Why not?
It's cruel hard." I asked in my ignorance what was happening.

My neighbour turned to me with a grin.

"Happening?
Why, you've a-lost your chance of death or victory, that's all.

Here you are, company bugler for twenty-four hours by the grace of Heaven and the sergeant's contrivance, and because everyone's forgot you and because, as it happens, for twenty-four hours there's no bugling wanted.

To-morrow you'll be found out and sent back to the band, where there's five supernumeraries waiting for your shoes.