Fighting with French

there was a general dash for the washing basins--one among twenty men--and a free fight for the razors. Our two friends had brought their own safeties and pocket

o time, Ginger," said Harry, as he ha

replied Ginger, through the lather. "

t about the hall, swilling the morning beverage, grumbling at the blankets, asking one another who'd be a

y-morning temper, roared above the din. It happened that Dick Kennedy was orderly officer for the week. When the men were at last rang

lion,

w-officer who had come up behind hi

lieutenant

vance in fours from t

do, but many of the new recru

say 'form fours,' even numbers take one pace to the left with the l

stling in the ranks, cries

We'll try again. I should have said, 'one pace to

y, and the order being now correctly c

Kennedy. "Right! Quick march!

slow and quick march and doubling in turn. At eight o'clock they were back in the hall for breakfast: tea, bread and bacon, sausage or cheese. The

tors, and then a couple of hours in company drill. Dismissed at 12.15, they met again for dinner at 1, a plentiful meal of meat pie an

said Harry, sitting beside Kenneth on th

to think the Tommies haven't the worst of

was strong in those who had already served in the Regulars or the Territorials; the recruits were int

studiously avoiding the eyes of his old school-fell

ies!" murmured

nnedy went on, "but do we

d we'll show you,

sent question. We have just done a ten-mile walk. Two or three of you

to it, sir," said on

and 'taters, sir

side o' my toe

al defect which perhaps one of the senior officers will deal wi

o bathing, greasing, methods of hardening, until six o'clock

n the officer had gone. "Does he take us for

public schools. He said a thing or two I didn't know, nor you either, Stoneway. 'Course he didn't go to the root of it; dursn't cry stinking fish. What's the

d Kenneth, "till the factories can turn

er," said Stoneway, with a sneer. "No

we shall have to put up with you, I s'pose, unless you mutiny, or strike your superior officer, or do something else to get dismiss

their temporary boots, as Ginger had foretold, became pulp. The factory was bleak and draughty, in spite of its gas stoves. There was a certain amount of sickness, and an increase in the number of offenders to be dealt with every m

s in which No. 3 Company distinguished itself. Indeed, both in work and play No. 3 Company became the crack company of the battalion. The captain, an old army man who had been retired some years and was some little time

ringleader of a little group that declined the doctor'

when the latter flatly declined to be poisoned, as he put it. "Yo

, you're a turncoat. Weren't you always spouting against th

Nothing's right; you always know better 'n anyone else; lummy, I believe you think you ought to be capting, if not commander-in-chief. What did you join for, that's what I want to know. I tell you straight, we've had enough of your grousing. Why don't you take your grumbles to the officers? 'Any complaints?' says they when they come round inspecting; why don't you speak up like a man? No fear; you ain't got a word to say. All you can do is to growl when they ain't by, and try to make yourself big before all the

llowed his speech showed that he voiced the opinion of the

d been wont to count on in any attack on authority, was now the most orderly as well as the cheeriest man in the company. He passed off with a jest every hardship of that trying winter. "Think of those poor chaps in the trenches," he would say, if some

observer. From time to time he let fall a jesting word that had a sting, and took a delight in chaffing Stoneway in the presence of other men. And since Stoneway himself turned out

d and abuse on the other, Ginger was sent by the quartermaster to a farm some two miles a

at included Kenneth and Harry. "It won't break my back, b

neth, "and I'll come part of the w

an," said Ginger.

the farmhouse. They had not gone far when they caught sight of a figure in khaki about half a m

of the slope below them. One of them was Ginger, who had dropped his wicker basket on the grass and stood with arms akimbo fa

a few moments, made a rush at his opponent. Stoneway staggered, but recovered himself immediately, clinched, and profiting by his superior height and weight threw Ginger heavily, and not being able to disengage himself, fell with h

h Harry hard on his heels; "wha

the approach of observers, growled something

seizing him. "Just have a loo

shaken, sat up

d. "I'll have

ed you on the ground. Didn't you know?

k him," mutte

do it," said Kenneth. "

ndy," Ginger replied. "Just between our

, out wit

chipping him. 'I'm not having any truck with grousers,' says I. Then we had a few words, and he got me one a

rest and recover: we

lking about?" St

h your coat," said Kenneth. "

," said Harry. "You've

all r

rea

s waste time. I'l

, Kenneth spun a coin, won, stripped off

big 'un," cried Ginger

lp for it, Stoneway sl

rry warned him, "or I promise

er his shirt, and his biceps were thick. But Harry, scanning him keenly, noting his fleshiness, decided that his muscles were rather flabby than

g to get a knock-out blow, and Kenneth needed all his skill to meet his bull-like rushes and sledge-hammer strokes. He managed to land one punishing body-blow that would have

rlwind rapidity of his attack and his elusiveness in defence. Stoneway began to realise that he had met more than his match. He breathed heavily; his f

m," whispered Harry, as

ed by a neat upper cut, and before he could recover he was hurled to the grou

ger," said Kenneth, as Stone

d brows, put on his tunic in silence,

There was an end alike to his grumbling and to Ginger's rough banter. But there was an end, too, to all show of fri