ed up in
their seats, kept fairly dry; but the riders got their high boots full
of water, so that as they went up and down in their saddles their feet
splashed with a sound like butter in a churn. During the longest halt
the drivers lay on their backs in the grass, and as they stretched
their legs up in the air, the water trickled down out of their boots in
streams.

The man[oe]uvres began, and continued their course, one day very much
like another, only the scene changing. The brigade would assemble in
the early morning. Cavalry scouts told off for the purpose, had
generally gone on in advance and sent back their reports. These hussars
or Uhlans were marvellously clever fellows, who never failed to find
out the enemy. Then the advance-guard was set in motion, and after a
certain time the main body followed. The batteries were usually ordered
to the front during the march. If they reached the scene of action
unnoticed by the enemy and wanted to open fire upon him unawares, the
men had to crawl almost on all-fours in line; then there was a mad
gallop forwards over hedges and ditches when they found themselves
within range of the hostile fire; and when the gunners were almost
jolted out of their seats the men of the infantry would burst into loud
peals of laughter as they lay sideways on the ground. It was all very
well for them to laugh then; but when the man[oe]uvres were over, and
they were on the march back to their quarters, they cast envious
glances at the artillerymen as they took their seats and were driven
home on their hard-seated chariots.

In the skirmishes, too, during the man[oe]uvres, it was the artillery
who got the best of it. The infantry had to be always on the march,
then firing off their blank cartridges either stooping or lying down,
and at last making a bayonet charge on the disorganised foe. The
batteries, on the other hand, generally remained in the same position,
and only now and then fired a shot, reserving their ammunition for
doings on a larger scale during the last few days of the man[oe]uvres.
In this way they had a splendid view of the fighting, and could quietly
look on as the dark lines of rifles approached nearer and nearer; or
when an officer commanding a squadron of cavalry, thirsting for fame,
made an impossible, but very daring attack.

On off-days Vogt lent a sturdy helping hand in gathering in the
harvest. It delighted him to be able, as of old, to reach up and put
the shea