"The lads of No. 1! Fell slap in the middle of 'em."
A shiver ran down my back. I only hoped to goodness that Frémont was all right. Looking round I saw haggard faces turned towards us. Corporal Donnadieu was deadly white. I forced a smile and shouted:
"Halloa there! How are you getting along?"
"So, so," said Lamalou.
I nearly tripped over a black, cylinder-shaped mass.
"Look out there. A 'dud'!"
They avoided it and Bouillon said:
"Lucky you gave tongue like that. I was just going to tip it a hefty biff."
How long did that march under artillery fire last? We covered a good bit of ground, two or three broad undulations. We halted, and reformed and advanced. From time to time we came across an enormous hole, five or six feet across and three feet deep, which we had to go round.
"Pretty useful, their 'coal boxes,' to make such pits."