"Something is coming--something strange--I cannot see well, there is so much smoke--something--slow and crawling--a machine--firing--more--_schreckliche_----!" The voice ceased abruptly. Von Waldhofer and his lieutenant looked at one another. "The wire has gone!" cried Eberstein. He had to shout to be heard in the din. "Let us hope it is only that," replied his chief. Both strove deliberately to ignore the fear in the forefront of their minds. Von Waldhofer shouted loudly into the telephone: "Kurt! Kurt! Are you there?" There was no answer. Outside the dug-out the battery was still firing furiously, would continue to do so until it received fresh orders. The general uproar had abated not at all, had if anything intensified. Into the welter of sound came a familiar, heart-stopping, hissing rush followed by a loud crash. Another and another and another swooped down on the heels of the first. An English 60 pr. battery was searching for their position. But the two officers, fascinated by the mysterious distant menace that was crawling into their world, did not hear and gave no thought to the shells. Once more von Waldhofer shouted into the telephone "Kurt! Kurt!" Still there came no answer. The eyes of the two men met. "What can it be?" demanded Eberstein impatiently. "Is he dreaming?" "Perhaps the wire has been cut close here," said his chief, resolute like a good soldier to allow no disturbing speculations in this battle crisis. He shouted an order to the Oberfeldwebel. The telephone bell rang sharply. "Order from the battalion commander," announced the telephonist. Von Waldhofer was already listening. "Yes?" "_Feindliche Panzerkraftwagen[10] übersteigen die Schützengräben Punkt C 32 d 4.1. Sofort Feuer dagegen mit aller Kraft eröffnen!_" ("Enemy armoured motor-cars are crossing the trenches at point C 32 d 4.1. Open heaviest possible fire upon them immediately!") The battery commander sprang to a little table, outspread with a large-scale map upon which lay protractor and dividers. A second or two of hasty calculation and he shouted his orders to the Oberfeldwebel. "Cease fire! All guns 20 degrees more right! With percussion! Left half at 3150 metres! Right half at 3100 metres! Forty rounds battery fire!" He heard them repeated in stentorian tones through the Oberfeldwebel's megaphone. The rapid detonations of the guns ceased. There was a pause, a few seconds only. Then the voice of the sergeant-major announced. "All ready!" "Fire!" Again the fury of the guns burst forth. "_Panzerkraftwagen!_" said Eberstein. "But surely armoured cars cannot cross wire entanglements and trenches! There is a mistake somewhere."