Toulgas. "C" was far out at Ust Padenga earnestly
building blockhouses. "A" was at Shenkursk with Colonel Corbley, resting
after two months stiff fighting and with American Engineers of the 310th
building blockhouses. For they correctly suspected that the Reds would
not quit just because of the collapse of the Germans.

"L" Company and Ballard's Machine Gun platoon were hourly prepared to
fight for their position at the Emtsa River against the Red force
flushed with the victorious recapture of Kodish. 310th Engineers were
skillfully and heartily at work on the blockhouses and gun emplacements
and log shelters for this Kodish force, doomed to a desperate winter,
armistice or no armistice. Old "K" Company, breathless yet from its
terrific struggle to hold Kodish, was back at base headquarters at
Seletskoe waiting patiently for "E" Company to relieve them.

Captain Heil's company had left Archangel by railroad and was somewhere
on the cold forest trail between Obozerskaya and Seletskoe.

"F" Company, as we have seen, was now on the precious lines of
communication, now more subject to attack because of the numerous winter
trails across the hitherto broad, impassable expanses of forest and
swamp, which were now beginning to freeze up. Far out on their left
flank and to their rear was the little force of "G" Company who were
holding Pinega and a long sector of road which was daily becoming more
difficult to safeguard. And hundreds of miles across this state of
Archangel in the Onega Valley our "H" Company comrades felt the
responsibility of wiring in themselves for a last ditch stand against
the Reds who might try to drive them back and flank their American and
Allied comrades on the railroad.

On the railroad the 3l0th Engineers were busy as beavers building, with
the assistance of the infantrymen, blockhouses and barracks and gun
emplacements and so forth. For, while the advanced positions on the
railroad were of no value in themselves, it was necessary to hold them
for the sake of the other columns. Obozerskaya was to be the depot and
sleigh transportation point of most consequence next to Seletskoe, which
itself in winter was greatly dependent on Obozerskaya.

"I" and "M" Companies were resting from the hard fall offensive
movement, the former unit at Obozerskaya, the latter just setting foot
for the first time in Archangel for a ten day rest, the company having
gone directly from troopship to troop train and having