They lay in every imaginable position, and they stretched away through the forest in scores of thousands.
John and Fleury saw their own place at once.

Several hundred men in French uniforms were lying or sitting on the ground in a great group near the forest.

A few slept, but the others, as well as John could see by the light of the fires, were wide awake.
The sight of the brook gave John a burning thirst, and making a sign to the German guard, who nodded, he knelt and drank.

He did not care whether the water was pure or not, most likely it was not, with armies treading their way across it, but as it cut through the dust and grime of his mouth and throat he felt as if a new and more vigorous life were flowing into his veins.

After drinking once, twice, and thrice, he sat down on the bank with Fleury, but in a minute or two young von Arnheim came for him.
"Our commander wishes to talk with you," he said.
"I'm honored," said John, "but conversation is not one of my strong points." "The general will make the conversation," said von Arnheim, smiling.