And, as though to mark the intentional kindness of what he had just done, hardly had the last of the spiked helmets disappeared behind the parapets, when again the same hissing noise was heard, and, pong! pong! pong! pong! four shells dropped, this time full upon the whitish line formed along the green plain by the upturned earth of their trenches. In the midst of the smoke, earth and rubbish of all kinds were seen flying. Our Chasseurs cried "Bravo!" Everyone felt that the best solution had been found, and rejoiced at this termination of the brief Christmas truce. And now our minds were free to rejoice in the great day itself in company with our good troopers. In the night there had arrived, well packed in smart hampers, the bottles of champagne which Major B. had presented to his men, and we were looking forward to the time, only a few hours hence, when the soup would be upon the table, and we should keep our Christmas by letting off the corks in the direction of the German trenches. Our young fellow-officers were already anticipating this peaceful salvo, which would certainly be heard by the enemy. Bradbury, Agnew, & Co. Ld., Printers, London and Tonbridge. * * * * * +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | Typographical errors corrected in text: | | | | Page 163: Pery corrected to Pevy | +--------------------------------------------------------------+