Chapter XXXII: The Gun Testing Ground

Into the rocky cliff great holes had been bored, and into them the Guns mounted on their carriages, by the great gantry, were fired, passing through wires hung from screens, to test their velocity. One thing that interested me, standing behind the guns--interested me too much, really--was, that there was no smoke, save that which came out of the hole where the shells exploded. And another fact was, that I could not see the shell in its flight--nor can those at whom it is fired--it goes so fast the sound cannot keep up with it. Sight cannot follow it.