Sapper Duffy also
resumed work, and as he did so he noticed there was something familiar
about the bulky shape of the new digger next to him.

'What lot are you?' asked the new man, heaving out the first spadeful
rapidly and dexterously.

'We're 'A' Section, Southland Company,' said Duffy, 'an' I say--ain't
you Beefy Wilson?'

'That's me,' said the other without checking his spade. 'And blow me!
you must be Duffy--Jem Duffy.'

'That's right,' said Duffy. 'But I didn't know you'd joined, Beefy.'

'Just a week or two after you,' said Beefy.

'Didjer know boss's two sons had got commissions? Joined the Sappers
an' tried to raise a company out o' the works to join. Couldn't
though. I was the only one.'

'Look out--'ere's that blanky maxim again,' said Duffy, and they
dropped flat very hurriedly.

There was no more conversation at the moment. There were too many
bullets about to encourage any lingering there, and both men wanted all
their breath for their work. It was hard work too. Duffy's back and
shoulder and arm muscles began to ache dully, but he stuck doggedly to
it. He even made an attempt to speed up to Beefy's rate of shovelling,
although he knew by old experience alongside Beefy that he could never
keep up with him, the unchallenged champion of the old gang.

Whether it was that the lifting rain had made them more visible or that
the sound of their digging had been heard they never knew, but the
rifle fire for some reason became faster and closer, and again and
again the call passed for stretcher-bearers, and a constant stream of
wounded began to trickle back from the trench-diggers. Duffy's section
was not so badly off now because they had sunk themselves hip deep, and
the earth they threw out in a parapet gave extra protection. But it
was harder work for them now because they stood in soft mud and water
well above the ankles. The new company, being the more exposed,
suffered more from the fire; but each man of them had a smaller portion
of trench to dig, so they were catching up on the first workers. But
all spaded furiously and in haste to be done with the job, while the
officers and sergeants moved up and down the line and watched the
progress made.

More cold-bloodedly unpleasant work it would be hard to imagine. The
men had none of the thrill and heat of combat to help them; they had
not the hope that a man has in a charge across the open--that a minute
or two gets the worst of it o