'I am in the dark about everything,' I said. 'Tell me what has happened.'
He mistook my meaning, and replied with a laugh:
'Oh, you were saved by that chap who took thirty Boches British prisoners. He seems to be a guardian angel of yours. He's a great man, too, there's no doubt about that. Ah, here's the M.O. coming!'
The doctor and I were good friends, and when he had examined me, and pronounced me a fraud for being in bed, I eagerly questioned him, and the sub. who still remained, as to how we were doing.
'Very well indeed, below Thiepval,' was his reply, 'but up here badly.'
'Have we taken Thiepval?'
He shook his head gloomily. 'That'll need a bit of doing. It's a regular fortress, man! Of course we shall get it in time. Our new guns are tremendous; but we ought to have done better up this way. We've thrown away our chances, too.'
'I don't understand,' I said. 'When we were relieved, we had practically won the key to the position we set out to get.'
'That's the mischief of the whole thing,' he replied moodily. He used language which I will not set down here; it was too strong for polite ears.
'What's the matter?' I asked.