to follow the path of the 'planes. Then, farther
away than the whirring in the skies had led us to expect, came the
ear-stabbing crack of the bombs. One!--two!--three!--four!--five!--six!
in as quick succession as rifle-shots. "Damn 'em," said Wilde
apprehensively. "I hope they don't get any of our horses."

We were quite near Nurlu now, and, leaving the waggons in the shelter
of the sunken road, Wilde and I again forged ahead. An Army Field
Brigade was forming its waggon lines in a field off the roadside amid
sharp angry cries of "Keep those lights out!" Soon we approached
another sunken road leading into the village. Through the hedge that
rose above the bank I saw a black oblong hut. "Let's look at this
place," I said.

In the darkness we made out a number of huts. A ring of sandbags showed
where a tent had been pitched. Pushing away the blanket that covered
the opening to a huge mined dug-out, we looked upon a row of sleeping
engineers. "There are plenty of empty huts here," a corporal,
half-awake, told us. It was past midnight. "This will do us for
to-night," I said to Wilde.

A humming overhead reminded us that Boche 'planes still hovered near.
As we came out of the dug-out a string of red lights floated downwards.
A machine-gun spluttered, and a bullet pinged close to us. "What's he
up to?" said Wilde, his eyes gleaming. We drew back. A bomb fell three
hundred yards away; then another, and another. The ground shook; we
thought of our waggons and horses in the road. The dog had dashed
outside.

When the 'planes had passed, I sent the orderly to bring up the
waggons. The horses went back to the other side of the canal; the men
soon found cover for the night. Wilde and I made for the hut that we
had noticed first of all. It was not very spacious--nor very clean: but
it contained four wire beds to accommodate the major, the adjutant,
Wilde, and myself. "Why, it's a guard-room," I called, shining my torch
on a painted board affixed to the door.

So, for once in our lives, we slept in a guard-room. The little dog had
curled himself up in a corner.

Sept. 7: Zero hour for the launching of the attack was 8 A.M., much
later than usual. The village of Lieramont was the first objective, and
afterwards the infantry were to push on and oust the Boche from
Guyencourt and Saulcourt. It was to be an attack on the grand scale,
for the enemy had brought up one fresh Division and two others of known
fighting capacity. He wa