‘Well, it’s not my fault,’ answered the other, in a deprecating tone. ‘Those are our orders. You can get cocoa and biscuits round at the back; and you’ll only get into trouble if you stay in here.’

Cocoa and biscuits. Bourne strode out of the shop in such a blind rage that he bumped into one of the lords of creation in the doorway, and didn’t stop to apologize. He described him afterwards, while his temper was still hot, as ‘some bloody officer got up to look like Vesta Tilley’; and it was a fair comparison, except in so far as the lady was concerned. The miracle of neatness turned a glance of offended dignity over his shoulder, hesitated, and then continued on his way, with an air of Christian forbearance under very trying provocation. Bourne strode off in the direction Shem and Martlow had taken, and almost collided with young Evans.

‘What the ’ell’s the matter wi’ you?’ inquired that cheerful individual, looking with an astonished grin at Bourne’s congested face. Bourne grabbed his left arm.

‘Look here, Evans; can you go into that bloody canteen and buy me anything I want, if I give you the cash?’

Evans caressed reflectively an unshaven chin.

‘Well, I don’t know as I could get you a bottle o’ whiskey,’ he said slowly; ‘tho’ I ’ave faked a chit afore now to get some. I could get you most anythin’ else.’

‘Oh, I can get whiskey more easily another way, if I want it,’ said Bourne, truthfully; ‘but I want you – come in here, and have a glass of bad beer, while we talk – I want you to get me a couple of bottles of the best champagne they have got; they’ll let you have that more easily than anything else, because they’ll feel quite certain it’s for some bloody officer or other.…’

‘What are you cribbin’ the officers for?’ exclaimed Evans with amusement. ‘Aren’t you goin’ in for a commission yourself?’

‘If I were a colonel,’ said Bourne; ‘mind you, only a colonel; and a man like that bloody lance-jack, who has never even smelt a dead horse in South Africa, turned one of my men out of a canteen started for the benefit of the troops by public subscription, I would get the battalion together, and I would sack the whole bloody institution from basement to garret, even if I were to be broke for it.’

‘I’ll get you all you want, without sackin’ the bloody place,’ said Evans reasonably, though he could not stop laughing. ‘Look ’ere, I’ve only come down to get some cleanin’ kit. I’ll be down again later, an’ I’ll work what you want all right. Don’t you worry.’

Bourne gave him a list of things apart from the wine, and then handed him over some notes.

‘I don’t want you to chance your arm for nothing,’ he said; ‘you keep twenty-five francs for yourself, and if you can come along to our billet at about half-past eight tonight, you can have anything we’ve got. I don’t see why we shouldn’t have a good time, even if we’re not a lot of bum-boys attached to the staff of some bloody general or other. There will only be Shem, Martlow, myself, and perhaps Corporal Hamley. He’s not a bad chap, though he had a bit of a down on us at first. Are you going over the top?’