One more turn up and down with the roller and I jumped in face downwards. W.'s head came in forcible contact with my heels, but I could not avoid it. Fortunately, his loud 'Auw!' was lost in the yells of the roller-team. With strained attention we waited to see if anything happened. Everything seemed to be going on as usual. For about ten minutes more we heard the roller. Then the noise died down--the roller-team was retiring. Now and again we heard a loud laugh or a burst of applause. The humorous acrobats were apparently still busy. We heard von Spiegel say, 'Did you ever see anything so silly?' Then he closed his book with a bang, and we knew that the three of them were leaving the tennis-court. As they passed our trench they whispered, 'All clear!' and then, '_Bon voyage!_' Then it gradually became quiet. The footsteps of the passers-by became fewer and fewer, till they finally ceased. It was time to close the gates of the recreation ground. Soon we heard the shrill whistle of the sergeant responsible for the closing of the gates. By the well-known blast we recognised that it was 'our' man. We need have no worries on that account. Now, for the first time, I was able to take notice of the trench into which we had wedged ourselves and in which we concealed ourselves only by the utmost efforts. For it was neither broad enough nor long enough for two big men like us to stretch ourselves in it. By Jove! but it was a dirty hole! And not nearly so comfortable as it looked when seen from above! The clayey bottom was covered with a thin layer of water which we had had no opportunity of draining away. This was very unfortunate, for we could reckon on having to spend three or four hours here before venturing into the open. Most unpleasant of all were the numerous black beetles, ants, and other little animals which swarmed out of every hole and crawled boldly through our hair, over our faces, and down the backs of our necks, while we dared not make the slightest move to prevent them lest the sentry a few yards away should hear us. Now that the tennis-court was empty, it was so quiet that the slightest move could be heard. If I could only have turned over on the other side! My bones were getting so horribly stiff in this uncomfortable position. The situation even after a quarter of an hour became so damnable that neither W. nor I could suppress an occasional curse or groan. But it was no good: we had to bow to the inevitable. Slowly the time passed. The minutes seemed hours. Eagerly we listened for the tower-clock to strike. Never in all my life has time appeared to go so slow. 'Listen!' whispered W. suddenly. We could hear footsteps approaching. The whole field seemed to echo with them. My heart beat faster and faster. Who could it be? The steps of the sentry in his crow's nest stopped. Then we heard him talking to some one.