t thumping
language. No type could tell the story of the critical next moment.
Suffice it to say that after the storm had cleared the colonel was heard
reporting the disobedience to a French officer miles in the rear. The
officer had evidently heard quickly from his sergeant and was inclined
to back him up, for in substance he said to the offended British
officer: "Wee, pardon, mon ker-nell, it eez bad," meaning I am sorry,
"but will ze gallant ker-nell please to remember zat consequently zare
eez no French offitzair wiz ze French de-tach-mont, ze sar-zhont will be
treated wiz ze courtesy due to ze offitzair."

And it was true that the sergeant, backed up by his French officer,
refused to go as ordered till his men had been supplied with the
necessary ammunition and "ze to-bak and ze soap." The incident
illustrates the fact that the French officer's relation to his enlisted
men is one of cordial sympathy. He sees no great gulf between officer
and enlisted man which the British service persists to set up between
officers and enlisted men.

Hop to it, now Frenchie, you surely can sling 'em. We need a whole lot
from your 75's. We are guarding your guns, do not fear for the flanks.
Just send that barrage to the Yanks at the front. And how they do send
it. And we remember that the French artillery officers taught the
Russians how to handle the guns well and imbued them with the same
spirit of service to the infantry. And many a Red raid in force and
well-planned attack was discouraged by the prompt and well-put shrapnel
from our French artillery.

And there was Boyer. First we saw him mud-spattered and grimy crawling
from a dugout at Obozerskaya, day after his men had won the
"po-zee-shown." His animation he seems to communicate to his leg-wearied
men who crowd round him to hear that the Yanks are come to relieve them.
With great show of fun but serious intent, too, he "marries the squads"
of Americans and Frenchies as they amalgamate for the joint attack.
"Kat-tsank-awn-tsank" comes to mean 455 as he talks first in French to
his poilus and then through our Detroit doughboy French interpreter to
the doughboys. Captain he is of a Colonial regiment, veteran of Africa
and every front in Europe, with palm-leafed war cross, highest his
country can give him, Boyer. He relies on his soldiers and they on him.
"Fires on your outposts, captain?" "Oui, oui, nitchevo, not ever mind,
oui, comrade," he said laughingly. His soldiers bui