Fighting with French

w to arrive. Presently they received enough rifles and entrenching tools for half the battalion, and the ordinary drill and physical exercises, which Kennedy had privately confided to Amory "bored h

e further variety to their work. At last, towards the end of February, the whole batta

e women's faces tense with anxiety, the children unwontedly subdued. It was no picnic for which these sturdy Englishmen were setting out. Everybody was now aware of the greatness of the struggle, the bravery and tenacity of the enemy, the scientific skill and terribl

inally detrained at a small station in the south of England, with no sign of sea or transports, there was a general feeling of surprise and disappointment. The

for once bec

f this," he growled. "Wh

, Ginger,"

m sure I'm as meek as Moses. Never thought I could be so tame. I've quite lost my character, and if ever I get ba

e as ours. The British officer leads, you see. He knows we'll obey orders; he has to make sure that he gives the right orders. If he didn't there'd be an unholy mess: we should lose

nedy now, he's ten years younger than me, and yet somehow or other he manages me like as if I was a baby. And no bounce about it either; I wouldn't stand bounce from any man, officer or not. But he d

mind, but he warmed to this testimonial from the B

t disappointment forbade them to set their hopes too high. It was dark when the train reached its destination; the lights on the platform

Ginger looked a little careworn, and confessed to Kenneth that he felt certain he was going to be sick. The night was nearly gone when all the men

ated eyes the ripples glistening in the sunlight, the various shipping, the shores receding behind them. And presently, when they had rounded the north-east corner of the Is

rines to-day!" cr

earthly," re

" said a third. "Our men in bl

ting on, Ginger?

ripping a stanchion, and looking str

h farther?

f. The Channel's as

I'm used to. It worries the inside of me. I want to say 'Whoa, steady!' like I do to the donkeys at fair time. And it gives me the needle to see that there Stone

Harry, laughing at the man's woe-begone face. "It'

France hove in sight he got up and leant over th

I can't understand why the folks over there don't speak English, wh

was scarcely anything to show that the men had actually arrived in France. Khaki predominated on the quay; an English voice hailed the skipper

s to a train in waiting. Ginger, with Kenneth, Harry, and half a dozen more, got

ht," said Ginger, "but t

mustn't smoke,

! What do they take us f

elled i

t half t

lows that raised their naked boughs against the grey sky. By and by they got out at a small station, and marched along a straight road between rows of trees to

separate cottages. Kenneth, with Harry and Ginger and other men of their platoon found themselves allotted to a labourer's cottage, where shake-downs of clean straw had been

e stillness of the spring afternoon. But it had become known that the firing line was only a

ractising operations in the field. Word came of other regiments pouring across the Channel and occupying other villages and towns behind the firing line. All day long they heard the distant bark of guns, and saw too frequently the swift passage of motor ambulances conveying their

e upon whom he was billeted. Several of the men were there making purchases, and one of them was vainly trying to explain his wants to the shopkeeper. Stoneway wa

Stoneway to help you

onished and startle

ut you can't call it speakin

ergetic conversation at the station was very clear, and

he went out of his way to lavish attentions on the soldiers, making them presents of cigarettes, and treating them to the wine of the country. The village had not suffered from the ravages of war, though the Germans had occupied it for a few days during th

eer over the way," as Ginger called him, "one of the best." Jean Bonnard, the cottager, and his wife took their meals with their guests, and

Obernai is a good man. You see, he is from

ke him," said his wife, p

id Bonnard, with a smile. "Just like a woman!

"Just like a woman! As if a

a reason, mada

asons to men; I

rugged his

his property and came and settled here, and he has been a good friend to the village, that you cannot deny. A very quiet man, too; he lives all alone with an old housekeeper

ood woman grudgingly, "but I don't like him all the

. "As for me, I look at what a man does, and don't trouble m

man. "But there, we shall never agr

ttled down to write home. The po

to my wife and kids on one of these here postcards. It ain't enough for a letter; yet

se the censors' work. They've an enormous number of cards to look

hat wouldn't hurt 'em. Stil

e official postcard provided, leaving only "I am

poral came to collect

s you, Murgat

our stripe at last,

," said Ginger, gri

d the congratulations that rose to his comrades' lips. His features were

" said one of the

led Ginger, lig

e best-behaved men in the company, and it seemed unlikely that he had got into trouble without the knowledge o

th Captain Adams had

egulations, Murgatro

s,

s postcard. Is tha

sir," said Ginger, after a

iting the name of the p

, sir. Don't know anyth

en in invisible ink. It was discovered by the Post Office in Lon

efore, sir: I

nry Smith, 563 P

eard of

and fetch the post corpor

bundle of recently coll

showing him the card in question.

ay, sir; I ge

know his

s just written a card; perhaps yo

card and handed it to the captai

there's a slight difference in the shape of the y. It look

like to punch his head, sir," he added,

ourselves, men; he may try it again and give us a

to his billet, his indigna

cussed at the office

Kennedy. "He's one of the best men in

inclined to think one of the men must owe hi

d another officer. "Who is Henry

the captain. "I told the post corporal to examine every batch care

o Henry Smith were discovered. On the third day a

aving no address. Rep

ing a careful watch on the correspondence. Ginger meanwhile had recovered his spirits. He had been made a lance-corporal, and sewed the stripe on his sleeve with ingenuous satisfaction. At the back o