The artillery O.C. in charge was seated in the forked branches of a tall elm tree, which by another of those unaccountable miracles had escaped Fritz's attention. Knowing the Boche's methods, I expected every minute to see the tree smashed to flinders by a salvo from his guns. The message, however, had to be delivered to him, so up the tree I scrambled. I felt as though forty different Boche artillery observers had their eyes glued upon me when I climbed that tree. Nothing happened however to the tree or its occupants, and I hailed the beaming artillery O.C.
"Hello!" roared he.
"Hello, sir."
"Great work the boys are doing."
"Yes, sir."
Then I repeated my message.
"Yours to command," said he, and bellowed an order through the mouthpiece of his 'phone.
"Do you want to see what happens?" said he.
"By gum, yes," said I, forgetting his rank in my excitement. True enough the wood was tapped at the very first shot, but after a few rounds, although the shooting was excellent, he gave the order to "Cease fire."
"What have you quit for, sir?"