When the company was lined up, Captain Hughes said, “B Company is ordered out to hold a section of trench against an expected night attack. Squads right!”
While the men proceeded at route step, they lamented facetiously the ordeal ahead of them. Kennedy snuffled and shuffled along, trying to keep his head up and his shoulders from drooping. He looked apprehensively at the western sky; the sun had gone down in a black cloud wrack, which was swarming higher and heavier. The sultry air was suddenly fanned by a cool wind, lightning flashed in the mass of clouds, and thunder pealed.
“Going to have a little real war this evening, I guess,” observed Morrison.
“The storm may not hit us,” said Wheeler.
“Everything that can will hit us to-day,” replied Morrison.
By the time the company had reached the trenches, which were dug on the edge of a wide field, it was growing dark. The wind was blowing hard and flung splashes of rain into the men’s faces.
Captain Hughes halted his command and called the members round him.
“This is the section that you are to defend,” he said. “You see it consists of four separate front-line trenches, each just long enough and wide enough to accommodate eight men. Each front trench is connected with the second line of trenches by a short runway. Behind the second line is the shelter, or dugout, for those who are not on duty in the trenches. You will take turns in holding the front line; each squad will be relieved every fifteen minutes. The rest of you will keep under cover in the shelter—under cover from the enemy, that is.” There was an uncertain ripple of laughter; the rain was beginning now to pour down. “At what hour the attack may develop I can’t tell you,” continued the captain, “but it will no doubt be sometime between now and sunrise.”
In the shelter, which was a large rectangular pit six feet deep, the men opened their packs and got out their ponchos—all except Kennedy, who stood looking on while his comrades proceeded to protect themselves against the now pelting rain.
Wheeler, poking his head through the opening in his poncho, saw Kennedy standing thus.