“That applies to the Engineers too, doesn’t it?” said Duncan. “And the pottering about we did for a time with electricity might help there.” “Um-m,” Morrison agreed doubtfully, still with an appreciative eye on the picture of the flying guns. “Rather slow work though—digging and telegraph and pontoon and that sort of thing.” “Right-oh,” said Duncan with sudden decision. “Let’s try for the Artillery.” “Yes. We’ll call that settled,” said Morrison; and both stood a few minutes looking with a new interest at the picture, already with a dawning sense that they “belonged,” that these gallant gunners and leaping teams were “Ours,” looking forward with a little quickening of the pulse to the day when they, too, would go whirling into action in like desperate and heart-stirring fashion. “Come on,” said Morrison. “Let’s get it over. To the recruiting-office—quick march.” And so came two more gunners into the Royal Regiment. * * * * * When the long, the heart-breakingly long period of training and waiting for their guns, and more training and slow collecting of their horses, and more training was at last over, and the battery sailed for France, Morrison and Duncan were both sergeants and “Numbers One” in charge of their respective guns; and before the battery had been in France three months Morrison had been promoted to Battery Sergeant-Major. The battery went through the routine of trench warfare and dug its guns into deep pits, and sent its horses miles away back, and sat in the same position for months at a time, had slack spells and busy spells, shelled and was shelled, and at last moved up to play its part in The Push. Of that part I don’t propose to tell more than the one incident—an incident of machine-pattern sameness to the lot of many batteries. The infantry had gone forward again and the ebb-tide of battle was leaving the battery with many others almost beyond high-water mark of effective range. Preparations were made for an advance. The Battery Commander went forward and reconnoitred the new position the battery was to move into, everything was packed up and made ready, while the guns still continued to pump out long-range fire. The Battery Commander came in again and explained everything to his officers and gave the necessary detailed orders to the Sergeant-Major, and presently received orders of date and hour to move.