Servants of the Guns

the driest summer for many years has baked into a dirty yellow; here and there an oasis consisting of a copse of fir-trees, farmstead, and a field or two of pasture m

boom of guns and the rattle of musketry. Two mighty armies ar

ll night and stormed that hill at dawn with fearful loss, because they are weak from hunger and parched with thirst, and because they feel in their hearts that the end is near. Relief must come, or one determined rush will drive t

e way to his right. There was a quick consultation as glasses swept the front. Then the horses were led away under cover and the range-takers began operations. The brigadier recognised the signs and gained fresh hope as he saw that his pr

'll observe from here

self, "it's the major. So the old

ad of the toiling infantry in rear, so that it was not till now, when a pitched battle was in progress, when the advanced cavalry had come i

, sergeant. There's

er work," was the rejoinder, "Wot do

said Private Morgan, with an ill-suppressed

ost sitting on their haunches to stop the weight behind them: the gunners leapt from their horses and sprang to the gun: a second's pause, then, "Drive on," and six limbers went rattling away to the rear as six trails were flung round half a

hed there was one at least who could a

Plain," was his comment. "But, Gawd! the 'orses 'ave

was again cut short by the re

ck of the reopened breech, as the ranging rounds went singing on their journey. A spurt of brown ea

or, still staring through his glasses.

me puffs of smoke above the target, the echo of the bursting shell borne back along the breeze, and then for perhaps a minute all Hell

onic order. "But," added the major, so

rts. For they did not know that the struggle for this particular hill, though of vital importance to themselves, was merely serving the subsidiary purpose of diverting attention while greater issues matured elsewhere. They only knew that ammunition was scarce, that they wanted water, and that now at last the order to retire had come. They

d, "bring the horses up close behind us under cover."

retire-rea

ut years of stern discipline and careful training stood the battery in good stead now. The principle of "Abandon be damned: we never abandon guns," was not forgotten. Through the shouting, the curses, and the dust, the work went on. Dead horses were cut free and pulled aside, gunners took the place of fallen drivers, and at last five guns

y beyond words, hatless, with an inch of scrubby beard, and one foot bound

oice exclaimed, "stand

e grunt and pitched off on to the ground. Without a word the erstwhile private of infantry stooped an

yed him quietly enough. The men behind gave a heave at th

urishing his whip, and down t

nd just before they reached it the centre driver received a bullet in the head and dropped down like a stone. There was no time to pull up. The lead driver took his horses hard

eir swerve, but one of them stumbled as he landed. He staggered forward, and before he could recover Snatty's horses and the gun were upon him in

board as Daylight rolled over kicking wildly to get free. Briddlington, at the risk of his life, leant over and pulled frantically at a st

ms round Snatty's crumpled figure lifted him very tenderly aside. "Lie still now," he said with a catch in his voice as he saw that the case

ould 'ave 'eld them up," was

turned to victory ere nightfall, but Private Henry