-minded way he stirred the loose grit
with the toe of his boot, then smoothed the surface with the sole, and
dug little channels in it.

When he looked up from this amusement it was growing dark; and then the
last evening was succeeded by the last night. Most of the men slept the
heavy sleep of drunkenness; Wolf never closed his eyes. He heard every
stroke of the clock, and the intervening half-hours seemed to him of
infinite duration.

Half an hour before the reveille he rose. A cold sponge waked him up
thoroughly, and after this sleepless night he felt a thousand times
fresher and stronger than at other times after enjoying his full share
of rest. He opened the window of the bathroom, and let the cool air of
the grey morning fan his chest. A fine autumn day was dawning for this
feast-day of freedom, so long desired. A thin haze still veiled the
prospect, but was retiring shyly before the approach of the conquering
sun.

With sparkling eyes he gazed over the opposite roofs towards the hills,
from behind which the lord of day must soon emerge. He stood erect and
stretched his arms out wide.

Now for the first time he dared to believe in his happiness.

He took his civilian clothes from the chest as if they had been
precious treasures. The trumpet was just sounding the reveille while he
dressed himself. The white shirt, the clean collar, the comfortable
jacket, and the soft slouched hat--how light they were and how easily
they fitted! Another sign that this cramping restraint was at an end!

He stood there ready, as his comrades came yawning and rough-headed
from the dormitory. They looked at him in surprise.

"You're in a damned hurry," said one of them. And Wolf answered gaily,
"Yes, indeed, I've waited long enough!"

Now came the last falling into line as a soldier, and the handing over
of the clothing and kit which had been used at the last.

Sergeant Keyser went into each room and superintended the counting over
of the separate articles. Then he threw them over the arm of a gunner
who was to carry them to the kit-room.

He had intentionally left Wolf's room to the last, and had despatched
all the other reservists before him. For he meant to pay out the
socialist fellow who had let him in for six weeks' arrest; Wolf should
have to wait about as long as possible before being finally released
from military discipline.

At last, however, his turn came. He counted out just the right number
of articles; the