* * * * *

The journey through France was quite uneventful. Sleeping or reading the
whole day through, the Subaltern only remembered Rouen, passed at about
midday, and Amiens later in the evening. The train had paused at
numerous villages on its way, and in every case there had been violent
demonstrations of enthusiasm. In one case a young lady of prepossessing
appearance had thrust her face through the window, and talked very
excitedly and quite incomprehensibly, until one of the fellows in the
carriage grasped the situation, leant forward, and did honour to the
occasion. The damsel retired blushing.

At Amiens various rumours were afloat. Somebody had heard the Colonel
say the magic word "Liège." Pictures of battles to be fought that very
night thrilled some of them not a little.

* * * * *

Dawn found the Battalion hungry, shivering and miserable, paraded by the
side of the track, at a little wayside station called Wassigné. The
train shunted away, leaving the Battalion with a positive feeling of
desolation. A Staff Officer, rubbing sleep from his eyes, emerged from a
little "estaminet" and gave the Colonel the necessary orders. During the
march that ensued the Battalion passed through villages where the three
other regiments in the Brigade were billeted. At length a village called
Iron was reached, and their various billets were allotted to each
Company.

The Subaltern's Company settled down in a huge water-mill; its Officers