. The tender edible portions had been thrown away.
The Colonel turned to Bittleson but the latter was too quick for him
and had already made a strategic retreat.

"What a mess-president?" said the Captain, "Eh, what, Doc.?"

"Go to blazes," growled the Colonel, "You can't get results without
tools; pass the coffee pot." And they relapsed into silence for a few
moments as they severally speculated on the number of Bittlesons they
knew of in the army--in all ranks.

"Well, I wonder how long this blinking war is going to last," queried
the Colonel. "No signs of light on the horizon yet; Fritzy is some
sticker."

"I am fed up with the whole thing," returned the Captain snapping his
cigarette butt viciously into a corner. "What are we out here for
anyway; what are we fighting for; what is the whole bally business
about; that is what I would like to know?"

"What did you come out for?" asked the Colonel. "You had a good
position and a good future in your profession over in the States;
something made you come; what was it?"

"I don't know what it was; chiefly a desire to be in the game and not
be a quitter I guess; I hate the idea of my kids, if I ever have any,
asking me what I had done in the great war. I went up to Forbes Bay to
play golf and forget the war and suddenly found myself buying a ticket
for Valcartier Camp and here I am." There was silence for a minute.
"What did you come out for Colonel?" asked the Captain.

"For adventure," replied the Colonel. "So did everybody else; anybody
who says he didn't come out here for some such reason as that is a
damned liar; don't you think so Doc.?"

"I don't think I did for one," responded the Doc., "but I wouldn't be
sure; I had every inducement to stay home if any man had, congenial
work, interesting hobbies, the finest woman in the world, and I hate
the military game; I guess there were lots of others like myself."

"Well, what in thunder did you come for; what was the big idea?"
demanded the Colonel.

"The big idea in my case was that I thought I might be of some use in
keeping our men efficient, in other words 'service,'" said the Doc.
"What is more, that is what you and the Cap. both came for if you
would only admit it."

"Piffle," snapped the Colonel.

"It isn't piffle, it's the truth," asserted the Doc. "Why do you feel
sore now because other fellows you know haven't come out? If love of
adventure brought you, there is no reason for feeling crusty because