"You'll soon be burying a man or two," said Bill.
"Who are to be buried?" I asked.
"The ration party."
"What!"
"The men copped it comin' up 'ere," said Bill. "Three of 'em were wiped out complete. The others escaped. I went out with Murney and O'Meara and collared the grub. I'm just goin' to light a fire now."
"I'll help you," I said, and began to cut a fresh supply of wood which had come from nowhere in particular with my clasp-knife.
A fire was soon burning merrily, a mess-tin of water was singing, and Bill had a few slices of bacon on the mess-tin lid ready to go on the brazier when the tea came off.
"This is wot I call comfy," he said. "Gawd, I'm not arf 'ungry. I could eat an 'oss."
I took off the tea, Bill put the lid over the flames and in a moment the bacon was sizzling.
"Where's the bread, Bill?" I asked.