TE]

[Illustration: A REAL AMERICAN SPECIAL
NEW YORK TO CAMP DIX]

CHAPTER XIII.

A BRITISH REST CAMP.

At 9 p. m., it was yet daylight. The boys were weary and tired as the
troop train on the London and Southwestern railway pulled into a
station, the sign-boards of which gave the name as Romsey. Orders to
detrain were passed along.

All soldiers and packs were soon off the train; then, line-up as per
usual, and march, first under a stone railroad bridge, through the
town, soon to strike a highway leading out of the town.

The pack on the back got heavier every minute, but the march
continued; one mile, two miles, then along the stretch of the third
there appeared scenes of buildings and tents. Post-signs glared the
information that Camp Woodley had been reached. There appeared to be
many parts to the camp. Battery D did not stop at the first, nor the
second, but halt was made at what was designated as C Camp.

It was a welcome order that allowed the troops to fall-out along the
roadside as official parlance was started with the powers that ruled
the destinies of C Camp. The vicinity was closely guarded by American
M. P.'s., who proceeded to communicate stories, savoring the good,
bad, and indifferent prospects of the abode that was to shelter the
311th for one night at least. "It's a rest camp", they said. The words
sounded peaceful to the tired troops assembled. It required only one
day, however, to find out that the only part of a soldier that got
rest at a "rest-camp" was the stomach.

The hour was almost 10:30 when it was finally decided what area
Battery D was to occupy for the night. C Camp was a tented camp, the
tents being spacious enough to comfortably house about four army cots
for a healthy soldier to rest his weary bones on. The cots, however,
were missing. Battery D was marched down the main road of the selected
area. Halt was made at the first tent. Twenty-six men were ordered
inside. The remainder continued to the next tent in order where
twenty-six more were registered for the night; and so on down the
roster, until Battery D was under canvass.

The battery cooks and details were put to work immediately to prepare
something to eat, but a majority of the soldiers either got tired
waiting or else had such a hard job finding what was prepared that
they wended their way through the tented city and after considerable
wandering found the tent wherein they were to be one of the twenty-six