THE JAUNTINGS OF JASON.

Gun Flash, Issue XIII, 27 March 1943, Page 2

THE JAUNTINGS OF JASON.

CHAPTER II And"‘’er3*''ono or two hours had passed there came from the huts sounds us of awakening mon. All the loaders were shouting at once and in response came loud muttering and 1 sea' fithin Jason and his mon betook themselves in the wake of the sold-' iors, who by this 'time wore assembled and were walking in a body up a hill. There they came upon a wondrous"machine unlike anything which they had hitherto seen. Ono Alox Fills Cancerus spoke in lengthy terms about, the machine and Jason was filled with wonderment at the weapon, for such it was. He was pleased when King John told him that, in honour of his visit, they would cause this weapon and three others which were cunningly hidden on various parts of the hill, to fire. Immediately ,three men rushed past shouting ”R.A-;P.”. Jason was sorelly pur.sled but again Fells Cancerus came to his aid j and explained. The men had been? suddenly smitten with ’’skitters” I a terribl© tropic&l fever striking with the speed of an adder. It was indeed unfortunate for these men would be unaSla to partake in the performance and, strangely, the sane throe had been likewise stricken on -two ot her similar occasions. Great preparations were made and the heavy steel thunderbolts were laid out in readiness. ©hen cried Alex ”No.l Stand By .........Fire I” ' There was a thundering roar, a blinding 7 flash and a smile on all the soldiers* lips for the faces of Jason*s men were deathly white. Flashes and thunder camo from the other guns, for thin was the name of the weapons, and, ere seconds had passed, large splashes appeared in the sea some two leagues away. And Jason saw that by this magic s hould one of these thunderbolts hit a boat, then it would sail no more. Ho espied near where the splashes •. had arisen, a boat travelling at great speed amidst a cloud of

smoke and knew that it was thia the soldiers wore a tr lying to sink* Many none missiles were hurled, but only one splash Indicated that the boat was nearly hit, whereupon Jason and his non clap* pod the ir hands with glee at the performance o Cried one man who would have been an officer ”it wasn’t my fault, I toll you” but Jason was unaffected by this modesty, for it was plain to all who had brought about this wond- •< erful shot.

Wearily, for there was great exertion in the work, the soldiers retraced their way down to the huts and lay upon their beds. A shout of ’’The Beer* s in” brought them out again with more speed than all the shoutings of the leaders. And the heroes followed running thring, for they would not miss one aspect of this strange existence. They saw men coming away from a small house and many more waiting to receive bottles of liquid which overflowed immediately upon the removal of a small cap therefrom. And Jason noticed that, ore the men / had drunk one bottle of this ’’beer” as ho thought would be' the name, that there was great no is o and much shouting. He would have listened to the loud talking of two tall men, lean . . and fair, had not another said ’’List them not, 0 Jason, they talk naught else but the faeces of bulls and we heed them little. Como, sit with us and drink awhile." So Jason tarried and drank, and liked, and drank this foaming draught. Presently, the noise and shouting became to him a blurr and he felt that ho would give anything to stay in this wonderful place* •