the
first opportune moment, when all who mattered were engaged in
calculations and scraps of paper, to disappear in the direction of a
small buffet whence came a tempting rattle of crockery and an aroma of
tea.

Here, even at this early hour, the good English ladies of Alexandria
were dispensing refreshing tea and cakes to the soldiers.

Later they filed on board, and were taken, each unit to its own
mess-deck, to deposit their gear. Mac's own troop had just completed
the disintegration of themselves and their kit and the satisfactory
stowage of it, when it was discovered that they were in the wrong part
of the ship. Of course, that sort of thing was only to be expected,
but Smoky was particularly annoyed, as he had succeeded in procuring
the snuggest corner of the place. So, muttering and growling, they
gathered up their goods and chattels, and shoved and groused along
crowded alley-ways. Embarkations and disembarkations always were a
severe trial of the temper.

They eventually got settled again, and soon divested themselves of
unnecessary clothing and equipment. Then Mac and Smoky deemed it the
most tactful course to seek a secluded corner of the boat deck, not
infested by blustering non-coms, seeking fatigue parties. They
proceeded to go to sleep in the shady security of the lee side of a
life-boat; but, as ill luck would have it, their own sergeant soon
spotted them, and it was useless to pull his leg.

It was a loading fatigue, of course, and they were sent away along the
water-front to shove trucks about. They eventually selected one and
brought it down alongside their ship. Black, greasy, heavy cooking
apparatus it was, which had to be carried up the steep gangways and
transported to the bowels of the ship.

During the rest of the day, they mostly slept in quiet corners of the
ship.

Soon after dark they sailed. The vessel manoeuvred slowly through the
breakwaters, and passed out on the calm waters of the Mediterranean.
The low, blacker line of the Egyptian shore grew less distinct, and the
numerous lights of the port came closer and closer together, faded into
a dim halo and merged at length into the black sweep of the horizon.
So passed Egypt from the sight of many; with the gurgling monotone of
the propeller, they reeled off the knots of water which separated a
past of careless happy-go-lucky days from a future of unfathomable
depth.

There were no hammocks nor bunks on board the _Grantull