w.

Where on earth did they come from? Coasting about very high up, I
suppose, and suddenly swooped down at us.

However, the drawing is done. So that's that. Home, John!

One little bullet-hole through one of the wings, no more. Indifferent
shooting, my friend Fritz. However, I can't talk, because I never fired
at all!

_February 16._

I've never thanked you for the chocolates which arrived two days ago.
But they arrived during one of the avalanches of work, and were all
eaten within half an hour or so; not by me, but by various R.F.C. men
who are always coming in and out of my office for "the latest."

[Sidenote: TOLL OF WAR]

To-day all frosty and sunny. Think of going on to the terrace at home
before breakfast and seeing some jolly little new flower out, with the
Golden Valley behind, all grey-blue and woody.

It's all working well here, and, being the representative of the corps,
I have a certain status which is pleasant. They think that I may or may
not give them a good character to the Powers that be. Quite fun.

They are awfully nice fellows. The only two I knew before were Eric and
Bill Vivian. Bill I have known for a very long time, and during the war
I've seen a great deal of him, and was very fond of him. He was brought
down by Archie yesterday in our lines. Burnt to death. Dead when they
reached him. Yesterday night at mess we were all quite gay. Only one man
showed that his heart was as heavy as lead. And it seemed bad form.
Heaviness of heart is bad form. No gentleman should have a heavy heart.
A sign of weakness, of ill breeding.

_February 17._

To-day has been one of the jumpy, anxious days again, because something
is to happen shortly, and those concerned are ringing up all the time
asking me this and that about the Boche trenches, etc. And they want
maps of this and plans of that and t'other. It's these times before some
event that are so wearing. The smaller the event, the more wearing very
often, because it's just some one or two officers, perhaps, who are
doing the show, and, of course, half their success or failure depends on
whether an unhappy intelligence officer can tell them exactly what they
are up against, and exactly where it is and so on. I always go on the
principle of assuming the worst. If I think there _may_ be a minny to
meet them, I tell them there _is_ a minny, and probably two. It may not
be very cheering to them. But if the minny is there, well, then I've put
th