Adventure Magazine Cover — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Fresh Yank 9 The sergeant continued to speak even after Larcom had gone on. “T¥ thought ’e was bobbin’ ’is ’ead too much to be awake, an’ I was going to check 7im anyways for loungin’ in the saddle. Loungin’ in the saddle and layin’ all about makes sore backs an’ sore backs don’t do any one no good, ’orse or man. I wonder why we can’t turn off here. It’s better goin’ for the ’orses.”” . This was delivered partly to the Yank and partly as a soliloquy. A narrow road branched off to the right across the fields and this the sergeant pro- posed to follow. He recalled the penitent Larcom and herded him up this new road. The patrol was still forced to walk, for the going was uphill, the ground rising to the hills that bordered the valley. The ground was softer and as they climbed higher, more of the country and the troops that thronged it became visible. Half-way up the hill they passed another farm, sitting in the midst of a tangle of cart paths. There was a staff of some kind quartered there, for bicycles and horses stood at the gate, and a huge car, with bits of brasswork still glimmering under tke dust that covered them, was parked under a tree. A month ago that car had been used to take merry parties into the country for the week-end, or bring the master down to town for a visit to the bank. Now the car carried red hats about on their travels here and there, and the master himself, who had volunteered to drive his own car, was asleep in the tonneau, in such a state that the lowest groom in his stables would have dis- dained to recognize him. The setting sun reddened the distant tree- tops. and colored the many columns of smoke that rose from the cook fires. ‘“‘There’s a division here,” remarked the sergeant, “‘but they are not all in place yet. Mark where that column is bivouackin’.”’ He pointed to where a regiment of cavalry was crossing a field, moving in lime of squadrons. As the Yank watched, the ranks halted and then with a confusion of movement, the troopers dismounted. A moment and all was still again, line after line of horses and empty saddles. The Yank caught his breath. No true. son of the sword can see 2 splendid cavalry command without a thrill, no matter if it be the hundredth one he has seen. The Yank remembered an organization to which he had once belonged, and how much was made of unison of movement in dismounting, and how, when the guidon dipped ever so slightly, each gray-clad leg swung over the saddle and to the ground, and each trooper stood to horse with a click. But that was playing at being a soldier. “Y’m glad this is real,”’ thought the Yank. “I’m glad that I’m not playing soldier any more.” He reached back and touched his sword hilt. “T may flesh this thing within the next twenty-four hours. I hope so anyway. Every one else is having luck; this lot ought to strike some.” “Hil”? cried Larcom, waving his hand toward the cavalry in the distance. ‘“‘What’s up?” cried the sergeant, wheel- ing his horse. The Yank came from his trance with a shock. The cavalry had mounted up and were tearing for the shelter of some trees at arun. They looked like a herd of animals at the approach of danger,. ‘“What’s started them?” cried the ser- geant. The men of the patrol searched the coun- tryside with their eyes, but could see noth- ing. There was no dust cloud to tell of approaching uhlans, no cotton tufts of shrap- nel in the sky, no sign of any danger. “‘What’s that noise?’’ asked the sergeant. There was a low humming that seemed to fill the air. ‘Look! Look!’ cried the sergeant, point- ing upward. OVER their heads was a monoplane, a German by the shape of it, that flew in a great circle over Verberie, followed along a road, and then turned in the direction of the field in which the patrol was. There was no need for the sergeant to give any orders. He, the Yank, and the lean man put spur to flank and departed. “Pull up!” shouted the sergeant when they had reached the shelter of a grove. “Pull up! Let’s see what the beggar’s a doin’ of.” When the Yank had succeeded in stop- ping his horse and had quieted the animal to the extent that he did nothing worse than rear once in a while, he squinted out through the trees to see what had become of the air- plane. He could not see it. The patrol moved cautiously out to the edge of the Go DOOK 1 @)