ly beef, I went orf ter try ter git a rebbit or
an 'are. I seen sev'ral, sir, but I never 'it one nor wired one. Then,
on Friday, jest as I was shootin' at an 'ole 'are what I see, up kime an
orficer, one o' thim Staff gints. 'Who are you?' 'e asks. I told 'im as
I was a servant, and was jest tryin' ter git an 'are fer my
bloke--beggin' yer pardon, sir, I mean my orficer. Then, after a lot
more talk, 'e says, 'Do yer know that yer gone and nearly 'it the
Gen'ril?' That's all as I knows abaht it, sir. I never wanted ter 'it no
Gen'ril."

"All this, and not even a rabbit!" I sighed. "It's a serious business,
and you ought to have known better than to go letting off ammunition
behind the firing line. However, I'll see what can be done," and my
servant went away, rather crestfallen, to drown his sorrows in a glass
of very mild, very unpleasant Belgian beer.

An hour or two later, I strolled across to a neighbouring billet to see
a friend, and to tell him of my coming interview.

"You'll get hell," was his only comfort. Then, as an afterthought, he
said, "You'd better wear my spurs; they'll help to impress him. A clink
of spurs will make even your salute seem smart."

Thus it was that I, who am no horseman, rode over to Brigade
Headquarters, a mile away, with my toes turned in, and a pair of bright
and shining spurs turned away as far as possible from my horse's flanks.

Unhappy and ill at ease, I was shown into the General's room.

"Mr. Newcombe," he began, after a preliminary glance at a paper in front
of him, "this is a very serious matter. It is a serious offence on the
part of Private Jones, who, I understand, is your servant."

"Yes, sir."

"It is also an example of gross carelessness on your part."

"Yes, sir."

"I was returning from the trenches on your right on Friday last, when a
bullet flew past my head, coming from the direction opposed to the
Germans. I have a strong objection to being shot at by my own men, right
behind the fire trenches, so I sent Captain Neville to find out who had
fired, and he found your servant."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, can you give any explanation of this extraordinary event?"

I explained to the best of my ability.

"It is a very unusual case," said the General, when I had finished. "I
do not wish to pursue the matter further, as you are obviously the real
person to blame."

"Yes, sir."

"I am very dissatisfied about it, and you must please see that better
discipline is