Grimers, who cannot see well at night, was terrified when he had to take a despatch through the forest.  He rode with a loaded revolver in one hand, and was only saved from shooting a wretched transport officer by a wild cry, “For God’s sake, look what you’re doing.”

The eldest Cecil reported a distinct smell of dead horses at the obelisk in the forest.  At least he rather thought they were dead donkeys.  The smell was a little different—­more acrid and unpleasant.  We told him that there were eight dead Germans piled at the side of the road, and we reminded him that it had been a sweltering day.

We were terribly tired in the morning.  Spuggy, George, and Orr went off to Paris for new bicycles, and we were left short-handed again.  Another tropical day.

The Skipper rode the spare bike with great dash, the elder Cecil and I attendant.  We sprinted along a good straight road to the cobbled, crowded little town of Faremoutiers.  Then we decided to advance to Mouroux, our proposed headquarters.  It was a haggard village, just off the road.  We arrived there about twelve:  the Germans had departed at six, leaving behind them a souvenir in the dead body of a fellow from the East Lancs. crumpled in a ditch.  He had been shot while eating.  It was my first corpse.  I am afraid I was not overwhelmed with thoughts of the fleetingness of life or the horror of death.  If I remember my feelings aright, they consisted of a pinch of sympathy mixed with a trifle of disgust, and a very considerable hunger, which some apples by the roadside did something to allay.

I shall never forget Mouroux.  It was just a little square of old houses.  Before the Mairie was placed a collection of bottles from which the Sales Boches had very properly drunk.  French proclamations were scribbled over with coarse, heavy jests.  The women were almost hysterical with relieved anxiety.  The men were still sullen, and, though they looked well fed, begged for bread.  A German knapsack that I had picked up and left in charge of some villagers was torn to shreds in fierce hatred when my back was turned.

It was very lonely there in the sun.  We had outstripped the advance-guard by mistake and were relieved when it came up.

We made prisoner of a German who had overslept himself because he had had a bath.

I rushed back with Grimers on my carrier to fetch another bicycle.  On my return my engine suddenly produced an unearthly metallic noise.  It was only an aeroplane coming down just over my head.

In the late afternoon we marched into Coulommiers.  The people crowded into the streets and cheered us.  The girls, with tears in their eyes, handed us flowers.

Three of us went to the Mairie.  The Maire, a courtly little fellow in top-hat and frock-coat, welcomed us in charming terms.  Two fat old women rushed up to us and besought us to allow them to do something for us.  We set one to make us tea, and the other to bring us hot water and soap.