e returned to the front
I should be inclined to think that the quarter where his greatest
danger lay was not in front but behind.

When I had the room to myself I spent the time exploring for useful
articles. My oft-interrupted search resulted in the discovery of a
heap of things in the far corner. At length an officer arrived and
informed me that I should only receive three days' "_stuben_"--arrest
(solitary confinement). After which I was released. On re-entering the
camp I did my best to look innocent, though, as luck would have it, I
was really the richer by a couple of maps, a compass and some candles!
One of the orderlies in the camp was a cobbler, but though the Huns
frequently assured us they would provide him with the necessary tools,
it took two months for their promise to materialise. During this
period my already patched boots threatened to give out altogether. I
wrote a note to the commandant, explaining that I was daily expecting
boots from England, but as these appeared to have been delayed, asked
that I might be allowed to order some canvas shoes at the canteen in
the meantime. The next day the interpreter handed me the answer:
"Order leather from England, and have the boots resoled." I could not
help smiling, and casually remarked that it was worse than useless.
Whereupon he snapped, "What, you say that the commandant's note is
useless? All right, I will you report."

In due course the usual notice was posted up to the effect "That the
English Ober-Lieutenant Gerald Knight would for gross insolence the
next three days in arrest spend." Usually, roll call took place
outside the main building, and as it generally meant standing in water
or melting snow, was not particularly pleasant. Wolfe very often
managed to take these parades, and did not miss this excellent
opportunity for showing his authority. After arriving late he would
stroll up and down the line, hands in pockets, looking as dignified as
possible, always wasting time. "_Appel_," when properly conducted,
never lasted more than ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. On one
occasion, Wolfe, who was well protected against the cold, kept us
standing in a blizzard for an hour and a half, during which time he
counted us five or six times, obviously for his own amusement. It was
bad enough to have to stand there oneself, but it was much more
annoying to watch our senior officers, majors, colonels, and a
major-general, awaiting the pleasure of a conceit