y T. B. Ponks doing sentry. "Turn out the guard,"
was the order. "Eh?" was the response. "Where is the guard?" asked the
flushed suite. "A dunno," said T. B. The suite was inclined to be fussy,
but our Brigadier is essentially human. "Where are the other lads?" he
asked genially. "They 'm in theer," said T. B., pointing to the entrance
with no particular enthusiasm. The Brigadier and his staff made as if to
enter. "'Ere, you," called T. B., now galvanized into activity, "you
can't go in theer," and he barred the way. We have since been lectured
on the elements of military ceremonial, but at the same time we have
been asked to volunteer as a unit for the fighting line if need be. I
think the Brigadier has his doubts as to how T. B. and his sort will
impress the Allies, but feels quite confident of their manner towards
the enemy. It was the same T. B. who, being sent by the magnificent
Lieutenant d'Arcy to summon Lance-Corporal Brown, was overheard calling,
"Hi, Mr. Brown, d'Arcy wants yer."

I must break off here, for I have had an intimation from Private Cox
that now is my opportunity to see his bare feet. A fortnight ago I might
have hesitated to accept this kind invitation; to-day I insist upon his
bringing them along at once. In fact, my hobby in life is other people's
feet; I have fitted a hundred pairs of them with socks and with boots,
and I have assisted personally at the pricking of their blisters and the
trimming of their excrescences. What a fall from our intellectual
heights! But so it is with us, Bill; if we can once get those boys' feet
in sound marching order, all the nice problems of the human soul which
we used to canvass may go to the---- But I suppose that I must reserve
that word for military use.

By the way, when the battalion was asked to volunteer, the men only
raised one point. They didn't trouble themselves about the work or the
risk of it, but they wondered whether anybody really _would_ look after
their homes and dependants when the excitement had died down a little.
Their scepticism may be due to a certain music-hall comedian who used to
declare as follows:--"And if, gentlemen, this glorious old country of
ours shall ever be involved in war, I know, I say, gentlemen, that I
know, there is not a man in this hall to-night who will fail to turn out
and see the troops off."

But to-day things are different, and these boys of ours, a noisy,
troublesome and magnificent crew, need have no fear abo