Tish, however, ignored him, and with the help of our new allies briefly sketched a plan of campaign.
I make no pretensions to military knowledge, but I shall try to explain the situation at V——, as our dear Tish learned it from the general’s papers and the two soldiers. The real German position—a military term meaning location and not attitude—was behind the town, but they kept enough soldiers in it to hold it, and in case of an attack they filled it up with great rapidity. So far the church tower remained standing, as the Allies wished on taking the town to use it to look out from and observe any unfriendly actions on the part of the Germans.
“If only,” Tish said, “we could have repaired that machine gun and brought it the affair would be extremely simple. It has from the beginning been my intention to give the impression of an attack in force.”
She then considered for a short time, and finally suggested that the two soldiers return to the allied Front and attempt to secure two automatic rifles.
“And it might be as well,” she added, “to take Miss Aggie with you. She is wet through, and will undoubtedly before long have a return of her hay fever, which with her has no season. A sneeze at a critical time might easily ruin us.”
Aggie, however, absolutely refused to return, and said that by holding her nostrils closed and her mouth open she could, if she felt the paroxysm coming on, sneeze almost noiselessly. She said also that though not related to her by blood Charlie Sands was as dear as her own, and that if turned back she would go to V—— alone and, if captured, at least suffer imprisonment with him.
Tish was quite touched, I could see, and on the two men departing to attempt the salvage of the required weapons she assisted me in wringing out Aggie’s clothing and in making her as comfortable as possible.
We waited for some time, eating chocolate to restore our strength, and attempting to comfort Mr. Burton, who was very surly.
“It has been my trouble all my life,” he observed bitterly, “not to leave well enough alone. I hadn’t any hope of the success of this expedition before, but now I know you’ll pull it off. You’ll get Sands and you’ll get Weber and send him back—to—well, you understand. It’s just my luck. I’m not complaining, but if I’m killed and he isn’t I’m going to haunt that Y hut and make it darned unpleasant for both of them.”
Tish reproved him for debasing the future life to such purposes, but he was firm.