I know he has 'em tied up all right
in their language." And this was as near to a confession of faith as the
sergeant cared to go.

"Oh, I can see a difference myself up the line," said the pioneer
sergeant. "The boys used to get out of his way. He used to jump on 'em
something fierce. You remember?"

"Huh-uh!"

"Well, they just love to have him drop in now and they tell him things.
I saw Corporal Thom the other night showin' him his girl's picture, and
the Pilot thought she was a fine girl too, and got her address down,
and said he was going to write her and tell her what a fine chap the
corporal was, and you ought to see Corporal Thom swell up until he 'most
bust his tunic."

"Oh, I know the corporal's dippy about the Pilot," said Sergeant Mackay.

"Yes, and the officers, too," said the pioneer sergeant. "There's
Captain Duff. Well, you know what a holy terror he is."

"He's all right," said Sergeant Mackay stoutly. "He was my chief for
about a month here, and he was the first one to get this transport
licked into shape, you bet."

"I'm not saying anything against Captain Duff, but he was a roughneck,
you know well enough, and I guess he hadn't much use for the Pilot."

"Oh, I know all about that," said Sergeant Mackay. "The Pilot used to go
up with us on the transport. It was awful hard on Captain Duff, handlin'
the column and the mules and all the rest, to hold in when the Pilot was
along. The captain, he had to come round now and then to the rear. There
he would have a lovely time for a few minutes, with the Pilot safe up in
front. But the Pilot calmed him down all right."

"Yes, and there's that young Captain Fraser," said the pioneer sergeant,
with a note of enthusiasm in his monotonous voice. "There a soldier. He
just loved fightin'. I remember the night he got his wound. It was on
a raid of course. If there was a raid on, Captain Neil was sure to be
there. He just about got his arm blown off, but they say he's goin' to
be all right. I was at the regimental aid post when they fetched him in.
Oh, he was a dirty mess, face all cut up, and his arm hangin', and not a
word out of him until the Pilot comes along. Then he begins to chirp up
and the Pilot starts jollyin' him along one minute and sayin' Psalms to
him the next minute, and little prayers, and the boys around listenin',
sometimes grinnin' and sometimes all choked up, but I'm awful glad
Captain Neil is comin' round all right."

By this time the