e the hut was a
tent--and four of the seventeen huts were canvas--our expert, who had
traveled for years with Barnum & Bailey, went with the trucks and
brought in tent and all.

The army, desiring to have the "Y" supplies and men at the front with
the boys, put one or two cars on each train at our disposal. For
twenty-four hours without let up the "Y" trucks, manned by a score or
more of secretaries, rushed boxes of chocolate, cakes, raisins, cocoa,
cigarettes, tobacco, matches, and other supplies essential to the
comfort of the boys, from the warehouse to the trains.

It was an exciting game to have each car loaded when the signal to
move was given. Sometimes it was a close shave, as, for instance, when
our car on one train having been loaded we were offered a second car
which was accepted. We worked feverishly to get it ready for the move.
It was half filled--only ten minutes remained before the train was to
leave. Our big French truck was being loaded at the warehouse as fast
as willing hands could throw the boxes on. Word was dispatched to rush
the truck to the train--it arrived in three minutes. The train was
being shifted ready for the move. Our expert driver (a racing pilot in
the States) was game, and followed the train, stopping where it
stopped, while the boxes fairly flew from truck to car.

Finally the French train officials ordered our truck away that the
train might pull out. Our manager said, "Un minute, s'il vous plait,"
while the boxes continued to fly. The Frenchmen, becoming excited,
waved their arms and cursed and threatened in their own tongue. What
we could not understand did not frighten us, and the merry chase
continued until, in spite of our interference, the train began to
move, and with a few parting shots at the still open door, our men in
the car placed them as best they could, closed the door and swung from
the moving train.

It was great sport, and to hear the cheers of approval from our boys,
for whom all this energy was being expended, was ample reward for our
fatigue and loss of sleep.

The movement of troop trains was always a special target for Boche
bombing planes, and several times during the night Fritz tried to
"get" us. Each time, however, he was successfully driven off by our
anti-aircraft and machine guns. Whenever we heard the planes overhead
and shrapnel began to burst around us, we would scurry to cover
underneath the cars, which gave us protection from the falling pie