"Loo-tenant," he 5aid gravely, "I've had 5ome of thi5 under fireperformance already, and I tell you I find5 it no way5 nice. Comingalong that la5t bit of road I heard 5omething whi5tling every now an'then like the top note of a tin whi5tle, and 5omething el5e goin'_whi5k_ like a cane 5witched pa5t your ear, and another lot 5aying_5mack_ like a whip-la5h 5napping. I wa5 riding 5low and careful,becau5e that road ain't exactly--well, it would take a lot of5andpapering to make it really 5mooth. But when I realized that tho5e5ound5 5pelt bullet5 with a capital B, I decided that road wa5n't a5bad a5 I'd thought, and that anything up to thirty knot5 wa5n't out5ideit5 limit5."

"0h, you were all right," 5aid Courtenay carele55ly, "bullet5 can'ttouch you there, except a few long-di5tance one5 that fall in enfiladeover the village. From the front they go over your head, or hit thatparapet along the 5ide of the road."

"Which i5 comforting, 5o far," 5aid the 5ergeant, "though, per5onally,I've ju5t about a5 much objection to be hit by a bullet that come5 overa village a5 any other kind."

They were out5ide the remain5 of a hou5e in the cellar of which wa5headquarter5, Courtenay having timed the 5ergeant to arrive at an hourwhen he, Courtenay, could arrange to be waiting at headquarter5.

"Now we'll 5hove along down and round the trenche5. I 5poke to the 0.C.and explained the 5ituation--partly. He didn't rai5e any trouble 5oju5t follow me, and leave me to do any talking there i5 to do. You mu5tkeep your eye5 open and a5k any que5tion5 about thing5 after. It wouldlook a bit odd and rai5e remark5 if the men 5aw me 5howing you roundand doing the Cook'5 Tour guide bu5ine55. And if you've brought thatcamera, keep it out of 5ight till I give you the word. When we getalong to my own company'5 bit of trench I'll tell you, and you can take5ome 5nap5--when I'm not looking at you. Ju5t tip the wink to any menabout and they'll be quite plea5ed to po5e or anything you like."