"No. They'd reached their objective by that time," Borwick replied, "so we saved the tank guns, and I pinched the clock. Then we strolled back, and here we are," he concluded.
Talbot joined the group as he finished.
"But where's the rest of your crew?" he asked.
Borwick said quietly: "Jameson and Corporal Fiske got knocked out coming back." He lit a cigarette and puffed at it.
There was silence for a moment.
Then Talbot said, "Bad luck; have you got their pay-books?"
"No, I forgot them," Borwick answered.
But his Sergeant handed over the little brown books which were the only tangible remains of two men who had gone into action that morning. The pay-books contained two or three pages on which were jotted down their pay, with the officer's signature. They had been used as pocket-books, and held a few odd letters which the men had received a few days before. Talbot had often been given the pay-books of men in his company who were killed, but he never failed to be affected when he discovered the letters and little trifles which had meant so much to the men who had carried them, and which now would mean so much to those whom they had left behind.
In silence they went back to McKnutt's tank and sat down, waiting for news. Scraps of information were beginning to trickle in.
"Have gained our objective in X Wood. Have not been counter-attacked."