the bank, it 'ud be
enough to make a decent piece go off of itself. Anyhow, it's fixed
bay'nets, my lad; but I wonder whether the tool would go in. Phew!
What does that mean? This is a blessed unked place, and it's getting
darker and darker. It aren't fair to a British soldier to put him on a
job like this."

As the man spoke he looked sharply to right and left and out into the
river, fixing his bayonet the while.

"Do you hear that, you beggars? You come on, and you will get the
bullet, and a dig as well. A-mussy me, I do wish it was relieve guard!
And I have got to stop here facing this till daybreak almost. It's
enough to make a fellow feel ill. I wonder what the missus would say if
she knew. Hates--bless her!--hates me to touch the least taste of rum,
but if she'd have knowed what I'd got to go through to-night she
wouldn't have left out the sugar, and she would have put in a double
lashing of something strong to keep the heart in her old man, as she
calls me--when she's in a good temper," he added after a pause, during
which he stood breathing hard and trying to make out whence came each
splash or lash of a reptile's tail.

"Talk about facing the enemy," he muttered; "I don't wish old Tipsy any
harm, but I should like him to have this job. It 'ud take some of the
starch out of him, I know. Well, what's to be done? There ain't so
much as a tree to get behind. The Red Book says you ain't to expose
yourself unnecessarily to the enemy; but what's a fellow to do? if I go
padding up and down there, it's like saying to them, `Here I am; come
on.' And they can see one so--them right down in the water and me high
up on the bank. Let's see; what did the missus say? Out of two evils
choose the least. Well, I know what it is for desarting your post, and
that must be leaster than having one of them beggars getting hold of a
fellow by the leg and pulling him under water. So hook it, I say; and I
might manage to sneak back before rounds."

Private Smithers stood thinking and watching, hearing many a startling
sound of the reptiles with which the river swarmed, evidently fishing
after their fashion; and over and over again he took aim and nearly
fired at some imaginary monster that appeared to be crawling out of the
water to mount the bank. But after straining his eyes till they seemed
to ache, he always ended by lowering his piece again and forcing himself
to walk up and down his measured beat.

"I never