“Couldn’t I,” said the other. “You bet I could if I had been drawin’ lathes as long as him!” It was the second one I have drawn.
XXXII
THE GUN TESTING GROUND
INTO the rocky cliff great holes had been bored, and into them the Guns mounted on their carriages, by the great gantry, were fired, passing through wires hung from screens, to test their velocity. One thing that interested me, standing behind the guns—interested me too much, really—was, that there was no smoke, save that which came out of the hole where the shells exploded. And another fact was, that I could not see the shell in its flight—nor can those at whom it is fired—it goes so fast the sound cannot keep up with it. Sight cannot follow it.