OVER THE TOP The first haze of dawn was not dispelled when the artillery began to thunder and Tom knew that the big job was on.

Stolid as he was and used to the roar of the great guns, he made hasty work of his breakfast for he was nervous and anxious to be on the move.
Most of the troops that were to go seemed to have gone already.

He joined the two signal corps men, one of whom carried the wire and the other a telephone apparatus, and as they moved along the road other signal corps men picked up the wire behind them at intervals, carrying it along.
Tom was as proud of his machine as a general could be of his horse, and he wheeled it along beside him, keeping pace with the slow advance of his companions, his heart beating high.
"If you have to come back with any message, you'll remember Headquarters, won't you ?" one asked him.
"I always remember Headquarters," said Tom.
"And don't get rattled." "I never get rattled." "Watch the roads carefully as we go, so you can get back all right.
Noise don't bother you ?" "No, I'm used to artillery--I mean the noise," said Tom.
"You probably won't have much to do unless in an emergency.

If Fritzie cuts the wire or it should get tangled and we couldn't reach the airmen quick enough you'd have to beat it back.

There's two roads out of Cantigny.