"Thanks; my throat was so terribly parched." A wave of red flooded his cheeks. "You're a good sort, Dreher." I sat down beside him and asked him in a friendly way whether he was not awfully tired? "I look it, don't I?" "Oh! Just like everyone else!" The whistle blew! I left him. "Cheer up!" But at the next pause I avoided looking in his direction. There was only enough water for me. A few more miles. The men were grumbling quite openly now. From time to time one would fall out, and all at once, or little by little lose ground, and get left behind by the platoon. What was there to be said? I interfered no more. These fellows had not had a bite since five o'clock that morning. Were we to leave these stragglers their rifles, or not? The subaltern said they were to be taken away. The result was that those who remained threatened to give up in their turn. Two rifles to drag about, not much! They were quite willing to do their bit, but they were not going to be put upon, not them! Lieutenant Henriot changed his mind. "Each man will keep his own rifle!" "Too late now. How are we to find the owners of them all?" He got scared. "I was wrong. I made a mistake!" he repeated. Guillaumin reassured him by saying all the _poilus_ were sure to turn up. One would have thought that it all amused him, the long day's march, the hunger and thirst,--everything. He kept on joking--rather too familiarly perhaps--with Lamalou and Judsi and those of our men who still held out. He even took it into his head to talk theatres to me! I soon sent him off with a flea in his ear, as may be imagined. He did not notice for some time that I was limping. "Foot hurting you?" "Yes." He offered to carry my pack. I was on the point of allowing him to, but Lamalou, who was watching me furtively, jeered. "Halloa, Sergeant! You following poor Loriot's example?" "No. I've got a sore foot," I said; "but I am going to stick to it all right." On my refusal Guillaumin took on another lame dog's pack. Lamalou soon followed his example. I only kept on automatically. My heel must be quite raw. Perhaps I was risking the fate of my whole campaign. It couldn't be helped. In my heart of hearts I almost congratulated myself on this opportunity of escape. We ended by breaking all ranks. Sections, platoons, and companies were all mixed up. We were just a herd, and at the entrance to a little hamlet when the order was passed down to shoulder arms no one budged. Not much! We're not so green as all that! Give us a bite o' some'at first! But it was not to be so lightly disregarded! The captain rode down what remained of our column, and repeated the order, brandishing his whip furiously. The men made up their minds to obey it. We found out the reason for it afterwards.... A general surrounded by his staff, was watching us march past ... someone whispered that it was the general in command of the division.