He could hear the murmur of insects in the grass, and he reflected that the smaller one was, the safer one was.

A shell was not likely to take any notice of a gnat.
He felt of his clothing.

It was not dry yet and he would wait a little longer.

Anyhow, what was the use of hurrying?
He turned over on his side and continued to luxuriate in the long grass.
The warmth and dryness had sent the blood pulsing in a strong flood through his veins once more, and the mental rebound came too.

Although he lay immediately between two gigantic armies which were sending showers of metal at each other along a line of many miles, he considered his escape sure and the thought of personal danger disappeared.