to a station several miles up to enquire if it
was in sight, and the reply came back "Not a sign," and I accordingly
got permission to go out for half an hour. I was so afraid Captain D.
might not consider it worth while and could have almost wept, but
fortunately he agreed half an hour was better than nothing, and off we
went up the sands, leaving the bob-tailed Wuzzy well in the rear. What a
glorious gallop that was--my last ride! The sands appeared almost
golden in the sun and the wind was whipping the deep blue waves into
little crests of foam against the paler turquoise of the sky. Already
the flowers on the dunes had burst into leaf, for it was the "merrie
month of May," and there, away on the horizon, the white cliffs of
England could just be discerned. Altogether it was good to be alive.
"Hurrah," I cried, as we slowed down to a walk, "five more days and then
on leave to England!" and I rubbed the grey's neck with joy. Alas! that
half hour flew like ten minutes and we turned all too soon and raced
back, thudding along over the glorious sands as we went.

I got to the Convoy to find there was no news of the barge, but I had to
dismount all the same--duty is duty--and I kissed the grey's nose,
little thinking I should never see him again. The barge did not come
down till 9 o'clock the next morning. _C'est la guerre_--and a _very_
trying one to boot!

The weather was ideal just then: warm and sunny and not a cloud in the
sky except for those little round white puffs where the Archie shells
burst round the visiting Huns.

One afternoon about 5 o'clock, when breakfast had been at lunch time and
consequently that latter meal had been _n'apoo'd_ altogether, I went
into the E.M.O.'s for the chits before leaving for camp. (These initials
stood for "Embarkation Medical Officer" and always designated the office
and shed where the blankets and stretchers were kept; also,
incidentally, the place where the Corporal and two men slept.) As I
entered a most appetising odour greeted my nostrils and I suddenly
realized how very hungry I was. I sniffed the air and wondered what it
could be.

"Just goin' to have a cockle tea," explained the Corporal. "I suppose,
Miss, you wouldn't care to join us?" I knew the brew at the Convoy would
be long since cold, and accepted the invitation joyfully.

Their "dining-room" was but the shed where the stretchers were piled up,
many of them brown and discoloured by blood, and bundles of fust