November 1915
"We"ve done it, sir!" Black was so exultant that he forgot his carefully nurtured disrespect.
"Spur," Selkirk yelled, "Reivers! Get away from here!"
His men echoed the call. "Selkirk"s Reivers!"
They crested the hill and halted in a rocky hollow half a mile distant, with the men panting or grinning or exhausted; one youngster was openly crying, and others were wounded.
"Not bad, sir," Crosier was grinning, "seven minutes flat!"
Seven minutes? Was that all? I thought we had been in action for an hour at least. Fighting always distorts time
"Roll call," Selkirk looked around at his command. "Three men missing: Kilner, Anderson and Syms."
"Anderson was killed in the first rush, sir," Crosier reported, "and Kilner as we withdrew. I did not see Syms."
"I did," Kelly said.
