very trifling item
in the Division, and when Resmith casually informed him that a Division
on the trek occupied fifteen miles of road. He began to perceive the
difference between the Army and a circus, and to figure the Staff as
something other than a club of haughty, aristocratic idlers in red hats.
And when the Battery was fairly under way in the side-road, with another
Battery in front and another Battery behind, and more Artillery Brigades
and uncounted Infantry Brigades and a screen of Yeomanry all invisibly
marching over the map in the direction of Epsom, and bound to reach a
certain lettered square on the map at a certain minute--when this
dynamic situation presented itself to the tentacles of his grasping
mind, he really did feel that there could be no game equal to war.

The Battery 'rode easy,' the men were smoking, talking, and singing in
snatches, when suddenly all sounds were silenced. Captain Resmith, who
had been summoned to the Major, reined in his horse, and George did
likewise, and the Battery passed by them on the left. The Major's voice
was heard:

"No. 2 Battery. Eyes--_right_!"

George asked:

"What's this?"

"C.R.A.'s ahead," murmured Resmith.

Then another officer cried:

"Right section. Eyes--_right_."

And then an N.C.O. bawled:

"A sub-section. Eyes--_right_."

Then only did George, from the rear, see the drivers, with a
simultaneous gesture, twist their heads very sharply to the right, raise
their whips, and fling the thongs over the withers of the hand-horses,
while the section-officer saluted.

Another N.C.O. bawled:

"B sub-section. Eyes--_right_."

And the same action followed.

Then another officer cried:

"Left section. Eyes--_right_."

So the rite proceeded.

Resmith and George had now gone back to their proper places. George
could see the drivers of the last gun gathering up the whip thongs into
their hands preparatory to the salute. C sub-section received the
command.

And then, not many yards ahead, the voice of an N.C.O.:

"D sub-section. Eyes--_right_."

Heads turned; whips were raised and flung outwards; horses swerved
slightly.

"Get ready," muttered Resmith to George.

The figure of the C.R.A., Brigadier-General Rannion, motionless on a
charger, came into view. George's heart was beating high. Resmith and he
saluted. The General gazed hard at him and never moved. They passed
ahead.

The officer commanding the Third Battery had already called: