CHAPTER XI
A SHOW ON THE FRONT
While the fighting on the Verdun front was furious at times, withprolonged spasms when the Germans seemed determined to recover theterritory they had lost to the French, there were also periods of almosttotal calm.
During these quiet periods the members of the American escadrille weresometimes hard pushed for ways in which to pass the time away, and amusethemselves. Inaction fretted most of them, since they were endowed withthat restless spirit which seems to be the inherent trait of mostAmericans.
Many were the expedients tried by means of which some amusement might beextracted from life. Their daily business was so exciting that theseslumps left the aviators nervous and unhappy. It was like the sailorwho, bowling along under full pressure of canvas for weeks, in the olddays of the sailing vessel, suddenly found himself in the "doldrums,"and becalmed for what might be an indefinite period--it was apt to wearupon a nervous system that demanded work.
Of course the pilots were merry while at meals and during their loafingperiods; but every time one of their number returned from the front andreported the inaction as still continuing, many deep sighs of discontentwould arise.
Then a clever thought occurred to some one of the men. Perhaps it wassuggested by a happy-go-lucky Irish aviator who was connected with theBritish air forces, and wore the marks of distinguished service on hisarm and cap.
Sergeant Barney McGee had received a month's furlough in order torecover from injuries which he had sustained. Instead of going back toIreland to spend his enforced vacation, as one might naturally expecthim to do, McGee put in the time visiting other parts of the long frontbetween Ypres and Verdun.
After all, there was nothing so very singular about that. Give an oldrailroad engineer a week off, and presently you will discover himspending the time loafing around the roundhouse, chatting with the otherengineers, and investigating things. His whole life being wrapped up inhis work his idea of a vacation consists of being free to watch hisfellows of the same craft work.
Sergeant McGee was an exceedingly droll chap. He spent a couple of weekswith a French cousin who was also an aviator, and in time came to knowthe jolly members of the Lafayette Escadrille. He grew to be exceedinglyfond of them all, and was in the mess-room nearly every night.
His idea was that they should get up a show to pass these dull eveningsaway. If the enemy allowed them sufficient time they could even give apublic performance, and give the proceeds to the Red Cross.
It took like wildfire with the Americans, casting about at the time forsome way to kill dull care, and make the hours pass more quickly untilcalled to action again.
A survey developed the fact that there were a number in and out of theLafayette Escadrille who possessed a talent of some kind or other. Thisone had a violin which he loved to play; and, while not a finishedartist, he was able to make real and lovely music by means of his cleverbow. Another, it turned out, had a good tenor voice, and knew many ofthe most popular songs of the day. A third showed a talent for mimickingwell known people, particularly Americans of national fame. Severalagreed to black up, and give a humorous little minstrel skit that theydeclared would set the house in a roar.
It was Barney McGee himself who most astonished the Americans, however.At the first rehearsal he appeared before their astonished eyes dressedto imitate a well known and popular moving picture star and he carriedout the part in a fashion that caused the wildest excitement. From thatmoment the success of the show was assured.
They made feverish preparations, for no one could tell just when theperiod of inaction would come to an end, and every available member ofthe several fraternizing escadrilles be ordered to rush to the frontagain, to take his life in his hands, and risk it hourly for the greatcause.
Tom and Jack both had parts in the entertainment. Jack made a good"bones" for the minstrels, and he coaxed his chum to don a burnt-corkface for that one evening, and show what he could do as a comedian ofparts.
They found a building in Bar-le-Duc that could be used, and which wouldhold a respectable sized audience. Little preparation was needed save tobuild a stage and get seating arrangements. Where chairs were notavailable benches had to take their place. Lights were also provided,and what few accessories they needed, such as curtains and stagescenery, were improvised after a fashion.
In the spirit of fun that prevailed "any old thing went," as Jackexpressed it. The makeshifts that came to light when the performersappeared dressed for their various parts were many and startling. Theyhad borrowed or begged anything that promised to answer the purpose froma long-tailed French coat to a lady's highly colored shawl. Wigs hadbeen sent for, and Paris had responded with an assortment that leftnothing to be desired.
The members of the two French air squadrons whose headquarters were nearby, had entered into the affair with great zest. They blessed the littleIrish pilot for his suggestion. And Sergeant Barney McGee was on thejump all day long, displaying all the sterling traits that distinguishable generals and leaders of men.
The time approached when the entertainment was to come off. Theperformers were sure of a full house, provided no war orders were issuedthat would interfere with the arrangements.
"Since Fritz has kept quiet for so many dreary days now," one pilot washeard to say on the morning of the entertainment, "let us hope we'llhave just one more peaceful evening to reap the reward of all thistraining. It would break the heart of Sergeant Barney if the order camefor every one to buckle down to hard work just when his big show isabout to come off."
The weather man proved friendly, for he gave them a splendid day, withthe promise of a moonlight night. Besides, the cold had pretty wellvanished, and it was really becoming more seasonable, with the sunwarming the earth, and the mud drying up to a considerable extent.
When the show opened that night it was to a house jammed to the doors.Even the windows were utilized for seating room; and crowds stoodwithout, unable to gain admittance.
"Some crowd, eh?" remarked Jack, as he watched the airmen, soldiers andothers pouring in.
"I should say so!" cried Tom. "I hope we make good."
It was certainly a unique performance, considering the fact that it wasgiven in a camp close to the battle lines; and that at any hour everyone of those who were dressed so fancifully and conducted themselves asactors born to the stage, might be called on to mount to the clouds, andperform their dangerous work of fighting for France, perhaps even givingup their lives.
Loud applause greeted every individual act. The violin music drew tearsfrom eyes unused to weeping, because the strains of "Way Down Upon theSuwannee River," "Home, Sweet Home," and other loved airs tenderly andbeautifully played, as they were, carried the Americans back again tothose near and dear, those whom they might never again see on thisearth.
The songs were rapturously applauded, and the singers forced to giveencore after encore. One youth who played the part of a little maid fromschool, and sang in a sweet soprano voice, caused the greatestenthusiasm of the evening; but then everything seemed to make a decidedhit.
Tom and Jack, as members of the minstrel troupe, did their parts well,though neither professed to be a star of the first magnitude. Theycertainly enjoyed seeing and hearing the others go through with theirappointed tasks. As for Sergeant Barney McGee, he drew the house downevery time he appeared on the stage in his quaint dress, and with thefamous walk that is the trade-mark of the character whom he represented.
Two-thirds of the entire show was soon carried out. Indeed, the rest wasto be more or less a repetition of preceding acts, though the pleasedaudience seemed eager to sit for another hour, and applaud each turnvigorously and uproariously.
However, it was not fated that the evening should pass entirely withoutsome interruption. Afterwards the actors, and those who had enjoyed theperformance from in front, agreed that they had been exceedingly luckyas it was, and that "half a loaf was much better than no bread at all."
Those whose
turns were finished remained, of course, as part of theaudience. Some of the black-faced artists lingered in the so-called"wings" to watch what was going on, desirous of getting all the funpossible out of the evening.
It was not a case of "eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die;"but "have all the happy times you can, fellows, while the going is good,for to-morrow we fight."
Sergeant Barney McGee was on again, and the audience was convulsed withlaughter over his ludicrous antics. He appeared to be a born actor andmimic; and had they not known otherwise Tom and Jack could have declaredthat the comedian who was under contract with an American film company,and doubtless in California making pictures at that moment, had beensuddenly transported to the French fighting front to entertain thesoldiers.
Suddenly the laughter came to a stop. The building in which the show wasbeing held shook as though a violent thunderclap had rocked the earth.This loud detonation that broke upon their hearing, however, was onlytoo familiar to all those army aviators. They understood its dreadmeaning.
The enemy had taken this opportunity to send over a squadron of raidingFokkers to bomb the hangars of the French and American fliers atBar-le-Duc!