my at the moment and could be spared. We played on.
Then a note was brought to J. He was ordered to report at once at the
camp dressing station, and there to stand by for casualties. The
colonel picked up the cards and shuffled them thoughtfully. He meant,
I think, to propose a game of bezique or picquet. But a note came for
him, an order, very urgent, that all lights should immediately be
extinguished. He opened the stable lantern and, sighing, blew out our
candle.

"One blessing about this Zeppelin business," said the colonel, "is
that I don't have to turn out the men on parade."

I was anxious and a little worried because I did not know what my
duties were in a crisis of the kind. "I suppose," I said, "that I
ought to stand by somewhere till the show is over." I looked towards
the colonel for advice, locating him in the darkness by the glow of
his cigar.

"I advise you to go to bed," he said. "I mean to. Most likely nothing
will happen."

I felt my way to the door. The colonel, taking me by the arm, guided
me out of his camp and set me on the main road which led to my
quarters.

I stumbled along through thick darkness, bumping into things which
hurt me. I was challenged again and again by sentries, alert and I
think occasionally jumpy. One of them, I remember, refused to be
satisfied with my reply, though I said "Friend" loudly and clearly. I
have never understood why a mere statement of that kind made by a
stranger in the dark should satisfy an intelligent sentry. But it
generally does.

This particular man--he had only landed from England the day
before--took a serious view of his duty. For all he knew I might
have been a Zeppelin commander, loaded with bombs. He ordered me to
advance and be examined. I obeyed, of course, and at first thought
that he was going to examine me thoroughly, inside and out, with a
bayonet. That is what his attitude suggested. I was quite relieved
when he marched me into the guard-room and paraded me before the
sergeant. The sergeant, fortunately, recognised me and let me go.
Otherwise I suppose I should have spent a very uncomfortable night in
a cell. I am not at all sure that military law allows a prisoner's
friends to bail him out.

I reached my hut at last and made haste to get into bed. It was a
most uncomfortable business. I could not find my toothbrush. I spent
a long time feeling about for my pyjamas. I did not dare even to
strike a match. An hour later some hilarious s