Omaha daily bee., 1918-06-09
CHAPTER XVI.
Wierd Game Of Hide and Seek.

nc OciHAHs hhcW PeiieStAy WS'
mat there was a battle somewhere
near the spot where had found my
gunners. Only the exact location was
hidden from them. and they never
ceased their efforts to determine that.
FHtz's airplanes were always trying
to sneak over to get look. An air.
plane was the only means Of detection
the Canadianp feared. Mol will not
say they feared it'll The word fear
did not exist for that battery! But il
~ the only way in which there was
1 tolerable chsnce even for Fritz to
1o6ate them, and, for the sake Of the
whole operation at that point, as well
~ for their own interest, they were
eater TO avoid that.
German airplanes were always try
ito to sneak over, / say, but nearly
always our men Of the royal flying
corps drove them back. We came as
clese, Just then, to having command
o( the air in that sector as any army
does these days. A few hostile flyers
{ cah get through the heaviest baragc
and the staunchest air patrol. And so,
every once IN d while, an alarm would
sound and all hands would crane their
n<cks upward to watch an airplane
Tying with an iron cross painted upon
Iii. wings.
Then, and, as 4 rule, then only, FIRE
would cease for a few minutes. There
NJ flr less chance Of detection when
th9 guns were still. At the height At
which our archies--so the anti-aircraft
hs are called BY Tommy Atkins
leed the boche to fly there was little
feh{nce Of his observers picking out
1A battery. 1t least. against the
8nnd. Il the guns were giving
cIee that chance was tripled--and so
<IjGy stopped, ii such times, until .
Hfliish hyer had had time to engage
x1& Hun and either bring him down
0x oend him seurrying for the safe
xtSjtef behind bis own lines.
Fritz, Ia the air, liked to have the
~ with him, % . rule. II was cx-
<o4tional to find German flyer like.
H6eike who really went in for single
\ 1jSnde6 du<is In the dir. Al ! rule
tIfey pfeferfed to attack Z single plane
viii halfea dozen, and so make as sure
n they could OF victory at minimum
ofsrisk. But that policy did not al
Wxys work--sometimes the lone Brit
ieIf nyer came out ahead, despite the
6lI4s neAinsf him.
Thefe was 1 great deal of firing on
3eSerai principles from Fritz. His
6I'>lls came wandering querulcusly
Sb6ut, striking on every side Of the
battery. Occasionally, Of course, there
wxs i hit that was direct, OF nearly so.
And then, Is 1 rule, 4 new mound or
twb would appear In the little cerne-
teIY, and / new set Of crosses that for
4 few days you might easily enough
hare marked for new because they
Would not be weathered yet. But
\ sh hits ware few and far between,
q Z l1ii4 they were lucky, casual shots Of
lilch the Germans themselves did
}1ot haYe The satisfaction OF knowing.
)f course, II they get our range
xG1lly and find out all about us we'll
|ySYe u move" said the officer in CONF
mud. That would be bore, but It
co0ldn't be helped. We're fixed
kafIet, you see, IS soon As they know
tut where we are, and they can turn
\ 6oee ! battery Of heavy howitzers
<$inst us and clear us out oflhere in
~ time. But were pretty quick rnov-.
~ when we have TO novel It's great
ap0rt in i way, too, sometimes. We
}Gxe III the camnufagc behind and
aQfiietlmes Fritz will spend I week
Z milling ! position that was moved
ax6y II the first shell that came as
4 meant they really were on to u.s."
wondered how 1 battery COM
hs9nder would determine the differ
enke between 1 casual hit and the first
al<lI Of .bombardmtnt definitely
pl&naed and accurately placed.
You can tell, % u rule, Il you know
In garne." Ne said. 1Therell Be
sE<rching shells, you see. There'll be
one too Tar, perhaps. And then, after
nfetty exact interval, thercll be an
ether. maybe bit short. Then one
u ahe left--and then to the right. BY
fItlt tirle we're of as rulc--wc don't
: w2St for the one thaf viii be scored
! kiti IL vo,,,re quick. vol, see, Won
caa beat Fritz Is 4 by keeping your
3Yks cpen and being ready Is move
h = hurry when he's rot / really FOOD
arSufnei1f ~ make vo,i do it.s 81
tut while / was there. while Fritz
+ III ;nouisitive enough. his curiosity
fof hin, nowhere. There were nd
cn i,al hits even. ana there WAS moth.
ir& to make the battery feel that Il
5,1s|sf Be making ready for \ uuick
& frS|;
Vas dat no weird. strange game
.,{ MAE ma seek that I watched a
Visny Rideei Il gave me he creeps;
vSas could not seei n m,,st Re hard
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