fter half a
mile we reached a metalled road; the track we had passed along went
over and beyond it. The point to be decided now was whether to go
straight on or to turn left along the road. Not a soul, not a single
vehicle in sight; it was hard to believe that three Divisions were to
make a big attack on the morrow. I halted the waggons on the road, and
turned to Wilde. "Let's send Sergeant Starling (the signalling
sergeant) to find where this track leads to. We'll walk up the road and
find some one who can show it us on the map. There are bound to be
dug-outs in this bank."

We walked for half a mile, meeting no one. The dog and an orderly
accompanied us. In the distance my ear caught a familiar sound--the
clip-clop of horses trotting. It came nearer and nearer. Then we saw a
horseman, wearing the Artillery badge, leading a light draught horse.

"What battery do you belong to?" I asked, stopping him.

"B, sir."

"Where are you going now?"

"A shell came, sir, and hit our waggon. My traces were broke, and I'm
going back to the waggon line, sir."

"Where is B Battery?"

"Up this road, sir, and I think you take a turning on the left, but I
can't quite remember, sir; we had a bit of a mix-up."

"Bring up the waggons," I told the orderly. "We're on the right road.
If Sergeant Starling isn't back, leave some one behind to bring him
along."

Before long a jingling and a creaking told us that our carts were close
at hand. We walked on, and, reaching a cross-roads, waited to shout for
those behind to keep straight on. Half a minute afterwards I heard my
name called. A single light shone out from a dug-out in the bank.

It was Garstin of C Battery who had hailed me. "Major Veasey is here
with Major Bartlett," he said, coming towards us. The two majors were
sitting in a dug-out no bigger than a trench-slit. "What do you think
of my quarters?" smiled Major Bartlett. "Sorry I can't ask you to have
a drink. Our mess cart hasn't arrived yet."

"We've found B and C, so far," interposed Major Veasey, puffing at his
pipe, "and I must find the --th Infantry Brigade before I finish
to-night.... This road takes you direct to Nurlu, you know."

Wilde and I and the headquarters waggons resumed our march. We had
reached a sunken portion of the road, when above us began the deep
steady drone of Boche aeroplanes. We halted the waggons.

A wait, during which Lizzie, the big mare, whinnied, and we looked up
and strained our ears