We travel for several days. The first aeroplanes appear in the sky. We roll on past transport lines. Guns, guns. The light railway picks us up. I search for my regiment. No one knows exactly where it lies. Somewhere or other I put up for the night, somewhere or other I receive provisions and a few vague instructions. And so with my pack and my rifle I set out again on the way. By the time I come up they are no longer in that devastated place. I hear we have become one of the flying divisions that are pushed in wherever it is hottest. That does not sound cheerful to me. They tell me of heavy losses that we have been having. I inquire after Kat and Albert. No one knows anything of them. I search farther and wander about here and there; it is a wonderful feeling. One night and then another I camp out like a Red Indian. Then at last I get some definite information, and by the afternoon I am able to report to the Orderly Room. The sergeant-major detains me there. The company comes back in two days' time. There is no object in sending me up now. "What was it like on leave?" he asks, "pretty good, eh?" "In parts," I say. "Yes," he sighs, "yes, if a man didn't have to come away again. The second half is always rather messed up by that." I loaf around until the company comes back in the early morning, grey, dirty, soured, and gloomy. Then I jump up, push in amongst them, my eyes searching. There is Tjaden, there is Müller blowing his nose, and there are Kat and Kropp. We arrange our sacks of straw side by side. I have an uneasy conscience when I look at them, and yet without any good reason. Before we turn in I bring out the rest of the potato-cakes and jam so that they can have some too. The two outer cakes are mouldy, still it is possible to eat them. I keep those for myself and give the fresh ones to Kat and Kropp. Kat chews and says: "These are from your mother?" I nod. "Good," says he, "I can tell by the taste." I could almost weep. I can hardly control myself any longer. But it will soon be all right again back here with Kat and Albert. This is where I belong. "You've been lucky," whispers Kropp to me before we drop off to sleep, "they say we are going to Russia." To Russia. It's not much of a war over there. In the distance the front thunders. The walls of the hut rattle. * * There's a great deal of polishing being done. We are inspected at every turn. Everything that is torn is exchanged for new. I score a spotless new tunic out of it and Kat, of course, an entire outfit. A rumour is going round that there may be peace, but the other story is more likely--that we are bound for Russia. Still, what do we need new things for in Russia? At last it leaks out--the Kaiser is coming to review us. Hence all the inspections.