Page:War's dark frame (IA warsdarkframe00camp).pdf/142

112 if he had reached his destination. Finally an elderly officer stirred and asked with an accent of pity:

Don't you know, my friend, that you've still twenty miles to go? On this train that should permit you several days' complete rest. Sleep well."

After that we were quieter and dozed. One by one the officers gathered their baggage and left. The last clambered sleepily out in a grudging dawn at the first large English base. It was clear enough after that that we were behind the British lines. British faces, British khaki, British methods filled the frames of the windows.

At country stations hospital trains lay on sidings, ready to receive from temporary hospitals and ambulances their grim and scarlet freight. Their drab sides were relieved only by red crosses in white squares. But in each car clusters of field flowers splashed colour. The wide plate glass windows were open to the air. Orderlies in white jackets moved about the beds which were slung where the seats had been.

An aeroplane, a swallow-like speck, appeared to the right, flying in our direction. It came up rapidly until its lines were silhouetted against the sky in the east. The track curved. The war 'plane glided gracefully after us. I was on my