r. They want to
know what has become of their men-folk. They have been gathering in
crowds and making trouble for the police. One of the old reservists was
telling me of talk of an army of women marching to the front to learn
the truth of the situation."

"If you don't stop leaning on me I'll give you a punch you'll remember!"
exclaimed Pilzer as he rammed his elbow into the old reservist's ribs.

"I beg pardon! It was because I am tired and sort of blank-minded," the
old reservist explained.

"You brute!" snapped the banker's son to Pilzer.

"Mallin thrashed you once and I've done it once. On my word, I've a
mind to again!"

"No, you don't! No, you can't! And this time your boxing tricks will do
you no good. I'll finish you!"

The two had sprung to their feet with hectic energy: Pilzer's liver
patch a mottled purple in the midst of his curly red beard, his head
lowered in front of his short, thick neck as before a spring, and the
banker's son, lighter and quicker, awaiting the attack. Some of the
others half rose, while the rest looked on in curiosity mixed with
indifference.

"I'll call the captain!" piped Peterkin.

The judge's son stopped Peterkin and put a hand on either of the
adversaries' shoulders.

"Can't we get enough fighting from the Browns without fighting each
other?" he asked.

The banker's son and Pilzer dropped back in their places, in the
reaction of men who had spent their strength in defiance.

"The thick of it last night, I heard, was still at Engadir, where
Westerling is determined to break through," the judge's son proceeded.
"At one point they sent in a regiment with a regiment covering it from
the rear, and the fellows ahead were told that they wouldn't be allowed
to come back alive--just what occurred at Port Arthur, you know--so they
had better take the position."

"What happened?" asked the very tired voice.

"Those who reached the enemy's works alive were taken prisoner."

Further talk was interrupted by a volume of voices singing, which seemed
to issue from a cellar not far away. It had the swell of a hymn of
resolute purpose.

"The Browns' song--something new since you were with us," explained the
barber's son to the judge's son.

"Yes, their whole line sung it in the silence of dawn following last
night's repulse," said the banker's son. "Notice the hammer beat to it
and then the earth rumble, like pounding nails in a coffin box and
rattling the earth on top of the b