contentedly away at these men our
platoon was ordered first to cease firing, and then to leave the trench
and rush to the top of the hill, which we did helter-skelter, none, not
even our leader, knowing why.

At the very ridge we were met, slap in the face, by a fierce wind of
which we in the trench had as yet got no inkling, which blew our ponchos
all about, and savagely drove heavy drops of rain in our eyes. In the
midst of this surprise we were confronted by an orderly, who pointing
along the ridge, told us that we were to form in column of squads. In
which direction we should face, and which squad first, 7 or 10, he did
not say. It is easy enough now to see what our leader should have done.
He should have said: "Men, get down out of the line of the enemy's
(highly imaginary) fire. Now, my good messenger, what are my orders? And
meanwhile, my wise privates, keep silence." But nothing of the sort.
There we stayed on the ridge, and there we finally formed in column of
squads, all the time in full view of the enemy, who might have potted the
last man of us. The major at last came to the rescue, got us down from
the ridge, and in the hearing of us all roasted poor Jones quite as well
as the lieutenant did yesterday. "If you have a brain, sir, don't use it.
Stay in sight of the enemy and be shot." Then he sent us by a way I never
should have chosen in cold blood, across the top of a steep slope, with
sliding sand and loose stones underfoot, while all the time the same wind
and rain whipped and beat us unmercifully. At last we were halted behind
another hill, put in skirmish line, and told what we were to do. We were
to rush the ridge, then to run down to a trench made and occupied by our
engineers, while they, being worn out by many days of fighting in it,
were to vacate it. We executed the order smartly, dashing down to the
trench, the engineers, at sight of us, scrambling out and running for
cover. I found myself jumping down into a trench as deep as my shoulder,
very finely made. Different from our trench, which was protected from
enfilading only by cross walls at intervals, this trench zigzagged;
moreover, its parapet was wattled. The engineers must have worked at it
from early dawn, unless they brought their hurdles with them.

(There, I have at last got my hay!)

Well, there was but little more. A man emerging on a distant slope,
commanding a ridge along which any successful attack must come, I hit him
squarely in