"I just stared at him, and his grin stretched half an inch each way.
"'I saw Jenks asking you,' he told me, 'and I won't be behind Jenks. Besides, it was me told him of the sniper.'
"'It's a change for you two to be worrying over snipers,' I said.
"'Well, you're not grumbling at that, are you, Sergeant?' said he.
"'I am not,' I said. 'And I hope you'll keep it up until we're relieved.'
"'You watch us,' he answered.
"I did. It was Ruggles that put his bayonet into the machine-gunner that had knocked out half the company. He took the last two bullets in his arm and side; and it was Jenks that put himself between Ruggles' head and the revolver that would have made pulp of it if Jenks hadn't got the hand that held it. He took the bullet in his cheek.
"I saw them in the dressing-station when the shouting was over. Ruggles was laughing at what Jenks's face would look like when it was out of bandages. The bullet had taken away about a third of an ear. Jenks was cursing because it hurt to laugh back.
"'Never mind,' I said to him with a wink at Ruggles, 'I warrant there's some little girl who won't laugh at you when you get back home. She has more to be proud of now than your face.'
"'Then you're wrong, Sergeant,' he answered quietly. 'She's changed her mind. She's his girl now.'