Adventure Magazine Cover — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Fresh Yank while his tortured throat tightened like a closed purse. “ He began to put on his tunic. The German turned his back to the smoke, and at that moment saw a boot, a uhlan’s boot, with steel-shod heel, that had been cast aside. ‘The officer bent swiftly and sweep- ing up the boot in his hand, smote the coughing Yank with it a mighty blow. A boot heel makes a good black-jack. The Yank went down in a heap, and the German tossed the boot away and searching in the moon-shaped pockets of his uniform, brought out a cigaret. This he lighted, found his monocle still hanging by the cord, and inserted it in his eye. He looked once more at the Yank and saw that the flames were not five feet from his body and would burn him in another minute or two. The officer exhaled cigaret smoke and walked toward the distant road where the German squadrons retreated. ‘There were faint cries behind him, but he did not in- crease his speed. rq ing over the brow of the hill, ap- ——s peared a troop of cavalry in line. Heads tossing, feet twinkling, the horses moved across the field at a sharp trot. They changed direction slightly, so that they would pass closely by the remnant of the burning wagons. “There’s a poor lad’s body by the fire,” said one of the corporals on the end of the line. ‘See can you pull ’im out from the saddle.” A trooper obediently swung down, but his clutching hand missed the Yank’s collar. At that minute, however, the line halted. “See there!” cried one who rode before, and seemed to be the commander. “I said ali halong as ’ow there was amminition in them wagons that made that explosion.” “What’s all them smokin’ coals?” asked the seeming adjutant. “I wager them’s a wagonload o’ them flamin’ larzenges they throws into the ’ouses for to set them afire. Ullo, there’s their main force!” The commander, who wore the chevrons of a sergeant, pointed to the distant road. “Let’s ’ave a go wi’ them,” suggested the adjutant. “’Ave a go with them!” snorted the sergeant. ‘“‘That’s summat for a troop of cavalry to do, go proddin’ a whole giddy FROM the opposite direction, com- 27 brigade! No, we'll ’ave a look at these guns. Now what the ——’s the matter now?” There was a knot of dismounted men by the wagon-park, who were very agitated about something. “‘What’s the matter over there?” called the sergeant. The sergeant and the lance corporal, who acted as aid or second in command, rode over to where the dismounted troopers clustered about the Yank. He had re- gained his wits and, held on his feet by two sympathetic dragoons, was wildly declar- ing that he was all right, but possessed with an insatiable desire to drink about a gallon of Hunnish gore. ‘*°E’s barmy,” explained one of the sym- pathetic men to the sergeant, “‘an’ ’e’s burnt ’orrid.” “Cruel shyme, another. “Y’m not burned,”’ cried the Yank, “‘just my clothes. I had the Kaiser himself prisoner and he got away on me. Give me a horse and a sword and I’ll show you how well I am.” “I know that lad,” said the sergeant. *°E looks like a blooming sweep, but I knows ’is voice. ’E’s one of ours. Look after ‘im, men, whilst we pays our devwars to these hartillerymen.”’ The two troopers who supported the Yank remained behind, and the troop, moving forward again, began to canter, and then to gallop, arriving at the German guns with a rush. Considerable sword- waving ensued. ‘What happened?” asked the Yank, holding his head. “You was lyin’ there a warmin’ yourself by the fire. We thought as you was dead, but most like some ’un rung noon on you with a lance butt.” “TI know who did it,” answered the Yank, “but I wonder how. He struck twelve on my head, all right. I can hear it ring yet. What lot are you from? Let go my arm, I’m all right, barring a head like a cham- pagne hang-over. ——— I never knew what a roast of beef feels like before. Where did you come from?” “We're a lot of mongrels,” said one of the men. “Dragoons, ’ussars, and signal troopers. I misjudge there’s a few wag- I calls it,’ remarked oners, too. We come out with a colonel as * I never see before, but we run into some of them uhlans and kweerassers an’ got cut Go NOOK 1 @)