“Yes, they will too; they’ve seen the convoys and they’ll keep up the barrage until daylight.”
“If we could only find a boat. We could take the caissons to the other side. The quarry isn’t far from there. The men could carry them.”
“What are you thinking about? Going to find a boat at this time of night! And with what is falling into the canal we’d run some risk in crossing....”
Far from silencing the enemy, the fire of our batteries exasperates him.
Heavy guns, guns on tractors doubtless, have been brought into play. “280’s” and “210’s” come at regular intervals.
The Boches must have thought they had surprised a strategic movement much more important than it really was and were trying to check it.
The place is becoming untenable.
At the edge of the canal is a large stable for the canal horses, and a crowd of drivers, gunners, and cyclists have taken refuge there. It falls apart when a great shell strikes it. A terrible cry goes up and the building bursts into flames all over, like tow soaked in oil.