"Stop! Stop!" yelled Ned. "There may be folks in there,
Tom! I just saw a man run out!"
"All right!" Tom cried, though Ned could hardly hear him.
"Tell me when we get on the other side! We're going through
now!"
"But," shouted Ned, "don't you understand? I saw a man
come out of there! Maybe there's more inside! Wait, Tom,
and--"
But it was too late. The next instant there was a
smashing, grinding, splintering crash, a noise as of a
thunder-clap, and Tank A fairly ate her way through the old
barn as a rat might eat his way into a soft cheese, only
infinitely more quickly.
On and on and through and through went the tank, knocking
beams, boards, rafters and timbers hither and thither.
Minding not at all the weight of great beams on her back,
caring nothing for those that got in the way of her steel
belts, heeding not the wall of wood that reared itself
before her in a barrier of splinters and slivers, Tank A
went on and on until finally, with another grinding crash,
as she smashed her way through the farthermost wall, the
great engine of war emerged on the other side and came
panting into the field, dragging with her a part of the
structure clinging to her steel sides.
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