The first thing he did was to find fault with us.
"Why haven't you got your valises?"
The subaltern opened his mouth....
"That will do. We'll consider it as said!"
He had a few words of praise for the way we drilled.
"There was a little hesitation in the third though."
"Among us! really!"
He added a few commonplace remarks on our duties which played such an important part in the field. We must prove the value of the material entrusted to us. It was for us to make the most of it.
Seizing the opportunity afforded by a brief silence, Playoust thought he might ask him what the probable date of our departure would be.... Sunday was talked of.