o gratify their curiosity. For two
hours before the attack, their guns put down the barrage to cover the
front line of enemy trenches, and to dispose of his wire.

The M. O. and Barry, with the Australian and their whole staff, made
their way to a ridge a few yards distant to see the show.

"Great Heaven, what is that?" inquired the M. O., pointing to what
seemed to be a line of flickering watch fires upon the crest of a
neighbouring rising ground.

"Guns! Ours," said the Australian, surprised at the M. O.'s excitement.

"Guns! My Lord, guns, Barry," shouted the M. O.

"Guns? And in the open! And on a hill! And wheel to wheel!" cried Barry.
"Thank the good Lord I have lived to see this day. Look at the boys," he
added in a low tone, to the Australian beside him.

They glanced over their shoulders and saw two of the orderlies executing
a fox-trot in the heavy shell-ploughed soil.

"What's the row?" inquired the Australian.

"Why, my dear chap," replied the M. O., "don't you know we have never
seen a gun in action in the open that way. Our guns operated only from
holes and corners, from hedges and cellars. Otherwise they'd be spotted
and knocked out in an hour."

"Ow!" said the Australian, "our bird men attended to that the first dye
of the fight. They sye there was a double line of observation balloons
along the lines, ours and theirs up to the 30th of June. The next
morning not a Boche balloon was to be seen. Our plynes put their eye out
in a single afternoon. Since that time, we hold over them in the air.
Ah! There are the heavies coming up now. The full chorus will be on in
half a minute."

A few seconds later, the truth of the Australian's prophecy was
demonstrated. The full chorus was on. For two hours the barrage raged,
and the din was such that they had to shout in each other's ears to be
heard. The hilltops were ringed with darting tongues of red flame as
though belched out by a thousand fabled dragons. It was as if the air
above was filled with millions of invisible demons, whining, moaning,
barking, shrieking in a fury of venomous hate, while at regular
intervals came the express train roar of the twelve, fifteen and sixteen
inch guns.

"It's almost worth while to have lived through those months in The
Salient," said Barry, "to get the full enjoyment of this experience.
Well do I remember the day when our O. C. asked for 'retaliation,' and
was told he could have six rounds, I think it was, or eight