like to them. The sudden change
from "the move" to "reserve" perhaps upset his system. He confessed to
not "feeling very fit." The others, however, all seemed to have
insatiable appetites for food and sleep. Instead of marching twenty
miles a day on one or two meals, they now had their rations regularly
and got very little exercise. They slept as if sleeping sickness was
laying its hold upon them, and when not sleeping they were eating.

The wine store had not yet been exhausted in the village, and very often
they had a bottle with their suppers. The honey in the two jars seemed
inexhaustible--indeed, everybody grew tired of it in time; and in the
end the remnants were presented to another Company. The patisserie
continued to yield new bread, and they ate such quantities of it, still
hot from the oven, that many of them got "livers." They were notoriously
the first Company when it came to "looking after themselves." "Which,"
as the Senior Subaltern said, "shows sense."

Once, when they had just finished their midday meal, the usual order "to
stand to arms" came through, and they were hurried along the road that
ran parallel to the river, towards Soissons. The march was longer than
usual, and they were just beginning to entertain hopes that the deadlock
had been broken and that they were once more on the advance, when an
abrupt halt was called, and they were ordered to throw themselves
hastily behind the bank along the roadside.

They could see nothing, neither friend nor foe. The only sound of firing
was miles and miles down the line, in the direction of Poussey. The
Subaltern's Platoon happened to be the second in the leading Company.
Already there was movement in front, and, crawling forward to the end of
the line, he climbed up the bank to take stock of the position. To the
north was a little copse, the intervening ground a vegetable field.
Further off, to the east, there was a big hill, crowned with a
dense-looking forest which, as far as he could see, was deserted.

The Colonel, who was not to be deceived by a new appearance of quietude,
had somehow made his way to the little copse, and was examining the
hill with his glasses. The Adjutant, who had followed him, presently
rose to his feet.

"Bring ... your ... men ... over ... carefully ... in ... extended ...
order!"

The words floated across on the wind.

Feeling that he would like to see his men all safely across before he
left any of them, the Subaltern