Oxford eagle., 1918-05-30
Over the Top
|Rv An American Soldier
| Whs Went
ARTHUR GUY EnPEY

--sTr-. ~. isl7. ey Ar.srr Cur sna'-s
= bursting shells were making
din that I packed up talking
pok 10 watching the captain. He
tdgeting around on an old sand
nth the glass to his eye. Occa-
tly he would let out grunt, and
some remark I couldn't hear on
nj OF the noise. but / guessed
n was all right. Fritz was get
Fresh again on that road.
sseIl had been sending In the tap
10 me, but was fed up and
bother with It Then he sent
and I was all attention, for this
a call used between US which
1 that something important was
was all ears in an instant. Then
III turned loose.
lou blankety blank dud, / have
trying TO raise you for fifteen
hes. What's the matter. are you
kpr (Just as II anyone could
slept in that Internal racket |,
er mind framing a nasty answer.
|listen.'
Are you game for putting some
! over on the Boches and Old Pep
All In oner
answered that / was game enough
! II came TO putting II over the
les. but confessed that I had a
kenlng Of the spine. even at the
bon OF Old Peppers name.
h came back with. It's so absurd
ksy and simple that there is no
&c Of the old heather rumbling II.
bay. If we're caught. III take the
BE-
fnder these condition I told him to
out his scheme. II was so daring
simple that II took my breath
h. This Is what he proposed:
|f the Boches should use that road
|n. to send by the tap system the
|ei and range. I had previously
him about our captain talking out
as IL he were sending through
Prs. Well. IL this happened. i was
send the dope to Cassell and he
Id transmit 1t to the battery COM
lder as officially coming through
observation post. Then the bat
would open up. Afterwards. dur
the investigation, Cassell would
ar he received II direct. Thew
Id have TO relieve him. because IL
impossible from his post In the
terry dugout to know that the road
! being used at that time by the
mans. And also II was impossible
him 10 give the target. range and
rees. You know a battery chart II
passed around among the men like
ewspaper from Blighty. From him
investigation would 60 TO the OBJ
ration post. and the observing ON
could truthfully swear that I-had
sent the message by phone. and
no orders TO fire had been issued
him. The Investigators wouId Il-.
Up in the air. we would be safe. the
hes would receive a good bashing
We would get our own back on Old
'per. II was too good to be true
'leefully fell in with the scheme
told Cassell I was his meat.
Then / waited with beating hear,
watched the captain like a hawk
he was beginning TO fdget again
was drumming on the sandbags
B his feet. At last. turning TO me
said:
Wilson. this army Is q blankety
nh washout- What's the use Of hav
artillery IL IL is not allowed TO fire.
E government nj home ought 10 bt
nged with some of their red tape
through them that we have NJ
.lls.'
! answered. Yes. sir and starte<
aoing this opinion over the wire Il
ssell. but the captain interrupted
with:
Keep those Internal fingers still
hats the matter. getting the nerves
ben I'm talking 10 you. pay atten
u
Ny heart sank. Supposing he had
noied that tapping. then all woult
~ with our plan. I stopped drum
ng with my fingers and said:
beg your pardon. sir. just q habi
n me-
And a ID silly one. too he an
efed. turning TO his glasses again
. knew | Was safe. He had no
nbled 10 the meaning of that tap
ag
All al once. without turning round
exclaimed:
Well. OF all the nerve I've ever rui
'oss. this takes the cake. Thos
Boches are using that roa'
am Blind my eyes. this time IL is
sole brigade Of them. transports AM
What a pretty target for on
sA The beggars know that "
VI nre. A id shame. call II
Just for a chance to turn ID %
'se on them
! was trembling with excitement
YIN repeated stolen glances at tn
plains range chart. that road wit
range was burned into my mind.
over the wire 1 tapped. ID 23S bat
y Target II. Range 6000. 8 degree
minutes. left. salvo. fire. Casse
h-d my message. aid with the n