Page:Angels of Mons second edition.pdf/116

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

THE ANGELS OF MONS

"They've got ways that seem a bit queer to us," he said; "but they're wonderful fighting men; there's no denying it."

And, having summed up the Gurkhas, the soldier lapsed into sweet enjoyment of security and summer air, blue seas and blue skies, and shag tobacco.

"But there's no doubt," he went on, after a pause, "that the British Army's a wonderful body of men altogether. The Kaiser made a bit of a mistake when he called it contemptible, it seems to me. Look at the Australians and New Zealanders and Canadians what they've done, and the Indians too, and those Gurkhas I was telling you about. I don't know that there's ever been an army like it for real hard fighting."

Now a great white cloud, like a mighty galleon, came sailing up over

114