Cheer Boys Cheer: The Boys' Journal, No. 62 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

36 PAGES. howitzer shell burst with a roar a mile from the British trenches. The tables were turned now—the Chinese were bombarding the British! General Pen- ross gazed at the scene bitterly. What a situation!’ he exclaimed to Major Wilson, who was by his side. ‘‘To be bombarded by our own guns! By heavens, if I could only think of a means to drive the vermin from the town! We are short of stores—terribly short, and Birmington is stocked with provisions! Are the Chinese to have them, Wilson?” “It seems 0, sir,’’ replied the major gravely. ‘* Until we are reinforced we are helpless, I understand that an army of Territorials and civilians are hastening here with all speed.” “ Yes, yes, Wilson, but that does not alter the position,’’ said Sir Charles. ‘* The Chinese have captured our. guns, and even if we cannot regain possession of them, we could at least. destroy them. .An aeroplane would have been useful, but Captain Anderson’s machine is destroyed, I understand.. No other machine—— Hallo! Look there, Wilson; what is that?” “An aeroplane, sir, as I live!” ejaculated the major. Coming swiftly from the southward could be seen the shape of a graceful monoplane. And General Penrose was not the only one who had noticed it: Captain Anderson, deeply immersed in his thoughts, had heard the familiar purr of .the engine, and looked up sharply. He uttered an exclamation of satisfaction. ““Sanstead!’? he muttered. ‘ Staff- astead, on the new 100-h.p. ! By Jove, I wonder what’s quickly unsirapped his field- s, and raised them to his eyes. So occupied was he in his observations that he did not notice that the air was be- coming dangerously thick with flying shrapnel shell. ‘The Chinese gunners were just getting the range, and the fields below the trenches were swept by the fire. Captain Anderson stood on a little knoll two hundred yards from the fore- most trench, and Jimmy and Steve, peering cautiously out of cover, saw the flying officer at the same moment. = its Anderson!’ exclaimed Jimmy, in surprise. ‘‘ What’s he doing there? The Chinks are just getting the range, and he'll be hit if he doesn’t move! if he knew he was in danger he’d skip into this trench in half a tick,’ he added contemptuously. “He’s watching that aeroplane,” said Steve, gazing up for a second at the machine. ‘It’s coming down on the other side of the hill, near the general’s headquar—— Glory! Look at that!” A shell had burst a short distance from Anderson, and he _ suddenly lowered his glasses. Then, realising his peril, ho hastily turned, and came run- ning towards the trenches. Jimmy gave a short laugh of disdain. ““Thought he’d hop when he knew where he was,” he said. “Give him a chance, Jimmy,” said Steve protestingly. “I should jolly well run_myself if I were out there! Look! The shells are coming like hail now! There was, indeed, a marked change. The dull boom of the guns sounded almost continuous now, and the shrapnel swept over the trenches in a deadly shower of lead. But the trenches were well-constructed, and by lying low the British soldiers were not in much danger. EVERY TUESDAY. ONE PENNY. 1} . Anderson ran onwards. Then, sud- denly he tripped in a tuft of grass, and fell. As he was rising a shell screamed towards him, passed, and then burst with a terrible roar and a blaze of flame. The officer staggered to his feet, swayed for a second, and col- lapsed. “By James!” cried Jimmy. been hit!” He jumped up, and stared out over the top of the trench. Anderson saw him, and waved his arm feebly. He even tried to rise, but fell back again. “cc He’s A captain of infantry hurried along the trengh, and pulled Jimmy down with a jerk. “You young ass!’ he said sternly. £°Do you want to be potted?” “No, sir; but Captain Anderson, of the Royal Flying Corps, is lying out Down sped the with a deafening roar, laid down his life for his country ! there, wounded,” replied Jimmy quietly. ‘‘ We can’t leave him to die.” Then, without a word, Jimmy leapt upwards, and followed Steve, who had just left the trench. Next moment the two youngsters were racing towards Anderson, regardless of the flying shells. The infantry officer turned pale. “The young fools!” he muttered, biting his moustache. ‘‘They’ll be killed before they can get back!’ The two boys reached Anderson, and lifted him up between them. ‘Then they stumbled back to safety, amidst a yousing cheer from the soldiers in the distance, who could see everything. A shell screamed up, and passed, to burst harmlessly in a clump of trees. Then another came, but this one burst com- paratively close. Jimmy felt a scorch- bomb, and next moment the great gas-hoider blew up But the very force of the explosion wrecked the aeroplane overhead, and there was no escape for its ing pain on his left wrist, and knew that a shrapnel bullet had grazed him, and Steve’s hat flew from his head, pierced through. Two seconds later another shell burst right over the trench itself, and accounted for three men and a corporal, who had incautiously exposed them- selves. At last, after what seemed an age, Jimmy and Steve reached the trench, and they dropped into it, panting but unhurt. Anderson was conscious, and he smiled faintly at the boys. “Jove, you’re plucky !’’ he muttered. “‘T didn’t deserve it.” “ Quick, Steve !”’ said Jimmy sharply. ““We must get him to the surgeon!” Five minutes later Anderson was lying on the grass outside General Penrose’s own tent, which was situated ce eroic pilot. He had in a hollow, well out of the danger zone. The surgeon examined the wounded man, and bandaged a nasty wound in his chest. “Ts it serious?’ asked anxiously. ‘Not if he is kept quiet, my boy,” replied the surgeon. ‘‘ An ugly wound, but not necessarily fatal. He must not move until all danger of internal bleed- ing is passed.” Anderson lay on the grass, pale and still. .Jimmy and Steve, outside the geneval’s tent, looked towards him pity- ingly. Within the tent the general was holding a brisk conference with Colonel Jameson and Major Wilson. “Tt is fortunate in the extreme that this aeroplane has arrived,”’ the general was saying. ‘‘We have a stock of Steve ((avaalelavoyvo)| % COMME DOO Ly cr S.C i 2 TE Lee Lae Cee [AU SIE FEENY Ae RO CAEN SLO STO LE Oe eT OE SPM cn fa ia Ad = et gt hag ata eel i aa Ol et eh Sel ee! SOR SY ee Pen