THE MOST IMPRESSIVE SIGHT I EVER SAW. 
2 1 1 
of awe at the re- 
lentless advance 
of the messenger 
of Death. What- 
ever it was, we 
were “ off duty ” 
for thirty seconds 
or so, and to be 
off duty when a 
battle is raging 
is to be severely 
neglecting one’s 
d u t y. W hen 
one’s country's 
honour is at 
stake, it is not 
well to brood 
over what is past ; 
all that matters 
is the present and 
the future. But, 
as I have said, we 
forgot such time- 
w o r n theories, 
for poor Green’s 
death had tem- 
porarily stunned 
us— or perhaps I 
should say tem- 
porarily stunned 
my 
companions’ feel- 
ings f c a n n o t 
write. Stunned 
as I was in brain, 
I have no real 
notion of how they 
were taking what 
had happened. 
S ti d d e n 1 y, 
speaking as 
though he were 
reproving school- 
boys, Hardy 
brought us back 
to a sense of 
duty by remark- 
ing in contemptuous tones, “You 
What the blazes are you looking at ? 
man dead ? If so, take his carcass away. 
If he isn’t dead, take him to the doctor.” 
All the time Hardy was “ servingthe vent” 
— the whole incident probably took place in 
less than half a minute— and having brought 
us to our senses he turned round and said 
sharply to No. 3, “ Jim, are you home ? ” as 
the loader, who was in the act of giving a final 
tap, had rammed home the charge. Jim 
‘HE REMARKED in 
CON TRM FT CO US 'J ON KS. 
ARK YOU COOKING AT 
YOIT FOO! S ! 
> M 
WHAT THE TH.AZES 
fools ! 
Is the 
nodded, and without bestowing another look 
on us, or possibly even thinking of me, I lardy 
gave the order, “ Run out. Ready ! ” 
One of the softest-hearted men that ever 
lived. Hardy had undoubtedly felt Green’s 
death as keenly as any of us. His amazing 
pluck, therefore, blinded as he was, in keeping 
his thumb on the vent, and thus saving 
the lives of No. 3 and No. 4, was truly 
the most remarkable act of bravery I have 
ever seen. 
( This Series will be continued in the next number ,) 
VoL xlvi.— 27. 
