off
together, till the whole company was marching by pairs, at intervals of
four paces, and the captain thundered orders to the guides to march
straight.

"Halt!" And halting, we faced inward to what was to be the company
street. I unclasped my belt.

"Pitch shelter tents!" Out came the bayonets of the front rank men, and
were thrust into the ground at the right heel. Then down with the rifles,
off with the packs, and we on our knees were hastily opening them and
dragging out the shelter-halves, the pins, and the ropes. Bann and I laid
the long sides of our halves together, lapping the upper one away from
the wind, and buttoned them along (how glad I was that we practised this
yesterday, found where a loop was missing and some button-holes torn, and
made everything good!) The ropes were tied in the loops, Bann's rifle was
stood beside his bayonet, the muzzle beneath the front loop; we aligned
our sloping ridgepole at right angles to the street, drove in our front
and rear pins and tied the ropes, and then I, creeping into the tent with
my bayonet in its sheath, set it upright under the end of the ridge. Then
quickly we pegged down the sides and back, stretching them well out, laid
back the front flaps of our kennel, set our equipment in the double
doorway, passed the inspection of the lieutenant, and felt proud. Then
mess, with its stew and its vegetables, its bread and butter, and even
with milk, which we are warned we may never see again. Since when we have
been retrospecting, doctoring, washing at a poor apology for a brook, and
making ourselves comfortable in anticipation of Retreat and of the night.

Remarkable things, these shelter tents, just broad enough at the front
for the shoulders of two men, and at the back for their feet, with a
further recess for the equipment. Along the edges can be stowed the
toilet articles and such things as need to be handy, with the spare
rifle. After removing all boulders from the floor, and digging hollows
for our hips, we have carpeted with straw, bought of a thrifty farmer who
hauled it here and sold for twenty-five cents per poncho- or
blanket-load. We now know a little better the meaning of the term
buzzard. On the thick layer we have made our beds, some of the fellows'
together, but Bann's and mine separately, for I have warned him that I am
a restless sleeper. On my tummy on my sleeping bag I am writing to you
now.

We have already discovered that since we must have our