Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

A Sergeant while we was monkeyin’ with it, the krauts heard us an’ they was comin’ back to. see how come, only the gun went off and stitch- ed a couple o’ seams in ’em.”’ “So then we come through with the gun,” said another man. “It’s too hot over on that side. There’s more iron flyin’ around than if it was rainin’ hardware stores.” “Hssil” went some one in the darkness. Instant silence. Nell listened to the blood pounding in his ears. “Now what?” he thought. “If it isn’t one thing in this war it’s six!” “Hssil”” went the mysterious man again. ‘Come over here! I found some chow!” a coats about the holes under the NGS ( bank marked the place where the — machine-gun crew had slept dur- ing the day and where men off duty rested during the night. There were several mess kits stacked up very neatly and the hard-boiled man had discovered them. They had a kind of slum in them, with bits of something that tasted like sausage floating around. The Yanks had not eaten since they could re- member, and the slum tasted doubly good on that account. The night began to grow cold and the men were more or less wet from crawling around in the water in the bottom of the ditch, but they wrapped themselves in the German overcoats and. were quite comfort- able. One of the men began to prowl around and explore. As it happened there was no whispering going on at that minute id so the sound of him taking the lid off a less kit was clearly heard. “‘What’s in that?” asked the hard-boiled man curiously. “Nothing,” said the other man quickly. There was something in his tone that told the rest he was lying. “Lemme see!”’ said one of the nearest and they could hear him crawling. “No,” said he solemnly, after a few sec- onds, “there ain’t nothin’ in it, just a old empty can.” This man overdid it. He used too much energy in saying that the can was empty. The entire company moved over at once. “Gimme that mess kit!” cried several at once. Sounds of strife. “There’s beer in it! THE pile of blankets and over- if it aint full o’ of Cavalry 31 beer! You guys tried to hold out on us! All right, you won’t get none!” “The idea,” said Nell indignantly, “‘of you two birds tryin’ to hog all this beer! Why there’s enough to get a regiment soured! We'll all have a go at it and if there’s any left, you can have it.” There was plenty enough for all, however, and the only thing the men lacked to make them at peace with the world was a smoke, but this was impossible. ‘Now then,” began Nell at what he thought was an opportune moment, ‘‘we don’t want to lose sight of our mission. I suppose this is or was a patrol to find out the strength of the enemy between the town and the river. Well, we know but it don’t do no good unless we get back withit. And it'll be daylight pretty priesa and when day- light comes we want to be far from here!” “Can’t we hang out in the culvert durin’ the day?” asked one of the men sadly. ‘‘No, we can’t!” snapped the hard-boiled man. ‘‘What the yuh think you’re gettin’ a dollar a day for?” ‘“They’re playin’ on the other side the track,” said Goodrich. “Man, I’m tellin’ yuh it’s warm over there.” “Well, its only a question of time before we're discovered and then they’ll bring out a gang and do some bayonet drill on us. If we go back, we’ve got a chance. I know. where there’s a ford and all we have to do is to follow the ditch to it. We’ve got a gun an’ it don’t take but a spoonful of brains to make it go, or the Boche wouldn’t be usin’ it. | “We'll be comin’ down on their riverside guns from the rear, so they wont bother us none. And if any of ’em do get argumen- tative, we can shoot a yard or two of bul- lets at ’em.” “Well, so you say,” said one of the men, after a long pause, ‘‘but I for one don’t crave to try to cross that field with all this throw- down goin’ on.” “Listen!” said Nell. “TI was a sergeant in this man’s Army when all you birds knew about Germany was that they made brass bands and beer! Now if there’s any here that don’t want to do as I say, just step right up an’ say so like a man, an’ he won't need to wait till he gets on the other side o’ the track to collect his insurance!” ~ ‘“Good!”’ said the hard-boiled man. ‘You tell °em Cap’n, an’ let me help bury the dead!” COMIGDIOOKSEEO