"No, sir."
Captain's Little's last answer was delivered in a distinctly insubordinate manner. Feeling slightly relieved, he returned to the firing-step. Two minutes later Angus M'Lachlan and his posse rolled over the parapet, safe and sound, and Bobby was able, to his own great content and that of the weary operators along the line, to announce,—
"The patrol has returned, sir, and reports everything quite satisfactory. I am forwarding a detailed statement."
Then he laid down the receiver with a happy sigh, and crawled out of the dug-out on to the duck-board.
"Now we'll have a look round the sentries, Sergeant-Major," he said.
But the pair had hardly rounded three traverses when Bobby was haled back to the Signal Station.
"Why did you leave the telephone just now?" inquired a cold voice.
"I was going to visit my sentries, sir."
"But I was speaking to you."
"I thought you had finished, sir."