in a carriage, some with painful feet, some with wounded arms, and some
with coughs, rheumatism, &c., but you don't hear a word of grousing. It
is only when things are prosperous and comfortable that Tommy grumbles
and has grievances. Some of the liers are too ill to know how long
they've been on the train. One charming Scotchman, who enlisted for K.'s
Army, but was put into the Regulars because he could shoot, has just
asked me to write my name and address in his little book so that he can
write from England. He also says we must "look after ourselves" and
"study our health," because there's a bad time coming, and our Country
will need us! He's done his share, after an operation, and will never be
able to do any more. Everything points to this Service having to put out
all it can, both here and at home. Many new hospitals are being
organised, and there are already hundreds.

We have a poor lunatic on board who keeps asking us to let his wife come
in. The train is crawling with J.J.'s.

_Saturday_, 4.30 A.M.--Just seen the last stretcher off; now going to
undress (first time since Wednesday night) and turn in.

_Saturday, 13th February, Havre._--It is four months to-day since I
joined the train. It seems much longer in some ways, and yet the days go
by very quickly--even the off-days; and when the train is full the hours
fly.

We went into the familiar streets this morning that we saw so much of in
August, "waiting for orders," and had a look at the sea. The train
moved off at tea-time, so we had the prettiest part of the journey in a
beautiful evening sunlight, lighting up the woods and hills. The palm is
out, and the others saw primroses. We have also seen some snowdrops.

After a heavy journey, with two nights out of bed, you don't intend to
do any letter-writing or mending or French classes, but look out of the
window or sleep or read Dolly Dialogues. You always get compensation for
these journeys in the longer journey back, with probably a wait at Rouen
or Sotteville, and possibly another at Boulogne. We have been going up
and down again very briskly this last fortnight between B. and the Back
of the Front.

_Sunday, 14th._--A dismal day at Sotteville; pouring cats and dogs all
day, and the train cold.

_Shrove Tuesday._--We were all day coming up yesterday. Got to B. in the
middle of the night, and went on again to St Omer, where we woke this
morning, so we missed our mails again; it will be a full