"The 'Bosses'!" exclaimed Frentzen, with superb disdain. "We can put a few bullets into them." De W---- and I roared with laughter at his expression. "Right," said my friend. "You can go, but be prudent." Snysters favoured me with a wink that was full of eloquence and shrugged his shoulders slightly, and the two men set out on their expedition. An hour later they returned, wet through, covered with mud, and accusing each other of being milksops, cowards, and using various other complimentary epithets, such as only the Flemish language can render with sufficient emphasis. Frentzen's pocket had been pierced by a bullet. Snysters had had one through his cap. A minute or two later, Snysters went out of the room and Frentzen came a few steps nearer and remarked, confidentially: "Lieutenant, Snysters, he doesn't know what it means to be afraid of anything, but he's a bit...." Frentzen winked and touched his own forehead. "You understand, Lieutenant." "Yes, yes, I know him well." Frentzen went away and when Snysters came back, he drew his chair up and remarked: "Lieutenant, that Frentzen's a chap with plenty of nerve, but," hereupon he tapped his forehead with a knowing expression, "a bit touched here, you know." "Yes, yes, I know...." A little while later, they went off again, arm in arm, insulting each other more than ever, but on the lookout for fresh adventures. The bombardment recommenced at an early hour. It began with volleys of 77's, those miserable, ridiculous 77's. They come along as though they are going to smash everything before them, and they finish with a poor little "petch" and a bit of pipe smoke. _Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus._ Cornez, my youngster from Liege, gave a whistling accompaniment. Presently the song changed and the 105 arrived. The planks of wood which served as window-shutters were flung inside the room. In front of the building, the footbridge was pulverised. That was the fifth time this had happened. There would be no chance of going outside and keeping our feet dry now. Our guns answered. I looked out at the firing zone and was pleased to see that the enemy battery was well encircled. It continued in spite of this, and as a matter of fact, we were no less encircled than they were. I went downstairs to go to the telephone. I was only just there, when a formidable explosion flung a whole collection of bricks and rubbish behind me and I was in the midst of a cloud of dust. I looked up and saw that there was nothing left of my observation post. A huge breach in the wall showed where the brutal visitor had just entered. De W---- came running to me, delighted to see me whole. "I fancy there are too many prayers being said for you," he remarked, "for the shells to be able to touch you." "I have been vaccinated," I replied.