There was war in the air--fierce, relentless war in every word and action they encountered--and it had the effect of depressing the newcomers.
That night an earnest conference was held aboard the _Arabella_.
"As I understand it, here is the gist of the situation," began Ajo.

"The line of battle along the Aisne is stationary--for the present, at least.
Both sides are firmly entrenched and it's going to be a long, hard fight.

Antwerp is being bombarded, and although it's a powerful fortress, the general opinion is that it can't hold out for long.

If it falls, there will be a rush of Germans down this coast, first to capture Dunkirk, a few miles above here, and then Calais itself." "In other words," continued Uncle John, "this is likely to be the most important battleground for the next few weeks.

Now, the question to decide is this: Shall we disembark our ambulances and run them across to Arras, beginning our work behind the French trenches, or go on to Dunkirk, where we are likely to plunge into the thickest of the war?
We're not fighters, you know, but noncombatants, bent on an errand of mercy.