e nick of time, too! for the enemy commences a sharp
retaliation on the portion of the trench occupied by the little party.
Refuge is sought in an old enemy shaft close by, and there it awaits
the time for the "show" to commence. Several other batteries also take
part in the shoot, and it is quite impossible to pick out the shells
which belong to each one as they fall. Complete success crowns the
effort, but on the particular day here described the F.O.O. and party
failed to see the end of the bout, as they were subjected to very
heavy fire, and were all blown down the mouth of the shaft by the
explosion of a shell. Luckily, though badly shaken, all escaped
without injury.

Meanwhile the wire has been broken in many places and is beyond (p. 035)
repair, but it has already served its purpose, and, when fire has died
down, the party starts on the return journey. On arriving at the first
relay station, the telephonist on duty is found dead at his post, the
receiver still clutched in his hand and held to his ear. A nasty gash
in the forehead reveals the place where he has been hit and instantly
killed. His companion is nowhere to be found, although bloodstains
denote that he has at least been wounded, and, on investigation, it is
ascertained that the linesman has been hit, picked up by passing
comrades, and taken to an aid-post. The journey is resumed, the party
carrying the dead with them, and presently another hostile barrage is
encountered. Again the men lie low until it ceases, and then pick up
the remaining linesmen, and return to the battery utterly exhausted.
Many questions are asked, and it frequently happens that the F.O.O. is
cursed by his Battery Commander for not keeping the wire going, and
even the Brigade joins in the chorus. The young officer pays little
heed, and inwardly reflects that they should be extremely thankful
that communication was established at all, and that those of the party
who returned did so in safety. So, in spite of everything, he consumes
a hearty dinner and retires to bed, sleeping the sleep of the just,
and soon becomes oblivious of all his little worries and sombre
surroundings.

Towards the middle of October the weather broke, and conditions became
intolerable. The roads, which had been partially repaired, were still
soft and broken, and developed into quagmires--mud and water to a
depth of two and three feet made vehicular traffic almost out of the
question. All ammunition had t