al said; "it
seems to me that you have grown and widened out, in the two months
and, only yesterday, when I was sizing the company, I had to move
you two men higher; for a young 'un, you stand the fatigues well."

"I am all right," Will said, "except that I have got some frightful
blisters on my feet. I was not going to say anything about it,
because I should have been kept in hospital, and left behind at
Khuram; but I have hardly known how to march, the last few days. I
don't think I could possibly have managed it, if I had not adopted
the native dodge of wearing putties--which I have greased well on
the inside, and wear instead of stockings."

Putties, it may be said, are slips of woolen cloth, about two and a
half yards long and three inches wide, with a tape sewn into one
end. They are wound round and round the leg, from the ankle to
below the knee, and secured by the end being tied with the tape.
Nearly every one, officers and men, wore them through the campaign.
For a long march there could be no doubt that these bandages--wound
round the foot instead of stockings--are very preferable, as they
obviate the liability to foot sores. Even with well-made boots all
pedestrians may, at times, suffer from sore feet; but the liability
is immensely increased when--as in the case of the British
soldier--the boots are coarse, roughly sewn, and frequently ill
fitted.

Chapter 10: The Peiwar-Khotal.

At ten o'clock at night, on the 1st of December, the troops
detailed for the attack mustered in the camp. The assembly took
place without sound of bugle, and even the necessary words of
command were given in a low tone. Through the still night air the
Afghans on the hills, little more than two miles away, would have
heard the stir. It was a very dark night, although the stars shone
clear.

"Where can we be going?" William Gale asked the soldier next to
him. "We are going right away from the pass, instead of towards
it."

"So we are!" the soldier replied. "I am blest if I know what we are
up to, and it's so precious dark that I can scarcely see the file
before me. I hope we ain't going to fight in the dark, anyhow. What
would be the good of being a marksman, when you cannot see the end
of your own rifle, let alone the man you are firing at?"

"Oh! We can't be going to attack in the dark," Will said. "I expect
we have got a long march before us; and are going to work round,
somehow, and take them in rear."

"Well,