The Head of Kay's

had not room to breathe, and requested the red-headed one to ease off a point or so in the direction of his next-door neighbour. Wren had refused, and, after a few moments' chatty convers

after the reveille had sounded, amidst shouts of approval from various shiveri

me to a conclusion when Walton

e overlooked. He was by way of being a patron of Wren's, and he disliked Billy Silver, partly for his own sake and partly because he

lly Silver, and Wren conti

where there were tin baths for those who cared to wait until the same were vacant, and a good, honest pump for those who did not. Then there was that unpopular job, the pi

e had supplied, and felt that this was life. Hitherto breakfast had been to him a thing of white cloths, tables, and food that appeared from nowhere. This was the first time he had ever tracked his food to its source, so to speak, and brought it back with him. After breakfast, when he was informed that, as tent-orderly for the day, it was his

movements of a similar nature, adjourned for lunch. Lunch was much like breakfast, except that the supply of jam was cut off. The people who arrange these things-probably the War Office, or Mr Brodrick, or someone-have come

r time about your bathe in Cove Reservoir. And a really satisfactory bathe on a hot day should last at least three hours. Kennedy and Jimmy Silver strolled off in the direction of the Reservoir as soon as they felt that they had got over the effects of the beef, potatoes, and ging

hed the rest of the schools take their afternoon dip. Kennedy had laid in a supply of provision

iggling into a more comfortable po

nquired Jimmy

almost

ots. They're certa

ed his hat off hi

matter? Wh

r right. Walton and Perry were se

's a sort of unwritten law. They're rotters to smoke, all the same. Certain to

nd comfortable. Kennedy turned his gaze to the Reservoir

ere the sort of persons who feel a vague sense of injury when anybody looks at them, perhaps because they feel that

an't stick that man. He's always hanging round

n's," sugge

Fenn. I bet Fenn

nnermost thoughts, but it w

cup. They wouldn't have had a look in if Kay hadn't given Fenn that extra. Kay ought to be kicked. I'm hanged if I'm going t

uld be a complete reversal of his customary mode of life. As a matter o

y had been complaining that he thought camp a fraud, that it was all drilling and getting up at unearthly hours. He reminded Walton that he

oncluded, "it's slow. Like it is now.

chap at a crammer's told me last holidays that when he was at camp he and some

y sa

e said, excitedly. "L

y risky," ob

hey can't do anything,

u know. We sho

ld be the biggest rag going. Did t

ked a cloth or something over his head, you know. Then they shoved him into the ditch, and one of the

hap. Leveson would come if we asked him. Let's get back

is attitude suggested, had been a hollow mockery until he hear

welve the three adventurers, who had been keeping themselves awake by the exercise of great

ir purpose. There was no moon, an

es at the public-school camp vary in physique. They felt that it was lucky that the task of sentry-go had not fallen that night to some muscular forward from o

d for him

himself tackled from behind. Two moments later he was reclining in the ditch. He would have c

ed, but to

ard-tent broke the stillness of the summer night. The roar swelled into a crescendo. Wh

the guard-ten

se from his seat on Pri

k himself, looked round for his assailant, and, not findin