Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-11-10
CHAPTER XVIII.
Breakfast Under Fire.

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door of the car. Corporal Jim
Ashby-his squad numbered two
other men besides Kilbane and
Swenson-led his four across the
tracks, avoiding third rails. He climb
ed the barriers of the railroad right
of way and led on to Madison avenue.
The shells seemed to be bursting close.
The shock of a defamation rocked the.
air, and all about windows were bro
ken. The white and blue flag of Com
pany f was on the corner of 111th
street. All but two of the men who
had answered roll call after the wreck
replied now. The battalion did not de-
lay for those.
A sergeant, in the khaki of the reg
ar army, rode up on a motorcycle. He
FOUND M1rDUy7raT. md haTd-
ed over written orders. The command
came down the column: forward.
march"
Certainly the shells were bursting
closer than a few minutes ago, and
they were coming more often, toe.
There was a big fire lower down in the
city-several big fires. The smoke blew
in great streamers across the sky to-
ward the Hudson. How the big shells
were coming! Breakfast under frei
jim had forgotten breakfast. He felt
no hunger to remind him of 1t. He
did not need to eat. There was talk
ing in the ranks, plenty of talking. but
- 49, -,zAIvo 80 -o,Isav - mt
What a sight was Madison n
If all the throngs who had crowded the
boats on the river, the trains, and the
roads north of the city had fed from
New York, where could these people
be coming from? Well, some of them
were coming from houses and flats and
stores. right there on the avenue. Old
men, middle aged men, and boys. Men
g~esturing wildly and excited, men STAN
mering and furious, men quiet and pale
and too calm were leading their fami-
lies from their homes to start flight
to end-where and how?
That shell, There was no doubt thai
the shells were bursting farther up
town and were coming more often.
Women screamed and children cried.
Men cursed madly. What was the
matter with the forts-what were they
doing? Where was the army and all
the men who had volunteered? Some
one started a cheer for the soldiers
marching down the car tracks. The
cars In Madison ayenue for some rea-
son were not running.
"Where're you from, boysT'
illinois,"
Murray! Murray. Some more of the
Illinois boys! Hurrayl Hurray! Say,
some Of you fellows are hurt! Been
fighting? Where? How did 1t come
out?'
mo. Train wreck" a recruit con
fessed.
Bridge blown up before US by spies!'
some one corrected quickly. "We lost
half u men!" he boosted.
where you going? Long Island?"
Don't know. Hope so!'
"They need you there. Our boys
were beaten this morning. The re-
gents landing a hundred thousand men
and they're marching on New York. Oh,
there's another one They're shell
ing New York. Those shells, they're
exploding just below there"
Column forward! Forward!' some
one was beseeching now, mo- ordering,
"Close up, meni oh, close up!"
Corporal Ashby gazed duly at the
back of the men in front of him, then
to Kilbane marching at his side. The
Irish boys face chalk white. Jim
knew that his skin was as bloodless
and his legs were as unsteady as he
strobe.
CLOSE upi Oh, hang 1t, close up!"
Jim stumbled forward, certain the
scxY must be meant for him. But XII