News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1919-01-08


yiously blackened our bayonets so they
/ would not shine in the glare of a star
shell.
Reaching the listening post French
told us to wait about five minutes I'M
til he returned from a little scouting
trip of his own. When he left, we,
with every nerve tense, listened for his
coming back. We could almost hear
each others hearts pumping, but not a
sound around the listening post Sud
ly a voice, about six feet on my right
whispered, All right the way is clear a;
follow me and carry on
"My blood frOze in my veins. 1t
was unCanny the way French ap-
preached us without being heard.
Then, with backs bending low, out
of the listening post we went, in the
direction of the ditch in front Of the
German barbed wire. We reached the
scrubby hedge and lay down. about six
feet apart, to listen. French and the
officer were on the right of our line.
About twenty minu g had elapsed
when suddenly, directly in front of the
German wire we could see dark, shad-
owy forms rise from the ground and
move along the wire. Silhouetted
against the skyline these forms looked
like huge giants, and took on horrible
shapes. My heart almost stopped beat
ing. | counted s'xty-two in all, as the
last form faded into the blackness on
my left.
"A whisper came to my ears !:
"Don't move or make a sound, a
strong German raiding party is going
across 1t was French's voice. | did
not hear him approach me, nor leave.
Yank, he must have got his training
with the Indians on your great plains
of America
81 could hear a slight scraping noise
on my right and left. Pretty soon the
whole accommodating patrol was ly-
ing in a circle, heads in. French had,
in his nOiseless way, given orders for
them to close in on me, and await in
structions.
Lieutenant Newalls voice, in a very
low whisper, came to us:
"'Boys, the men in our trenches
have received orders not to fire on &C
count of our accommodating patrol be-
ing out in front. A strong German
raiding party has just circled our left,
and is making for our trench. It's up
to us to send word back. We can't
all go, because we might make too
much noise and warn the German par
ty, so it's up to one of us to carry the
news back to the trench that the raid
ing party is on its way. With this
information it will be quite easy for
our boys to wipe them out. But its
up to the rest of us to stick out here,
and if we go west we have done our
duty in a noble cause. Corporal
French, you had better take the news
back, because you are too valuable a
man to sacrifice
French, under his breath, an
swered:
"'Sir, I've been out since Mons, and
this is the first time that I've ever
been insulted by an officer. If this
patrol is going to click it, Pm going to
click it too. If we come out of this
you can try me for disobedience of or
ders, but here 1 stick, and I'll be
damned if go in, officer or no off
cer'
"Newall, in a voice husky with emo
lion, answered:
"'French, it's men like you that
make it possible for "our Little Island
10 withstand the world. You are a
true Briton. and I'm proud of you.
81 was hoping that he would detail
70 to 90 back, but he didn't. Hender-
son wac picked for the job. When
Henderson left Newall shook hands
ali around. I,felt queer and lonely.
Continued next week