"I thought so, too," he said; "but it seems they are
looking for a bad day to-morrow and we have been relieved from duty for
the night. A new shift goes into the field in ten minutes, and we go
back to the rear to one of the farm-houses there to rest until ten
to-morrow. Come on, let's start."

"To-morrow, then," whispered Velo to the Evil in his soul.

CHAPTER X

VICTORY

The boys walked slowly back, picking their way as well as they could in
the darkness, occasionally taking to the zig-zag trenches when the
surface paths were too obscure. Everywhere men were sleeping, rolled
up in their blankets and lying uncomfortably along the bottom of the
trenches or out on the ground under the stars. The boys did not talk.
Zaidos was busy thinking of the present, with all its tragic incidents,
and occasionally a funny happening to lighten the gloom. He thought of
Helen, and wondered how her well-beloved patient was progressing. He
had a sort of "hunch" as the fellows at school used to say, that Helen
was a happy girl, and certainly, if the man was conscious at all, he
was happy, too.

About four hundred yards from the lines they found the farm-house to
which they had been sent. It was practically a ruin. The roof was
gone, excepting over one room where a fire burned in a big fireplace,
and where a great kettle swung on a heavy chain. This room had had one
side blown out of it, so it was not much better off except in the
matter of a rainstorm, than the other rooms that had four sides but no
ceilings. It was too open to the weather for much use, however, and
the small group of soldiers present were quartered in a cellar close by.

A young sentinel showed Zaidos and Velo the way down, and they rolled
up in their blankets and tried to sleep. It was a difficult thing to
do. Zaidos found that the steady tramping and kneeling of the day and
evening had made his leg, so recently healed, ache badly. It throbbed
and he turned and twisted in an effort to find a comfortable position.

Velo's head ached splittingly, and he lay staring into the darkness,
keeping company ever with the evil thoughts in his heart. He slept
finally, however, and did not awake until Zaidos shook him by the
shoulder and told him it was time for breakfast. The three-sided room
with the fireplace had been turned into a kitchen, and the cooks were
busy there when the boys went over. The meal tasted good, and although
the coffee was thick a