ng like a worm in the
grass; be crafty, be wary--and fall down on the face before death."

It did not stop there. Lastly and worst they took away the officers of
his dreams. They even dressed them like privates and some were armed
with rifles. There were no flashing swords to follow. Not once did he
see an officer anything like his father's picture of the Duke of
Wellington on the white horse pointing a curly sword to the skies and
waving a cocked hat. Then there came the day when Tim made his first
acquaintance with field training, and beheld a loose and disorderly
scramble which men called an advance. To him it seemed just a mob of
masterless men, crawling and crouching on the grass, firing as they
passed, and bowing cringingly before death. It was a sight he could
hardly endure--an exhibition offensive to any soldier whose forbears had
learnt to achieve the impossible as a matter of routine and had held
firm for half a day at Quatre Bras with never so much as the flicker of
an eye-lid. Gad! there could only be one end to this kow-towing to
death, and that would be disaster and disgrace.

* * * * *

The long dull plains of northern Europe stretched before Tim's
gaze--great undulations of hard, hot earth and waving grass. He'd been
marching all day, and it was hot. Hot!... ye Gods!... On those plains it
was like a Turkish bath. Then "down" came the order, and the battalion
flung itself to the ground. Oh, but it was good to rest! Towards sunset
the clouds piled up blacker and blacker, and some hung frothy over the
ridge in the distance. As the sun dropped, the west turned red--all
blood red--and he heard the order to march. He heard the word passed
down the line in half whispers, and the impressive sound of regiments
getting under arms came to his ears. Another five miles they marched
and halted for tea. Then all the men became very silent--and while they
rested they talked in whispers as they watched the awful sky. When it
grew dark the flick-flack of lightening played across the sky and it
showed the men's faces white and drawn. Presently Tim's Company
lieutenant came up with the news that they would not be able to rest
until morning as they had anticipated. There could be no stopping, for
the regiment had to reach the rendezvous at daybreak. As the storm
rolled nearer, the wind got up, in puffs--first warm and then cold, and
a few drops of rain fell--great drops that fell flop-flop-fl