Chapter 1

Battalion "at its duties."_

Second-Lieutenant Wood _and his platoon are erecting a wire entanglement. To them enter_ Second-Lieutenant Brown _in great excitement_.

S.-L. _Brown_. I say----

S.-L. Wood. Run away, dear. No time for you. Brass hats expected in large numbers.

S.-L. B. I've lost my platoon.

S.-L. W. Have you looked in _all_ your pockets, Freddy?

S.-L. B. I sent it up under the Sergeant, and he must have mistaken the place, strafe him! And I told the Adjutant I'd be the other side of this wood, doing Visual Training, when the General came round.

S.-L. W. (_impressed at last_). My hat, you're in for it! Look out, here they come.

Second-Lieutenant Brown _fades into the landscape_.

_Enter the_ General _and the_ C.O., _with_ Staff-Captain, Adjutant _and_ Sergeant-Major. _The Platoon labours on and takes no notice_. Second-Lieutenant Wood _comes to attention and salutes_. _The_ General _remarks on the fine physique of the men, inspects the wire entanglement and explains how_ _he used to do it when he was a subaltern_. Private Hogg, _a recruit unused to Generals, stands gazing awestruck, but catches the_ Adjutant's _eye and, gets on feverishly with his work. The cortège passes on, and the platoon heaves a sigh of relief and stands easy._

_Re-enter_ Second-Lieutenant Brown.

_S.-L. W._ Go away, my good man; we've nothing for you.

_S.-L. B._ I say, like a good chap----_They confer earnestly._ Curtain.