The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-09-03
CHAPTER XII Continued

Then the torches switch on and
every man strikes at the heap, which
scatters with rush. The result is
good. We toss the bits Of rat over
the parapet and again lie in wait.
Several times we repeat the pro-
cess. At last the beasts get wise to
it, or perhaps they have scented the
blood.
They return no more. Neverthe-
less, before morning, the remainder
of the bread on the floor has been
carried off.
In the adjoining sector they at
tackled two large cats and a dog, bit
them to death and devoured them.
Next day there is an issue OF
Edamer cheese. Each man gets al
most a quarter of cheese. In one
way that is all to the good, for
Edamer is tasty-but in another
way 1t is vile because the fat red
balls have long been a sign OF bad
time coming.
Our forebodings increase as rum
is served out. We drink it OF course;
but are not greatly comforted.
For days We loaf about and make
war on the rats. Ammunition and
hand-grenades become more plenti-
full We even overhaul the bayou
ets-that is to say, the ones that
have a saw on the blunt edge.
If the fellows over there catch a
man with one Of those he's killed
at sight. In the next sector some
of our men were found whose noses
were cut off and their eyes poked
out with their own SaW-bayonets.
Their mouths and noses we're stuffed
with sawdust SO that they suffo-
Gated.
Some of the recruits have bayo-
nets of this kind; we take them
away and give them the ordinary
kind.
But the bayonet has practically
lost its importance. 1t is usually
the fashion now to charge with
bombs and spades only. The sharp
ened spade is a more handy and
many-sided weapon; not only can
it be used Tor jabbing a man under
the chin, but it is much better for
striking with because of its greater
weight; and if one hits between
the neck and shoulder it easily
cleaves as far down as the chest.
The bayonet, frequently jams on
the thrust and then a. man has to
kick hard on the other fellows belly
to pull it out again; and in the
interval he may easily get one him.
self. And what's more, the blade
often gets broken off.
At night they send over gas. We
expect the attack to follow and lie
with our masks on. ready to tear
them off as soon as the first shadow
appears.
Dawn approaches without any,
thing happening-only the ever
lasting. nerve-Wracking roll behind
the enemy lines. trains, trains, lor-
r1es, lorries; but what are they con-
centrating? Our artillery fires on
1t continually. but still it does not
cease.
We have tired faces and avoid
each others eyes. at will be like
the Somme," says Kat gloomily
There we we're shelled steadily for
seven days and nights" Kat has
lost all his fun since we have been
here, which is bad, for Kat is an old
front hog, and can smell what is
coming.
Only Tjaden seems pleased with
the good rations and the rum. he
thinks we might even go back to
rest without anything happening
at all.
1t almost looks like it. Day after
day passes. At night squat on the
listening post. Above me the rock
cts and parachute lights shoot up
and float down again. l am eau
tlous and tense, my heart thumps.
My eyes turn again and again to
the luminous dial of my watch: the