Page:History of the 305th field artillery (IA historyof305thfi01camp).pdf/141

Rh know you have looked forward to a period of road training before going into action. My announcement is that you won't have it. You're going into the line. The first platoon of this battery will go in to-morrow night. The second platoon will follow the night after. That's all. Battery attention! Count off!"

Heels clicked together.

"One, two three, four. One, two, three, four."

The numbers ran crisply down the line. You've heard any quantity of organizations count off, but it's doubtful if you've ever heard anything like that outside of the National Army in France. The serious expressions didn't alter particularly, but the heads snapped around with a rare precision. The voices were big and hoarse with a sort of helpless effort. It was as if these oddly assorted men were all trying to tell their captain the same thing, and, because they wanted to tell him so hard, couldn't quite get it out.