CHAPTERVIII

chapterviii

thecanadianswerenottheonlymentogooutraiding.itbecamepartoftheroutineofwar,thatquickkillinginthenight,forenglishandscottishandirishandwelshtroops,andsomehadluckwithit,andsomemenlikedit,andtoothersitwasahorrorwhichtheyhadtodo,andalwaysitwasafluky,nervyjob,whenanyaccidentmightleadtotragedy.

irememberonesuchraidbythe12thwestyorksinjanuaryof'15,whichwastypicalofmanyothers,beforeraidsdevelopedintominorbattles,withallthegunsatwork.

therewerefourlieutenantswhodrewuptheplanandcalledforvolunteers,anditwasoneofthesewhowentoutfirstandalonetoreconnoiterthegroundandtofindthebestwaythroughthegermanbarbedwire.hejustslippedoutovertheparapetanddisappearedintothedarkness.whenhecamebackhehadawoundinthewrist—itwasjustthebadluckofachancebullet—butbroughtinvaluableknowledge.hehadfoundagapintheenemy'swirewhichwouldgiveanopendoortothepartyofvisitors.hehadalsotestedthewirefartheralong,andthoughtitcouldbecutwithoutmuchbother.

“goodenough!”wastheverdict,andadetachmentstartedoutfornoman'sland,dividedintotwoparties.

theenemytrencheswereaboutonehundredyardsaway,whichseemsamileinthedarknessandthelonelinessofthedeadground.atregularintervalsthegermanrocketsflaredupsothatthehedgesandwireandparapetsalongtheirlinewerecutoutink-blackagainstthewhiteillumination,andthetwopatrolsofyorkshiremenwhohadbeencrawlingforwardstoppedandcrouchedlowerandfeltthemselvesrevealed,andthenwhendarknesshidthemagainwenton.

thepartyontheleftwerenowclosetothegermanwireandundertheshelterofahedge.theyfelttheirwayalonguntilthetwosubalternswhowereleadingcametothegapwhichhadbeenreportedbythefirstexplorer.theylistenedintentlyandheardthegermansentrystampinghisfeetandpacingupanddown.presentlyhebegantowhistlesoftly,utterlyunconsciousofthemensoclosetohim—soclosenowthatanystumble,anyclatterofarms,anywordspoken,wouldbetraythem.

thetwolieutenantshadtheirrevolversreadyandcreptforwardtotheparapet.themenhadtoactaccordingtoinstinctnow,fornoordercouldbegiven,andoneofthemfoundhisinstinctledhimtoclamberrightintothegermantrenchafewyardsawayfromthesentry,butontheothersideofthetraverse.hehadnotbeentherelong,holdinghisbreathandcrouchinglikeawolf,beforefootstepscametowardhimandhesawtheglintofacigarette.

itwasagermanofficergoinghisround.theyorkshireboysprangontotheparapetagain,andlayacrossitwithhisheadtowardourlinesandhislegsdanglinginthegermantrench.thegermanofficer'scloakbrushedhisheels,buttheboytwistedroundalittleandstaredathimashepassed.buthepassed,andpresentlythesentrybegantowhistleagain,someoldgermantunewhichcheeredhiminhisloneliness.heknewnothingoftheeyeswatchinghimthroughthedarknessnorofhisnearnesstodeath.

itwasthefirstlieutenantwhotriedtoshoothim.buttherevolverwasmuddyandwouldnotfire.perhapsaclickdisturbedthesentry.anyhow,themomenthadcomeforquickwork.itwasthesergeantwhospranguponhim,downfromtheparapetwithonepounce.afrightfulshriek,withtheshrillagonyofaboy'svoice,wailedthroughthesilence.thesergeanthadhishandaboutthegermanboy'sthroatandtriedtostranglehimandtostopanotherdreadfulcry.

thesecondofficermadehaste.hethrusthisrevolverclosetothelingsentryandshothimdead,throughtheneck,justashewasfallinglimpfromablowontheheadgivenbythebutt-endoftheweaponwhichhadfailedtofire.thebulletdiditswork,thoughitpassedthroughthesergeant'shand,whichhadstillheldthemanbythethroat.thealarmhadbeenraisedandgermansoldierswererunningtotherescue.

“quick!”saidoneoftheofficers.

therewasawildscrambleovertheparapet,adropintothewetditch,andaraceforhomeovernoman'sland,whichwaswhiteunderthegermanflaresandnoisywiththewaspishnoteofbullets.

theotherpartywerelongerawayandhadgreatertroubletofindawaythrough,butthey,too,gothome,withoneofficerbadlywounded,andwonderfullucktoescapesolightly.theenemysufferedfrom“thejumps”forseveralnightsafterward,andthrewbombsintotheirownbarbedwire,asthoughtheenglishwereoutthereagain.andatthesoundofthosebombsthewestyorkslaughedallalongtheirtrenches.