they went over level ground, only to meet another line of men similarly engaged. Several hundred feet beyond an order came like a shot: "Halt!"[Pg 59] [Pg 59] An orderly came riding up at full speed, and looked around. "We are waiting for orders, I suppose," remarked a lieutenant. The orderly put spurs to his horse, and rode to the right, as he espied a group of horsemen. "Form your men along this line, and dig in," he directed. The order was given: "File to the right; halt; stack arms." Several lorries, which had been following them, came up, and at a word of command the men began to unload shovels and picks. This began to look like business. It was now growing light, but it still lacked a half hour before sunrise. "Why can't we lend a hand?" inquired Ralph. "Of course we can," answered Alfred. They were alongside in an instant. Ralph jumped into the vehicle, and helped to hand out the implements, while Alfred tried to edge his way in. Their earnestness attracted the officer in charge, and he smiled, and nodded his head in approval. Thus two van loads were dumped out, and carried forward of the rows of stacked arms. An engineer officer marked out the line of the trench, and the men were set to work. They were now doing the job for a real purpose, as during their month of training in England these men had been instructed how to go about the business of making trenches, and it was wonderful to see how quickly the furrows were dug out. They were about four feet deep, the earth being thrown up[Pg 60] on the side toward the enemy, thus making a shelter trench five feet deep. [Pg 60] As soon as the main line was thus completed, traverses were cut, leading out at right angle to the rear of the main trench. These were formed in zig-zag fashion, the object being to form shelter sections along the entire trench, so that those within would not be subjected to what is called an enfilading fire. [Pg 61] [Pg 61] CHAPTER V ON THE FIRING LINE
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