"'Ow am I to kill these 'ere h'animals?" he asked Bowdy Benners, who accompanied him. Bowdy's face still bore the marks of his encounter with the German sniper. "Put a bullet through them," answered Bowdy, looking at the chickens. "That'll blow 'em to blazes," said Bubb. "Then wring their necks." "'Ow?" "Like this," said Bowdy getting hold of a water-bottle by the neck and swinging it round his head. "I've a better plan," said Bubb gazing at the door of the estaminet. "You open that there door and I'll 'old the neck of the 'en against the jamb. I'll say 'One! two! free!' And at the word 'free' you swings the door wiv a bang against the post an' you'll snick the neck of a 'en like winkin'." The operation was performed with great success, the chickens were decapitated and Bubb's thumb was bashed into an ugly purple. "That's a go," he muttered. "Not much of a gyme killin' chickens like this." "Not much of a gyme indeed," said Bowdy. "But they'll make a good meal, these fowl." "An' there's a bloomin' dawg too as was left behind," said Bubb, pointing his finger at the top window of the estaminet. It was looking down at the two soldiers, a lean dog with plaintive eyes and a queer crooning cry which said as plainly as any doggie can say: "Take me away from this place." "Why doesn't it come down the stairs?" asked Bowdy Benners. "Why?" said Bubb. "'Cos there ain't no stairs; they've been blown away by a shell." "Then we've got to get the poor thing down," said Bowdy. "'Ow?" asked Bubb, then without giving Benners time to answer, he said: "Oh, I knows 'ow. There's a ladder round the corner. We put it up and take the beggar down." Raising the ladder they placed it against the window sill, clambered up and rescued the dog which they placed on the street. Then Bowdy and Bubb went up the ladder again and entered the room. "What's that thing under the bed?" asked Bowdy who had noticed a dark bundle on the ground. Bubb peeped under and drew back his head as suddenly as if somebody had given him a blow on the face. "It's a dead bloke," he said. "Let's get out." They reached the street to find the dog lying on the pavement wagging its tail. "It's so pleased with us," said Bowdy. "It might have died with hunger up there." "Pleased!" echoed Bubb. "The damned ungrateful swine! Take that, and that!" The two kicks were neatly delivered on the animal's hindquarters and it rushed off, howling. "Ate our two blurry chickens and us rescuin' 'im. Anyway we've the taters. We'll get back to the trench and cook 'em." "I'll be back as soon as you," said Bowdy. "But I'll run down to Rentoul and get a bottle of champagne. I've a few francs to spare." On reaching the trenches Bubb found Flanagan just finishing a good dinner of fried potatoes and onions. "Blimey, I've taters, lots of 'em and if you give me some h'onions I'll make myself a bit of a feed," said Bubb to Flanagan. "I do feel empty inside."