h, it would take more than that to damage her," said Tom, with
pardonable pride. "That was pie for her! Solid concrete, which she may
have to chew up on the Western front, may present another kind of
problem, but I guess she'll be able to master that too. Well, let's
have a look."

He and Ned, with some of the crew and gunners, went outside the tank.
She was a sorry-looking sight, very different from the trim appearance
she had presented when she first left the shop. Bricks, bits of stone,
and piles of broken cement in chunks and dust lay thick on her broad
back. But no real damage had been done, as a hasty examination showed.

"Well, are you satisfied, Tom?" asked his chum.

"Yes, and more," was the answer. "Of course this wasn't the hardest
test to which she could have been submitted, but it will do to show
what punishment she can stand. Being shot at from big guns is another
matter. I'll have to wait until she gets to Flanders to see what effect
that will have. But I know the kind of armor skin she has, and that
doesn't worry me. There's one thing more I want to do while I have her
out now."

"What's that?" asked Ned.

"Take her for a long trip cross country, and then shove her through
some extra heavy barbed wire. I'm certain she'll chew that up, but I
want to see it actually done. So now, if you want to come along, Ned,
we'll go cross country."

"I'm with you!"

"Get inside then. We'll let the dust and masonry blow and rattle off as
we go along."

The tank started off across the fields, which stretched for many miles
on either side of the deserted factory, when suddenly Ned, who was
again at his post in the observation tower, called:

"Look, Tom!"

"What at?"

"That corner of the factory which is still standing. Look at those men
coming out and running away!"

Ned pointed, and his chum, leaning over from the steering wheel and
controls, gave a start of surprise as he saw three figures clambering
down over the broken debris and making their way out of what had once
been a doorway.

"Did they come out of the factory, Ned?"

"They surely did! And unless I miss my guess they were in it, or around
it, when we went through like a fellow carrying the football over the
line for a touchdown."

"In there when the tank broke open things?"

"I think so. I didn't see them before, but they certainly ran out as we
started away."

"This has got to be looked into!" decided Tom. "Come on, Ned! It may be
more