That was a gloomy crossing. All the wounded were gathering on this side in the hope of getting first-aid. Many of them fell on the way, some dead, others exhausted, begging for a drink. There were sobs, and calls of "Mother!" We brushed past these unfortunates, strongly tempted to stop and help them, but we were forbidden to break ranks! There was growing indignation, for after all, where in thunder had our stretcher-bearers got to? From the high road, we could see endless dots of light moving about and crossing each other in the dusk of the plain. The Bosches collecting their wounded, De Valpic informed me. "There's organisation for you!" I said, not without bitterness. "Their qualities against our qualities!" CHAPTER XX THE WAR BEGINS What was to be done with us? We were not left long in doubt.... With our packs on our backs, we set off. Henriot was very much depressed. A cavalry sergeant whom he had just met had spoken to him of a general falling-back of the troops supporting us on our right. We immediately formed a salient, likely to be cut off. But Guillaumin joined us. "Tommyrot! Why we're just about to surround them on the left." He had got the tip from our friend Dagomert, the motor-cyclist. The column moved off. We marched all night. Nobody was very clear as to what direction we were taking. We were not moving towards Étain. There was no question of a defeat. We were going of our own free will. There were regular halts, and comparatively good order was kept. Everyone was fully convinced that we were carrying out a wily manoeuvre. We were tickled, in advance, by the idea of the Bosches' surprise when they saw us appear just where they least expected us! The long halt took place at daybreak, when coffee was distributed. According to the lieutenant we were in the neighbourhood of Pillon and Billy, where we had fought the other week. A considerable recoil, no doubt, but we had left the enemy a long way behind. The fact that the division was assembled on this tableland was once more the signal for troublesome attention from a Taube, which dropped some bombs, and two star shells without doing any damage. De Valpic told me that he feared we might be obliged to fall back on the Meuse. "What makes you think that?" "Various things." He added: "Our object is simply to delay them, I think. The north is where the game will be lost or won!" He had a fit of coughing. Henriot appeared. "Would you believe it! The general turned up, and hauled the colonel over the coals. He declares that we ought not to have left the trenches we were holding last night!" "Oh, rot!" "And that we've got to go back!" "Nonsense!" Yes. When the news got about it called forth anger, cold at first--If they didn't know what they wanted.... Then the men grew heated. A wave of rage, and indeed opposition, surged through them. We ourselves did not quite escape it.