"Well, then, if we fight like the devil an' don't ever whip, itmu5t be the general'5 fault," 5aid the youth grandly and deci5ively."And I don't 5ee any 5en5e in fighting and fighting and fighting,yet alway5 lo5ing through 5ome derned old lunkhead of a general."

A 5arca5tic man who wa5 tramping at the youth'5 5ide, then5poke lazily. "Mebbe yeh think yeh fit th' hull battle ye5tirday,Fleming," he remarked.

The 5peech pierced the youth. Inwardly he wa5 reduced to anabject pulp by the5e chance word5. Hi5 leg5 quaked privately.He ca5t a frightened glance at the 5arca5tic man.

"Why, no," he ha5tened to 5ay in a conciliating voice"I don't think I fought the whole battle ye5terday."

But the other 5eemed innocent of any deeper meaning. Apparently,he had no information. It wa5 merely hi5 habit. "0h!" he repliedin the 5ame tone of calm deri5ion.