heard, gathered that I had spotted my man; and suddenly
appearing as an apparition in pyjamas, I inquired in somewhat stentorian
tones which was Captain Walker? A rosy-cheeked subaltern somewhat
sheepishly admitted that he was Lieut. Walker, and I found my hopes
dashed to the ground. This was not my only encounter with spies,
supposed or real, of which more anon.

A morning stay at Beernem enabled me to improvise a Parade Service, it
being Sunday; which was apparently heartily joined in by those
attending. The opportunities for such work by chaplains on the trek are
few and far between, and it is a question of

Seizing the current when it serves,
Or losing our ventures.

Leaving Beernem, our route led us through Wynghene. It was here I seized
the opportunity of displaying my undoubted ability as mess president, to
which post I had been appointed. At the midday halt in this village, I
was anxiously looking about for bread, eggs, vegetables or any other
commodity which would embellish the festal board of the mess, and thus
win the gratitude of my always hungry brother officers, when, through an
open door, I caught sight of fowls in a backyard. I promptly jumped off
my horse, and entered into negotiations with the owners of the chicken
run, which speedily resulted in the decapitated corpses of three plump
fowls being slung from my saddle. Amid the envy of the column, I proudly
rode down to the transport of my unit with my spoil, the result being
that in a short time not a fowl remained alive in the village; and that
night every mess was redolent with the delicious scent of roast fowl.

Our next billet was at Eeghem, where a stone kitchen floor was the
utmost we could secure for the officers, after having bedded the men in
barns on luxurious beds of sweet straw. In the early morning, in company
with Mr. Peel, I enjoyed a brief stroll in the neighbourhood. In the
course of our walk we passed one of those small wayside chapels, which
are dotted here and there all over Belgium; not larger than some eight
feet square, it offered all the facilities that we needed for prayer and
quiet thought.

As we approached Roulers, we found the town alive with people who had
assembled to welcome that which they regarded as an army of deliverance
from the dreaded Germans.

After billeting the officers with considerable difficulty--for naturally
people at times resented the intrusion of hungry and travel-stained men
into their s