The Arizona copper camp., 1918-06-22

Entrance to a Dugout.
in rest billets, digging roads, drilling
and other fatigues, and then back into
the front-line trench.
I Nothing happened that night, but the
next afternoon 1 found out that q
bomber is general utility man in sec
tion.
About five o'clock in the afternoon
our lieutenant came down the trench
and stopping in front of bunch of us
on the fire step, with broad grin on
his face. asked:
''Who is going to volunteer for listen
ing post tonight? ] need two men,"
1t is needless to say no one volun
teered, because it is anything but 9
cushy job. I began to feel uncomfort
able as knew it was getting around
for my turn. Sure enough, with another
grin, he said:
"Empey, you and Wheeler are due
SO come down into my dugout for in.
structions at six O'clock"
just as he left and was going arounG
q traverse, Fritz turned loose with &
machine gun and the bullets ripped the
sandbags right over his head. 1t gave
me great pleasure to see him ducE
against the parapet. He was getting 6
taste of what we would get later oui
in front.
Then, of course, it began to rain. ]
knew it was the forerunner of mis-
erable night for us. Every time I hat
to go out in front, it just naturally
raiped. Old Jupiter Pluvius must hav,
had it in for me.
At six we reported for instructions
They were simple and easy. All We
had to do was to crawl out into Nc
Mans Land, lie on our bellies with oW
ears to the ground and listen for thu
tap, tap Of the German engineers OF
sappers who might be tunneling undel
No Mans Land to establish a mine
head beneath our trench.
OF course, in our orders we were tolt
not to be captured by German patrol
or accommodating parties. Lots O.
breath is wasted on the western from
giving silly cautions.
AS soon as 1t was dark, Wheeler and
l crawled to our post which was about
halfway between the lines. 1t was
raining bucketfuls, the ground was a
sea of sticky mud and clung to us like
glue.
We took turns in listening with our
-ears to the ground. I would listen for
twenty minutes while Wheeler would
be on the qui vive for German patrols.
We each wore wristwatch, and be-
lieve me, neither one of us did over
twenty minutes The rain soaked us
to the skin and our ears were full Of
mud.
Every few minutes a bullet would
crack overhead or a machine gun would
traverse back and forth.
Then all firing suddenly ceased. ]
whispered to Wheeler, 'sKeep your eye
skinned, mate; most likely Fritz has
a patrol out-that's why the Boches
have stopped firing
We were each armed with rifle and
bayonet and three Mills bombs to be
used for defense only.
1 had my ear to the ground. All OF
a sudden I heard faint, dull thuds.
In a low but excited voice whispered
to Wheeler, II think they are mining
listen.'
He put his ear to the ground and
in an unsteady voice spoke into my
ear:
"Yank, that's patrol and it's head
ing our way. For Gods sake keep
STILL"
/ was as still as mouse and was
scared stiff.
Hardly breathing and with eyes try
ing to pierce the inky blackness, we
waited. would have given a thou
sand pounds to have been safely in
my dugout.
Then we plainly heard footsteps and
our hearts stood still.
A dark form suddenly loomed up in
front of me; it looked as big as the
Woolworth building. I could hear
the blood rushing through my veins
and it sounded as loud as Niagara
falls.
Forms seemed to emerge from the
darkness. There were seven of them
in all. I tried to wish them away.
never wished harder in my life. They
muttered a few words in German and
melted into the blackness. I didn't
stop wishing either
All of sudden we heard a stumble,
"a muddy splash, and a muttered don
ner und Bitten" One of the Boches
had tumbled into a shell hole. Neither