Note 6 — 1915 LA BASSÉE TO LAVENTIE

“I saw him slip back over the parapet in the mornin’ mist, the way he always did, just behind the officer going the rounds. An’ his pockets was bulgin’. I had been layin’ for him a long while because I knew he had something I wanted. So I went up behind him and I said quite quiet, ‘C——, I’ll take your night’s pickin’s if it’s the same to you.’ He knew it had to be, an’ to do him justice he bore it well. ‘Well, anyway, Sergeant,’ says he, ‘’tis worth five francs to you, is it not?’ ‘Yes,’ says I and I gave him the five francs then an’ there, an’ he emptied his pockets into my hands. ’Twas worth all of five francs to me, C——’s work that night. An’ he never bore me malice thereafter.”—A Sergeant’s Tale.