o eat quantities of dainty French cakes? It
is not surprising that the shop at Poperinghe was always crowded by four
in the afternoon in those old days before the second battle of Ypres.

As patiently as might be, Baker and I waited, lynx-eyed, until two
chairs were vacated.

"Mademoiselle," we called, "deux omelettes, s'il vous plait."

"Bien, messieurs, tout de suite."

But we were far too hungry to wait, and before the omelettes arrived we
had cleared a great plate of cakes. After weeks of indifferent trench
cooking the first well-done omelette is a great joy, and, as I put down
my fork, I glanced inquiry at Baker.

"Rather," he answered to my unspoken question.

"Mademoiselle, encore deux omelettes, s'il vous plait," I ordered. "Nous
avons une faim de loup."

"Je m'en apercois, messieurs les officiers," answered our fair
enchantress, as she hurried off to repeat our order in the kitchen,
while a crowd of predatory officers glared murder at us when they found
we did not intend to leave our places so soon. "Some fellows are pigs,"
murmured one.

"That was splendid," said Baker when we started off on our homeward
walk. "But six miles is a hell of a long way."

Personally, though, I enjoyed those six miles through the dusk, for we
seemed to hear the hum of the traffic and the shouts of newsboys. Our
tea brought back souvenirs of England, and we talked of London and of
home, of theatres, and of coast patrol on the southern cliffs, until the
little low huts of our camp showed up ahead.

* * * * *

It is nearly two years now since Baker was killed. He was found gassed
in a dug-out on Hill 60, and by his side lay his servant, who had died
in the attempt to drag him out to the comparative safety of the open
trench. Nearly two years since another friend gave up his life for his
country; nearly two years since another mother in England learned that
her son had been killed in a "slight diversion on the Ypres salient"!

But it was thus that he would have wished to die.

XVII

"HERE COMES THE GENERAL"

A servant brought me a note to my dug-out:

"Come down and have some lunch in trench 35D," it ran, "in C Company
officers' dug-out. Guests are requested to bring their own plates and
cutlery; and, if it is decent, their own food. Menu attached. R.S.V.P."

The menu was as follows:

MENU OF LUNCHEON GIVEN BY C COMPANY AT THEIR COUNTRY RESIDENCE, "THE
RETREAT," 15/5/1