ing pins painted the Ripolin
over it, with the result that I had a row of green panthers prowling
round against a background of French grey! I found them very restful,
but of course opinions differ on these subjects. Curtains and cushions
were of bright Reckitt's blue material, bought in the market, relieved
by scrolls of dull pink wool embroidered (almost a stitch at a time) in
between jobs. The dark stained "genuine antiques" or _veritables
imitations_ (as I once saw them described in a French shop) looked
rather well against this background; and a tremendous house-warming took
place to celebrate the occasion.

No. 30 Field hospital arrived one day straight from Sicily, where it had
apparently been sitting ever since the war, awaiting casualties.

As there seemed no prospect of any being sent, they were ordered to
France, and took up their quarters on a sandy waste near the French
coastal forts. The orderlies had picked up quite a lot of Italian during
their sojourn and were never tired of describing the wonderful sights
they had seen.

While waiting for patients there one day, a corporal informed me that on
the return journey they had "passed the volcano Etna, in rupture!"

A great many troops came to a rest camp near us, and I always feel that
"Tuppence's" disappearance was due to them. He _would_ be friendly with
complete strangers, and several times had come in minus his collar
(stolen by French urchins, I supposed). I had just bought his fourth,
and rather lost heart when he turned up the same evening without it once
more. Work was pouring in just then, and I would sometimes be out all
day. When last I saw him he was playing happily with Nellie, another
terrier belonging to a man at the Casino, and that night I missed him
from my hut. I advertised in the local rag (he was well known to all the
French people as he was about the only pure bred dog they'd ever seen),
but to no avail. I also made visits to the _Abattoir_, the French
slaughter house where strays were taken, but he was not there, and I
could only hope he had been taken by some Tommies, in which case I knew
he would be well looked after. I missed him terribly.

Work came in spasms, in accordance with the fighting of course, and when
there was no special push on we had tremendous car inspections. Boss
walked round trying to spot empty grease caps and otherwise making
herself thoroughly objectionable in the way of gear boxes and
universals. On these