The Benson signal., 1918-06-08

When I'm talking to you, pay atten-
tiOn.'
"My heart sank. Supposing 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 ID silly one, too,' he an
swered. turning to his glasses again,
| and I 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 it is a
whole brigade of them, transports and
all. What pretty target for our
ASS The beggars know that we
won't fire. A ID shame, call it,
Oh, just for chance to turn D 238
loose on Them
II was trembling with excitement
From repeated stolen glances at the
captains range chart, that road with
it's range was burned into my mind.
"Over the wire tapped, D 238 bat
terry, Target II, Range 5000. 8 degrees
80 minutes, left, salvo, fire. Cassell
o. KID my message, and with the re-
ceiver pressed against my ear, wait
ed and listened. In couple of min
utes very family over the wire came
the voice of our battery commander
issuing the order: ID 238 battery.
Salvol Fire!'
"Then a roar through the receiver
as the four guns belched forth, a
screaming and whistling overhead, and
the shells were on their way.
"The captain jumped as If he were
shot, and let out great big expressive
d|n, and eagerly turned his glasses
in the direction of the German road.
I also strained my eyes watching that
target. Four black clouds Of dust rose
up right in the middle Of the German
column. Four direct hits-another
record for D 238.
"The shells kept on whistling over
head, and had counted twenty-four
of them when the firing suddenly
ceased. When the smoke and dust
clouds lifted the destruction on that
road was awful. Overturned limbers
and guns, wagons smashed up, troops
| fleeing in all directions. The road and
roadside were spotted all over with
little field gray dots, the toll of our
guns.
"The captain, in his excitement, had
slipped off the sandbag, and was on
his knees in the mud, the glass still at
his eye. He was muttering to himself
and slapping his thigh with his disen-
gagged hand. At every slap big
round Juicy cuss word would escape
from his lips followed by:
"'Good! Fine! Marvellous! Pretty
Work! Direct hits ALL
"Then he turned to me and shouted: {:
Wilson, what do you think Of it?
Did you ever see the like of it in your
life? D-n fine work, I call it,
"Pretty soon look of wonder stole
over his face and he exclaimed:
"'But who in hi gave them the
order to fire. Range and everything
correct, too. I know I didn't. Wilson,
did give you any order for the bat
terry to open up? Of course didn't,
did II
II answered very emphatically, No,
sir, you gave no command. Nothing
went through this post. am abso-
lutely certain on that point, SIR
"'Of course nothing went through
he replied. Then his face fell, and he
muttered out loud:
"'But, by Jove, wait till Old Pep
per gets wind of this. There'll be fur
| flying
Just then Bombardier Cassell cut in
on the wire:
"General's compliments to Captain
A. He directs that officer and sig
naler report at the double to brigade
headquarters as soon as relieved. Re-
lief now on the way
"In an undertone to me, Keep
| brass front, Wilson, and for Gods
sake. stick I answered with, Rely on
me, mate but was trembling all over.
81 gave the generals message to the
| captain, and started packing up.