CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE ELEVENTH HOUR
The Colonel was speaking.
“Now listen to what the Intelligence Report has to say about the enemy’s defensive arrangements.
“The road leading into the Wood on the west side is said to be furnished with tank traps. Well, we don’t have any tanks to-day, so we should worry about that. (By the way, boys, remind me to tell you a story afterwards about a tank.) All indications point to the fact that the enemy battalion occupying the north side of Lapin Wood—that’s where we are now—has received orders to hold the position to the last. Well, the last will come, we hope, about five-fifteen this morning. When dislodged, it is probable that the enemy will fall back nearly two kilometres, in order to occupy prepared positions on a newly constructed line south of the village of Ventreuil. That need not worry us, because we shall be relieved as soon as we fire him out of here.… Now for machine guns! Nine machine guns have been located between points A and B on the northern edge of Lapin Wood--that is delightful—distributed as follows—Company Officers, get these down on your maps.… Wire. H’m-m-m! Three lines interwoven in the trees on north side of wood, at distance of three metres. Well, wire is the business of the Trench Mortar folks. Trenches. Enemy’s fire-trenches are situated along northern edge of wood. We have noticed them! Elements of trenches are visible on open ground behind, at points.… Take this down, please.… Miscellaneous. Bois des Loups. Flashes have been observed in this wood. They certainly have! Careful observation of the angle of fall and sound-ranging reports lead to the conclusion that there are at least three batteries of Seventy-sevens there, together with two or three heavy mortars. Well, I guess our Artillery will take care of that.”
The Colonel looked up from the Report and wiped his spectacles, which had grown dim in the humid atmosphere of the dugout.
“Machine guns will be our chief snag, I guess,” he observed. “Talking of machine guns, just how badly was Boone Cruttenden hit last week?”
“Shrapnel in the right shoulder, sir,” replied Jim Nichols. “Not very serious, I believe.”
“He was gotten away all right, I hope?”