he had opened
communication the instant the gyrocar came to a stop. Now the
major-general was desperately, terribly white.

"The artillery is wiped out," he observed detachedly. "The Wabbly, it
seems, is going on into the town."

They did not want to listen, those men who waited futilely by the
gyrocar which had witnessed the invulnerability of the Wabbly to all
attack. They did not want to listen at all. But they heard the noises as
the Wabbly crashed across the town, and back and forth.

"Morale effect," said the major-general, through stiff lips. "That's
what it's for. To break down the morale behind the lines. Good God! What
hellish things mere words can mean!"

PART V

"... The only weak spot in the Wabbly's design,
apparently, was the necessity of using its entire
engine-power in the power-beam with which it protected
itself and its attendant bombers from aerial attack.
For a time, before New Brunswick, it was forced to
remain still, under fire, while it fought off and
destroyed an attacking fleet eight miles above it. With
sufficiently powerful artillery, it might have been
destroyed at that moment. But it was invulnerable to
the artillery available.... Deliberately false
statements were broadcast to reassure the public, but
the public was already skeptical, as it later became
incredulous, of official reports of victories. The
destruction of New Brunswick became known despite
official denials, and colossal riots broke out among
the inhabitants of the larger cities, intent upon
escape from defenseless towns.... Orders were actually
issued withdrawing a quarter of a million men from the
front-line reserve, with artillery in proportion to
their force." (_Strategic Lessons of the War of
1941-43._--U. S. War College. P. 92.)

The major-general left them at the town, now quite still and silent.
Sergeant Walpole said detachedly:

"We'll prob'ly find a portable sender, sir, an' trail the Wabbly. That's
about all we can do, sir."

"It looks," said the major-general rather desperately, "as if that is
all anybody can do. I'm going on to take command ahead."

The 'copter pilot said politely:

"Sir, if you're going to sow mines for the Wabbly--"

"Of course!"

"That power-beam can explode them, sir, before the Wabbly gets to them.
May I suggest, sir, that mine-cases with no metal in them at all would
be worth tryin