s-of-war cage; then he had 'em marched off to a collecting
station. He was hot stuff, I can tell you."

A gap came at last on the main route, but something also that would dam
the opening we had awaited for over an hour.

A tremendous line of French lorries was moving towards me on the road
opposite. The French officer in charge had come forward to reconnoitre
the crossing. Three British lorries, loading up, also stood on the road
along which we wanted to go. If the French lorries reached that spot
first, our batteries might be held up another hour. It was a moment for
unscrupulous action. I told my groom to dash off and tell Major
Bartlett to come along at the trot; then I slipped across and engaged
the French captain in conversation. If I could prevent him signalling
back for his lorries to quicken speed, all would be well. If Major
Bartlett failed, there would be a most unholy mix up near the three
stationary lorries. Major Bartlett responded nobly. His leading team
reached the three lorries while the first French motor-waggon was still
thirty yards away. The gap between the stationary lorry and the moving
one narrowed to eight yards; but the waggon and six horses were
through, and the battery now commanded the position with a line of
horsed waggons and baggage-carts stretching back along the fifty yards
of the main road, with A and B Batteries following in column of route
past the railway siding. The line of French lorries extended back far
as the eye could see. The French officer turned sharply, cursed
impatiently, and asserted volubly that his lorries must come through. I
explained soothingly what a long time we had waited, and asked his
forbearance. Meanwhile C Battery continued to trot through the gap, and
I called Heaven to witness that the whole of our Brigade would be
through and away before ten minutes passed. I ran back to urge A and B
Batteries to keep up the pace. When our very last water-cart,
mess-cart, and G.S. waggon had passed, I thanked the French officer
with great sincerity, and felt I had done a proper job of work.

4.30 P.M.: We sat by the roadside eating bread-and-cheese--the colonel,
young Bushman, and I. The batteries were well on the way to their
destination; and we three, jogging along in rear, had encountered
Bombardier M'Donald, triumphant at having filled his forage and rations
waggon for yet another day. So we and our grooms helped ourselves to
bread-and-cheese and satisfied hefty app