“Yes, sir!”
“All right! Good-night, gentlemen.”
And so forth. As soon as the orderly officer had turned the corner, two other comrades ran in the opposite direction and into my room, so that here also all could be reported “present.”
It is difficult to conceive our excitement and nervous tension whilst this was in progress. We followed all the proceedings in our minds, and when suddenly silence supervened for an unconscionably lengthy period we feared the worst. With ice-cold hands, ears on the alert for the slightest sound, we lay, hardly daring to breathe.
At last, at 11 p.m., a lusty cheer broke the stillness. It was our concerted signal that all was clear!
CHAPTER XIII
BLACK NIGHTS ON THE THAMES