be sure that we
were all at our posts. This was not done by the other officers, and
naturally we resented it, so when the boy on the next beat gave me the
tip that the old boy was coming I stood in close to the wall and
waited--as he turned the corner, stealing along like a cat, I sprang
out with my bayonet at his chest, and in a voice loud enough to be
heard ten blocks away shouted "Halt!" Old "Spindle-legs" threw up his
hands, gasped like a fish, and it seemed half a minute before he
whispered "Orderly officer." Of course I lowered my rifle with a fine
show of respect, but he didn't lose any time asking what my orders were
for the night; he beat it for the orderly-room as fast as his trembling
legs could carry him. He took it for granted that we were _very much_
on guard. The other guard and I almost had a fit laughing, and it was
as much as we could do to face him next day.

Little things like this relieved the monotony of the days that
otherwise were very much alike. We were drilled into shape and finally
we came to take pleasure in doing things in the sharp brisk manner they
required and in making as good a showing as possible--everything was
for the honour of the battalion, and woe betide any one who was
slovenly in his dress or who bungled his marching.

But we would have had a pretty lonely winter if it had not been for the
great kindness shown us by some of the Winnipeg churches and also by
individual ladies. Chief among these, I would like to take the liberty
of mentioning Lady Nanton; she was the guardian angel of the 28th; the
billiard room of her beautiful home was thrown open for our use every
night in the week and a lunch was served to as many boys as cared to
go. It was through the efforts of Lady Nanton that a smoking-room was
erected for our benefit, for we were not allowed to smoke in barracks.
I received parcels from her when I was a prisoner of war in Germany,
and I leave you to imagine how much they were appreciated then; and now
that the 28th boys are coming back wounded and broken in health it is
Lady Nanton that still acts as guardian angel and gets everything
possible for them.

But to go back to my story. We had been in training for about six
months and the Army life had done a great deal for us. The city was
full of soldiers; new battalions were being formed all the time, and we
felt quite like old veterans. We were "fed up" with marching around
the city on parade, and we longe