“_The road leading into the Wood on the west side is said to be furnished with tank traps._ Well, we don’t have any tanks to-day, so we should worry about that. (By the way, boys, remind me to tell you a story afterwards about a tank.) _All indications point to the fact that the enemy battalion occupying the north side of Lapin Wood_—that’s where we are now—_has received orders to hold the position to the last._ Well, the last will come, we hope, about five-fifteen this morning. _When dislodged, it is probable that the enemy will fall back nearly two kilometres, in order to occupy prepared positions on a newly constructed line south of the village of Ventreuil._ That need not worry us, because we shall be relieved as soon as we fire him out of here.… Now for machine guns! _Nine machine guns have been located between points A and B on the northern edge of Lapin Wood-_-that is delightful—_distributed as follows_—Company Officers, get these down on your maps.… _Wire._ H’m-m-m! _Three lines interwoven in the trees on north side of wood, at distance of three metres._ Well, wire is the business of the Trench Mortar folks. _Trenches. Enemy’s fire-trenches are situated along northern edge of wood._ We have noticed them! _Elements of trenches are visible on open ground behind, at points.…_ Take this down, please.… _Miscellaneous. Bois des Loups. Flashes have been observed in this wood._ They certainly have! _Careful observation of the angle of fall and sound-ranging reports lead to the conclusion that there are at least three batteries of Seventy-sevens there, together with two or three heavy mortars._ Well, I guess our Artillery will take care of _that_.” The Colonel looked up from the Report and wiped his spectacles, which had grown dim in the humid atmosphere of the dugout. “Machine guns will be our chief snag, I guess,” he observed. “Talking of machine guns, just how badly was Boone Cruttenden hit last week?” “Shrapnel in the right shoulder, sir,” replied Jim Nichols. “Not very serious, I believe.” “He was gotten away all right, I hope?” “Yes. His own men brought him back.” “He did a fine piece of work,” said the Colonel. “But I want the names of _all_ concerned, for citation. How did Boone and his bunch manage to get into that machine-gun nest at all? I have had no time to go through the official report yet. Did he creep around behind and catch them napping, or what?” “Partly that, sir. But what helped most was the action of a single enlisted man. We were lying in a belt of trees. A clearing lay between us and the German line, which was less than two hundred yards away. The machine-gun nest was on our left front, and commanded the clearing.” “Yes, yes, I get that. Go on!”