ut first
removing it, and the job fell on me. I prepared a mine of my own. I
took two Stokes shells, changed the time-fuse for instantaneous, took
out the safety-pins holding the lever down by means of an iron ring. I
crept out with these shells just a little before dark so as to arrive
at the position before the Germans. I then put the shells, one on
either side, and connected them with a fine trip-wire tied to each
ring. I hurried from the spot as though the pestilence were after me,
and got back safely--to the surprise of my brother officers who very
consolingly said that they all expected I would blow myself up. At
half past eight, however, there was music in our ears of a loud
explosion in the direction of my mine. Next morning, through the
telescope, could be seen what remained of several Hun carcasses. Pat,
my batman, who was always a Job's comforter, informed me that the
Germans would lie in wait for me to revenge this outrage; but if I had
taken any notice of him, I would never have been able to do my job. He
would come to me some mornings and beg me not to go out in No Man's
Land that night as he had dreamed that I was "kilt," when I generally
consigned him to a place where the English cease from troubling, and
the Irish are at rest.

The enemy did his share in surprises. There was one occasion when I
received word from the Tommies on our right that a large German patrol
had been out on their front all night. As they did not attack I was
considerably worried as to what they were up to, knowing they would not
be there for the benefit of their health. I was responsible that our
portion of the line should be guarded from surprise, and fear of some
unknown calamity that might spring upon us from the dark made me so
concerned that I lay pretty nearly all day on top of the parapet
covered with sand-bags searching every inch of No Man's Land for a sign
of the cause of their nocturnal activity. The setting sun revealed
something shining that looked like the barrel of a Lewis gun. I
determined to go out and get it after dark. When I went out I found I
could not get near the place, for a machine-gun was playing round it to
discourage curiosity, which it very effectively did. I reported next
morning that the only chance of seeing what it was was to go out in the
daytime; and it was suspicious enough to justify the risk. I donned a
green suit and with a snail's progress crawled through the long grass
and