The two men slept in a deserted hut that night, but an hour before
daybreak they were wending their way through the communication-trenches
to the front line. It was half-an-hour before "Stand to" when the major
and his unkempt companion reached the last dark trench where sentries
were straining their eyes at the blackness of No Man's Land. A junior
officer stepped up to the major and reported, quietly, the situation
during the night.
"They've got a machine-gun post," he said at the end, "somewhere over
by those three trees. Can you see them, sir? They got five of our chaps
last night and two the night before."
"Humph! They tried for me too, yesterday afternoon. Can't the guns do
anything?"
"They've tried, sir, but the rise in the ground seems to protect them
from anything except a direct hit."
Even in the darkness the young lieutenant could notice the sudden look
of decision which flashed into Campbell's eyes.
"Give me an A form," he said tersely.
The lieutenant handed him a message-pad on which he wrote a few words.
"See that the colonel gets this," he said, "and pass word along to the
other companies that Private Des Rosiers and I are going to get that
machine-gun post; so if we come back don't give us too hot a reception
from your sentries.--Sergeant, some bombs.--And let Des Rosiers have
that revolver, old chap. My batman will give you one of mine.
Right--thanks."
"But, sir"--the young officer was vastly troubled--"it's not up to you.
I'll go, major. Honestly, I want to----"
"Thanks, old man; but this is a bigger job than it looks. Not that you
couldn't do it as well or better, but--well, I've set my heart on
going, that's all."
He glanced at Des Rosiers, and noticed that his face was grim and set.
"But, my officier, it is not fair," began the French-Canadian; "it----"
"Not fair?" There was a rasping sound in the major's voice.
"For me, _mais oui_, but for you, _non_. Please--I do my bes'--I go
alone."
Without a word, the second-in-command put out his hand and grasped that
of the deserter; and Des Rosiers felt that death for the other would be
easy. Truly, as Campbell had said, war is a great big game, and men are
like children.
Three minutes later two figures were crawling like panthers towards the
German lines.