Fighting with French: A Tale of the New Army Read online

  CHAPTER IV

  THREE ROUNDS

  At six o'clock next morning sergeant-majors and corporals went round thehall stirring up the sleepers. There were groans and grumbles, but themen turned out, and there was a general dash for the washing basins--oneamong twenty men--and a free fight for the razors. Our two friends hadbrought their own safeties and pocket mirrors, and when they hadfinished operating upon their downy cheeks there was a competition amongtheir new messmates for the loan of those indispensable articles.

  "Your bristles will ruin a blade in no time, Ginger," said Harry, as hehanded over the razor, somewhat ruefully.

  "Perseverance, that's all you want," replied Ginger, through the lather."Yours 'll be as hard as mine in time."

  At half-past six each man seized a mug and rushed off to the cook-houseacross the yard for cocoa. They sat about the hall, swilling themorning beverage, grumbling at the blankets, asking one another who'd bea soldier; then they rubbed up their boots and made their beds, and wereready for the seven o'clock parade.

  Dressed only in their shirts and slacks they formed up in thedrill-hall. There was a good deal of disorder, and the N.C.O.'s, inearly-morning temper, roared above the din. It happened that DickKennedy was orderly officer for the week. When the men were at lastranged in ranks, dressed, and numbered by the sergeants, he postedhimself in front and, with a nervous twitching of the lips, saidgently--

  "Battalion, 'shun!"

  "Louder, louder!" whispered a fellow-officer who had come up behind him."This isn't a mothers' meeting."

  The second lieutenant tried again.

  "Battalion, 'shun! Advance in fours from the right. Form fours!"

  Some of the men knew what to do, but many of the new recruits lookedabout them blankly.

  "You don't know the movements?" said the lieutenant. "Well, when I say'form fours,' even numbers take one pace to the left with the left footand one pace to the right with the right. Now, form fours!"

  The result was disorder--jostling in the ranks, cries of "Who're youa-shoving of!"

  "Sorry! My mistake!" said Kennedy, with a smile. "We'll try again. Ishould have said, 'one pace to the rear with the left foot.' Now then,form fours!"

  His cheerfulness won the men's sympathy, and the order being nowcorrectly carried out, one or two of them cheered.

  "Silence in the ranks!" roared Kennedy. "Right! Quick march!" and thebattalion marched off.

  The day's work began with a run for three-quarters of an hour, to thebank of a river some two miles away. A "run" so called, for itconsisted of slow and quick march and doubling in turn. At eighto'clock they were back in the hall for breakfast: tea, bread and bacon,sausage or cheese. The provisions were good, the men had healthyappetites, and at 9.15, when the battalion orders of the day were read,they were contented and cheerful.

  Marching out to the parade ground, a field in the neighbourhood, theyspent an hour in physical drill under experienced N.C.O. instructors,and then a couple of hours in company drill. Dismissed at 12.15, theymet again for dinner at 1, a plentiful meal of meat pie and vegetables.Then came a route march and extended order drill, tea at 4.30, with jamand tinned fruits, and at 5.30 company lectures.

  "It'll be rummy to hear Kennedy lecture," said Harry, sitting besideKenneth on the form. "I wonder what he'll spout about."

  "Poor chap!" said Kenneth. "I'm beginning to think the Tommies haven'tthe worst of it. Keep a straight face whatever he says."

  Somewhat to his surprise, when Kennedy appeared the men were at oncesilent. The habit of discipline was strong in those who had alreadyserved in the Regulars or the Territorials; the recruits were interestedin the novel circumstances, and subdued by the indefinable influence ofconstituted authority.

  "Now, men," began Kennedy, unfolding his notes and studiously avoidingthe eyes of his old school-fellows, "I'm going to say a few words to youon Feet."

  "My poor tootsies!" murmured one of the men.

  "We have all got feet," Kennedy went on, "but do we all know how to usethem?"

  "Give us a ball and we'll show you, sir," cried a voice.

  "Well, I hope we'll have some footer by and by, but that's not thepresent question. We have just done a ten-mile walk. Two or three ofyou fell out, two or three were limping before we got back. Why wasthat?"

  "'Cos we ain't used to it, sir," said one of the unlucky ones.

  "Ate too much pie and 'taters, sir," cried another.

  "Got a corn inside o' my toe," said a third.

  "Well, we'll leave out greediness for the present: that's a moral defectwhich perhaps one of the senior officers will deal with. We'll confineour attention to the proper care of the feet."

  And he went on to give some simple and practical advice as to bathing,greasing, methods of hardening, until six o'clock struck, and the menwere dismissed until first post at 9.30.

  "Call that a lecture!" scoffed Stoneway, when the officer had gone."Does he take us for an infant school? Giving us pap like that!"

  "You shut your face!" said Ginger. "The young feller spoke downrightgood common sense, much better 'n you'd expect from a chap as went toone of them there public schools. He said a thing or two I didn't know,nor you either, Stoneway. 'Course he didn't go to the root of it;dursn't cry stinking fish. What's the root? Why, boots. These 'erethings they've gi'en us, they're no good. They're made to raiseblisters, they are, and they'll just mash when we get the rain."

  "They're only temporary, I believe," said Kenneth, "till the factoriescan turn out army boots in sufficient quantities."

  "That's the English Government all over," said Stoneway, with a sneer."Nothing ready: no boots, no rifles----"

  "Oh, stow it!" cried Ginger. "What did you 'list for if you're going togrouse all the time? The worst of it is, you can't resign: we shallhave to put up with you, I s'pose, unless you mutiny, or strike yoursuperior officer, or do something else to get dismissed the army. Comeon, boys; let's go and see the pictures. We'll be back in time to drawsome soup from the cook-house, 8.30 to 9."

  That is a fair sample of the day's work during the next two or threemonths. It was monotonous, but, during the dry autumn, healthy. Whenthe rainy weather set in, hardship began to be felt. The men often gotdrenched to the skin; their temporary boots, as Ginger had foretold,became pulp. The factory was bleak and draughty, in spite of its gasstoves. There was a certain amount of sickness, and an increase in thenumber of offenders to be dealt with every morning by the colonel. Butthe men were well fed, and cheered by presents of tobacco and cigarettesfrom kindly townsfolk; and many wet, dull evenings were enlivened byconcerts and entertainments got up by friends of the officers.

  Kenneth and Harry steadfastly declined offers of promotion as N.C.O.'s,but owing to their knowledge of drill they were made right and leftguides of their platoon. They bought a football, and got upinter-company matches in which No. 3 Company distinguished itself.Indeed, both in work and play No. 3 Company became the crack company ofthe battalion. The captain, an old army man who had been retired someyears and was some little time picking up the details of the new drill,was a good sportsman and a hard worker, and by the end of January thecompany was thoroughly efficient and knit together by that esprit decorps which is the soul of fighting men.

  Then came vaccination and inoculation. Stoneway was the ringleader of alittle group that declined the doctor's attentions, to the disgust ofGinger and the majority.

  "You're a traitor, that's what you are," said Ginger to Stoneway whenthe latter flatly declined to be poisoned, as he put it. "You'll go andcatch some rotten disease or other and give it to us."

  "This is a free country," retorted Stoneway. "And as to you, you're aturncoat. Weren't you always spouting against the war? Didn't I backyou up? Who caved in as meek as a lamb?"

  "Well, you followed along with the other sheep, didn't you? What youjoined for goodness only knows. You're always grousing
about somethingor other. Bacon's too fat, then it's too lean; cheese is dry, then it'sdamp; you pick out little bits of lead out of the pear gravy, and spread'em round your plate and put on a face like a holy martyr. You sit atlecture with a snigger on your ugly mug; the pianner's out of tune;nobody can sing for nuts; _you_ take jolly good care you don't donothing to amuse the company. Nothing's right; you always know better'n anyone else; lummy, I believe you think you ought to be capting, ifnot commander-in-chief. What did you join for, that's what I want toknow. I tell you straight, we've had enough of your grousing. Whydon't you take your grumbles to the officers? 'Any complaints?' saysthey when they come round inspecting; why don't you speak up like a man?No fear; you ain't got a word to say. All you can do is to growl whenthey ain't by, and try to make yourself big before all the dirty swipesof the regiment. Why, look at the other night, when they gave thealarm, and we was all confined to barricks: what did you do then? Whenall those nice young ladies came with their fiddles and things and sangand played to us proper, gave us fags all round, too, you must get up ina corner with your dirty lot and make such a deuce of a row we couldn'thear a word of 'Dolly Grey'--my favourite song, too! If I'd beencolonel I'd have given you a good dose of clink straight away, and sonow you know it."

  Ginger had fairly let himself go, and the applause that followed hisspeech showed that he voiced the opinion of the majority. Stoneway madeno reply, but gradually edged away.

  This was the culmination of an estrangement which had been developingbetween the two men ever since the company was formed. Whatever hadbrought them together previously, their enlistment had sundered themcompletely. Ginger, whose backing Stoneway had been wont to count on inany attack on authority, was now the most orderly as well as thecheeriest man in the company. He passed off with a jest every hardshipof that trying winter. "Think of those poor chaps in the trenches," hewould say, if someone complained of the cold or a wetting. Stonewayclearly resented his change of spirit, though it was a puzzle to thebetter disposed among the men why he could have expected a display ofinsubordination from these enthusiastic recruits in the New Army.

  It must be admitted that Ginger took no pains to conciliate his oldcompanion. He did not launch out again into invective, but assumed thestill more irritating airs of a humorous observer. From time to time helet fall a jesting word that had a sting, and took a delight in chaffingStoneway in the presence of other men. And since Stoneway himselfturned out to be no match for Ginger in these little bouts of wordy war,and Ginger always managed to keep his temper, Stoneway became more andmore furious, and fell to meditating reprisals.

  One Saturday afternoon, after a more than usually smart exchange ofbanter on the one hand and abuse on the other, Ginger was sent by thequartermaster to a farm some two miles away to fetch the balance of aquantity of butter which had not been completely delivered.

  "Just my luck!" said Ginger, in the hearing of a group that includedKenneth and Harry. "It won't break my back, but I'd rather carry it twoyards than two miles. However!"

  "I'm off duty presently," said Kenneth, "and I'll come part of the wayto meet you and lend you a hand."

  "You're a white man," said Ginger. "Well, so long."

  Some little while afterwards Kenneth and Harry started together by afootpath across fields to the farmhouse. They had not gone far whenthey caught sight of a figure in khaki about half a mile ahead, going inthe same direction as themselves. It was soon lost to sight behind ahedge.

  The path led over a hill that descended steeply on the farther side. Onreaching the top they saw two men in khaki at the foot of the slopebelow them. One of them was Ginger, who had dropped his wicker basketon the grass and stood with arms akimbo facing the other man, nowrecognisable by his burly frame as Stoneway. Ginger, slim and wiry,looked insignificant by comparison.

  Just as Kenneth and Harry caught sight of the men, Stoneway lifted hisfist and with a sudden swift blow that took Ginger unawares sent himhead over heels. Ginger was up in an instant, and after skipping abouton his short legs for a few moments, made a rush at his opponent.Stoneway staggered, but recovered himself immediately, clinched, andprofiting by his superior height and weight threw Ginger heavily, andnot being able to disengage himself, fell with him. The two men heavedand twisted in a fierce struggle on the ground. Then Stoneway draggedhimself away, rose, and Kenneth, now running down the hill, saw himdeliberately kick the prostrate body of his apparently senselesscomrade.

  "You cad!" shouted Kenneth, with Harry hard on his heels; "what do youmean by that foul play?"

  Stoneway, too much preoccupied to be aware of the approach of observers,growled something under his breath, and was making off sullenly.

  "No you don't!" cried Kenneth, seizing him. "Just have a look atGinger," he added to Harry.

  Ginger, pale and shaken, sat up and smiled feebly.

  "Time?" he said. "I'll have another round."

  "Not a bit of it," said Harry. "He kicked you on the ground. Didn'tyou know? It was foul play. What was it all about?"

  "I didn't kick him," muttered Stoneway.

  "That's a lie. I saw you do it," said Kenneth. "What's the row,Ginger?"

  "Well, what you may call a bit of a shindy," Ginger replied. "Justbetween ourselves, like. I'm ready for another go."

  "No. Come, out with it, man."

  "Well, I was traipsing along with that there basket on my head when uphe comes and starts rounding on me for chipping him. 'I'm not having anytruck with grousers,' says I. Then we had a few words, and he got meone afore I was ready, that I own. But I can't hardly believe he kickedme when I was down, and a bit dazed like."

  "He did. You take a rest and recover: we'll settle with him."

  "What are you talking about?" Stoneway blustered.

  "Giving you a hiding. Off with your coat," said Kenneth. "You'll seefair play, Harry."

  "I say, this is my job," said Harry. "You've been on the sick list."

  "I'm all right."

  "No, really."

  "Well, don't let's waste time. I'll toss you for it."

  And while Stoneway looked on in amazement, Kenneth spun a coin, won,stripped off his tunic and rolled up his shirt sleeves.

  "Two to one against the big 'un," cried Ginger, with a grin of delight.

  Seeing there was no help for it, Stoneway slowly took off his tunic.

  "And mind you fight fair," Harry warned him, "or I promise you I'll takea hand myself."

  The two men faced each other. They presented a striking contrast.Stoneway was slightly the taller and much the heavier; his big chestbulged under his shirt, and his biceps were thick. But Harry, scanninghim keenly, noting his fleshiness, decided that his muscles were ratherflabby than hard; and observing Kenneth's slighter but well-knit frame,and remembering his promise as a boxer at school, felt pretty confidentof the result.

  After the first few exchanges he was more doubtful. Stoneway had alonger reach, and was clearly accustomed to the use of his fists. Atthe start he forced the fighting, trying to get a knock-out blow, andKenneth needed all his skill to meet his bull-like rushes andsledge-hammer strokes. He managed to land one punishing body-blow thatwould have shaken up a smaller man, but Stoneway recovered himselfquickly, and the first round ended with little damage on either sideexcept that Stoneway found himself somewhat winded.

  The combatants had now taken each other's measure. In the second roundKenneth in his turn adopted forcing tactics, bewildering his opponent bythe whirlwind rapidity of his attack and his elusiveness in defence.Stoneway began to realise that he had met more than his match. Hebreathed heavily; his fat cheeks took on a yellowish tinge; and the endof the round found him with a bigger nose and a bump over his right eye,and greatly distressed in wind.

  "Next round finishes him," whispered Harry, as he wiped Kenneth's face.

  The third round was in fact conclusive. Stoneway made a desperate rush,stopped by a neat upper cut, and before he could recover he was hurl
edto the ground by a blow above the heart that might have finished aprofessional pugilist.

  "Now you'll apologise to Ginger," said Kenneth, as Stoneway slowlypicked himself up.

  But Stoneway scowled out of his damaged brows, put on his tunic insilence, and walked away without uttering a word.

  It was much to Ginger's credit that not a man in the battalion everdiscovered how Stoneway had come by his bruises. There was an end aliketo his grumbling and to Ginger's rough banter. But there was an end,too, to all show of friendliness between them. They never spoke to eachother, and Stoneway was always careful to keep out of Kenneth's way.