Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

36 Nell. led them upstream to where the ditch came out on the bank and two of the officers reconnoitered. “Nothing there but some dead krauts,” reported the officer ina few minutes. ‘‘Come on, soldier, lead out.” _ The officer waved to the men across the ford to come over, which they did, holding their weapons out of the water. Then, bending double, they followed Nell and the three officers up the ditch. There had been shelling in that ditch since Nell was in it last. There were holes in it aplenty, along the sides and on the edge. Just now, how- ever, it was blissfully calm. “It’s a wonder we aren’t fired on,” mut- tered one of the officers, ‘‘we must be under observation.”’ “Cheer up,” said the other. ‘They’ll let us set up the guns and then they’ll shower ‘down and after that we won’t need to worry.” | One of these officers was the machine- gunner and the other commanded the one- pounders, Last in line were the trench mortars, and it appeared from the conver- sation that these were not to fire, but to go forward when the opportunity offered. The machine-guns were set up, ammuni- tion prepared, and the squad leaders lay down with one hand in air to show that their squads were ready. The section leaders reported ready and the officer commanded: “Range 1250, at the town. First section right half, second section, left half. Over- head.. Commence firing at the blast of the whistle.” ~The officer turned around. “I wish you weren’t going to fire your pop-guns in here,”’ said he to the one- pounder man. ‘‘The Boche can hear those things going clear back in the hills and they’ll start to iron you out. Meanwhile we'll get ours.” “Tf you knows of a better ole,” grinned the one-pounder officer, “‘go to it.” ~ “You and your better hole,” growled the machine-gunner; “wait till the barrage starts, you’ll want to find it.” The two officers thereupon sat and bit their thumbs. Nell looked them over. They wore no insignia not even a stripe on the cuff of their blouses, and Nell reflected that his was the better uniform of the three. “Corporal Davis,” said the machine-gun officer, “take two men and find Major Hemenway. I think you’ll get him on this Adventure side of the river, near that bridge they’re making out of the railroad track. . Tell him that we’re in position in the ditch and: that we’ll open fire with the artillery bar- rage. Whenever he wants fire on any new targets, send me a runner.” x Waiting for the barrage to start was the most trying time that Nell had yet ex- perienced. The gunners kept inspecting sights and the loaders were forever rattling clips of ammunition. The enemy fire had not ceased a second, but it was all on the far side of the river and on the river itself. The casualties must be terrific. . Nell could hear the shouting and the bawling of orders in the river and decided the men were crossing and coming up into the wheat. He trembled lest the enemy barrage shift from the narrow gage track to the wheat, but fortunately it did not. suddenly there was a loud whack overhead. Four or five shrapnel shells had burst abov ‘““They’re white,’ cried the machine-. gunner, “‘they’re ours. Stand by for the barrage; they fired those shells to show the observers where the barrage was going. to fall.” . a The barrage let down with the clap of a closing cellar door, the officer’s- whistle peeped faintly, and away roared the ma- chine-guns. The distant town suddenly became shrouded in smoke and began to. gush gray and yellow clouds of it like a gi- gantic chimney. The big eight-inch boys were dumping gas and high explosive in among those houses. The barrage went forward slowly, and the smoke barrage that went with it covered the entire field and shut off the view of the machine-gunners. They continued to fire, however, and trusted that their shooting was effective. Nell watched for the wave of infantry, but saw nothing of them. The barrage passed on, was. well into the field, and still he saw no sign of the Americans. ) . “The fools!” he cried, “‘they’ve gone and gummed it again.” | After a minute or two, by straining his eyes to their utmost, he could see here and there a group of black dots, just visible a second, then gone. They were the helmets of men crawling in the wheat. Higher authority, that is, brigade and divisional commanders, had taken a hand in this thing. The second attack was more carefully COMIGDIOOKSEEO