he roof through which the rain persistently dripped on to my face in
the night. They never could find it, so the only solution was to sleep
the other way up! _C'est la guerre_, and that's all there was to it.

One cold blustery day I had left "Susan" at the works in Boulogne and
was walking along by the fish market when I saw a young fair-haired
staff officer coming along the pavement toward me. "His face is very
familiar," I thought to myself, and then, quick as a flash--"Why, it's
the Prince of Wales, of course!" He seemed to be quite alone, and except
for ourselves the street was deserted. How to cope? To bob or not to
bob, that was the question? Then I suddenly realized that in a stiff
pair of Cording's boots and a man's sheepskin-lined mackintosh, sticking
out to goodness knows where, it would be a sheer impossibility. I
hastily reviewed the situation. If I salute, I thought, he may think I'm
taking a liberty! I decided miserably to do neither and hoped he would
think I had not recognized him at all.[13] As we came abreast I looked
straight ahead, getting rather pink the while. Once past and calling
myself all manner of fools, I thought "I'm going to turn round, and
stare. One doesn't meet a Prince every day, and in any case 'a cat may
look at a king!'" I did so--the Prince was turning round too! He smiled
delightfully, giving me a wonderful salute, which I returned and went on
my way joyfully, feeling that it had been left to him to save the
situation, and very proud to think I had had a salute all to myself.

Christmas came round before we knew where we were, and Boss gave the
order it was to be celebrated in our own mess. Work was slack just then
and Mrs. Williams gave a tea and dance in the afternoon at her canteen
up at Fontinettes. It was a picturesque-looking place with red brick
floor, artistic-looking tables with rough logs for legs and a large open
fireplace, typically English, which must have rejoiced the hearts of men
so far from Blighty.

It was a very jolly show, in spite of my partner bumping his head
against the beam every time we went round, and people came from far and
near. It was over about five, and we hastened back to prepare for our
Christmas dinner in Mess.

Fancy dress had been decided on, and as it was to be only among
ourselves we were given carte blanche as to ideas. They were of course
all kept secret until the last moment. Baby went as a Magpie and looked
very striking, the black an