the detachment from a watery grave.

The squad halted.

"Who the thunder, and the blazes, and other things told you to do
that?"

The squad looked bewildered, but said nothing, and were brought back
to the place where they were before. A minute later precisely the
same thing occurred again. I really thought the sergeant would
burst. I was preparing to hasten to the barracks for medical aid.
But the paroxysm passed. Calling upon the combined forces of heaven
and hell to sustain him in his trouble, he requested his squad, as
man to man, to inform him of the reason why to all appearance they
were dispensing with his services and drilling themselves.

At this moment "Columbus" barked again, and the explanation came to
him.

"Please go away, sir," he requested me. "How can I exercise my men
with that dog of yours interfering every five minutes?"

It was not only on that occasion. It happened at other times. The
dog seemed to understand and take a pleasure in it. Sometimes
meeting a soldier, walking with his sweetheart, Columbus, from behind
my legs, would bark suddenly. Immediately the man would let go the
girl and proceed, involuntarily, to perform military tricks.

The War Office authorities accused me of having trained the dog. I
had not trained him: that was his natural voice. I suggested to the