human
How far is it to the German trenches?
gpt
Eh?
human
How far is it to the German trenches?
gpt
Five 'undred yards.
human
Are we alone out here? Are there any Germans likely to be out too?
gpt
Why, yes ... plenty of 'em out here.
human
Do they go in pairs, like us; or have they squads of them....
gpt
Pairs, my son, pairs, brace, couples....
human
Do our boys ever meet any of the Boches?
gpt
Sure! Many a time.
human
What do we do?
gpt
Do? Stick 'em, matey, stick 'em! You've learnt to use yer b'ynet, 'aven't yer? Well, stick 'em ... kill 'em! Don't use yer rifle ... the flash would give you away, and then ye'd be a corpse.
human
What are we out here for, anyway?
gpt
Don't yer know w'ot listenin'-post is? W'y, there's a couple of us fellows hout at intervals all along the line. We get as close to the enemy parapet as is possible. We watch and listen, lyin' flat on the ousey ground hall the while. We are the heyes of the harmy. The Germans raid us on occasions. Were these posts not hout, the raids would be more frequent. They'd come hover and inflict severe casualties on hour men. They can't see the Boche. We can. Should one Boche, or five 'undred try to come hover that parapet, one of us must immediately set hout and run back to hour trenches and give the warnin' for hour boys to be ready. The other one of us stays back 'ere, and with cold steel keeps back the rush.
human
What happens afterward to the man who stays back here?
gpt
Mentioned in despatches ... sometimes,
human
Oh, yer needn't be a bit nervous. There's two of us lads about every forty or fifty yards. This is the w'y. 'Ere we are, 'ere the Boches are ... there the boys are --he flicked an expressive thumb backward.
gpt
Those Boches thinks as 'ow they 'as to get to our trenches, but before they gets to our trenches, they 'as to pass us ... they 'as to pass US ... see?
human
Say, I touched him gently,