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Yankee…made bullet than〃
Just then the scythelike machine…gun fire reached the hillcrest
combatants。 And in the same instant a shell smote the ground； apparently
between them。 Up went a geyser of smoke and dirt and rocks。 When the
cloud settled； there was a deep gully in the ground where a moment earlier
Bruce and the police…dog had waged their death…battle。
〃That settles it！〃 muttered the colonel。
And he went to make ready for such puny defense as his men might
hope to put up against the German rush。
While these futile preparations were still under way； terrific artillery
fire burst from the Allied batteries behind the hill； shielding the Here…We…
Come trenches with a curtain of fire whose lower folds draped themselves
right unlovingly around the German lines。 Under cover of this barrage；
down the hill swarmed the Allied reserves！
〃How did you get word？〃 demanded the astonished colonel of the
Here…We…Comes； later in the day。
〃From your note； of course；〃 replied the general he had questioned。
〃The collieold Bruce。〃
〃Bruce？〃 babbled the colonel foolishly。
〃Of course；〃 answered the general。 〃Who else？ But I'm afraid it's the
last message he'll ever deliver。 He came rolling and staggering up to
headquartersone mass of blood； and three inches thick with caked dirt。
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Bruce
His right side was torn open from a shell…wound； and he had two machine…
gun bullets in his shoulder。 He's deaf as a post； too； from shell…shock。 He
tumbled over in a heap on the steps of headquarters。 But he GOT there。
That's Bruce； all over。 That's the best type of collie； all over。 Some of us
were for putting him out of his misery with a shot through the head。 We'd
have done it； too； if it had been any other dog。 But the surgeon…general
waded in and took a hand in the game carried Bruce to his own quarters。
We left him working over the dog himself。 And he swears Bruce will pull
through！〃
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Bruce
CHAPTER IV。
When Eyes Were No Use
〃Yes； it's an easy enough trade to pick up；〃 lectured Top… Sergeant
Mahan； formerly of the regular army。 〃You've just got to remember a few
things。 But you've got to keep on remembering those few； all the time。 If
you forget one of 'em； it's the last bit of forgetting you're ever likely to do。〃
Top…Sergeant Mahan； of the mixed French…and…American regiment
known as 〃Here…We…Come；〃 was squatting at ease on the trench firing
step。 From that professorial seat he was dispensing useful knowledge to a
group of fellow…countrymen…newly arrived from the base； to pad the
〃Here…We…Come〃 ranks； which had been thinned at the Rache attack。
〃What sort of things have we got to remember； Sergeant？〃 jauntily
asked a lanky Missourian。 〃 We've got the drill pretty pat； and the trench
instructions and〃
〃Gee！〃 ejaculated Mahan。 〃I had no idea of that！ Then why don't you
walk straight ahead into Berlin？ If you know all you say you do； about war；
there's nothing more for you to learn。 I'll drop a line to General Foch and
suggest to him that you rookies be detailed to teach the game to us
oldsters。〃
〃I didn't mean to be fresh；〃 apologized the jaunty one。 〃Won't you go
ahead and tell us the things we need to remember？〃
〃Well；〃 exhorted Mahan； appeased by the newcomer's humility； 〃there
aren't so many of them； after all。 Learn to duck； when you hear a Minnie
grunt or a whizzbang cut loose； or a five…nine begin to whimper。 Learn not
to bother to duck when the rifles get to jabberingfor you'll never hear the
bullet that gets you。 Study the nocturnal habits of machine…guns and the
ways of snipers and the right time not to play the fool。 And keep saying to
yourself： 'The bullet ain't molded that can get ME！' Mean it when you say
it。 When you've learned those few things； the rest of the war…game is dead
easy。〃
〃Except；〃 timidly amended old Sergeant Vivier； the gray little
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Bruce
Frenchman； 〃except when eyes areare what you call it； no use。〃 〃That's
right；〃 assented Mahan。 〃In the times when eyes are no use； all rules fail。
And then the only thing you can do is to trust to your Yankee luck。 I
remember〃
〃'When eyes are no use'？〃 repeated the recruit。 〃If you mean after dark；
at nighthaven't we got the searchlights and the starshells and all that？〃
〃Son；〃 replied Mahan； 〃we have。 Though I don't see how you ever
guessed such an important secret。 But since you know everything； maybe
you'll just kindly tell us what good all the lights in the world are going to
do us when the filthy yellow…gray fog begins to ooze up out of the mud
and the shell…holes； and the filthy gray mist oozes down from the clouds to
meet it。 Fog is the one thing that all the warscience won't overcome。 A
fogpenetrator hasn't been invented yet。 If it had been； there'd be many a
husky lad living today； who has gone West； this past few years； on account
of the fogs。 Fog is the boche's pet。 It gives Fritzy a lovely chance to creep
up or； us。 It〃
〃It is the helper of US； too；〃 suggested old Vivier。 〃More than one time；
it has kept me safe when I was on patrol。 And did it not help to save us at
Rache； when〃
〃The fog may have helped us； one per cent； at Rache；〃 admitted
Mahan。 〃But Bruce did ninety…nine per cent of the saving。〃
〃A Scotch general？〃 asked the recruit； as Vivier nodded cordial
affirmation of Mahan's words； and as others of the old…timers muttered
approval。
〃No；〃 contradicted Mahan。 〃A Scotch collie。 If you were dry behind
the ears； in this life； you wouldn't have to ask who Bruce is。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 faltered the rookie； suspicious of a possible joke。
〃You will soon；〃 Mahan told him。 〃Bruce will be here to…day。 I heard
the K。O。 saying the big dog is going to be sent down with some dispatches
or something； from headquarters。 It's his first trip since he was cut up so。〃
〃I am saving himthis！〃 proclaimed Vivier； disgorging from the
flotsam of his pocket a lump of once…white sugar。 〃My wife； she smuggle
three of these to me in her last paquet。 One I eat in my cafe noir； one I
present to mon cher vieux； ce bon Mahan； one I keep for the grand dog
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what save us all that day。〃 〃What's the idea？〃 queried the mystified rookie。
〃I don't〃
〃We were stuck in the front line of the Rache salient；〃 explained
Mahan； eager to recount his dog…friend's prowess。 〃On both sides our
supports got word to fall back。 We couldn't get the word； because our
telephone connection was knocked galley…west。 There we were； waiting
for a Hun attack to wipe us out。 We couldn't fall back； for they were
peppering the hillslope behind us。 We were at the bottom。 They'd have cut
us to ribbons if we'd shown our carcasses in the open。 Bruce was here；
with a message he'd brought。 The K。O。 sent him back to headquarters for
the reserves。 The boche heavies and snipers and machine…guns all cut
loose to stop him as he scooted up the hill。 And a measly giant of a
German police dog tried to kill him； too。 Bruce got through the lot of them；
and he reached headquarters with the SOS call that saved us。 The poor
chap was cut and gouged and torn by bullets and shell…scraps； and he was
nearly dead from shell…shock； too。 But the surgeon general worked over
him； himself； and pulled him back to life。 He〃
〃He is a loved pet of a man and a woman in your America； I have
heard one say；〃 chimed in Vivier。 〃And his home； there； was in the quiet
country。 He was lent to the cause； as a patriotic offering； ce brave！ And of
a certainty； he has earned his welcome。〃
When Bruce； an hour later； trotted into the trenches； on the way