Show II 11 1 MACHINE 1 I 1 1 TWO artilleryman artillerymen MEN PUT ONE OVER ON OLD PEPPER regimental COMMANDER synopsis fired by the the lusitania with the loss of american lives arthur guy empey nn american living in jersey city goes to england and enlists ns a private in the britley army after a short experience as a recruiting officer in london he Is sent to training quarters in france where be first hears the sound of big guns and makes the acquaintance of booties cooties co oties after a brief period of training empey s company Is sent into the front line trenches where he takes his first turn on the fire step while the bullets whiz overhead empey learns as comrade falls that death lurks always in the trenches chaplain distinguishes himself by rescuing wounded men under hot fire with pick and shovel empey has experience as a trench digger in no mans land exciting experience on listening post detail Es citing work on observation duty CHAPTER XVI Continued 12 cassell had a fancy for that particular blonde the answer back in the shape of a volley of cusses I 1 changed the subject after a while our talk veered round to the way the boches had been exposing themselves on the road down oa the chart as target 17 what he said about those boches would never have passed the though I 1 believe it would have gone through our censor easily enough the bursting shells were making such a din that I 1 packed up talking and took to watching the captain was fidgeting around on an old sand bag with the glass to his eye occasionally sio nally be would let out a grunt and make some remark I 1 coulden couldn t bear on account ot the noise but I 1 guessed what it was all right fritz was getting fresh again on that road cassell had been sending in the tap code to me but I 1 was fed up and bother with it then be sent 0 S and I 1 was a attention tor was a call used between us which meant that something important was on I 1 was all ears in an instant then cassell turned loose ton blank dud I 1 have been trying to raise you tor fifteen minutes the matter are you asleep just it anyone could have slept in that infernal racket 1 never mind framing a nasty answer just listen are you game for putting something over on the boches and old pep per all in one 1 I answered that I 1 was game enough when it came to putting it over the boches but confessed that I 1 bad a weakening of the spine even at the mention of old peppers name came back with its so absurd ly easy and simple that there is DO chance of the old heathen rumbling it anyway it were caught III take the blame under these condition I 1 told him to spit out bis scheme it was so daring and simple that it took my breath away this Is what he proposed t if the boches should use that road again to send by the tap system the target and range I 1 had previously told him about our captain talking out loud as if he were sending through orders well it this happened I 1 was to send the dope to cassell and be would transmit it to the battery corn mander as officially coming through the observation post then the bat tery would open up afterwards during the investigation cassell would swear he received it direct they would have to relieve him because it WAS impossible from bis pot in the battery dugout to know that the road was being used at that time by the germans and also it was impossible tor him to glye the target range and degrees you know a battery chart is not passed around among the men like a newspaper from blighty from him the investigation would go to the observation post and the observing could truthfully swear that I 1 had not sent the message by phone and that no orders to fire bad been issued by him the investigators would then be up in the air we would be sate the bachos would receive a good bashing and we would get our own back on old pepper it was too good to be true I 1 gleefully fell in with the scheme and told cassell I 1 was his meat then I 1 waited with beating heart and watched the captain like a hawk waa beginning to fidget again end was drumming on the sandbars sandbags sand bags with his feet at last turning to me he said allson Wl lson this army Is a blank washout what s the we of having artillery it it is not allowed to fire government at home ought to be hanged with some of their red tape its through them that we have no inells 1 I answered yes sir aau barted sending this opinion over the wire to dasel but the captain interrupted ae with keep those infernal fingers still bate the Bi atter setting the nerves when im talking to you pay attention my heart sank supposing he had rumbled that tapping then all would be up with our plan I 1 stopped drumming with any fingers and said beg your pardon sir just a habit with me and a d d silly one too he answered turning to his glasses again and I 1 knew I 1 was safe had not tumbled to the meaning of that tapping all at once without turning round he exclaimed well ot all the nerve ive ever run across this takes the cake those boches are using that road again blind my eyes this time it Is a whole brigade of them transports and all what a pretty target for our the beggars know that we wont fire A d d shame I 1 call it oh just for a chance to turn D loose on them 1 I was trembling with excitement from repeated stolen glances at the captains range chart that road with its range was burned into my mind over the wire I 1 tapped D bat tery target 17 range 3 degrees 30 minutes left salvo fire cassell d my message and with the receiver pressed against my ear I 1 waited and listened in a couple of minutes very faintly over the wire came the voice of our battery commander i issuing the order D battery salvo I 1 fire then a roar through the receiver as the four guns belched forth a screaming and whistling overhead and the shells were on their way the captain jumped as if he were shot and let out a great big expressive d n and eagerly turned his glasses in the direction of the german road I 1 also strained my eyes watching that target four black clouds of dust rose up right inythe middle of the german column four direct hits another record for D the shells kept on whistling overhead and I 1 had counted twenty four of them when the firing suddenly ceased when the smoke end dust clouds lifted the destruction on that road waa awful overturned limbers and guns wagons smashed up troops fleeing in all directions the road and roadside were spotted all over with little field gray dots the toll of our guns the captain in his excitement bad slipped off the sandbag and was on his knees in the mud the glass still at his eye was muttering to himself and slapping hia thigh with his disengaged hand at every slap n alg round juicy cuss word would escape from his lips followed by good fine pretty work 1 direct hits all then he turned to me and shouted allson Wl lson what do you think of it did you ever see the like of it in your ute D n fine work I 1 call if pretty soon a look of wonder stole over his face and be exclaimed but who in h 1 garo them the order to fire range and everything correct too I 1 know I 1 dian didn t allson did I 1 give you any order for the battery to open up of course I 1 did I 1 1 I answered very emphatically no sir you gave no command went through this post I 1 am absolutely certain on that point sir of course nothing went through he replied then bis face tell and he muttered out loud but by jove wait old pepper gets wind cf this there 11 be fur flying just then bombardier chesell cut in on the wire generals compliments to captain A he directs that officer and signaler report at the double to brigade headquarters as soon as relieved belief now on the way in an undertone to me keep brass front allson end for gods sake stick I 1 answered with kely on me mate but I 1 was trembling all over I 1 gave the general s message to the captain and started packing up the relief arrived and as wo left the post the captain said now tor the fireworks and I 1 know they 11 be good and plenty they were when we arrived at the ann pit the battery commander the sergeant I 1 major and cassell were waiting for us we fell in line and the funeral to brigade headquarters started arriving at headquarters the battery commander was the first to be interviewed this was behind closed doors from the roaring and explosions of old pepper it sounded as if raw meat was being thrown to the lions cassell later described it as sounding like a bombing raid in about two minutes the officer reappeared the sweat was pouring from Us forehead and bis face was the color of a beet he was speechless As be passed the captain he jerked his thumb in the direction of the lions den and went out then the captain went in and the lions were once again fed the captain stayed about twenty minutes and came out I 1 see his face but the droop in his shoulders was enough he looked like a wet hen the door of the general room opened and old pepper stood in the doorway with a roar be shouted which one of you Is cassell 7 D n me get your heels together when I 1 speak 1 come in here cassell started to say yes sir but old pepper roared shut up cassell came out in five minutes i he said nothing but as he passed me he put his tongue into bis cheek and winked then turning to the closed door he stuck his thumb to bis nose and left then the sergeant majors turn came he come out our way judging by the roaring old pepper must have eaten him when the door opened and the general beckoned to me my knees started to play home sweet home against each other my interview was very short old pepper glared at me when I 1 entered and then let loose of course you dont know anything about it youre just like the rest ought to have a nursing bottle around your neck and a nipple in your teeth soldiers by gad you turn my stomach to look at you win this war when england sends out such samples as I 1 have in my brigade 1 not likely I 1 now sir tell me what you dont know about this affair speak up out with it dont be gaping at me like a fish spit it out 1 I stammered sir I 1 know absolutely nothing easy to see be roared that stupid face tells me that shut up get out but I 1 think you are a d d liar just the same back to your battery I 1 saluted and made my exit that night the captain sent for us with fear and trembling we went to his dugout he was alone after saluting we stood at attention in front of him and waited his say was short dont you two ever get it into your heads that morse Is a dead language ive known it for years the two of you had better get rid of that nervous habit of tapping transmitters its dangerous all we saluted and were just going out the door of the dugout when the captain called up back and said smoke Gold flakes yes well there are two tins of them on my table go back to the battery and keep your tongues between your teeth understand we understood for five weeks afterwards our battery did nothing but extra fatigues we were satisfied and so were the men it was worth it to put one over on old pepper to say nothing of the injury caused to fritz feelings when allson had finished his story I 1 looked up and the dugout was jammed an artillery captain and two officers had also entered and stayed for the finish allson spat out an enormous quid of tobacco looked up saw the captain and got as red as a carnation the captain smiled and left allson whispered to me bume me yank I 1 see where I 1 click for crucifixion that captain Is the same one that chucked us Gold flakes in his dugout and here I 1 have been chucking me weight about in his bearing allson never clicked his crucifixion empey tells of a narrow escape in tha next installment TO BE CONTINUED |