The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1916-12-07
What Befell an
Ammunition Train.

III A0o&80 HE
By F. A MICHEL
John Brentwood Of New York when
the pan-European war broke out was
studying aviation and determined TO
60 to the war In the flying corps. He
went to England, where he was COM
missioned an aviator and was sent to.
Belgium. {.
Brentwood became very expert with
his machine and made many a valua-
BILE reconnaissance for British generals,
but the most valuable work he did for
his side was in another line entirely,
though without his aeroplane and, for
that matter, without an accident to It
be would not have been In a position
to accomplish the feat.
John was soaring n day while the
enemy was making strenuous 1e1orts
to capture 4 British position Of great.
value. The Germans had ,rained q
hailstorm Of explosives at the position
for t%hirty-six hours, then charged It
They took it. and It was retaken and
taken again several times. John was
up in the air directing the British gun
ners where to fire when he saw q long
ammunition train beneath him moving
toward that part of the German line.
which was engaged. Signaling tho
fact and Its location. 1t was lombard
ed, with the result that a number Of
the men operating 1t were killed.
While he was looking at the train
something gave way in the machinery
Of his aer0plane, and he began to drop.
He succeeded in starting up again just
before landing, and this saved his life.
He fell in a thicket Of low growth
| bordering a creek, and before the Ger
mans came up to seize his machine no
succeeded in getting away from It and
hiding under some rocks. /.
1t was not long, however, before he
heard voices nearing him and conclud-
ed that he had better move on. for he
was doubtless being hunted. Hearing
the kissing Of a locomotive. he knew
he wat near the ammunition train he
had seen. He climbed up the bank,
and, sure enough. there within a hun
bred feet of him was the engine stand
ing on the track without any one visi-
BILE in the cab.
John made up his mind to a bold
dash. Running to the locomotives, he
mounted to the cab, and there lay the
engineer mut1lated. He had been kill
ed by a shell fragment. The missiles
were still coming so thick that John
did not expect to live very long him
self. He determined to take that train
away from where its freight was e.
pecially needed. He knew very little
about a LOCOMOTIVES; but, always having
been fond Of machinery, knew enough
t |" tack up Tnfsnsnae~ dld;s ~siow93s O.
FIRST; but, gathering impetus. and then
reaching a decline in the grade. he
moved quite rapidly. He saw: an ON
Ger galloping toward him. frantically
waving his sword. doubtless as a sig
nal for him to stop. but by this time
John was going as fast as me rider
and paid no attention to him. A switch
had been left open. and the result was
that two-thirds Of the train was dump
ed into the creek.
This caused u halt. and John knew
that 1t vas time to set out before any
M could reach him. 1t occurred to
him that the best chance for him was
to hide under the engine. He succeed
ed In getting there in time to escape
detection. A few minutes later there
was q babel of voices about him-om,
GERS, soldiers and train hands shouting
I'and gesticulating. Finding the engf-
neer's body in the cab. they supposed
that he had been running the engine.
and his being killed had caused all tho
trouble. r.
It occurred to John that If he could
reach a point where the overturned
cars were in the creek he might find .
more permanent hiding place. Waiting
till the crowd had left the engine he
peeped and saw that the car next back
Of him was leaning against ~underhrush.
He succeeded in getting from under
the locomotive to this car without be-
ing seen. and then 1t was an easy mat
ter to wriggle through. the brush and
down to the creek.
John was IN the enemy's line, but
there was no necessity for him to be
suspected OF wrecking the ammunit1o0
train. The chances Of bis getting back
| to his comrades were slight, and he
made PIP his mind to surrender him
self when be could do so without e
citing ans, especial suspicion. Hs g.
NAMED in the creek till night anso.
hiding more effective; then cfawled %
on to the opposite bank Of the creek
from the wrecked train.
All vas still except periodic booms.
There was no evidence of any one %.
ing near him, and it occurred to him
to take bis chances Of getting into the
British lines. This would necessitate
his approaching the German trenches
from the rear. since the two forces
were facing each other and very near
together. Advancing, he soon came @
tho German trenches. He walked nyap