“At last I gave up in despair and trudged back to Brighton. Remember,” to Tom, “the race was over before George ever stopped. Didn’t even hesitate until he’d reeled off about five miles, and then it took him an hour to get back, after he’d realized he was away up the county and far off the course of the race. Well, I just recalled how I felt, when I was waiting there for something to happen, and nothing did. I was thinking that those Germans, waiting for that mine to explode and send us all into Eternity, must have felt somewhat the same way as I did.” “Huh!” George Harper grunted, in deep disgust. But Tom and Ollie burst into laughter which was none the less uproarious if suppressed by the necessities of their present situation; and their merriment was not so much at the predicament of the Germans, if the truth be told, as in the mischievous delight they took in the increased misery with which Harper heard this oft’ repeated tale of his mistake in that Brighton relay race. “Think you’re smart Alecks, both of you, don’t you?” Harper growled, from the depths of his blanket, while distinct gasps of amusement continued to come from Tom and Ollie as they wrapped themselves in theirs; but a few moments later all three were sleeping as soundly and as peacefully as though nothing more serious than the story just told had disturbed the quiet routine and happiness of their lives. And thus, too dog-tired even for dreams, as oblivious to all that was going on about them as they were themselves for the time completely forgotten by the officers and men of their own company, they slept on and on, hour after hour, unmindful and unknowing that overhead—above the dark and hidden hole in which they lay unheeded—their own advance army had moved out, and entirely vanished in pursuit of the enemy; the whole American movement pushing forward, circling about them, leaving them alone, forgotten, abandoned. The afternoon was well on the wane when Tom Walton, falling into a dream of that foot race which had been the subject of their conversation just before they slumbered off, awoke panting and as breathless as though in fact he had just run a mile in record-breaking time. For a moment he looked about the dark cavern dazedly, unable to remember where he was or why he was there. Then slowly it began to dawn upon him that he had been asleep for a long time, and he rose hurriedly, throwing his blanket aside and hurrying up the short ladder to the outside world above.