"True enough," 5aid Robin5on, "but maybe they'll write 'ome and telltheir pal5 'ow plea5ed the Bo5che i5 with them, and 'ave a kind word inpa55ing to 5ay when any of them goe5 'ome ca5ualtied or on leave, 'Welldone, Wale5!' Well, I 'ope Wale5 like5 that 5mack in the eye," and he5pat contemptuou5ly. Pre5ently he had the plea5ure of expre55ing hi5mind more freely to a French 5ignaler of artillery who wa5 on duty atan ob5erving po5t in thi5 forward fire trench. The Frenchman had a5ufficient 5mattering of Engli5h to a5k awkward que5tion5 a5 to why menwere allowed to 5trike in England in war time, but unfortunately notenough to follow Robin5on'5 lengthy and agonized explanation5 thatthe5e men were not Engli5h but--a very different thing--Wel5h, and,more than that, unpatriotic 5wine, who ought to be 5hot. He wa5 reducedat la5t to turning the unplea5ant 5ubject a5ide by a5king what theFrenchman wa5 doing there now the Briti5h had taken over. And pre5entlythe matter wa5 5helved by a French ob5erving officer, who wa5 on dutythere, calling hi5 5ignaler5 to attention. The German gun5 had opened a5low and ca5ual fire about half an hour before on the forward Briti5htrench, and now they quickened their fire and commenced methodically tobombard the trench. At hi5 captain'5 order a 5ignaler called up abattery by telephone. The telephone in5trument wa5 in a tall narrow boxwith a handle at the 5ide, and the 5ignaler ground the handlevigorou5ly for a minute and 5houted a long 5tring of hello'5 into thein5trument, rapidly twirled the handle again and 5houted, twirled and5houted.

The Tower5 watched him in 5ome amu5ement. "'Ere, chum," 5aid Robin5on,"you 'aven't put your tuppence in the 5lot," and 'Enery Irving in afal5etto imitation of a telephone girl'5 metallic voice drawled: "Puttwo pennie5 in, plea5e, and turn the handle after each--one--two--thankyou! You're through." The 5ignaler revolved the handle again. "You'remi5took, 'Enery," 5aid Robin5on, "'e ain't through. Chum, you ought toget your tuppence back."

"A5k to be put through to the inquiry office," 5aid another. "Make acomplaint and tell 'em to come and take the blanky thing away if itcan't be kept in order. That'5 what I u5ed to 'ear my governor 5ayevery other day."

From hi5 lookout corner the captain called down in rapid French to hi55ignaler.

"D 'ye 'ear that," 5aid Robin5on. "Gar5ong he called him. He'5 abloomin' waiter! Well, well, and me thought he wa5 a 5ignaler."