CHAPTERXIV
ATOUCHOFWAR
Theperiodofintensivetrainingwasdrawingtoaclose。Thefinishingtouchesinthevariousdepartmentsthathadcometobeconsiderednecessaryinmodernwarfarehadbeengiven。Withthe\"puttingonthelacquer\"thefightingspiritofthemenhadbeensharpenedtoitskeenestedge。Theywereallwaitingimpatientlyfortheorderto\"goup。\"Themotivesunderlyingthatardourofspiritvariedwiththetemperament，dispositionandeducationofthesoldier。Therewerethosewhowereeagerto\"goup\"toprovethemselvesinthatdeadlystrugglewheretheirfellowCanadianshadalreadywontheirrighttostandascomradesinarmswiththemostfamousfightingbattalionsoftheBritisharmy。Others，again，therewereinwhoseheartburnedadeeppassiontogetintogripswiththosehellishfiendswhosecruelties，practisedupondefencelesswomenandchildreninthatverydistrictwheretheywerecamped，anduponwoundedCanadians，hadstirredCanadafromVancouvertoHalifaxwithadesireforrevenge。
But，withthegreatmajoritytherewaslittleofthedesireeitherformilitarygloryorforrevenge。Theircountryhadlaiduponthemadutyforthedischargeofwhichtheyhadbeenpreparingthemselvesformanymonths，andthatdutytheywerereadytoperform。Morethanthat，theywereeagertogetatitandgetdonewithit，nomatteratwhatcost。Withallthis，too，therewasanunderlyingcuriosityastowhatthethingwouldbelike\"upthere。\"
Fardownbelowalltheirfeelingstherelayanunansweredinterrogationwhichnomandaredtoputtohiscomrade，andwhichindeedfewmenputtothemselves。Thatinterrogationwas：\"HowshallIstandupunderthetest？\"