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The blundering old man summoned Billy into his study and ordered him to marry Margaret Hugonin, precisely as the Colonel might have ordered a private to go on sentry-duty.
But Mahan and the rest seemed in no way concerned in spirit thereby though, to the dog's understanding, they must surely be aware of the approach. So Bruce gave no further sign of displeasure. He was out for a walk, as a guest. He was not on sentry-duty. But when the nearest German was almost upon them, and all twelve Americans dropped to the ground, the collie became interested once more.
"Any one might happen to fall asleep," continued the gunner. He yawned a few times, brushed the dust off his uniform, and said laughingly to Vogt: "It is nothing unusual on sentry-duty, you raw booby of a recruit! Nothing for you to gape about!" And he walked off solemnly behind the bombardier. Vogt stood thoughtfully beside the sentry-box. That was pretty bad discipline!
Two-thirds of the men were now set at liberty to take what rest and refreshment they could, the remaining third being upon sentry-duty, ready to give the alarm should a night attack be attempted; but of this there was little probability.
And what a deal of mirth and folly, too, the old fellow must have witnessed during his two hundred and odd years of sentry-duty! On warm, clear nights like this, in particular, when by ordinary there were only couples on the Campus, each couple discreetly remote from any of the others. "Oh, YOU know what I mean, dear!" one would say as a last resort.
The first officer to whom Trooper Matthewson gave his smart respectful salute as he stood on sentry-duty was the Major, the Second-in-Command of the Queen's Greys, newly rejoined from furlough, a belted Earl, famous for his sporting habit of riding always and everywhere without a saddle who, as a merry subaltern, had been Lieutenant Lord Ochterlonie and Adjutant of the Queen's Greys at Bimariabad in India.
As a matter of fact, he had no intention of trying to get into the gooseberry garden, but it was extremely convenient for him that his aunt should believe that he had; it was a belief that would keep her on self-imposed sentry-duty for the greater part of the afternoon.
But I'm for sentry-duty to-night. And say what I would to him, all he had for me was, 'You mustn't speak to a sentry on duty. So I says, 'As sure as I live till morning, I'll go to your pa, for he pays no more attention to his ma than me, nor to any one else." "Please to see that the chair-bed in my dressing-room is moved into your mistress's bed-room," said the Captain.
So all that was necessary was easily learnt, and in the peaceful garrison-town it was merely a question of guarding the official buildings. However, Vogt felt as if something very important were taking place when he was the first recruit to be put on sentry-duty. The second-year soldiers, on the other hand, rejoiced over their lazy days.
He was waiting to go forward on sentry-duty, the remainder of the relief having gathered at the other end of the reserve-trench in which he was standing; but though it was spring, there was a chill and a dampness in the air that seemed to breathe from the pores of the mutilated earth.
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