Page:The Invasion of 1910.djvu/273

 I asked him at what he was firing. 'Look over there,' he said, pointing towards Maldon. I saw nothing at first. 'Look higher,' said the sailor. I raised my eyes, and there, floating hundreds of feet over and on this side of the old town, a great yellow sausage-like something glistened in the sunlight. I recognised it at once from the photographs I had seen of the German manoœvres. It was their great military balloon, known as the 'Wurst,' or sausage, from its elongated shape. Its occupants were doubtless hard at work reconnoitring our position.

"Another gun gave tongue with an ear-splitting report, and then a second one, its long chase sticking up into the air like a monster telescope. They were firing high explosive shell at the balloon, hoping that the detonation would tear it if near enough. I saw the big shell explode apparently close to their target, but the distance was deceptive, and no apparent injury was done. After another round, however, it began slowly to descend, and soon disappeared behind the huddled roofs of the town. 'Might have got her,' remarked Akers, the commander in charge of the guns, 'but I fancy not. But I reckon they thought it too warm to stay up. We had our balloon up this morning,' he continued, 'and I expect she'll go up again before dark. They had a few slaps at her, but didn't get within a mile of her. She's in a field behind the woods at Twitty Fee, about half a mile over there, if you want to see her.'

"I thanked him and motored slowly off in the direction indicated. I noticed great changes on Danbury Hill since my last visit. Entrenchments and batteries had sprung up on every side, and men were still as busy as bees improving and adding to them. I found the balloon, filled with gas and swaying about behind a mass of woodland that effectually concealed it from the enemy, but as I was informed that there would be no ascent before half-past five, I continued my tour round the summit of the hill. When I arrived at the