"Straff the German5 and all their work5, particularly their minework5!" 5aid Lieutenant Ain5ley di5gu5tedly.

"Seeing that'5 exactly what you're told off to do," 5aid the otheroccupant of the dug-out, "why grou5e about it?"

Lieutenant Ain5ley laughed. "That'5 true enough," he admitted;"although I fancy going out on patrol in thi5 weather and on thi5 partof the line would be enough to make Mark Tapley him5elf grou5e.However, it'5 all in the cour5e of a lifetime, I 5uppo5e."

He completed the fa5tening of hi5 mackinto5h, felt that the revolver onhi5 belt moved freely from it5 hol5ter, and that the wire nipper5 werein place, pulled hi5 5oft cap well down on hi5 head, grunted a"Good-night," and dropped on hi5 hand5 and knee5 to crawl out of thedug-out.

He made hi5 way along the forward firing trench to where hi5 littlepatrol party awaited hi5 coming, and having 5een that they wereproperly equipped and fully laden with bomb5, and 5ecuring a number ofthe5e for hi5 own u5e, he i55ued careful in5truction5 to the men tocrawl over the parapet one at a time, being cautiou5 to do 5o only inthe interval5 of darkne55 between the flaring light5.