Evening star., 1930-06-22
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with a bicycle pump. Any'ow. n was
jolly fine bit of chicken, and I'd 10
mile any day for a chunk Of that
jam pudding"
Mason appeared with a bottle of
whisky.
Your pudding's made Mr.. Trotter
feel all blown out, Mason" Stanhope
told him.
I'm sorry. sir. 1t wasn't meant
sir. 1t was only boiled ration biscIiitA
and jam" Then he went on 10 an
| nounce that there was no more whisky
/ after the bottle he carried In his hand
why, damn It," protested STAN
hope, I'VE brought six"
! Il know. sir, but flve's gone"
Where the DEVILS 1t gone tor"
Mason put the bottle down so that
he might have both hands free for
counting purposes, but he had only re-
called the drinking of the first bottle
on the first night when Stanhope stop
pea MN with weary gesture. For
the Lords sake don't 60 through them
one by one. Thisll last until sunrise.
Who's for a Spot7"
Tea for me-" Trotter declared
I'm about full up I'd like a nice Gun
OF tea, Mason. Still, I'll ave a spoon
fui OF whisky. Got q touch Of pulpiA
tations"
You'll have a decent spot, won't
you, Hibbert?"
Yes, I'm game"
Mason brought Trotter's tea with a
rapidity which led to the suspicion,
| confirmed by the taste, that the stuff
had been stewing in the dixie. Trot-
Ter, however drank 1t with apprecia-
ton.
Now, I'll go and relieve young
Raleigh" he said, wiping his mouth
n hal
chef. PITY e didn't come down 10
supper"
Il told him to-" Stanhope declared
! In querulouS voice. II told him IN
come down for an hour and let the
sergeant-major take over"
That lads too keen on his duty"
said HILBERT. He told me he liked
than down here with u.s."
Stanhope became as alert and as
outwardly calm as he would have done
had the Germans made a sudden at
tack. But, within, he was filled with
an angry tumble OF sentiments-that
jealousy which he had often felt where
Raleigh was concerned. resentment
agamst boy whom he knew he had
wronged, loneliness because everything
conspired to remind him OF Osborne,
misery because 1t seemed to him
Madge was now irrevocably lost "He
said that?" he asked quietly.
Yes. I told him about the chicken
and champagne and cigars, and ne
stared at me and said You're not
having that, are you?'-juSt as If he
away"
Il reckon that raid shook i'm up
more than we thought. l like that
youngster" II Trotter had had IL i'm
him to be malicious, there would have
been malice In his words as he ad-
dressed them TO HILBERT Strong lad.
too-the way he came back through
the smoke after the raid, carrying that
Boche under his arm like a baby"
Stanhope was paying no attention to
ferred being up there with the men to
being down here?" he insisted.
That's what he said"
Wen, 'ope e gets the M. c., that's
all, went on Trotter, arguing against
Sensed resentment toward Raleigh.
Els Just the sort Of kid I'd ave liked
II we'd ever 'ad kid. Strong and
"Oh. for Gods sake forget thFt
bloody raid" burst in Stanhope. Think
l want TO talk about it?"
offended
''No-but. after all"
| wen, smut upP'
'All right All right" said Trotter.
moving uneasily on his box.
We were having jolly decent eve
ming Till you started blabbing about the
war"
II didn't start It,"
you did"
You began 1t about"
Well, for Gods sake, stop it, then"
All rightl All right"
. DID ever tell you the story about
the girl met in Soho?" began Hilbert
trying TO be tactful and to bring back
the CHEEKY atmosphere which had so
suddenly vanished
Il don't know" said stanhope; r
expect you did"
"It1l amuse YOU" HILBERT assured
MIN, undiSmayed. I'D been to a dance !.
ana was coming home quite late"
Ies, and it's late now" Stanhope
interrupted. You go on duty at Ii.
You'd better go and get some sleep"
daisy"
You may be. but go to bed"
"What?" asked HILBERT, unable to be-
iieve that his CHEEKY evening was thus
abruptly coming to an end.
Il said go to bed"
Il say, that's a nice way Of ending
jolly EVENING""
I'm sorry. I'm tired"
We'll, you better go to bed" sug-
gested HILBERT perkily.
Stanhope stared at him, and he snig-
gered.
What was that you said?"
II was only joking"
II asked you what you said"
II said. You better 60 to bed,'" Hib-
bert admitted, with a ghost OF a snigger
Stanhope glared, his face flushed
with anger. Clear out Of here" he
ordered
HILBERT rose unsteadily what
| what d'you mean?"
Get out of here, for Gods sakei"
II say" clustered the other. Look
! here"
Get out of my sight" shouted Stan
hope, with such intensity that HILBERT
made no further reply but sneaked
| away to his dugout.
Little worm gets on my nerves"
Stanhope declared, as much to the
dugout as to Trotter.
| Poor little bloke. Never seen i'm }
so cheerful before"
Doesn't he nearly drive you mad?"
Well l never did care for i'm, as
you might say, but I reckon e only
wanted to keep cheerful"
Doesn't his repulsive little mind
make you sick? / envy you. Trottef.
Nothing upsets yOu, does it? You're
always the same"
Always the same. am II" echoed
Trotter. signing into his empty tea
mug. Little you know"
You never get sick to death of ev-
erythtng, or so happy you want to
sing"