Slung behind him is an entrenching tool.

Any other space upon his person is at his own disposal, and he may carry what he likes, except “unsoldierly trinkets”—­whatever these may be.  However, if the passion for self-adornment proves too strong, he may wear “the French National Colours”—­a compliment to our gallant ally which is slightly discounted by the fact that her national colours are the same as our own.

However, once he has attached this outfit to his suffering person, and has said what he thinks about its weight, the private has no more baggage worries.  Except for his blanket, which is carried on a waggon, he is his own arsenal, wardrobe, and pantry.

Not so the officer.  He suffers from embarras de choix.  He is the victim of his female relatives, who are themselves the victims of those enterprising tradesmen who have adopted the most obvious method of getting rid of otherwise unsaleable goods by labelling everything For Active Service—­a really happy thought when you are trying to sell a pipe of port or a manicure set.  Have you seen Our Active Service Trouser-Press?

By the end of April Bobby Little had accumulated, with a view to facilitating the destruction of the foe—­

    An automatic Mauser pistol, with two thousand rounds of
    ammunition.

    A regulation Service revolver.

    A camp bed.

    A camp table.

    A camp chair.

    A pneumatic mattress.

[This ingenious contrivance was meant to be blown up, like an air-cushion, and Bobby’s servant expended most of the day and much valuable breath in performing the feat.  Ultimately, in a misguided attempt to save his lungs from rupture, he employed a bicycle pump, and burst the bed.]

    A sleeping (or “flea”) bag.

    A portable bath.

    A portable washhand-stand.

    A dressing-case, heavily ballasted with cut-glass bottles.

    A primus stove.

    A despatch case.

    The “Service” Kipling (about forty volumes.)

    Innumerable socks and shirts.

    A box of soap.

    Fifty boxes of matches.

    A small medicine chest.

    About a dozen first-aid outfits.

    A case of pipes, and cigarettes innumerable.

    [Bobby’s aunts regarded cigars as not quite ascetic enough for
    active service.  Besides, they might make him sick.]

    About a cubic foot of chocolate (various).

    Numerous compressed foods and concentrated drinks.

    An “active service” cooking outfit.

    An electric lamp, with several refills.

    A pair of binoculars.

    A telescope.

    A prismatic compass.

    A sparklet siphon.

    A luminous watch.

    A pair of insulated wire-cutters.