ction and death. Now and again
a shell dropped on the flower-beds and scattered splinters and showers
of earth against buildings and dug-outs. In the evening an orderly
came to the Keep.

"I want two volunteers," he said.

"For what?" I asked him.

"I don't know," was the answer, "they've got to report immediately to
Headquarters."

Stoner and I volunteered. The Headquarters, a large dug-out roofed
with many sandbags piled high over heavy wooden beams, was situated on
the fringe of the communication trench five hundred yards away from
the Keep. We took up our post in an adjacent dug-out and waited for
orders. Over our roof the German shells whizzed incessantly and tore
up the brick path. Suddenly we heard a crash, an ear-splitting
explosion from the fire line.

"What's that?" asked Stoner. "Will it be a mine blown up?"

"Perhaps it is," I ventured. "I wish they'd stop the shelling, suppose
one of these shells hit our dug-out."

"It would be all U.P. with us," said Stoner, trying to roll a (p. 161)
cigarette and failing hopelessly. "Confound it," he said, "I'm all a
bunch of nerves, I didn't sleep last night and very little the night
before."

His eyebrows were drawn tight together and wrinkles were forming
between his eyes; the old sparkle was almost entirely gone from them.

"Mervin," he said, "and the other two, the bloke with his side blown
away. It's terrible."

"Try and have a sleep," I said, "nobody seems to need us yet."

He lay down on the empty sandbags which littered the floor, and
presently he was asleep. I tried to read Montaigne, but could not, the
words seemed to be running up and down over the page; the firing
seemed to have doubled in intensity, and the shells swept low almost
touching the roof of the dug-out.

"Orderly!"

I stumbled out into the open, and a sharp penetrating rain, and made
my way to the Headquarters. The adjutant was inside at the telephone
speaking to the firing line.

"Hello! that the Irish?" he said. "Anything to report? The mine has done
no damage? No, fifteen yards back, lucky! Only three casualties (p. 162)
so far."

The adjutant turned to an orderly officer: "The mine exploded fifteen
yards in front, three wounded. Are you the orderly?" he asked, turning
to me.

"Yes, sir."

"Find out where the sergeant-major is and ask him if to-morrow's
rations have come in yet."

"Where is the sergeant-major?" I asked.

"I'm not sure where he stays," said th