Wren and Billy Silver had fallen out over a question of space. It wasSilver's opinion that Wren's nest ought to have been built a foot ortwo further to the left. He stated baldly that he had not room tobreathe, and requested the red-headed one to ease off a point or so inthe direction of his next-door neighbour. Wren had refused, and, aftera few moments' chatty conversation, smote William earnestly in thewind. Trouble had begun upon the instant. It had ceased almost asrapidly owing to interruptions from without, but the truce had beenmerely temporary. They continued the argument outside the tent atfive-thirty the next morning, after the _reveille_ had sounded,amidst shouts of approval from various shivering mortals who weretubbing preparatory to embarking on the labours of the day.

　　A brisk first round had just come to a conclusion when Walton loungedout of the tent, yawning.

　　Walton proceeded to separate the combatants. After which he rebukedBilly Silver with a swagger-stick. Wren's share in the business heoverlooked. He was by way of being a patron of Wren's, and he dislikedBilly Silver, partly for his own sake and partly because he hated hisbrother, with whom he had come into contact once or twice during hiscareer at Eckleton, always with unsatisfactory results.

　　So Walton dropped on to Billy Silver, and Wren continued his toiletrejoicing.

　　Camp was beginning the strenuous life now. Tent after tent emptieditself of its occupants, who stretched themselves vigorously, andproceeded towards the tubbing-ground, where there were tin baths forthose who cared to wait until the same were vacant, and a good, honestpump for those who did not. Then there was that unpopular job, thepiling of one's bedding outside the tent, and the rolling up of thetent curtains. But these unpleasant duties came to an end at last, andsigns of breakfast began to appear.

　　Breakfast gave Kennedy his first insight into life in camp. Hehappened to be tent-orderly that day, and it therefore fell to his lotto join the orderlies from the other tents in their search for theEckleton rations. He returned with a cargo of bread (obtained from thequartermaster), and, later, with a great tin of meat, which thecook-house had supplied, and felt that this was life. Hithertobreakfast had been to him a thing of white cloths, tables, and foodthat appeared from nowhere. This was the first time he had evertracked his food to its source, so to speak, and brought it back withhim. After breakfast, when he was informed that, as tent-orderly forthe day, it was his business to wash up, he began to feel as if hewere on a desert island. He had never quite realised before whatwashing-up implied, and he was conscious of a feeling of respect forthe servants at Blackburn's, who did it every day as a matter ofcourse, without complaint. He had had no idea before this of theintense stickiness of a jammy plate.

　　One day at camp is much like another. The schools opened the day withparade drill at about eight o'clock, and, after an instruction seriesof "changing direction half-left in column of double companies", andother pleasant movements of a similar nature, adjourned for lunch.