he wrote for the _Spectator_ most of the articles that were published
anonymously the following spring under the title of _A Student in
Arms_. Before he left hospital he received a commission in his old
regiment, the R.G.A., but still finding himself with no love for
big guns, he transferred to his eldest brother's regiment, the Royal
Warwickshire, hoping that by doing so he might get back to the front
the sooner. He did not, however, leave until May, 1916, after he had
written his contribution to _Faith or Fear_.

Most of the numbers of the present volume were written in or near
the trenches, and a fellow-officer gave his sister an interesting
description of how it was done. "Your brother," said he, "will sit
down in a corner of a trench, with his pipe, and write an article for
the _Spectator_, or make funny sketches for his nephews and nieces,
when none of the rest of us could concentrate sufficiently even to
write a letter."

On October 6th, Donald Hankey wrote home: "We shall probably be
fighting by the time you get this letter, but one has a far better
chance of getting through now than in July. I shall be very glad if we
do have a scrap, as we have been resting quite long enough. Of course
one always has to face possibilities on such occasions; but we have
faced them in advance, haven't we? I believe with all my soul that
whatever will be, will be for the best. As I said before, I should
hate to slide meanly into winter without a scrap.... I have a top-hole
platoon--nearly all young, and nearly all have been out here eighteen
months--thoroughly good sporting fellows; so if I don't do well it
will be my fault."

Six days after this the Student knelt down for a few seconds with his