bruce-第15节
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but he gave no other manifestation that he knew any one was
there。
〃Well； I'll be blessed！〃 snickered the Missourian in high
derision； as Bruce passed out of sight around an angle of the
trench。 〃So that's the pup who is such a pal of you fellows； is
he？ Gee； but it was a treat to see how tickled he was to meet you
again！〃
To the rookie's amazement none of his hearers seemed in the least
chagrined over the dogs chilling disregard of them。 Instead；
Mahan actually grunted approbation。
〃He'll be back；〃 prophesied the Sergeant。 〃Don't you worry。 He'll
be back。 We ought to have had more sense than try to stop him
when he's on duty。 He has better discipline than the rest of us。
That's one of very first things they teach a courier…dogto pay
no attention to anybody； when he's on dispatch duty。 When Bruce
has delivered his message to the K。O。； he'll have the right to
hunt up his chums。 And no one knows it better'n Bruce himself。〃
〃It was a sina thoughtlessnessof me to hold the sugar at
him；〃 said old Vivier。 〃Ah； but he is a so good soldier； ce brave
Bruce！ He look not to the left nor yet to the right； nor yet to
the so…desired sugar…lump。 He keep his head at attention！ All but
the furry tips of his ears。 Them he has not yet taught to be good
soldiers。 They tremble； when he smell the sugar and the good
soup…bone。 They quiver like the little leaf。 But he keep on。 He…
…〃
There was a scurry of fast…cantering feet。 Around the angle of
the trench dashed Bruce。 Head erect； soft dark eyes shining with
a light of gay mischief； he galloped up to the grinning Sergeant
Vivier and stood。 The dog's great plume of a tail was wagging
violently。 His tulip ears were cocked。 His whole interest in life
was fixed on the precious lump of sugar which Vivier held out to
him。
From puppyhood； Bruce had adored lump sugar。 Even at The Place；
sugar had been a rarity for him； for the Mistress and the Master
had known the damage it can wreak upon a dog's teeth and
digestion。 Yet； once in a while； as a special luxury； the
Mistress had been wont to give him a solitary lump of sugar。
Since his arrival in France； the dog had never seen nor scented
such a thing until now。 Yet he did not jump for the gift。 He did
not try to snatch it from Vivier。 Instead； he waited until the
old Frenchman held it closer toward him； with the invitation：
〃Take it； mon vieux！ It is for you。〃
Then and then only did Bruce reach daintily forward and grip the
grimy bit of sugar between his mighty jaws。 Vivier stroked the
collie's head while Bruce wagged his tail and munched the sugar
and blinked gratefully up at the donor。 Mahan looked on；
enviously。 〃A dog's got forty…two teeth； instead of the thirty…
two that us humans have to chew on；〃 observed the Sergeant。 〃A
vet' told me that once。 And sugar is bad for all forty…two of
'em。 Maybe you didn't know that； Monsoo Vivier？ Likely； at this
rate； we'll have to chip in before long and buy poor Brucie a
double set of false teeth。 Just because you've put his real ones
out of business with lumps of sugar！〃
Vivier looked genuinely concerned at this grim forecast。 Bruce
wandered across to the place where the donor of the soup…bone
brandished his offering。 Other men； too； were crowding around
with gifts。
Between petting and feeding； the collie spent a busy hour among
his comrades…at…arms。 He was to stay with the 〃Here…We…Comes〃
until the following day； and then carry back to headquarters a
reconnaissance report。
At four o'clock that afternoon the sky was softly blue and the
air was unwontedly clear。 By five o'clock a gentle India…summer
haze blurred the world's sharper outlines。 By six a blanket…fog
rolled in； and the air was wetly unbreatheable。 The fog lay so
thick over the soggy earth that objects ten feet away were
invisible。
〃This；〃 commented Sergeant Mahan； 〃is one of the times I was
talking about this morningwhen eyes are no use。 This is sure
the country for fogs； in war…time。 The cockneys tell me the
London fogs aren't a patch on 'em。〃
The 〃Here…We…Comes〃 were encamped； for the while； at the edge of
a sector from whence all military importance had recently been
removed by a convulsive twist of a hundred…mile battle…front。 In
this dull hole…in…a…corner the new…arrived rivets were in process
of welding into the more veteran structure of the mixed regiment。
Not a quarter…mile awayacross No Man's Land and athwart two
barriers of barbed wirelay a series of German trenches。 Now； in
all probability； and from all outward signs； the occupants of
this boche position consisted only of a regiment or two which had
been so badly cut up； in a foiled drive； as to need a month of
non…exciting routine before going back into more perilous
service。
Yet the commander of the division to which the 〃Here…We…Comes〃
were attached did not trust to probabilities nor to outward
signs。 He had been at the front long enough to realize that the
only thing likely to happen was the thing which seemed
unlikeliest。 And he felt a morbid curiosity to learn more about
the personnel of those dormant German trenches。
Wherefore he had sent an order that a handful of the 〃Here…We…
Comes〃 go forth into No Man's Land； on the first favorable night；
and try to pick up a boche prisoner or two for questioning…
purposes。 A scouring of the doubly wired area between the hostile
lines might readily harvest some solitary sentinel or some other
man on special duty； or even the occupants of a listening…post。
And the division commander earnestly desired to question such
prisoner or prisoners。 The fog furnished an ideal night for such
an expedition。
Thus it was that a very young lieutenant and Sergeant Mahan and
ten privatesthe lanky Missourian among themwere detailed for
the prisoner…seeking job。 At eleven o'clock； they crept over the
top； single file。
It was a night wherein a hundred searchlights and a million star…
…flares would not have made more impression on the density of the
fog than would the striking of a safety match。 Yet the twelve
reconnoiterers were instructed to proceed in the cautious manner
customary to such nocturnal expeditions into No Man's Land。 They
moved forward at the lieutenant's order； tiptoeing abreast； some
twenty feet apart from one another； and advancing in three…foot
strides。 At every thirty steps the entire line was required to
halt and to reestablish contactin other words； to 〃dress〃 on
the l ieutenant； who was at the extreme right。
This maneuver was more time…wasting and less simple than its
recital would imply。 For in the dark； unaccustomed legs are
liable to miscalculation in the matter of length of stride； even
when shell…holes and other inequalities of ground do not
complicate the calculations still further。 And it is hard to
maintain a perfectly straight line when moving forward through
choking fog and over scores of obstacles。
The halts for realignment consumed much time and caused no little
confusion。 Nervousness began to encompass the Missouri recruit。
He was as brave as the next man。 But there is something creepy
about walking with measured tread through an invisible space；
with no sound but the stealthy pad…pad…pad of equally hesitant
footsteps twenty feet away on either side。 The Missourian was
grateful for the intervals that brought the men into mutual
contact； as the eerie march continued。
The first line of barbed wire was cut and passed。 Then followed
an endless groping progress across No Man's Land； and several
delays； as one man or another had trouble in finding contact with
his neighbor。
At last the party came to the German wires。 The lieutenant had
drawn on a rubber glove。 In his gloved hand he grasped a strip of
steel which he held in front of him； like a wand； fanning the air
with it。
As he came to the entanglement； he probed the barbed wire
carefully with his wand； watching for an ensuing spark。 For the
Germans more than once had been known to electrify their wires；
with fatal results to luckless prowlers。
These wires； to…night； were not charged。 And； with pliers； the
lieutenant and Mahan started to cut a passageway through them。
As the very first strand parted under his pressure； Mahan laid
one hand warningly on the lieutenant's sleeve； and then passed
the same prearranged warning down the line to the left。
Silencemoveless； tense； sharply listening silencefollowed his
motion。 Then the rest of the party heard the sound which Mahan's
keener ears had caught a moment earlierthe thud of many
marching feet。 Here was no furtive creeping； as when the twelve
Yankees had moved along。 Rather was it the rhythmic beat of at
least a hundred pairs of shapeless army bootsperhaps of more。
The unseen marchers were moving wordlessly； but with no effort at
muffling the even tread of their multiple feet。
〃They're coming th
