The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-05-30

and t-,ok TO watching the captain. He
was fidgeting around on an old sand
bag with the glass TO his eye. Occa-
sIonally he would LET out grunt, and
make some remark | couldn't hear on
account of the noise, but l guessed
what II was all right Fritz was get
ting fresh again on that road.
"Cassell had been sending In the tap
code to me, but | was fed up and
didn't bother with 1t. Then he sent
O. S.. and I was all attention, for this
was d call used between us which
meant that something important was
on. l was all ears in an instant. Then
Cassell turned loose.
".You blankety blank dud, have
been trying to raise you for fifteen
minutes. What's the matter, are you
asleepY (Just as If anyone could
have slept In that Internal racketO
Never mind framing nasty answer
Just listen
care you game for putting some
thing over on the Boches and Old Pep
per all in oneT
81 answered that was game enough
when 1t came to putting 1t over the
Roches, but confessed that l had a
weakening of the spine, even ut the
mention of Old Peppers name.
"He came back with, It's so absurd
ly easy and simple that there Is no
chance of the old heather rumbling II.
Anyway, If we're caught, I'll take the
blame
Under these condition told him TO
spit out his scheme. 1t was so daring
and simple that ii took my breath
away. This is what he proposed:
"If the Boches should use that road
again. to send by the tap system the
target and range. | had previously
told him about our captain talking out
loud rs If he were sending through
orders. Well, If this happened, / was
to send the dope to Cassell and he
would transmit 1t to the battery COM
mander as officially coming through
the observation post. Then the bat
terry would open up. Afterwards, dur
ing the investigation, Cassell would
swear he received 1t direct. They
would have to relieve him, because 1t
was impossible from his post in the
battery dugout to know that the road
was being used at that time by the
Germans. And also 1t was impossible
for him 10 give the target, range and
degrees. You know a battery chart is
not passed around among the men like
newspaper from Blighty. From him
the investigation would 90 to the OBJ
servation post and the observing Off
Ger could truthfully swear that | had
not sent the message by phone, and
that no orders to fire had been issued
by him. The investigators would then
be up In the air, we would be safe, the
Boches would receive q good bashing,
and we would get our own back on Old
Pepper. 1t was too good to be true.
| gleefully fell in with the scheme,
and told Cassell l was his meat.
"Then I waited with beating heart
and watched the captain like a hawk.
HE vas beginning to fidget again
and was drumming on the sandbags
with his feet. At last, turning to me,
he said:
Wilson this army Is blankety
blank washout. What's the use of hav-
ing artillery If 1t is not allowed to fire?
The government at home ought to be
hanged with some of their red tape
It's through them that we have no
Shells
II answered, Yes, SIR and started
sending this opinion over the wire to
Cassell, but the captain interrupted
me with:
keep those internal fingers still.
What's the matter, getting the nerves?
When I'm talking to you, pay atten-
ton
my heart sank. Surprising he had
rumbled that tapping, then all would
be up with our plan. | stopped drum
ming with my fingers and said:
"'Beg your pardon, sir, Just habit
with me-
"'And a id silly one, too he an
swered, turning to his glasses again,
and | knew | was safe. He had not
tumbled to the meaning of that tap
ping.
"All at once, without turning round,
he exclaimed:
"'Well, of all the nerve I've ever run
across, this takes the cake. Those
Boches are using that road
again. Blind my eyes, this time 1t is
whole brigade of them, transports and
all. What pretty target for our
ass The beggars know that we
won't fire. id shame, | call IT,.
Oh, Just for chance to turn ID 23S
loose on them
II was trembling with excitement.
From repeated stolen glances ut the
captains range chart. that road with
its range was burned into my mind.
cover the wire tapped, ID 238 bat
terry, Target II, Range 5000 3 degrees
80 minutes left, salvo, fire Cassell
o. KID my message, and with the re-
celver pressed against my ear, / wait
ed and listened. In Il couple of min
utes very family over the wire came
the voice of our battery commander
issuing the order: ID 23S battery
Salvol Firep
"Then a roar through the receiver
as the four guns belched forth, a
screaming and whistllng overhead. and
the shells were on their way