ond
Lieutenant (Temporary Lieutenant), intimating that he was to hold the
acting rank of Captain while engaged in present duties, which looks to
me as if they are giving nothing away but want to keep in with me till
they have settled up matters with the Bosch. When the trouble shows
signs of being about to end, they'll either make me a Temporary General
and hand me over to the enemy as a sop, or else they will turn round on
me and tell me that, being a Temporary Memorandum, I'm nothing at all;
am I going quietly or must they put the handcuffs on me? As the saying
is, "it ain't 'ardly safe"; at any moment one may find oneself in a
bowler hat being jostled by the crowd and wholly estranged from Mr. Cox,
of Charing Cross. Meanwhile I'm a Captain, or parading as such, and I
carry in my pocket a leash of "crowns" and a yard of braid (with
adhesive back) in case of further developments.

Talking of civilian hats, by the way, my particular class of soldier,
never spoilt by over-fussing, has dismal expectations as to the
_finale_. We feel that, when the other side sees light and is prepared
to submit to judgment, with costs, we shall be the last to leave for
home, and when we get there all the beer will be sold out.

Meanwhile I'm going along nicely, and by saying nothing but looking a
lot I've created quite an air of importance around me, which induces all
sorts of regimental officers to salute me at first sight and to wish
they hadn't on further acquaintance. It's an ever-increasing difficulty,
this matter of saluting: in a part of the world where there's a General
round every other corner I can never make up my mind on the spur of the
moment what to do about Majors and suchlike. Some like a salute, others
don't. I have invented a gesture of my own which is entirely
non-committal and gives satisfaction to both. Those who don't look for a
salute put it down to an excess of geniality; those who do expect one
put it down to ignorance combined with anxiety to please.

Only once has it got me into trouble so far. The occasion is worth
mentioning, since I was at the time talking to a General in a public
place. (Yes, there we were, talking away about nothing in particular,
"conversing," I might say, just as it might have been you and myself
passing the time of day. _Very_ impressive). A Major, one of the
expectant sort, came up from behind the General; when he was within
distance of the august back he saluted it. It was one of tho