Soon after our three friends had eased the packs off their aching shoulders and thrown themselves on the ground, they saw a small party of five men, three of whom were officers, approach their commanding officer, and after the usual salutes, enter into conversation with him. Shortly afterward, the two non-commissioned men were dismissed, and strolled over toward the three friends. Seeing them coming, these latter hospitably offered tobacco, matches, and chewing gum, and shortly learned that the newcomers were members of the Tank Corps. One of them had seen a good deal of service in this comparatively new branch of the Army, and with a little skillful urging was led to talk of some of his experiences.
“Yes,” he said, in answer to a question from Tom, “some pretty queer things happen out there in no man’s land, and the tanks get their share, I can tell you. I’ve had experiences myself.”
“I don’t doubt it,” said Frank. “But these tanks seem to have put a great fear into the Boches, at that.”
“You bet they have!” exclaimed the other, “and it’s too bad that we can’t use them very much here. But of course, with all these trees and the thick underbrush, they’re practically out of the question. But that’s what we’re here for now—looking over the ground, to see if in some places they can’t be used to some extent.”
“I’ve often wondered,” said Billy, “why the Huns haven’t used tanks more. They don’t seem to have anything like the success with them that our men have had.”
“Well, for one thing, they’re not as well made, and when it comes to tank against tank, we almost always out-manœuvre them,” said Arney, for such was the tank man’s name.
“I’ve often wondered what would happen if two tanks had a pitched battle,” said Frank, “I suppose that happens sometimes, doesn’t it?”
“Often enough,” said Arney. “I was in one once that stacked up against a Boche tank, so I am in a position to know, if anyone is.”
“How was that?” queried Tom.
“Well, the way it happened was this,” replied the other, “our side had planned an attack one morning at dawn, but as it happened, the German had also planned one against us at the same time. Of course, neither side knew what the other was up to, so it came as a pretty big surprise when the Boches opened their bombardment just a few minutes before ours was due to commence.