en shaved, they had
what the "hostess" called breakfast. And still nothing happened, no
breathless orderly delivered the usual order. What had happened?

The Senior Subaltern, who was suspected of leanings towards matrimony,
began to write a letter.

The Captain, who was energetic, began to play billiards on the miniature
pocketless table. Later on the Colonel came in. It was not an official
visit, only to warn them to be ready to move at any moment. Having
thanked the old woman, he left in a singularly peaceful frame of mind.

At half-past twelve they moved on to a small hill just outside the
village, which they proceeded to put into a state of defence. They heard
that afternoon of a large counter-attack launched in the neighbourhood
of Guise, which had been successful in temporarily relieving the
pressure on the British Front. Here it was that they first heard rumours
of the affair off Heligoland, which had become inflated into a
tremendous victory for the British Fleet. Apparently half the German
Fleet had been sent to the bottom of the sea, and you can imagine the
state of enthusiasm that was caused by this news. They felt that, no
matter what might happen to them on the battlefields of France, their
homes at any rate were freed from the menace of the German. To add to
their jubilation, instead of having to spend the night in the trenches
they had dug, they were marched back, for some inexplicable reason, to
their billets in the village.

Next morning they paraded as soon as it was light, and the retreat was
continued throughout the day.

There was a very marked change in the country. The open cornfields were
replaced by woods of such a dense nature that any operations would have
been impossible. Curious as it may seem, the Subaltern had in some way
been upset by the previous day's break in the usual marching routine.
The heat seemed more intense than ever; his haversack and equipment more
cumbersome. But the roads were now avenues, and the overhanging branches
provided very welcome shade.

They emerged from the woods, once more to strike out in the glaring
sunlight. Soon a hill was seen in the distance, surmounted by a quaint
and squat tower, very reminiscent of Windsor. The houses which clustered
beneath it formed the little town of Coucy-le-Chateau. They camped out
in an open field beneath the hill, and by stripping a couple of
haystacks made themselves fairly comfortable. They must have very
effectually s