Here, too, he saw for the first time a big and quite recent shell-hole, for the Russian guns were searching out the position.

He was so interested in it all that he poked his nose where he shouldn't have been, and dropped plump into the pit behind a gun-emplacement.
Gunners all the world over are the same--shy people, who hide themselves in holes and hibernate and mortally dislike being detected.
A gruff voice cried '_Wer da_ ?' and a heavy hand seized his neck.
Peter was ready with his story.

He belonged to Michael's wagon-team and had been left behind.

He wanted to be told the way to the sappers' camp.

He was very apologetic, not to say obsequious.
'It is one of those Prussian swine from the Marta bridge,' said a gunner.