"I'll
bet you, you are wrong," he accepted the bet. The Adjutant came in
soon after and supported the Doctor. I now saw a veritable gold mine
before me and he too was willing to back his knowledge against mine.
We decided to refer the matter to the Colonel, so when he came in we
asked his opinion. The Colonel was not only a gallant soldier but he
was a cautious Scotchman. "Well," he said, "I think it was
Nebuchadnezar, but I would not be willing to back too much on it." It
is only necessary to turn to the 5th Chapter of Daniel to see who won
the bets. That night sanction came for several N.C.O.'s and men to go
on leave to India for a month. Sanction had been hanging fire for some
time and the lucky ones were beginning to despair. My sergeant was
among the lucky ones and I knew how pleased he would be when I got
back and told him to report to Headquarters at 5 the next morning for
leave to India. It was late when I got back, but little did he mind
being disturbed to receive such news. I vouch for it that he slept
well that night and did not oversleep himself in the morning. To those
in France who get leave every three or four months it is impossible
to understand what leave even to India once in one or two years
means, but when the news comes that we can get leave for England, it
will indeed be a red letter day for us all. I was so exhausted the
next day with the heat that I was unable to appear at Mess. The
Colonel sent up to find out what was wrong and wanted me to return to
the rest camp at once, but I was not sufficiently done up for that,
and I only relate this incident to show the thoughtfulness of the
Commanding Officer for those under him.

[Illustration: Quartermaster-sergeant HOBBS.]

[Illustration: The Regimental Sergeant-major In The Trenches.
Sergeant-major A. SMART, M.C.]

[Illustration: Pipe Major KEITH.]

[Illustration: No. 3 British General Hospital.]

The next evening after the Regiment was relieved the reserves being
the last to come out of the trenches, I found a horse waiting for me,
on the Commanding Officer's instructions, so that I would not have the
exertion of the march back to camp; that and similar incidents made
our affection for our Commanding Officer a very real thing. But being
in reserve had one compensation, in the early morning before the sun
rose and just at dawn to lie and watch the wonderful colourings on the
Pusht-i-Kuh Hills, colours changing every moment, was always
pleasur