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he merely glanced up abstractedly from his writing； at sight of
Bruce's silken head at his side。 He unfastened the message； read
it； frowned and went on with his report。
Bruce continued to wag his tail and to look up wistfully for the
wonted petting and word of commendation。 But the colonel had
forgotten his existence。 So presently the collie wearied of
waiting for a caress from a man whose caresses； at best； he did
not greatly value。 He turned and strolled out of the shed。 His
message delivered； he knew he was at liberty to amuse himself as
he might choose to； until such time as he must carry back to his
general a reply to the dispatch he had brought。
From outside came the voices of tired and lounging soldiers。 A
traveling kitchen had just been set up near by。 From it arose a
blend of smells that were mighty tempting to a healthily hungry
dog。 Thither； at a decorous but expectant pace； Bruce bent his
steps。
Top…Sergeant Mahan was gazing with solicitous interest upon the
toil of the cooks at the wheeled kitchen。 Beside him； sharing his
concern in the supper preparations； was Mahan's closest crony；
old Sergeant Vivier。 The wizened little Frenchman； as a boy； had
been in the surrender of Sedan。 Nightly； ever since； he had
besought the saints to give him； some day； a tiny share in the
avenging of that black disgrace。
Mahan and Vivier were the warmest of Bruce's many admirers in the
〃Here…We…Comes。〃 Ordinarily a dual whoop of joy from them would
have greeted his advent。 This afternoon they merely chirped
abstractedly at him； and Mahan patted him carelessly on the head
before returning to the inspection of the cooking food。
Since an hour before dawn； both men had been in hot action。 The
command for the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 to turn aside and bivouac for the
night had been a sharp disappointment to them； as well as to
every unwounded man in the regiment。
When a gambler is in the middle of a winning streak； when an
athlete feels he has the race in his own hands； when a business
man has all but closed the deal that means fortune to himat
such crises it is maddening to be halted at the very verge of
triumph。 But to soldiers who； after months of reverses； at last
have their hated foe on the run； such a check does odd things to
temper and to nerves。
In such plight were the men of the 〃Here…We…Comes；〃 on this late
afternoon。 Mahan and Vivier were too seasoned and too sane to
give way to the bursts of temper and the swirls of blasphemy that
swayed so many of their comrades。 Nevertheless they were glum and
silent and had no heart for jolly welcomings；even to so dear a
friend as Bruce。
Experience told them that a square meal would work miracles in
the way of calming and bracing them。 Hence； apart from stark
hunger； their interest in the cooking of supper。
Bruce was too much a philosopherand not devoted enough to his
soldier friendsto be hurt at the lack of warmth in the
greeting。 With the air of an epicure； he sniffed at the contents
of one of the kitchen's bubbling kettles。 Then he walked off and
curled himself comfortably on a pile of bedding； there to rest
until supper should be ready。
Several times； as he lay there； soldiers passed and repassed。 One
or two of them snapped their fingers at the dog or even stooped；
in passing； to stroke his head。 But on the faces of all of them
was unrest and a certain wolfish eagerness； which precluded
playing with pets at such a time。 The hot zest of the man…hunt
was upon them。 It was gnawing in the veins of the newest recruit；
ever； as in the heart of the usually self…contained colonel of
the regiment。
The colonel； in fact； had been so carried away by the joy of
seeing his men drive the hated graycoats before them that day
that he had overstepped the spirit of his own orders from the
division commander。
In brief； he had made no effort to 〃dress〃 his command； in the
advance； upon the regiments to either side of it。 As a result；
when the signal to bivouac for the night was given； the 〃Here…We…
Comes〃 were something like a mile ahead of the regiment which
should have been at their immediate right； and nearly two miles
in front of the brigade at their left。
In other words； the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 now occupied a salient of
their own； ahead of the rest of the FrancoAmerican line。 It was
in rebuke for this bit of good progress and bad tactics that the
division commander had written to the colonel； in the dispatch
which Bruce had brought。
German airmen； sailing far above； and dodging as best they could
the charges of the Allied 'planes； had just noted that the 〃Here…
We…Comes〃 〃salient〃 was really no salient at all。 So far had it
advanced that； for the moment； it was out of touch with the rest
of the division。 It was； indeed； in an excellent position to be
cut off and demolished by a dashing nightattack。 And a report to
this effect was delivered to a fumingly distracted German major
general； who yearned for a chance to atone in some way for the
day's shameful reverses。
〃If they hadn't halted us and made us call it a day； just as we
were getting into our stride；〃 loudly grumbled one Yankee private
to another as the two clumped up to the kitchen； 〃we'd have been
in Fere…en…Tardenois by now。 What lazy guy is running this drive；
anyhow？〃
〃The same lazy guy that will stick you into the hoosgow for
insubordination and leave you to do your bit there while the rest
of us stroll on to Berlin！〃 snapped Top…Sergeant Mahan； wheeling
upon the grumbler。 〃Till you learn how to obey orders without
grouching； it isn't up to you to knock wiser men。 Shut up！〃
Though Mahan's tone of reproof was professionally harsh； his
spirit was not in his words。 And the silenced private knew it。 He
knew； too； that the top…sergeant was as savage over the early
halt as were the rest of the men。
Bruce； as a rule； when he honored the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 with a
visit； spent the bulk of his time with Mahan and old Vivier。 But
to…day neither of these friends was an inspiring companion。 Nor
were the rest of Bruce's acquaintances disposed to friendliness。
Wherefore； as soon as supper was eaten； the dog returned to his
heap of bedding； for the hour or so of laziness which Nature
teaches all her children to demand； after a full meal；and which
the so…called 〃dumb〃 animals alone are intelligent enough to
take。
Dusk had merged into night when Bruce got to his feet again。 Taps
had just sounded。 The tired men gladly rolled themselves into
their blankets and fell into a dead sleep。 A sentry…relief set
forth to replace the first batch of sentinels with the second。
Mahan was of the party。 Though the topsergeant had been a stupid
comrade； thus far to…day； he was now evidently going for a walk。
And even though it was a duty…walk； yet the idea of it appealed
to the dog after his long inaction。
So Bruce got up and followed。 As he came alongside the sti