The "Marseillaise" broke out once again.

"Look 'ere, Bill, there's too much of this ruddy 'Marslasie' abaht this
'ere show."

"'Ow d'you mean, Sam?"

"Why, it's all 'March on, March on.' I'm ruddy sick of it!"




CHAPTER VII

VENÉROLLES


At this point the Battalion turned in a south-westerly direction,
passing through a village in which the French and English Headquarters
were quartered in "estaminets" on either side of the road. No doubt both
were prosecuting their work equally successfully, but the Subaltern
could not help remarking the quietness of the one, and the excitement,
volubility, and apparent confusion of the other. Still, he thought,
different people have different ways of doing things.

Apparently to compensate for having no breakfast, the Battalion was
halted in an orchard. The men filled their haversacks with apples and
pears, and consumed scarcely ripe plums with an avidity that made the
Officers fear that at least half of the Battalion would be in the grip
of colic before the night.