them to the first hole they’d seen froht vision goggles and knelt beside it The sight was confusing, so they used their shovels to clear away some of the dirt

“What is that?” Remi said She reached down and touched it “Steel It looks like a cannon”

“You’re right” Sa around it a bit with his hand, then stopped at the muzzle “I think it’s a French 75”

“That’s a cocktail,” she said “Gin, chaar, I think”

“Well, this is the cannon they naine This is also e have to be careful e dig in France The Marne is just to the south and east beyond that field In the su offensive to take the Chaot a copy of his plan, moved a lot of artillery around, and, an hour before the German attack, opened fire with over three thousand cannons I’ froot daot too hot”

“Whoever got here before us probably picked up a big spike on theirdown, and found it,” said Remi

“Let’s go look at the next hole”

They moved toward the next one in the field, stopped, and looked in At the bottom of the hole hat seee-darkened and rotted-away There was also the on wheel and the hub Sam cautiously poked at the crates, which were as soft as wet cardboard He saw the row of five cannon rounds, shaped like giant bullets, the brass casings green with patina froray “There’s a find,” he said “Unexploded ordnance It looks like a buried caisson Let’s move on”

“We should call somebody,” Remi said

“We will There are so many bombs and mines and artillery shells from both world wars that France still keeps teams on the payroll to dispose of them when they turn up”

“This must have been quite a surprise to Bako’s French friends when they dug their test holes,” Remi said

“Well, there’s just one er than the first two,” Sa that doesn’t blow up” They walked toward the third hole