P. L.: “No, Swinton, twelve enemy’s _cavalry_ marching north on Carlisle Road _at Hamilton_ 11:45 a. m. Repeat again.” Swinton: “I am to go back right away and say to Commanding Officer,— Twelve enemy’s cavalry marching north on Carlisle Road at Hamilton 11:45 a. m. Repeat.” P. L.: “Not quite; you are to go back to Commanding Officer of Outpost. Repeat again.” Swinton: “I am to go back and say to Commanding Officer of the Outpost,— Twelve enemy’s cavalry marching north on Carlisle Road at Hamilton at 11:45 a. m.” P. L.: “That’s right. It is now 12 o’clock. Notice where we are located. I am going to continue on my mission toward the southwest. Do you understand?” Swinton: “Yes, sir.” When Swinton arrives at headquarters he ought thus to be able to give to his commanding officer not only the accurate _Body_ of the verbal message, but the contents of the _Heading_ and _Ending_ of a similar written one. The above conversation is not exaggerated. It is not only what _does_ happen, but what _should_ happen. It does happen because the average American has rarely developed his powers of attention to things outside of his interest. It should happen because every word in every good message is a vital word. Any omission or substitution is a loss. PROBLEMS In each of the following problems try to condense the essential facts, without loss of substance or truth, if possible, into one sentence. The _Body_ only will be attempted. In other words, that part of the dialogue which preceded the last speech of the Patrol Leader will be imitated. It is presumed that we are now conversant with the material of the _Heading_ and _Ending_. We shall, therefore, dispense with these parts of the message in the verbal exercise. _CAUTION.—Under no circumstances should there be any writing done in connection with the solution of the problems. A violation of this prohibition will destroy the value of the exercise._ 1. You are alone in your aeroplane scouting north from your Division which is at Granite Hill. While you are flying low in the vicinity of B-A, you notice a moving cloud of dust which produces a dark spot on the road leading south from Guernsey. The haze extends from the lower edge of the “G” in Guernsey indistinctly through the town. You turn off and fly over Center Mills. When you return the head of the dust cloud has reached the first road-fork south of Guernsey and the tail of it is at the lower edge of the “G.” You land in twelve minutes at Granite Hill. It is one o’clock in the afternoon. You are so cold that you walk with difficulty. You call a Corporal of the Signal Corps to you and give him a verbal message.