"'Eart trouble," ejaculated Ikey.
But Yank, slowly shaking his head, left the dugout and went into the fire trench.
As Told by Yank while on a Working Party, to a Squad of Royal Engineers, in Their Dugout
CHRISTMAS IN A DUGOUT
"You say you fellows have just come out and want to know how I enjoyed last Christmas. Well, I'll tell you the circumstances, and let you judge for yourself about the enjoyment part of it.
"I guess nearly all of you met our gun's crew at that show we gave at S——, so it will be unnecessary to introduce them. As well as I remember this is what happened:
"It was Christmas Eve, and cold; not the kind of cold which sends the red blood tingling through your veins and makes you want to be 'up and at 'em,' but that miserable damp kind that eats into the marrow of your bones, attacking you from the rear and sending cold shivers up and down your spinal column. It gives you a feeling of dread and loneliness.