Once more the orderly goes through his ritual, and presently another shell screams overhead.
Again the major observes the result.
"Repeat!" he says. "Nothing-five seconds more right."
This time he is satisfied.
"Parallel lines on number one," he commands crisply. "One round battery fire—twenty seconds!"
For the last time the order is passed down the wire, and the major hands his periscope to the ever-grateful Bobby, who has hardly got his eyes to the glass when the round of battery fire commences. One—two—three—four—the avenging shells go shrieking on their way, at intervals of twenty seconds. There are four muffled thuds, and four great columns of earth and débris spring up before the wood. Answer comes there none. The offending battery has prudently effaced itself.
"Cease fire!" says the major, "and register!" Then he turns to Captain Blaikie.
"That'll settle them for a bit," he observes. "By the way, had any more trouble with Minnie?"
"We had Hades from her yesterday," replies Blaikie, in answer to this extremely personal question. "She started at a quarter-past five in the morning, and went on till about ten."